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Do you think the merger will turn out to be a good thing for Porsche? Do you share the attitude of Jim Hearndon, vice chair of the Independent Porsche Enthusiasts Club of Great Britain, that “anything that means they [Porsche] survive is good.”

Did they really have a choice?

I hope that Porsche will stay true to its roots and experience the same kind of success that Lamborghini has had as part of VW.

That is going to be a little trickier for Porsche because it was already making 100,000 cars a year, as opposed to the handful that Lamborghini was making at the time it was acquired.

If you live in DFW or are coming for a visit and want to spend a day driving four exotic cars on some of Texas most scenic (and deserted) back roads, check out DFWDriveYourDream.com

The poll studied the happiness of residents in each of the 50 states and then ranked those states in order.  The Lone Start State came in at number 15, a respectable showing but not quite as high as some Texas residents might expect.

“I meet a lot of happy people,” says Ron Sturgeon, owner of a Dallas exotic car rental business.

It’s possible that Sturgeon’s sample doesn’t reflect the entire Texas population.  That’s because Sturgeon gets to speak to people just before and after they make their dreams come true.

“For a lot of people, the dream of driving a Lamborghini or Ferrari seems out of reach,” says Sturgeon, who also owns a business that provides automotive dream tours in the Dallas and Fort Worth area.  “We show them that you don’t have to be a millionaire to drive an exotic vehicle.”

These days, millionaires seem pretty few and far between.  Instead of running out and buying an exotic sports car, many auto enthusiasts are turning to creative alternatives like exotic car rental, automotive dream tours, and exotic car clubs.

While it can be fun to own an exotic car, it comes with a lot of hassle and expense.  In addition to the astronomically high car payment, exotic car owners need to find secure exotic car storage, qualified maintenance professionals, and affordable insurance.

Those are just a few of the reasons that exotic car rental is taking off.

“It’s also great for people who really want to experience a car before buying it,” Sturgeon says.  “This isn’t the kind of decision you should make lightly.”

The happiness survey asked participants about their lives and included questions about things like time spent commuting, quality of area schools, and crime levels.  Of the top 10 states, 7 were located in the Southern portion of the US.  Another high-ranking state was Hawaii.

“We get a lot of sun here too,” says Sturgeon.  “There’s nothing that improves your outlook like enjoying nice Texas weather in a convertible rental.”

Kate Miller-Wilson is a professional freelance writer, specializing in web content and technical writing.

If you dream of driving a Porsche, exotic car rental might be the perfect option for you.  Rather than shelling out over $80,000 to buy a Porsche, you can rent an exotic car for the weekend.

When you own a Porsche, you get an awesome car but a lot of hassle.  You need to find a mechanic certified to work on Porsches, pay for insurance, and find a safe, climate-controlled place to store your exotic car in Dallas.

When you factor in the most sports cars are only driven a few thousand miles a year, renting a sports car like the Porsche deserves a hard second look.

If you find that you frequently rent a Porsche or other exotic car, a good option might be joining an exotic car club.  As a member of an exotic car sharing club, you get access to an entire garage of exotic vehicles.

Porsche currently has five models that it sells in the US.  These include the Porsche Boxster, the Porsche Cayman, the Porsche 911, the Porsche Panamera, and the Porsche Cayenne.  Buing a basic Porsche 911 Cabriolet will run about $87,000.

If you are interested in buying a Porsche in the Dallas area, there are three dealerships nearby:  Autobahn Motorcar Group in Fort Worth, Boardwalk Porsche in Plano, and Park Place Porsche in Dallas.  This may be a great time to buy an exotic car, but exotic car owners are also take a big hit because of depreciation in the first year of ownership.

Test driving an exotic vehicle is a great way to experience a car, but most test drives from dealers don’t last long enough to give prospective buyers a chance to really know a vehicle.  Exotic car rental can be a great way to learn whether a car is for you.  You can rent a Porsche 911 for a day or weekend, rather than just driving it around the block.

Kate Miller-Wilson is a professional freelance web copywriter living in the Twin Cities. Visit her website or email her for information about her freelance writing services.

In the intervening years, most of these V-12 Grand Prix cars were cannibalized, but not chassis #19, according to a story in the UK Telegraph.

Fortunately for fans of the open racers of the period, chassis #19 was found and rescued and has been in the hands of car collector Paul Karrasik since the mid 1980s. The car was fully restored to its previous glory by Croiswaite and Gardiner.

Photo Courtesy of Bonhams.

The D type was to be auctioned once before at a Cristie’s sale in 2007 but was withdrawn before it could be hammered down because it was inadvertently misrepresented as chassis #21, the winner of the French GP at Reims-Gueux in 1939. This car actually finished sixth in that race. The car was designed by Ferdinand Porsche and is an important forerunner of modern racers because it was the first to place the engine behind the driver.

According to an excellent article on the background of the vintage Grand Prix car by David Lillywhite, part of the problem in identifying the car came from the team’s practice of tearing down and rebuilding the cars after each race. Little care was taken to ensure that parts from the same car were used in the rebuilding. David’s article about the recovered Auto Union Racer.

The vintage racer driven by Hans Struck will be auctioned by Bonhams & Butterfields in California at their prestigious Palm Beach auction on August 14. The 485 bhp racer was capable of 200MPH.

The orginal Telegraph story has some an excellent image of the restored car. The recovery of what almost certainly is the only D type left behind in the former Soviet Union has created quite a sensation. An excellent background article on the barn find appears in the Detriot Free Press. What a thrilling Barn Find!

This article written by Tampa English Tutor and freelance blogger Eric Anderson.

Yahoo Autos recently reported on the 10 Most Decadent Options for exotic vehicles:

1. Pur Sang Edition of the Bugatti Veyron 16.4

This version of the super-elite sports car actually comes without any paint, allowing owners to have the vehicle custom-painted.  Since less than 500 Bugatti Veyron 16.4 exotic cars are being produced, the price tag for the regular edition of the car runs about $1.6 million.

The paintless Pur Sang edition runs another $500,000.  For those who love to dress their cars in designer duds, there’s also the Fbg par Hermes.  The French fashion label has specially created this edition with brown paint and leather.

1. Aston Martin Jaeger-LeCoultre Watch

The Jaeger-LeCoultre AMVOX2 DBS Transponder Watch is basically the ultimate spy gadget.  The $37, 900 timepiece allows the user to access his or her exotic sports car and unlock the vehicle’s doors.  Driving an exotic vehicle and using a watch like this would make anyone cool.

1. Granite Interior Trim on the Maybach Landaulet

If you have some cash leftover after you buy an exotic vehicle, why not spring for granite trim?  The granite interior trim package for the Maybach Landaulet will set you back about $60,000, and the company offers an even more luxury package than that!

Of course, if you just want to drive an exotic vehicle and don’t have the bankroll to finance that kind of purchase, a good option is exotic car rental.

1. Starlight Headliner for the Rolls Royce Phantom

Imagine driving a Rolls Royce at night and then looking up to see 1600 little lights illuminating the roof.  The option retails for about $12,000, but the effect is pretty impressive!

1. Mercedes-Benz Airscarf

It’s usually a given that convertibles can’t be driven year-round.  Even on a beautiful sunny day, air temperatures and wind can make driving a convertible a pretty chilly experience.  That’s where this $510 to $3750 package comes in.  The Airscarf option provides a vent that blows warm air on your neck when you drive a convertible in less-than-ideal weather conditions.

1. Executive Package for the Lexus LS460L

Even though the Lexus LS460L retails for just under $74,000, it might not be enough of a luxury vehicle to suit your tastes.  That’s where the Executive Package comes in.  This extra-luxurious option gives Lexus owners the ability to recline the rear seats and even provides a leg rest!

1. Drive-Dynamic Seats on Some Mercedes Model

It’s already quite an experience to drive a Mercedes S550, but now you can drive an exotic vehicle and get a massage at the same time!  The option is an upcharge of about $1820 on the Mercedes S550, and it provides the driver with several massage options.  It’s already pretty impressive to drive an exotic car, but imagine the bragging rights this kind of option would give you!

1. Designo Interior for the Mercedes Benz

Most people who drive a Mercedes are already pretty happy with the sumptuous leather interior, but if you want your car interior to be even more impressive, the Designo interior might be for you.  For an extra $12,015, you even get velour floor mats!

1. Leather Everything on Your Porsche

Just getting a chance to drive a Porsche is a lifetime dream for many people; however, if you are in the market for an exotic sports car, it’s nice to know you can get some impressive options on your vehicle.  Imagine getting leather-covered vents or a leather-clad coat hook.  These options just prove that anything is possible in a Porsche.

1. Comfort Access Feature on BMWs

Driving a BMW convertible is a great experience, but it just got even more fun with the Comfort Access feature.  The $500 – $1000 option lets drivers operate the convertible top using the key fob.  They can also raise and lower the windows and lock and unlock the car.  You don’t even need to take the key out of your pocket!

Kate Miller-Wilson is a professional freelance writer living in the Twin Cities. Visit her website or email her for information about her freelance writing services.

STUTTGART, Germany — The next-edition Porsche Cayennes will receive a mild face-lift, as well as more powerful direct-gasoline-injection engines when they appear in showrooms starting in February.

Porsche says the powertrain enhancements will result in fuel savings of up to 15 percent under “real” driving conditions.

The base Cayenne gets a 40-horsepower boost and is now driven by a 290-hp 3.6-liter V6. The previous model had been equipped with a 3.2-liter V6. The torque on the base Cayenne has improved from 229 to 284 pound-feet. Acceleration time has improved, too. The previous model went from zero to 62 mph in 9.1 seconds; the new model goes from zero to 62 mph in 8.1 seconds and has a top speed of 141 mph.

The Cayenne S gets a bigger 4.8-liter V8 making 360 lb-ft of torque versus 310 on the previous model. Horsepower has jumped 45, to 385 hp. The Cayenne S now has a 0-62-mph time of 6.6 seconds and a top speed of 157 mph. The previous model went from zero to 62 mph in 6.8 seconds and had a top speed of 150 mph.

The Cayenne Turbo gets a 50-hp bump. The new eight-cylinder engine, driven by a twin exhaust-gas turbocharger, produces 500 hp and 516 lb-ft versus 457 lb-ft for the previous model. The Cayenne Turbo sprints from zero to 62 mph in 5.1 seconds and has a maximum speed of 171 mph. The previous model: 5.6 seconds and 165 mph.

Porsche only announced Euro-based prices on the Cayenne. The base model is the equivalent of $57,690, while the Cayenne S stickers for $74,340. The Cayenne Turbo starts at $90,200.

What this means to you: Porsche puts a premium on performance with the updated Cayenne.

I didn’t know it was possible to tame down a Porsche. It doesn’t look nearly nasty enough for all of the hype and horsepower they are adding to it. Who really wants an understated Porsche?
PRESS RELEASE:
TechArt Customizes the Porsche Models 911 Carrera 4 and 4S (997)

Powerful engine tuning and exclusive accessories that leave nothing to be desired: TechArt Automobildesign also offers an extensive customization program for the new 997-series models Porsche 911 Carrera 4 and 4S.

TechArt also provides engine tuning for both water-cooled six-cylinder engines of the Carrera 4 and Carrera 4S, coupe or cabriolet. The TechArt power kits TA 097/1 for the 3.6-liter version and TA 097/S1 for the Carrera S with 3.8-liter displacement each consist of a sport air filter and newly programmed engine electronics.

After the installation, which can be done directly at TechArt Automobildesign or by any authorized Porsche dealer, maximum power output for each model increases by 15 hp / 11 kW.

Read on.

Here we assume Bscher’s not talking about the upcoming targa variant of the Veyron, but a completely new model. We can expect that whether it’s a front-engined touring coupe, a CLS-style four-door coupe or a super-luxury saloon, the next Bugatti will share a great deal of the mechanicals with the Veyron so as to defer further development costs and better utilize the enormous amount of resources that went into the supercar.

Bugatti is moving ahead with plans for a new model to succeed the record-shattering, earth-moving, mouth-watering Veyron supercar. That’s what Thomas Bscher, chief of the Volkswagen AG subsidiary, contends, despite reported efforts by Porsche to derail the über-ultra-super-duper-premium-luxury carmaker.

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