Limousine Services have been getting more creative in the era of downsizing, but this particular company may have found a new niche, Armored Limousines. The Armored Limousine Service Inc., a company located within the Dallas Texas Metro Area, offers a service in which their clients enjoy being DIFFERENT & STYLISH with a sense of SECURITY. The “Limousine” is, in all reality, a stretched Armored Car, the type that is used to transport valuables between banks, that has been up-fitted with your typical, over-the-top party limo interior, complete with two-toned leather, neon and strobe lights, and a retractable stripped pole from the ceiling.

Despite RideLust’s blatant and ardent affection for Volvo, it is with solemn respect that this grim story is approached. I jest, of course.

As many are well aware, Saab’s dysfunctional, 21-year relationship with General Motors has taken an even more tumultuous turn as of late thanks to Koenigsegg’s abrupt resignation from the purchase procedure and The General’s subsequent decision to wind down operations. Since GM’s announcement that Saab would be grounded for eternity (aviation reference, get it? No? Philistines), Dutch supercar maker Spyker has expressed a renewed interest in acquiring the brand and is currently GM’s preferred bidder, but the future still looks bleak. For some undisclosed reason, GM has managed to sour literally every potential sale that they’ve entertained and at this point, Saab is about as likely to escape their death sentence as Ed Whitacre is to grow a pair of large, supple breasts.

Good news for all the expectant fanboys at the local VFW: the 2011 Cadillac CTS-V Coupe has finally made its first appearance. Scheduled to officially debut next week at the 2010 North American International Auto Show, the high performance (though slightly chunky) coupe promises to pose a serious threat to the high-output warhorses currently thundering out of Germany. While the Caddy of legends told might have enjoyed limited popularity outside of bingo halls and Def Jam, the CTS-V coupe is a beast unlike any other. Despite the fact that GM’s corporate philosophy as a whole may leave a lot to be desired, even we – the consummate, caustic professionals – here at RideLust can’t deny a superbly engineered vehicle when we see one.

The Red Green Show officially went off the air in 2006, but the indelible legacy it left on DIY gearheads lives on and to this day, duct tape is second only to Bondo as the destitute crowd’s favorite repair tool. Among those most heavily influenced by Red Green’s jury rigging is a member of RideLust’s own staff (who shall remain nameless) that attempted a half-assed repair job of their own on an aging Volvo. Hilarity later ensued at the inspection station (followed immediately by a rejection sticker) and in honor of the laughs they elicited we’ve assembled an assortment of our favorite moments in Possum Lodge engineering.

After Koenigsegg’s bid for Saab fell through and General Motors announced their ailing Swedish subsidiary would begin winding down operations in January, Dutch supercar maker Spyker once again prepared a bid for the brand. Rejected twice during preliminary negotiations for failing to agree to perform thrice weekly fellatio, or something equally as absurd, Spyker now appears to be topping the General’s list of preferred bidders. By Friday, a formal offer is expected to be filed that, in keeping with their apparent custom, GM will proceed to blow.

Check back later for official updates, or don’t. You could probably write the story yourself at this point.

Yesterday, during the over-hyped debut of the new 2011 5-Series, I made a nostalgic reference to the extinct front end styling of 80s – early 90s Bimmers and, much to my surprise, received nary a grammatically incorrect letter of dissent. So, it is on that faintly encouraging note that I bring to you Tuesday’s eBay Find of the Day: a mint condition, one owner 1986 BMW L7. As classic BMW enthusiasts are already aware, the L7 was a souped up version of the 735i originally introduced exclusively to the American market to sate the growing, fervent luxury ride lust of gangster rappers and coke dealers. Plebeian wood trim was replaced with sumptuous leather on the dashboard and door panels and enough extra interior accessories were added to ensure European automotive garages no shortage of business decades down the road. As was intended, the L7 eventually became the ultimate status symbol and, after putting a few years on it, the biggest electrical nightmare outside of a Land Rover dealership.

This particular L7, however, appears to be in excellent working condition and was apparently meticulously cared for by its one owner. The original leather is not only still intact but as blemish free as the day it was driven home and the seller has all of the service records in his possession, so you’ll know what you’re getting yourself into. My personal spending limit is somewhere around $5k which puts me out of the race for this gem, but if I had the scratch I can assure you this would be making its way home to momma. Reliability be damned.

Pics after the jump

Apparently unaware of the slightly less than favorable reputation Chrysler brand products (Dodge and Jeep notably excluded) enjoy in the U.S., Fiat apparently intends to use the Chrysler 300C as the underpinning for its new, entry-level Maserati Quattroporte. We’ll give you a minute to digest that.

In New York, an exotic car dealer took a customer’s 2008 Koenigsegg CCX for an ill-advised spin, resulting in the unfortunate crash pictured above. Only one of ten to ever touch down on U.S. soil, the total dollar loss on the damaged CCX was close to $1 million and doesn’t include the amount the dealer shelled out to placate the undoubtedly irate customer. What’s more, not only was the CCX the unfortunate victim of a joy ride gone awry, but a 2009 Porsche GT2 was also reportedly damaged in the accident.

After nearly five years since their conceptual manifestation at the 2005 North American International Auto Show, the super performance dreams of Lexus have finally become a reality with the inaugural debut of the Lexus LFA supercar. Technically, the car pictured above (and below, after the jump) is considered a production vehicle, but given astronomical costs associated with competing in the performance car segment, the LFA is still very much a prototype. Initial production will be limited to just 500 units worldwide, and despite the staggering $375,000 price tag, AutoBlog reports that Lexus expects to take a hit on each sale. If this is true, the future of the LFA and Lexus’ participation in the segment in general, may hinge upon a positive response from Tier 1 consumers.

If you can afford to participate in Lexus’ costly market experiment, you’ll be rewarded with power and prestige worthy of standing alongside any Italian creation. Beneath the hood sits a massive 4.8L V10 powerplant capable of churning out 552 bhp and 354 lb-ft torque (90% of the latter which is produced between 3,700rpm and 9,000rpm) mated to a 6-speed ASG transmission. Top speed is limited to a white-knuckle 202 mph, and it’s 0-100km/h time is an impressive 3.7 seconds.

As we mentioned above, production will be initially limited to just 500 units and delivery of the new LFA is not expected to commence until 2011.

In a statement made to the press at the Tokyo Motor Show this week, Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn confirmed Infiniti’s intention to produce a zero-emissions, electric vehicle. Unlike the full-sized M hybrid scheduled to hit the U.S. in 2010, Infiniti’s future plug-in will be stylish, compact 4-seat presumably entirely electric-powered. Despite the many problems currently plaguing the relatively primitive lithium ion battery market, Ghosn assured that the new Infiniti EV would complete the seemingly fictitious plug-in trifecta, successfully marrying electric propulsion, Tier 1 performance, and a reasonable sticker price.