For the last 20 years, with competition getting stiff within the premium makes, of which used to be Mercedes Benz and Jaguar's comfortable territory, the likes of BMW and Audi joining in the game subsequently had left the pouncing feline licking its bruised paws hiding back in the bushes, and Mercedes Benze undergoing couple of restructures to fight off aggressive competition from the two younger, sportier, more dynamic brothers from Munich and Ingolstadt. The battle then went to the filling up of all possible niches, with unseen off categories being created and filled, cars like the A-Class, B-Class, BMW X3,5, R-Class, Audi Q7 etc were all desperate attempts to cross engineer existing platforms to obtain that very slight competitive advantage over their rivals. Rich with cash, their unstoppable R&D influx of more and more capable dynamics were soon available in their traditional premium sedans, 500hp four door sedans, 600hp limousines and outright maniac supercars carrying the same logos as the Vito Commercial vans and a diesel 1.9 ltr A3s; they've created supercar slaying machines such as the Mercedes SL 65 AMG Black Series, M6 and the R8; stepping right into the segments of traditional thoroughbreds such as Aston Martins, Ferraris, Porsches and Lamborghinis. Bundling in an attractive package of everyday usability with performance that could blow away plenty of these so-called supercar manufacturers.Now the time has come where we're witnessing those elites taking back on the big boys, with Porsche first going into the foray with the Cayenne, proving that the badge effect of these traditional supercar manufacturers as an impenetrable barrier, they followed suit with the Panamera 4 door luxury super coupe. Then Aston Martin reveals their Rapide concept, of which stunned enthusiasts literally forcing AM execs to receive their deposits during the show gave David Richards the confidence to go ahead with the program, Lamborghini as well, upon being taken over by Audi, obtained the little 'magic' of know-how in creating cars that don't burn themselves up incidentally, able to start in a cold morning, had witnessed unprecedented success with the Murcielago and Gallardo, engaged in the Lagartijo program in 2006, which is now succeeded and looking on track to go into production in the form of either the Lamborhghini Estoque or Lamborghini Urus moniker, putting Lamborghini firmly within the battle of creating super 4 seat GTs ferrying happy
The battle got even hotter when Aston Martin revealed earlier on having plans to revive the legendary Lagonda luxury car maker, it seems definite that these traditionally niche market players are moving in big time into the mainstream market, tapping the doors of those disgust at having their S600 AMG V12 BiTurbo looking exactly the same as the S350 a better bet with their money. We're excited, extremely excited; and we could almost begin to smell the shift of elitist's preference from a Ferrari 599 Fiorano, suggesting a strict usage of condoms to an Aston Martin Rapide parked beside the grasslands of a lake, with Daddy, Mommy, John and Jane having a sweet Sunday afternoon picnic. Bringing supercars from rich spoilt brats to rich caring dads.
