Car Club Blog

It could be said that there are two types of drivers in the world, those who embrace safety and those who toss caution to the wind.  I’ll get to the latter group in a moment. 

The safety crowd was no doubt titillated by the news that the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety just released its safety findings for nine midsize SUVs.  To add to the allure, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety put the SUVs through a new series of tests that subjected the models to front, side, and rear crash tests.

The results?  Well the clear winner was the Nissan Murano which registered a “good” (the institute’s top rating) in front, side, and rear crash categories.  Overall, the Institute praised improvements made across the board to SUV safety.  In fact, only one SUV failed to get the top rating for front crash tests.  Ironically, this SUV was none other than the Hummer H3. 

As for the caution-to-the-wind crowd, these people are much more interested in the performance figures for the latest exotic sports cars than the dry results of some institute crash tests. 

They are car enthusiasts who can carry on a passionate debate on the merits of the V-10. They are just the sort of people who might be enticed to try an exotic car tour in Houston, or exotic car club in Dallas. They are always thinking of what car they want to drive next and any special occasion seems like the right time to rent a Bentley GTC. 

 

In a safety-obsessed culture, these people are a refreshing change. They remind me of a time when we trusted our own judgments about what to drive.
 

Written by G.D. Gregory.  If you are interested in having me write stories for you or seeing my portfolio, please contact me at ggpsu@yahoo.com.

By Don Hammonds, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Talks about the tiny beauties with rubber tires, detailed graphics, authentic factory paint jobs wheels and hubcaps, cutout scoops where they are supposed to be, and even detailed taillights, headlights and side markets.

It can’t be easy to replicate a Corvette in such a small size, especially given all the intricate curves, character lines and body markings of the real cars.

For great prices on desktop garage car try   www.greenlighttoys.com.

And visit one of the largest collection of toys that evoke automotive art.  DFW Elite Toy Museum has one of the best collection of toys and the admission is Free.

Bertoia Auctions’ April 17-19 Open House sale features blue-ribbon array of private collections
Auction headliners include the Delaware Toy & Miniature Museum collection, the late Bob Smith’s automotive toys and part II of the fabulous Fred Cannon collection of Christmas antiques.

Toy collectors dream sale.

http://www.news-antique.com/?id=783830&pg=2&keys=auction-antique-Marklin-dollhouse

Maybe there will be some new additions to the DFW Elite Toy Museum.

February 28, 2008 Swedish supercar manufacturer Koenigsegg will debut its latest gob-smacking creation at the upcoming Geneva International Motor Show - the Koenigsegg Edition.Featuring a striking black clear carbon body, red leather interior and new forged, machined and polished aluminum wheels, the Edition will be available in two versions - the 4.8 litre 888bhp CCX Edition and the CCXR Edition, a biofuel burning variant that achieves 1018 bhp at 7000rpm when run on E85 fuel, making 0-62 mph (0-100 kmh) in under 3 seconds and reaching a top Speed of 254+ mph (410+ kmh) along the way. Those in the market will have to dig deep and act fast to get behind the wheel of the Edition - pricing for the CCXR version is listed at 1.5 million Euros and according to Koenigsegg “only a very few models will be produced”.

In November 2007 Koenigsegg cars were certified for the United States market.

Stay tuned for further info and more images of the KoenigseggEdition when it takes the stage in Geneva next month or visit the company’s website for further specification details.

Koenigsegg Edition

Image Gallery ( 4 images )

Yes, this is a great looking car.  Check out DFW Elite Auto Rental’s Fleet of fabulous cars.

/24-7PressRelease/ - DALLAS, TX, February 28, 2008 - Even skilled shoppers can be stumped when birthday shopping for a car guy. After all, as much as he would love it, it may not be practical to put the latest sports car in the driveway. A Fort Worth-based entrepreneur has a solution that’s just the ticket for those who need a winning birthday gift for an auto aficionado.

DFW Drive Your Dream (http://www.dfwdriveyourdream.com) owner Ron Sturgeon said, “Many of our clients are successful business owners and professionals who want to give the gearhead in their lives a birthday gift that’s memorable and fun.”

Drive your Dream is an exotic car driving experience that allows participants to drive some of the most sought after cars in the world. The dream driving isn’t confined to a track; it covers a route of open road selected for scenic beauty and driving fun. During the full day experience, Drive Your Dream Tour participants alternate driving and riding in five top performance cars.

“Our clients love the idea of giving a person with a true appreciation for sports cars that chance to drive the best from Ferrari, Lamborghini, Aston Martin, and Bentley back-to-back on a single day,” said DFW Elite Auto Rental.com General Manager Tom Warren. “Many of our best clients attend car shows and watch Top Gear. They have an itch to take the controls of some of the cars that Clarkson features. Our tours let them,” said Warren.

“The 2000 HP Tour has consistently been our best selling tour,” said Sturgeon. It features the Chevrolet Corvette Z06, Dodge Viper SR-10 Convertible, Ferrari 360 Spider, Lamborghini Gallardo Coupe, and the Porsche 911 Cabriolet. Those with a serious need for speed may wish to partake in a 2500 HP Tour with spine tingling rides in the ‘08 Dodge Viper SRT-10, Bentley Continental GTC, ‘07 BMW M6 Convertible, Ferrari F430 F1 Coupe, and Lamborghini Gallardo Convertible.

Gift certificates for the tours are available and DFW Drive Your Dream offers tour dates in Dallas-Fort Worth, Austin, San Antonio, and Houston. Every tour include full instruction on driving each of the cars, a stop for a gourmet lunch, lots of high fives and unlimited photo opportunities to preserve the memories.

“Renting an exotic car in Dallas for the day is a superb way to make an evening out special, but it doesn’t compare with driving five exotic cars back to back,” said Sturgeon. “An exotic car driving tour is a sure fire winner for any true car guy’s birthday.”

DFW Elite Auto Rental.com is headquartered at 5940 Eden in Fort Worth, and serves Houston, San Antonio, and Austin, as well as the DFW Metroplex with over 40 exotic and luxury cars, trucks and SUV’s. For more information and to see a complete inventory of available vehicles, visit http://www.dfweliteautorental.com, or call 817-838-RENT. For more on Drive Your Dream Tours visit http://www.dfwdriveyourdream.com.

New Delhi: Luxury car maker Bentley Motors has ventured into Indian art to promote and position its brand among buyers in the country.  It’s noted that Bentley and high-end art make the right combination both in terms of luxury, status, prices and clientele. Buyers often look for more than just the car they look for something that takes care of their aspiration and enhances lifestyle.

I think this will be a good paring for Bentley. And if you want to feel that you are enhancing your life style then try a membership with DFW Elite Car Club.  It provides all the enhancements of owning without the cost.

Auto enthusiasts will be saddened by the death of hot-rod builder Boyd Coddington at 63.  Auto Week reports that Coddington, “the hot-rod innovator whose creations won the coveted Grand National Roadster Show’s America’s Most Beautiful Roadster (AMBR) trophy a record seven times, died Wednesday morning after a lengthy hospital stay.”

Coddington first became famous for his creation, Cadzilla, which was a 1950s Cadillac he customized for Billy Gibbons, of ZZ Top fame.  Coddington later went on to star in the American Hot Rod show on the Discovery channel, which featured classic cars that were souped up for clients willing to invest in a genuine Coddington.

According to Auto Week, “Coddington was raised in rural Rupert, Idaho, but as soon as he came of age moved to Southern California to pursue his dream of building hot rods. He quickly earned a reputation for subtle, stylistic innovations on what had been an almost overdone theme–the ‘32 Ford roadster. That branched out to ’33s, ’34s and then all manner of surprising twists on iconic themes.”

The message board on Boyd Coddington’s official website is full of remembrances and well-wishes from his many fans.  “Boyd, whenever there are clouds in the heavens, we’ll know it’s you showing God how to do a great burnout. We love you and will deeply miss you,” writes one fan.

Another fan wrote, “Today the automotive community lost an original, Boyd Coddington. Boyd came upon the scene at a time unique in the industry; a time when the hand-crafted older hot-rods were changing over to later models. Boyd adapted to this new reality by blazing a trail that would be followed by countless others who were inspired by Boyd’s artistic vision and spectacular execution. Boyd Coddington may be gone, but his influence will remain for decades.”

Hotrodders like Boyd were one of the big reasons I got interested in cars,” says Ron Sturgeon owner of a luxury car rental company in Dallas, TX. “He had a superb imagination and the willingness to experiment that is the heart of hotrodding,” noted the car collector.

Although most of us cannot afford the $500,000 price tag of one of Coddington’s creations, driving an elite car isn’t an impossibility.  Joining a car sharing club can be a great way to celebrate exotic automobiles without the six figure expense. 

Finding a car club isn’t as difficult as it once was. An online directory of exotic car clubs such as exoticcarclubs.com is an excellent starting point to nurturing a life-long love affair with the automobile.

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

 

Many people look at fine cars and see art.  After all, it’s hard think of changing a thing on something as pristinely beautiful as the Aston Martin V8 Vantage Convertible.  Boyd Coddington, hot-rod designer extraordinaire, saw potential. 

Never content with the finished product on showroom floors, Coddington would add to, subtract from, buff, bend, and polish until something entirely new emerged.

For example, Coddington designed the Smoothster, a combination of a ’37 Ford and a Corvette.  Similarly, he helped create the Chezoom, a marriage of a ’57 Chevy and a Corvette engine. 

Perhaps his most famous car was the Cadzilla.  The Cadzilla was a reclined version of a modern Cadillac built for ZZ Top member Billy Gibbons.  The Cadzilla was recently part of the Cars and Guitars exhibit at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles.

Coddington created the hit television program American Hot Rod for the Discovery Channel. The show ran from 2004 to 2007 and cemented Boyd Coddington’s reputation as among the most influential hot rod builders in America.

“Coddington was self taught and grew up dreaming of the cars that he saw in magazines. He was not content to dream, but worked hard to build a very successful business designing cars for people who wanted something unmistakably unique,” said Ron Sturgeon, owner of a Dallas exotic car rental company.

Although the car world will no doubt miss Coddington’s flair, he has awakened in millions a passion for exotic cars.  “Hotrodders like Coddington were a big part of what attracted me to cars and car collecting,” said the Dallas businessperson.

In the last two years, Sturgeon has devoted himself to creating companies that allow people to drive exotic cars without the expense of ownership.  He operates an exotic car sharing club in Dallas, and a company that arranges fantasy car driving tours for enthusiasts throughout Texas, and an exotic car rental agency.

“Boyd Coddington was a genius. His creations reflect the passion for automobiles and the confidence that no matter how beautiful it is, an artist can make it even more so,” says Mr. Sturgeon. “He found ways to combine designs in unexpected ways and produce cars that were magical.”

Boyd is survived by his wife, Jo, and his three sons, Chris, Greg, and Boyd Coddington, Jr.

Written by G.D. Gregory.  If you are interested in having me write stories for you or seeing my portfolio, please contact me at ggpsu@yahoo.com. Garrett is a regular contributor to the exotic car rental blog. Read more of his car stories on our daily exotic car news page.

 

Under pressure from Ferrari and eager to maintain momentum, Lamborghini will show a massively overhauled and renamed Gallardo at the Geneva motor show.

While only minor styling changes will be noted by most, the biggest news is that Lamborghini will switch to a bigger, more high-tech and far stronger 5.2-liter V10 powerplant.

The Gallardo’s name will change as well, with Lamborghini following the Murciélago’s naming regime by calling it LP560/4–not LP550 as some others have claimed–because the reengined Gallardo will have 560 hp.

The new engine shares core technology with Audi’s new RS6, though Audi has been forced to accept some compromises that the Gallardo’s more potent, high-revving pace demands.

The engine is not simply an upgrade of the existing, 5.0-liter V10, though. According to Stephan Reil, head of development at Quattro GmbH, the existing Gallardo engine has 88 millimeters between each of its bore centers, while the new 5.2-liter engine will have 90 millimeters.

“We have three petrol V10s now, and the oldest one is the Gallardo engine,” he said. “It was based on the old generation of Audi engines, and they have 88-millimeter bore spacings, like all the old Audi engines.

“The new-generation engines have 90-millimeter spacings, like this one. All Audi engines are now 90 millimeters, whether they are four, six, eight or 10 cylinders.”

He said the engine would have FSI direct-injection technology, new valve-timing systems and a flat-plane crankshaft. Most of the engine’s core hardware will be cast in Audi’s factory in Gyor, Hungary.

After several months off the air due to the writers’ strike, freshman sitcom Back to You has returned with its two pre-strike episodes.  Now that the writers are back on the job, TV Guide says the show is “expected to shoot up to 8 additional episodes, the first of which airs April 16.” 

Although the writers strike hit some freshman shows hard, Back to You is expected to pull through, particularly because it features veteran TV actors Kelsey Grammer and Patricia Heaton.

Grammer, known to millions of viewers as Frasier Crane from NBC’s hit shows Cheers and Frasier, is an avid auto enthusiast.  His personal life, marred by tragedy and substance abuse, underwent a major change when he flipped his Dodge Viper in 1996 and checked himself into the Betty Ford Clinic.  Now that he has restored order to his personal life, Grammar is free to log some drive time in the 2008 Dodge Viper SRT. 

Although most of us don’t bring in the kind of money that allows us to go out and buy a car like the Dodge Viper, we can still drive an elite automobile. 

The competition between the auto engineer at GM’s Corvette division and the Street Racing Team at Dodge has produced some impressive automotive milestones. In answer to the Corvette Z06, Dodge’s SRT team has taken it up a notch with a 600HP Viper for 2008. Those interested in renting a 2008 Viper Convertible in Dallas, won’t have to wait long to find one at DFW Elite Auto Rental.

For those wanting to add a little muscle car magic to a trip to Savannah, GA or Hilton Head, SC, Precious Metals Cars has a beautiful red SRT-10 Viper Convertible rental ready to roll. If you’re stuck on a historic tour of Savannah, it doesn’t hurt to be driving a 510 HP Viper. Ask agency owner Shane Atwood about how his Savannah, GA luxury car rental company can arrange a self-paced tour of Savannah for you.

Fox is optimistic about Back to You.  The show’s official website describes the premise: 

“In the ’90s, the local TV news scene in Pittsburgh was dominated by one team: Chuck Darling (Kelsey Grammer, Frasier, Cheers) and Kelly Carr (Patricia Heaton, Everybody Loves Raymond). They had that elusive quality all news teams need: chemistry - at least on-screen. Off-screen, Chuck was a bit of a self-centered womanizer, Kelly a bit of an uptight know-it-all. So when Chuck got the call to move up to a larger market, no tears were shed.”

“But after an embarrassing on-air tirade ended up on the internet, Chuck found himself on the downswing career-wise. He even questioned whether his lifestyle of chasing women and living in hotels was as exciting as it used to be. So when he got the call to return to Pittsburgh, to reunite with Kelly and try to take the newscast back to No. 1, it was an offer he couldn’t refuse.”

As a long-time fan of both Kelsey Grammer and Heaton, I’m looking forward to seeing them resume making episodes of Back to You

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