A new list in Business Week, entitled the “25 Most Iconic Cars of the Past 20 Years” singles out the Bentley Continental.  The list of 25 vehicles also includes the Hummer H2, the Lamborghini Gallardo, and the Porsche 911.  It’s easy for auto enthusiasts to experience the thrill of driving these exotic cars with exotic car rental in Dallas Fort Worth from DFW Elite Auto Rental.

The full list of exotic vehicles is available at Business Week and includes the following:

1. Mazda Miata:  The Miata is noted for reinventing the roadster and stirring up interest in small sports coupes.
2. Lotus Elise:  The Elise has been singled out as faster than other sports cars due to its light fiberglass body.
3. Toyota Prius:  Famous for bringing hybrid cars to the commercial forefront, the Prius is a favorite of many celebrities.
4. Audi TT:  The Audi TT is noted for its design features and stylish appearance.
5. New Volkswagen Beetle:  The New Beetle was a huge success at reintroducing fans to the popular Beetle.
6. Pagani Zonda:  With a price tag of $1.2 million and the appearance and performance stats to go with it, the Zonda is the ultimate exotic car.
7. BMW Z8:  Although it wasn’t around for very long, this two-seated roadster is noted for its performance and design innovations.
8. Mini Cooper:  From its stylish retro design to its impressive performance in its class, the Mini Cooper has been a huge success.
9. Hummer H2:  When you drive a Hummer H2, you can see why it’s the ultimate power SUV.
10. Bentley Continental GT:  For auto enthusiasts, the chance to drive a Bentley Continental GT is the chance of a lifetime; nothing turns heads quite like a Bentley.
11. Ford GT:  Even though it was discontinued three years ago, the GT still gets a nod for being a “classic super car.”
12. Lamborghini Gallardo:  When you drive a Lamborghini Gallardo, you understand the true nature of the modern sports car.
13. Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren:  Arguably the loveliest Mercedes ever built, the SLR McLaren is famous for its stylish racing design.
14. Jaguar XJ:  The 2003 redesign of the classic 1960s Jaguar style preserved some of the iconic features most prized by auto enthusiasts, including the hood ornament and headlights.
15. Aston Martin DB9:  The DB9 makes the list because it looks beautiful from the rear as well as the front.
16. Maserati Quattroporte:  The Quattroporte is reported to have created a “new niche for high-end, four-door supercars.”
17. BMW 3-Series:  The 2005 redesign of the 1970’s 3-Series was a successful update of a popular exotic vehicle.
18. Bugatti Veyron:  This beauty is sometimes considered the most expensive and fastest car in the world.
19. Chrysler 300:  The 300 is considered one of the only successful joint endeavors between Chrysler and Daimler.
20. Ford Mustang:  The 2005 Mustang redesign was a huge success, mixing retro styling with futuristic design themes.
21. Porsche 911:  For exotic car fans who get a chance to drive a Porsche 911, the appeal is easy to see.
22. Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano:  This exotic sports car is considered the most powerful Ferrari, and its stylish beauty is a sure head-turner.
23. Jeep Wrangler:  The 2007 redesign of the classic Jeep Wrangler preserved much of the popular stylistic items while successfully updating the vehicle.
24. Nissan GT-R:  This car was apparently inspired by Japanese anime featuring giant robots.
25. Tata Nano:  This Indian vehicle will be remember for being one of the world’s cheapest cars, and it may see future release in the US.

Which ones did they miss? I suppose iconic does not necessarily mean exotic, but the Nano?

Article by freelance writer Kate Miller Wilson. Learn more about Kate’s SEO writing services at http://www.kateMillerWilson.com.

GM has sought for four years to unload the medium duty trucks, and in 2007, it seemed likely that Navistar, a manufacturer of truck and engine parts, would purchase the line.  Negotiations were also held with Isuzu, but neither deal panned out.  Exotic car enthusiasts are closely watching the struggles of GM.

Once noted for its production of impressive sports cars and large SUVs like the Hummer H2, GM is now fighting for its life.  If things don’t look up soon, the only way to drive a Hummer may be through exotic car rental.

The cease in production of the GMC Topkick and Chevrolet Kodiak means more plant closings for the already desperate auto industry.  One plant in Flint, Michigan, employs 398 people on the assembly line for medium duty trucks.  GM and the United Auto Workers union are still discussing the fate of these workers.

The Chevy Kodiak and GMC Topkick are the only medium duty trucks made by GM.  Medium duty trucks are designed for commercial use, mainly as tow trucks and dump trucks.  This sector of the market has been especially hard hit by the economic downturn, with sales slumping 30 to 40 percent 2007 to 2008 and an additional 30 to 40 percent so far this year.

Several GM dealers will be significantly affected by the change.  470 dealers sell the medium duty trucks, and of those, 129 deal exclusively in GM products.  Dealers now have 18 months to unload their existing inventory of medium duty trucks.

For fans of American automobiles, the last couple of years have been hard to watch.  GM, Chrysler, and Ford have all struggled to remain competitive amid a perfect storm of high gas prices, a credit crunch, and other factors of the economic downturn.  GM’s decision to cease production of the Chevy Kodiak and GMC Topkick is only the latest installment in a sad story.

If you are interested in the fate of Hummer, it sounds like that brand may be purchased by a Chinese company.  Right now, you can drive a Hummer with exotic car rental or an exotic car sharing club.  Exotic car rental also makes it possible to experience the thrill of other great American cars like the Dodge Viper.

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.

Even if challenging economic times, Americans are fascinated by the celebrity lifestyle.  We want to wear designer clothes and drive exotic sports cars, just like our favorite movie stars.  Luckily, exotic car rental makes it possible to drive your dream car without shelling out the cash to buy an exotic vehicle.

Owning an exotic car is expensive, and it can be a hassle.  You’ve got to find a qualified mechanic, pay for costly exotic car insurance, and obtain secure storage for your exotic vehicle.  Instead of ownership, many exotic car fans are opting for exotic car rental.

Exotic car rental lets you drive a Bentley just like Britney Spears.  It lets you drive a Lamborghini like you saw in the latest blockbuster movie.  You can even drive a classic car without worrying about maintenance or reliability.

Other celebrities on the Forbes Celebrity 100 list Steven Spielberg, Madonna, Jennifer Aniston, and Tom Cruise.  President Barak Obama even appears near the middle of the list, which includes actors, musicians, sports stars, authors, and other public figures.  Obama is the first sitting president to appear on the list.

The list is compiled using a variety of methods.  Earnings for the past 12 months are a major factor, as are web hits, press mentions, and magazine cover appearances.

Dropping off the list this year was JK Rowling, who did not release a new Harry Potter book to keep her in the public eye.  Johnny Depp also lost his place this year, since he did not release a new “Pirates of the Caribbean” movie.

According to MSNBC, there’s a good reason the current economic downturn is not reflected on the list.  Most of the celebrities have multi-year contracts, which protect them in difficult economic times.  If the economy fails to turn around in the near future, there may be significant changes to next year’s Forbes Celebrity 100.

For those of us who want the celebrity lifestyle but don’t have the celebrity bankroll to go with it, renting an exotic vehicle can give us the chance to experience real luxury at an affordable price.  If you want to feel a little like Angelina Jolie for the day, a great option is exotic car rental.

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.

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.

(2000 HP Drive Your Dream Tour photo by Josh Davis. All rights reserved.)

An exotic car enthusiast selects 150 miles of the most scenic Texas roadway…

A specially trained tour director instructs supercar driving tour participants in the fine art of piloting supercars…

Ten lucky people take turns driving and riding in a Lamborghini Gallardo, Ferrari F430, Porsche 911, Dodge Viper SRT-10 Convertible, and 2009 Audi R8….

(Photo by Josh Davis of Josh Davis Photography of Fort Worth, TX. All rights reserved.)

If you love driving, your face will hurt from smiling and the framed picture of you in the Gallardo will become a great conversation starter…

The big news that CNBC was covering is that these supercar drivng experiences are available for less than $1000.

Visitors to Dallas-Fort Worth can do a 2000 horsepower tour for $697 plus tax. Tours are available in Dallas, Houston, Austin, and San Antonio.

“We have just added the 2009 Audi R8 to the line up for our latest series of tours,” says Ron Sturgeon, the owner of DFW Elite Drive Your Dream.com. “All of these cars are amazing on the open road, so we are thrilled to be able to give enthusiasts a chance to drive all of them on a single day,” said Sturgeon.

The idea of supercar driving tours isn’t just popular in Texas. Gotham Dream Tours in the NYC metro and Rent-a-Vette of Las Vegas offers supercar driving experiences in Sin City.

“We have a few spots left in our 2000HP tour in Houston on June 6th, but they will probably go fast once people see us on CNBC,” said Sturgeon. Call 817.838.7368 to give a Dallas exotic car tour as a Father’s Day gift, birthday gift or anniversary gift.

Post created by freelance blogger Eric Anderson. See more of Eric’s writing at PDQwebcopywriting.com.

Skateboarder Tony Hawk, ex-Bull Dennis Rodman and his playmate teammate are just a few of the celebs that put foot to accelerator in the 2009 Gumball Rally.

Hat tip to Terry Box from the Dallas Morning News for a good column on the Gumballers visit to the W. I hope they didn’t throw any of the lobby furniture into the pool. Crazy kids.

If you catch the Gumball fever, you can follow the race at the Gumball 3000 offical website. There are also some good exotic car pics on my favorite photo sharing website. The vehicle wraps and graphics for race are done by a UK firm called Raccoon. If you’ve ever wondered what a Buggati Veyron in chrome looks like, the Raccoon guys are your kind of people.

(Donkey Frog decked out to participate in the Gumball Rally.)

Puma is a major sponsor of the race so their Puma Motorsports also has some great images of the Gumballers in action. The race has a good page on Facebook with a huge Gumball 3000 photos from fans of the race. Tony Hawk bailed out before the race got to Dallas and a few of the Gumballers have run into smokey when they were traveling well in excess of the posted limits.

(Photo of Ferrari F430 interior by Josh Davis of Josh Davis Photography.)

I’m sorry that I missed the chance to see them at the W in Dallas, but maybe next year. Would love to have some pictures of the Dallas event to link to. If you’ve ever wished you could drive exotic cars like the ones in the Gumball, why not stop by Dallas TX exotic car rental company DFW Elite Auto Rental.com!

(photo of Dallas Ferrari rental by Josh Davis.)

We can put you behind the wheel of a Dallas Ferrari F430 rental or a delicious Lamborghini Gallardo rental for a day, a weekend, or a week.

For fans of exotic cars and Grey’s Anatomy, this is exciting news.  Dempsey’s hobby of auto racing has often made headlines and provided extra entertainment for fans.  The actor has participated in several auto races in recent years, including driving the pace car for the Indianapolis 500.

“I feel like a kid in the candy store,” Dempsey told the Grey’s Anatomy Insider before driving the pace car.

In addition to the Indianapolis 500, Dempsey has been involved in several other exotic car races.  He was a competitor in five out of the 12 Rolex Sports Car Series races in 2008.  Dempsey plans to compete in the 2009 24 Hours of Le Mans GT2 class race, where he will drive a Ferrari F430 GT.  That race will be held the weekend of June 13 in France.

(Ferrari F430GT at 2007 Le Mans. Photo taken by photographer Dave Merrett. See more of Dave’s photos in his Flickr photostream.  Photo licensed under Creative Commons Attribution Only.)

If you want to drive a Ferrari, you don’t need to be a famous movie and television star or a racecar driver.  Exotic car rental, exotic car sharing clubs, and automotive dream tours are all great options for regular people who want to drive an exotic car.

Owning an exotic car can be expensive.  There’s the high purchase price of the vehicle, often six figures.  Then there’s the cost of insuring an exotic car, the hassle of finding secure storage for exotic vehicles, and the expense of maintenance and repairs.

The race this Sunday will be the third out of 12 in this year’s Gramd-Am series.  Dempsey will be co-driving with Joe Foster, the leader of the Dempsey Racing team.

“W e only have five guys, but we work hard and laugh a lot,” the Gossip Girls blog report Dempsey saying. “Joe Foster leads the team and is my co-driver and without him and his ability to lead people, we couldn’t get it done.”

The team will be racing a Mazda RX-8 on Sunday.

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

It’s hard to tell.

The owner of the team, Walter Robb, is now claiming that he was unaware of the offer and that he was late in finding out what had been done.

More likely: The world’s dog lovers are ringing his cell, office, and home phone with news of their displeasure.

(Photo of Bella with Michael Vick chewtoy by Jason Bacon. See more great Bella pictures in Jason’s Flickr Photostream. Picture licensed under Creative Commons attribution only.)

The Albany team is winless and without a healthy QB. They sent this press release out on Tuesday to local sports media in their market:

ALBANY, NY – The Albany Firebirds announced today that they have offered former NFL quarterback Michael Vick a contract for the remainder of the 2009 season. The arenafootball2 franchise has sent Vick’s agent an incentive-leaden, one-year offer that would go into effect as soon as the 28 year-old quarterback is reinstated by the National Football League.

“At the start of the season we’d made the decision as an organization not to pursue Michael,” said General Manager Garen Szablewski. “However, in light of the team’s recent struggles, we were forced to re-examine the issue. After days of heated debate within the front office, we put together an offer that made everyone comfortable with the idea of singing him.”

The most notable stipulation in the team’s offer requires Vick to donate $100,000 to the Mohawk & Hudson River Humane Society.

The aF2 prohibits member teams from signing players who are currently under NFL suspension, but the Firebirds hope that the contract offer will expedite NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell’s decision.

Vick, 28, enjoyed a six-year professional career as a quarterback with the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League. The 6’0” 215 lb signal-caller has 11,505 career passing yards and 71 passing touchdowns, along with 3,859 career-rushing yards and 21 rushing touchdowns. Vick was placed on suspension by the NFL in August, 2007 after pleading guilty to a federal felony charge involving an illegal interstate dog fighting business which became known as “Bad Newz Kennels.”

The Mohawk & Hudson River Humane Society (MHRHS) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that has been providing shelter for lost, abused and unwanted animals since 1887. Their animal care facility is the largest in the Capital Region, receiving an average of over 7,000 animals per year. MHRHS receives not just common household pets like cats, dogs, rabbits and hamsters, but also snakes, birds, iguanas, fish, horses, livestock and even llamas. To carry out their work, MHRHS receives no ongoing funding from federal, state or local governments or any other animal welfare organization. They rely on your generous donations to support their vital services for the animals.

So, it seems like they intended to make Michael Vick an offer, but the team owner is now saying that it was a joke and that he was unaware of the offer until after the fact.

Despite the offer’s stipulation that Michael Vick donate 100k to a local humane society, it looks like the backlash was too much for the team. I’m not sure why the team thought associating itself with Michael Vick would be a positive PR move, but someone appears to have green lighted the idea.

The Atlanta Falcons still own the rights to Vick, and it’s unlikely that if he is ever allowed to resume a professional football career it will be in Albany.

I believe the owner, not about his lack of knowledge of the offer, but about the team intending the offer as a stunt, not to be taken seriously, as a joke.

It’s just not that funny.

The team’s “incentive leaden”[sic] offer will likely be a heavy PR burden and might even create an opening in their marketing and PR department.

I think I could have spotted some problems with the hire Micheal Vick idea. But, I think I also might have been able to foresee the possible consequences of having Air Force One do a low-altitude flyover of NYC.

Sometimes, I’m just sage-like that way.

Maybe the team ownership would benefit from some peer mentoring from other team owners and marketing folks.

This post written by freelance web content writer Eric Anderson. Eric’s recent projects include content for a Dallas exotic car rental website and a Dallas classic car storage company website.

Ford, I hope, will continue on its path of building good cars that people want. A 1 billion dollar loss seems to me to be far better than flushing billions down the drain as a preface to a GM bankruptcy and a sale of Chrysler to Fiat for pennies.

I can’t wait for the new Fiat Viperped. It will look like the Chrysler Peapod, but with flames… Sad, the Viper was one of my favorite exotic cars. Perhaps someday–before the all vanish–I’ll be lucky enough to rent a Viper in Dallas and experience true American muscle.

I admire Ford for refusing the bailout money and looked at their cars and might have bought one last month, except for my wife’s antipathy for Ford. They are making good cars and doing the right things to bring themselves back to profitability.

I wish GM had done what Ford decided to do instead of taking the bailout money.

Ford CEO Alan Mullaly cited some things on the positive side of the ledger according to a great article by Edmunds Auto Observer’s Michelle Krebs.

Positives mentioned by the CEO in Krebs’ article included gaining market with new products; slowing operating-related cash outflows; reducing outstanding debt; lowering structural costs; and reaching new agreements with the United Auto Workers union.

Most analysts were forecasting Ford to lose a little more than twice the 1.4 billion. I hope Ford picks up a lot of share from the members of the Big 3 that took the money.

Right or wrong, I refused to even look at their products when I was car shopping a few weeks ago.

This post written by SE friendly web copy writer Eric Anderson. Eric’s recent projects include copy for strategic planning for small business website and a Dallas classic car storage site.

Famous for his long hair and muscled body, Fabio has posed for dozens of advertisements and romance novel covers.  He was unhurt in the crash, but unfortunately the same cannot be said for the Ferrari.  The car sustained significant damage, especially on the right side.

Image licensed under Creative Commons Share Alike and Attribution Only license. Image of Fabio and his nephews from Wikipedia.

Reportedly, Fabio screamed, “I have no brakes!” immediately before crashing the exotic car.  However, a representative for World Class Driving apparently denied a brake malfunction and said that the onboard computer logs all crash data.  The information from the car’s black box has yet to be revealed.

When asked about the crash, a representative for World Class Driving told TMZ, “No comment. We are not very proud of the fact that Fabio wrecked our car.”

World Class Driving is a Delaware-based company that allows participants to drive five amazing cars in a single day.  The tours take place in the LA area and are similar to Drive Your Dream Tours, which gives participants a chance to drive and compare some of the most impressive exotic vehicles in Texas.

Red Ferrari 599 GTB photo by Chris Watson and licensed under Creative Commons Attribution Only. See more of the exotic car photography of Chris Watson on Flickr.

The website for World Class Driving lists the Ferrari as being worth $400,000.  Fabio’s representative reportedly claimed the car, a red Ferrari 599, was worth about $300,000.  Either way, repairing the car is expected to be costly.

Expensive repairs are one of the reasons many people join exotic car clubs.  As a member of an exotic car sharing club, you can drive a Ferrari without having to worry about finding a qualified mechanic, getting expensive exotic car insurance, or finding a place to store your exotic vehicle.

Exotic car rental is also a great option if you’re interested in driving a Ferrari without the hassle and expense of owning it.  With exotic car rental, you can rent a Ferrari for a special event like a wedding, birthday, or special night out.  Exotic car rental and automotive dream tours are popular bachelor party activities as well.

TMZ claims that Fabio’s accident resulted from taking a turn at high speed.  The article reports that the model lost control of the vehicle and skidded off the road.  Fabio continues to blame the accident on a brake failure.

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