Dracula's Ride

There are cars that are designed to be comfortable. Spacious, well insulated; they surround you in a world all your own. There are cars that exist to give the driver the illusion they are behind the joystick of an F18 fighter, as you are pinned against the seat with a hart-stopping G Force.

There are cars that seem to have been created just to say to the world " I've made it."

But then there those special few that hark back to your childhood fantasies before you were necessarily aware of what cars cost; they were cars of Television or the movies, the cars that Super heroes drove. These were famous, "One-of-a-kind autos where the driver was better known even than the car. These were the cars that were in our Hot-Wheel collection when we were nine years old; and as my wife reminds me, men seldom really grow up, or grow past that nine year stage especially when it comes to cars.

Buy the Black Beauty and you become the Green Hornet. I doubt there are more than a handful of men that have bought an Aston Martin that did not ask for a martini "Shaken- not stirred. While any adult male would recognize the impracticality of trying to make the daily commute to your office in the Batmobile; given the opportunity, it would be a difficult car to turn down.

The Munsters TV show was responsible for producing not one, but two amazing vehicles. The Coach, a cross between a model T, an 18th century funeral coach, and a full out dragster - This was best discribed as the "Family Car". The car show here was GrandPa's personal toy for when he wanted to "Fly by" on four wheels rather than as a bat. This was yet one more of the cars to come out of Barris along with the Coach.

I have to admit, even we would have a tricky time getting Herman SR-22 insurance on this baby.

2009 Ferrari 599 California

Ferrari had built it’s reputation building autos for the racetrack. As any designer of racecars will tell you, weight is your enemy. The idea is to build cars that are light but stiff. The lighter the car; the greater the ratio of horsepower to weight. But if the car is going to remain “True” through the curves, the body needs substantial rigidity.

The story goes that in the 1950s when the West Coast Ferrari distributor, Johnny von Neumann, asked the designers at Ferrari to build a special Ferrari convertible for America, Enzo was at first reluctant. In fact he was quoted as saying,
"Convertibles are for playboys. Hardtops are for serious drivers."

Enzo Ferrari realized that any convertible is inherently less rigid, because of the removal of the hard top. What might surprise many, is that in an attempt to deal with the “Missing roof structure” a builder must strengthen various part of the body, resulting in convertibles actually out weighing their Hard top sibling.

While Ferrari might have had some reluctance to tamper with her hardtop designs; he was more reluctant to miss out on a new revenue source. Ferrari built von Neumann his convertible for the American market and called it the "California" since Enzo seemed convinced California was loaded with movie stars and wealthy playboys.

The New for 2009 599 is an attempt to create a new Spider harking back to the original California. At the risk of being called a “Playboy” mark me down as an admirer.

California Specifications

Engine Type = 4,300 cc /V8
Displacement cu in (cc) 262.4 cu in. 4300.7 cc.
32 valves. 4 valves per cylinder.
Horsepower 460.00 BHP (338.6 KW) @ 7500.00 RPM
HP/Liter 107.0 BHP / Liter
Transmission = 7-speed dual clutch/ Semi-Automatic

Performance
Speed 0 to 100 km/h less than 4.0 seconds
Base Price: 2009 Ferrari 599 California –
Rumored to be just under $200,000

I assume these will fly-off the showroom floors, after all, It's only the worst ressesion since the great depression.

Larry writes for Urban Insurance Agency
If you have a question, please contact us at 1-800-680-0707.

CAMPAGNA MOTORS T-Rex

Download theT-REX Brochure (pdf)
Retail price (M.S.R.P.) T-REX 1400R
$49,995.00

TRANSPORT* $1,000.00
OPTIONS
CARBON KIT $999.00 SOFT COVER $499 SUITCASES BLACK (41 L) $1,199.00 or (52L) $1,399.00
CHROME KIT $3,499.00 TALL KIT $699.00 WIND DEFLECTOR $299.00

CAMPAGNA MOTORS is a young Canadian company that design, manufactures and distributes 3-wheel vehicles. Our mission is to create and provide vehicle that are safe, fun, stylish and perfomant. Both the T-REX and the V-13R were designed by those principles.The T-REX is specifically oriented towards the race car / sports car fan; with performances often surpassing those of supercars that cost multiples of the T-REX. Powered by an Inline four cylinder 1400cc engine designed by Kawasaki and producing over 200 hp, the T-REX will get your attention on the road.
On the other side of the spectrum, the V13R, with its hot-rod styling and relaxed driving position; powered by the Harley-Davidson® Liquid-cooled Revolution® 60° V-Twin engine’s will let you cruise on the boulevard or on the highway with style. Its soul inspiring sound and acceleration will paint a smile on your face for miles and miles. Designed as Hot Rod with sex appeal, the V-13R is a true head-turner.
The two vehicles share some common denominators, fun, style and performance. After several years of development and extensive market feedback, the cofounders of this innovative Canadian company (André Morissette - President and David Neault - Vice-President) have translated their love for recreational vehicles into three-wheel machines that are as exciting to ride and easy to handle as they are affordable to own. Their first model is the road savvy V-13R.

Ferrari party at Palwaukee airport

Alan Craine and Laura C. Dantuma attending the Ferrari party at Palwaukee airport

2010 Ford Shelby GT500

The new GT500 is the most powerful factory production Mustang ever.
By SAM ABUELSAMID

When Ford introduced the new 2010 Mustang at the LA Auto Show in November, marketing boss Jim Farley promised the next chapter in the Mustang story would be revealed at the Detroit Auto Show in January. Well that time has arrived and to anyone who has been following the Mustang pattern over the last several years, it should come as no surprise that it's the Shelby GT500. Just like the last iteration, the new GT500 is the most powerful factory production Mustang ever.Like the more prosaic Mustangs, the GT500 is mechanically an evolution of the older model. Just as Ford used the current-gen Bullitt model as the starting point for the 2010 Mustang GT, the lessons learned from developing the limited edition GT500 KR fed directly into the latest Shelby-badged variant. Output of the supercharged 5.4L V8 has now been cranked up to 540 hp and 510 lb-ft of torque, and the handling is claimed to be better than before.

Like the last GT500, this one gets more aggressive styling, particularly in the nose, and reprises many of the same detail elements. The horizontally mirrored trapezoidal shape of the grille in the upper and lower front fascia is meant to echo the oval shape of the Shelby Cobras of the '60s. The upper grille is tilted forward at a steeper angle than the GT and the grille surround is separated entirely from the hood. The leading edge of the hood on other Mustangs forms the upper frame of the grille, while the new GT500 has an extra bit of bodywork there.The hood of the GT500 still has a functional air extractor allowing some of the massive heat generated by the blown V8 to escape. The power dome of the V6 and GT is supplanted by a smoother bulge that now encompasses most of the hood. The driving lamps stay in the lower fascia reprising the last edition and leaving the grille area open for air flow.Careful observers will note that the snake badge has moved from the right to the left side of the grille (when viewed from the front). This has nothing to do with the blowing of political winds, but is actually functional. Like the GT, the GT500 now has a cold air intake that sits directly behind the snake's former residence.

60 Seconds of Fun

You have to love a movie that combines a custom Shelby GT500 named Eleanor with Angelina Jolie. Ok, so no one is going to confuse "Gone in 60 Seconds" with Masterpiece Theater, but there are times when want a break from Whole Roasted Squab Breast with Birch, Black Trumpet Mushrooms & Devil’s Club, and just want pizza and a beer.

From it's "staring role" in Bullet, to it's cameo in Bond, the Mustang has had a long history on the Silver Screen. Shelby's Mustang not only saved Ford back in 64, but he created an Icon that became a part of the American culture and a symbol of Detroit's magic in the 60s.Since the first one rolled out on April 17, 1964, at the New York World's Fair the Mustang has been the great American sports car. True the corvette held the title as the "Top of the line" sports car; but the Mustang offered something the Corvette could not- affordability. The basic model price was $2,368. Within a year, Ford had sold 417,000 models.

The car was so successful that it created a subset of autos called "Pony Cars and helped lead the way to the Muscle Car era.

Help for the Big 3 Auto makers?

Knight Ridder/Tribune
11/18/2008 9:28 AM ET
House and Senate Democrats unveiled competing versions Monday of a plan to start funneling $25 billion to U.S. automakers before the end of the year, but lawmakers from both parties and the Bush administration withheld support, demanding tough conditions as part of any rescue.

While some of us are directly effected by the auto industry, others may only feel it as things trickle down. Regardless, we all have an interest in seeing the domestic auto industry rebound from current economic crisis.
The potential collapse of the BIG 3 Manufacturers is real and NOW. Next week Congress and the current Administration will determine whether to provide immediate support to the domestic auto industry to help it through one of the most difficult economic times in our nation's history. Our elected officials must hear from all of us on why this support is critical to millions of people who will be impacted by their decisions
Please go to the link below and get involved, it will only take a few minutes. Please confirm that the e-mail has been sent. http://gmfactsandfiction.com/

Auto industry facts: *3 million jobs lost in the first year
*U.S. personal income reduced by 150.7 billion
*Goverment tax loss over 3 years 156 billion
*The level of economic devastation far exceeds the 25 billion of government support the US Auto industry is asking from Congress.