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Wringing Out Two New Italians At Monticello Motor Club

Driving a late-model Lamborghini on public roads is akin to watching an epic film in mono – the senses are teased but left unchallenged.

Driving a Lamborghini on a track, however, is a mind-blowing charge of adrenalin. No speed limits, g-forces only capped by available grip, engine wailing, tires screaming, brakes cooking – it’s pure sensory overload.

With an invite in hand, I left New York City for an afternoon and headed north 90 miles to the Monticello Motor Club. Lamborghini chose the private venue to host a hands-on introduction to the LP 570-4 Spyder Performante and LP 550-2 Bicolore, two of its newest Gallardo models. The freshly arrived convertible and coupe join the ranks of more than a dozen Gallardo variants that have been released over the years.

While tooling around the countryside on public roads in a new Lamborghini is utterly enjoyable, the only place to truly experience an Italian exotic, or any sports car for that matter, is on a closed racing circuit, and that’s exactly what I’m here to do. Continue reading…

Continue reading 2011 Lamborghini Gallardo LP 570-4 Spyder Performante and 2011 Gallardo LP 550-2 Bicolore

2011 Lamborghini Gallardo LP 570-4 Spyder Performante and 2011 Gallardo LP 550-2 Bicolore

We now know what the future of the New York City taxi will look like. According to Reuters, the city’s Taxi and Limousine Commission has awarded Nissan a 10-year contract to produce the vehicles. The Japanese automaker beat out both Ford and a Turkish automaker to cinch the deal worth more than $1 billion. Nissan will be responsible for building one single vehicle to replace the 16 models that are currently authorized to ferry New York City residents around the Big Apple. The company’s design was based on the NV200, and the minivan is expected to begin arriving on the job in early 2013.

Reuters reports that Turkish company Karsan Otomotive was an early favorite thanks to its unique handicap-accessible design and full-panel glass roof. The automaker had also planned to assemble the vehicles in Brooklyn with union labor. New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg is expected to make an official announcement later today.

*Update: Nissan’s official press release has been added after the jump.

Continue reading Nissan wins bid to be next New York City taxi *UPDATE

Nissan wins bid to be next New York City taxi *UPDATE

It’s often said that you’ll be happy if you find a way to do something you love. Mike Yager took that saying to heart. In 1970, at the age of 20, Yager went out and bought his first Corvette, a 1967 convertible. Four years later, Yager borrowed $500 to start up a small business selling parts manuals and accessories from the back of a car. That business, along with Yager’s reputation, grew strong in the Corvette community. In 1976, Mike Yager made a life-changing move to turn this into his full-time job, and Mid America Motorworks was born.

Thirty-seven years after he borrowed those Benjamins, Yager has turned Mid America Motorworks into a company that ships over four million catalogs per year. And his collection of Corvettes has grown exponentially since he bought that ‘67 drop-top. Some standouts include CERV-1, XP-819 and a 1968 Le Mans Corvette that’s painted Ferrari red and wears the prancing stallion on its front fenders.

It’s not just Corvettes, however, as Yager also has a soft spot for old Volkswagens. He celebrates both makes at his annual Funfest events, one for VWs and one for the Corvette. The Funfest weekend has grown since the very first one took place back in 1994. In 2010, Mid America’s 180+ acre Effingham, Illinois facility played host to over 17,000 cars and more than 45,000 people.

The man’s knowledge of Corvettes is also freakishly extensive. Yager has applied it into a book called the Corvette Bible. In it, Yager delves into the details of every Corvette model produced since the first 300 rolled off an assembly line for the 1953 model year.

This isn’t just a book for ‘Vette collectors, however, because it’s filled with amazing photography and a wealth of knowledge that makes an informative read for even casual Corvette fans. Now in it’s second edition, the Corvette Bible covers cars right up to 2011. The first edition was good enough to earn a spot on the New York Times bestseller’s list, so we think the second edition deserves a spot on your coffee table.

That’s why we secured a signed copy to give away to one lucky reader. Leave a comment on this post to enter (only one comment or else you’re disqualified), and we’ll choose one lucky recipient for the win.

How to Enter:

• Leave a single comment on this post (if you leave two or more, all of your entries will disqualified)
• You must be 18 years or older and a resident of the U.S. or Canada (excluding Quebec)
• Limit 1 entry per person during entry period
• This entry period begins 7:30 PM EST on Friday, April 29 and ends at 7:30 PM EST on Sunday, May 1.
• For a list of complete rules, click here

Photos copyright (C)2011 Jeff Glucker/AOL

Win a copy of the Corvette Bible signed by author Mike Yager

Company: BMWa

Brand: BMW

Medium: TV

Ad Agency: Grey West

Product: 2011 5 Series

Campaign: 5 Series “Refuel”

What We Like: The swagger is back at BMW. After more than a year of fooling around with “Joy” as a lead ad positioning, a new marketing team at the German automaker is re-emphasizing “The Ultimate Driving Machine” as the brand’s central positioning. The 30-second ad contains what many BMW followers like – a fast car and a big plane. No, the plane, which looks to be a Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker, is not hovering so close to the 5 that it could fill the guy’s coffee cup. But the CGI is good enough to pull off the visual trick.

What We Don’t Like: Not much at all. Getting a story and message across in a 30-second TV ad is not easy. But BMW and this ad agency, Grey West, did a nice job of conveying a fuel efficiency story.

Strategy: BMW marketing chief Dan Creed, who took over at BMW North America a few months ago, is all about re-affirming “The Ultimate Driving Machine” as Bimmer’s main message. At the New York Auto Show, he walked us to the front of BMW’s stand to look at a giant rendering of the ad slogan, which dates back to the early 1970s. At last year’s show, there was a giant banner that proclaimed “Joy of Driving.” “We know there is a lot of joy in driving a BMW, but we are going to show it in pictures and film rather than say it,” says Creed.

It’s worth noting that as fun as this ad is, the message is about the 5 Series’ fuel economy, not the horsepower. BMW is trying to broaden its message to be more inclusive of men and women, as well as tell its story about its investments in the South Carolina plant that produces X3 and X5. But Creed also wants the brand and the cars to show some leg when it comes to marketing and advertising. BMW remains an exciting brand, and a premiere stable of driving machines. That shouldn’t be lost when telling the broader story.

BMW is kicking off a review for a new ad agency. It parted ways with Austin-based GSD&M late last year. New York-based Kirshenbaum Bond Senecal + Partners produced last February’s Super Bowl ads. Grey West, which has handled BMW’s retail and pre-owned advertising since 2008, produced the ad and will presumably get a crack at the whole enchilada.

Grade: A-

Watch the commercial after the jump and give it your own grade below.

View Poll

Continue reading AdSpotting: BMW 5 Series “Refuel” reintroduces us to The Ultimate Driving Machine

AdSpotting: BMW 5 Series “Refuel” reintroduces us to The Ultimate Driving Machine

According to Ward’s Auto, Subaru brass are expecting the 2012 Impreza to sell around 60,000 units a year, or half again as many as the car’s current 40,000-unit total. Subaru executive vice president of North America Tom Doll says the car fills gaps in the company’s lineup that prevented it from being as competitive as it could have been.

Subaru claims the new Impreza will return 36 miles per gallon on the highway, a figure that would put the car on the top of the all-wheel-drive pile for fuel economy. The gas mileage figures come courtesy of a new-for-2012 2.0-liter boxer four-cylinder reigning in 148 horsepower. The upcoming Impreza will also be lighter than the outgoing model, making fuel-sipping a little easier.

With all the new tweaks, Subaru is hoping Impreza sales can push the brand’s overall total from 264,000 vehicles last year to closer to 300,000. That’s a heady goal to be sure, but the company is confident enough in the new car’s appeal to make a bold prediction. Only time will tell if such hopefulness is well founded.

Live photos copyright (C)2011 Jeff Glucker/AOL

[Source: Ward's Auto - sub. req.]

Subaru predicts 50% sales hike for 2012 Impreza

The 2012 Honda CR-V is coming, and you can expect the successful compact crossover to continue in its current mold despite being an all-new generation. There’s virtually no official information on the next iteration of the popular CUV, but since the current formula outsells even the Toyota RAV-4 and is still among the top finishers in comparison tests, we wouldn’t expect any wild departures.

Fuel economy is likely to improve from the current CR-V’s figure; front-wheel drive models may even hit 30 mpg on the highway, up from the current 28 mpg. C/D suggests that the current CR-V’s 180 horsepower output is probably not subject to change. And while it seems odd to be talking about what’s staying the same on a new model, the CR-V’s massive sales numbers make it a golden goose for Honda that must be handled very carefully, not unlike the conservatively recrafted 2012 Civic that was just revealed at last week’s New York Auto Show.

[Source: Car and Driver]

All-new Honda CR-V coming this fall?

Three manufacturers remain in the running to be the chosen supplier for New York’s “Taxi of Tomorrow”: Ford, Nissan and Turkish firm Karsan. In an informal poll conducted by the New York Taxi and Limousine Commission – the same body that will be deciding which of the three gets the milk and roses – New Yorkers chose the Karsan. Now Karsan wants to make the Commission’s job even easier by promising to build its taxi in Brooklyn if it’s chosen.

Previously, all three makers said they’d be building their vehicles overseas (the Transit Connect is built in Turkey, the Nissan NV200 in Japan). Perhaps sensing a huge opportunity to bring the four-year process to an end, last month Karsan turned tack and said it would build the V1 at the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal, in Brooklyn’s waterfront Sunset Park complex, creating up to 800 jobs. It might not only be about getting ahead with the public, however: the powertrain for the Karsan V1 comes from Chrysler, in Michigan.

What the Karsan lacks in looks it makes up for in its powerplant modularity, handicapped accessibility, and expansive glass roof. Karsan has said a Sunset Park factory would cost $100 million, a pittance in light of the billion-dollar contract it’s trying to win and being the yellow-cab-of-record in movies for the foreseeable future. Thanks for the tip, Julio!

[Source: New York Daily News]

Turkish firm Karsan pledges to build NY taxi in Brooklyn

The public portion of the 2011 New York Auto Show is in full swing, but not everyone can (or wants) to make the trip to the Big Apple. The producers of the show have come up with a solution, which allows you to check out the action from the comfort of your favorite computin’ chair.

Your host for New York Auto Show After Dark is an attractive lass named Serene. She and her crew have put together a few videos, giving you a look at a few select vehicles and events at the 2011 NYIAS. Click past the jump to view the clips and take in a bit more of the New York Auto Show.

Of course, you can also see high-res image galleries of all the new vehicles from the show right here.

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading Can’t make the New York Auto Show? Take a virtual tour with a hot model

Can’t make the New York Auto Show? Take a virtual tour with a hot model

The public portion of the 2011 New York Auto Show is in full swing, but not everyone can (or wants) to make the trip to the Big Apple. The producers of the show have come up with a solution, which allows you to check out the action from the comfort of your favorite computin’ chair.

Your host for New York Auto Show After Dark is an attractive lass named Serene. She and her crew have put together a few videos, giving you a look at a few select vehicles and events at the 2011 NYIAS. Click past the jump to view the clips and take in a bit more of the New York Auto Show.

Of course, you can also see high-res image galleries of all the new vehicles from the show right here.

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading Videos: Can’t make the New York Auto Show? Take a virtual tour with a hot model

Videos: Can’t make the New York Auto Show? Take a virtual tour with a hot model

If you’ve been wondering exactly what Ford has in mind for the next-generation Falcon, look no further than the recently revealed 2013 Taurus for a few clues. Ford design guru J Mays has officially made it clear that the look of the sedan will be transposed onto several of the automaker’s other products, including models like the Mondeo and Falcon. The crew from Go Auto spoke to Mays at the New York International Auto Show last week where the designer said that the corporate look will still allow each model to flex its character.

Mays said that the design was heavily influenced by vehicles like the Audi A6 and that the new trapezoidal grille design on the 2013 Taurus will allow the vehicle’s face to be easily applied to a range of products. Even so, don’t expect to see exact carbon copies across the dealer lot. Mays made it clear that the design can be modified to deliver everything from an aggressive visage to a more subdued look.

[Source: Go Auto]

Report: 2013 Ford Taurus design points the way for next Falcon, Mondeo

On Thursday the 21^st of April, the seventh annual World Car Awards were given out in a ceremony at the New York International Auto Show that was duly covered by Autoblog.

Full disclosure: I, Matt Davis, European Editor of this online obsession Autoblog, am both a co-founder and co-chair of the World Car Awards, and I intend to shamelessly soapbox herein about the WCAs, at least until the bosses toss me out on the sidewalk.

The WCAs comprise four awards: World Green Car, World Car Design, World Performance Car, and overall World Car of the Year – known as the WCotY. There is no other widely known award even remotely like this, as all four take into account truly global cars from every region of the world. The overall WCotY, in particular, pits cars of every type from every make on the globe, some of which may not be available in the English-speaking world, against one another and, in the end, we 66 international jurors shake out a winner, two runners-up, and the rest.

Continue Reading 2011 World Car Awards: How close it was…

Continue reading 2011 World Car Awards: How close it was

2011 World Car Awards: How close it was

If you aren’t already an avid follower of The Engadget Show, we highly recommend checking out the video series. The editors of our favorite tech site (disclosure: Engadget and Autoblog are both owned by AOL) routinely sit down with the movers and shakers of the electronics and gadget world for a look into what’s new and what’s next. The latest episode delves into everything from a hybrid version of the Shredder to the BlackBerry PlayBook. Of course, we’re a little more interested in the show’s interview with Ford CEO Alan Mulally. Engadget caught up with Mulally while he was in New York for the 2011 New York Auto Show and picked his brain on the future of the electric car and Ford’s vision for the automobile moving forward.

Like most manufacturers, Ford is currently working to develop new battery technologies that will allow for quicker charge times, though Mulally says that his company also hopes to see the electric car become a more integral part of the electrical grid as a whole in the near future. As battery technology advances, Ford wants EVs to be able to charge on off-peak hours, store energy and feed it back to homes and businesses when not in use.

Pretty clever.

Hit the jump to see the full episode of The Engadget Show after the jump.

[Source: Engadget]

Continue reading Video: Ford head honcho Mulally talks tech with The Engadget Show

Video: Ford head honcho Mulally talks tech with The Engadget Show

The Saab Shutdown of 2011 grinds on, with uncertain fiances threatening to silence the operation for good. Even though Spyker took on the ailing brand, former owner General Motors is still the key to Saab surviving, The New York Times reports. Saab’s Trollhättan plant ground to a halt in early April, and part of owner Spyker’s plan to infuse working capital includes selling the plant and other real estate holdings to Vladimir A. Antonov and then leasing the property back from him. Antonov is a controversial figure in this triangle, and the Swedish government and the European Investment Bank need to sign off on his becoming a shareholder of Saab.

The European Investment Bank told the Times that it has provided an answer on the matter, so it now all hinges on General Motors. For its part, GM is keeping mum about whether or not it will sign off on the deal, with spokesman Klaus-Peter Martin offering up a “no comment.” That statement has been directly echoed to Autoblog by GM spokesman Jim Cain, so it looks like we’re all playing the same waiting game to see if Saab makes it.

[Source: The New York Times Image: Chris Paukert/AOL]

Deja-Vu: Saab’s chances of survival depend on… General Motors?

Toyota will be launching its new Entune infotainment system later this year – a product that pairs with a customer’s Internet- and Bluetooth-equipped smartphone to bring a host of applications right into the car’s navigation screen. Entune is the Japanese automaker’s answer to Ford’s SYNC system, and we recently had the chance to get a first-hand look at Toyota’s latest creation inside of the upcoming 2012 Prius V.

Entune made its official debut at CES back in January, combining functional apps like Bing search and real-time XM information (traffic, weather, fuel prices, sports and stocks) with entertainment features like Pandora and iHeartRadio. What’s more, Entune adds restaurant booking capability via OpenTable and allows you to research movie times through MovieTickets.com. Of course, there’s a slate of safety features like collision notification and roadside assistance, similar to those found in Lexus’ Enform system.

We sat down inside the 2012 Prius V with Toyota’s corporate manager for advanced technology, Jim Pisz, to see exactly how Entune works. Pisz tells us that the Prius V will be the first Toyota vehicle to feature Entune, but that we will likely see it spread to higher-volume models like the Camry and Tacoma by the end of the year.

In all, Entune looks to be a pretty slick system. The touch-screen display is easy to navigate, though it isn’t as visually appealing as the Blue Oval’s MyFord Touch. See a full walk-through of Entune for yourself in the video after the jump. As an added bonus, click here to see an Entune hands-on from our friends at Engadget, as well.

Editor’s Note: Because Entune pairs to a smartphone, if there’s a lengthy loss of signal at any time, that will cause Entune to become temporarily unresponsive. This happened during our preview outside of New York’s Plaza Hotel, and thus, the video begins after Pisz restarted the system.

[Lead image: Steven J. Ewing/AOL]

Continue reading Video: Checking out Toyota Entune inside the 2012 Prius V

Video: Checking out Toyota Entune inside the 2012 Prius V

Quick Spin: 2012 Infiniti M35h

Sporty hybrids are quickly becoming a dime-a-dozen, but the Infiniti M35h has the potential to rewrite the book.

Autoblog Podcast #227: with Brock Yates, Jr. of One Lap of America, New York recap and more!

Brock Yates, Jr. joins Chris Shunk, Dan Roth and Chris Paukert for the 277th installment of the Autoblog Podcast to talk about the 2011 Tire Rack One Lap of America and recap the New York International Auto Show.

Spy Shots: Under this Fiat Qubo is the new small Jeep

Our tactical squad of spy shooters have caught the newest small Jeep undergoing testing, but don’t be fooled by the Fiat exterior

Also of interest:

• Ford earns $2.6B in first quarter, most since 1998
• Toyota recalls 51,000 Tundra pickups over possible driveshaft fault
• Cadillac still wants a big rear-drive sedan to battle the import flagships
• Spy Shots: 2013 Ford Flex caught sporting first major update
• McLaren Automotive to introduce a new product every year

Browse our archive of Daily U-Turn posts or subscribe to the RSS feed

Daily U-Turn: What you missed on 4.26.11

With such a broad (and ever-expanding) range of products, Mercedes-Benz is always bound to be introducing something new at any given moment. And in this case, the German automaker has officially confirmed pricing for its new CLS.

Joining the Three-Pointed Star is the swoopy new 2012 CLS. Mercedes will offer the second-generation four-door coupe as both the CLS550 (with 4.6-liter twin-turbo V8) and CLS63 AMG (with 5.5-liter twin-turbo V8) guise at $71,300 and $94,900, respectively (*plus $875 in destination charges). Follow the jump for the official announcement that also details how much cash you’ll need to secure your own 2012 SLK roadster, whose pricing we revealed last week at the New York Auto Show.

[Source: Mercedes-Benz]

Continue reading Mercedes-Benz officially prices CLS from $71,000*

Mercedes-Benz officially prices CLS from $71,000*

Brock Yates, Jr. joins Chris Shunk, Dan Roth and Chris Paukert for Autoblog Podcast #227 to talk about the 2011 Tire Rack One Lap of America, which starts this weekend. The crew also recaps the New York International Auto Show, Mitsubishi pulling the plug on the Eclipse and Endeavor, the push for standardizing push-button starting systems and your feedback and questions with the Q&A module. We’ve re-posted the Q&A at the bottom of this post so you can play along at home, too. Thanks for listening, we’ll see you next week!

Autoblog Podcast #227: with Brock Yates, Jr. of One Lap of America, New York recap and more!

• New York Auto Show Wrap-up
• Mitsubishi to kill off Eclipse, Endeavor
• Fed mulling regulating push-button start
• Scion iQ delayed due to parts shortages
• Hyundai launches Assurance trade-in value guarantee

In the Autoblog Garage:

2012 Acura TL SH-AWD
2011 Kia Optima SX Turbo
2011 Infiniti M35h
2012 Mazda CX-7

• Runtime: 01:35:20

Feedback:
Email: Podcast at Autoblog dot com
Voicemail: 734-288-8POD (734-288-8763)

Review the show in iTunes and take our survey

Autoblog Podcast #227: with Brock Yates, Jr. of One Lap of America, New York recap and more!

We’ve taken a couple crazy cab rides in our lifetime, but we’ve never paid up for a ride that took us from New York to Los Angeles. John Belitsky and his buddy Dan Wuebben have done the deed, though, with cabbie Mohammed Alam providing the yellow Ford Escape taxi. The cost? $5,000. The media attention from paying a cabbie five grand to take you cross country? Priceless.

If you’re thinking that this sounds like the script to a movie, Belitsky is probably thinking the same thing. CNN reports that the investment banker and son of a cab driver is heading to Hollywood to pitch the story as a movie idea, adding “we’re going to take it to some movie people when we get there and see what happens.”

We’re all for a good (and we stress “good“) road trip movie, but we’re more impressed with the fact that Belitsky was able to convince a cab driver to take the fare in the first place. The traveling pair reportedly asked more than a few cabbies if they were up for the journey, but only Alam was interested in risking the hefty fare. But even at $5,000, Belitsky got off easy on the trip. We’re guessing the trip would have cost at least three times as much if the meter were actually running, and the cab driver still had to get his Escape all the way back to the Big Apple.

Hit the jump to watch a WBIR video report about the trio’s momentous road trip.

[Source: CNN]

Continue reading Cab Cannonball? Men take taxi ride from New York to Los Angeles [w/video]

Cab Cannonball? Men take taxi ride from New York to Los Angeles [w/video]

We record Episode #227 of the Autoblog Podcast tonight, so check out our discussion topics below. You can use the forum below to drop us your own feedback and questions, or vote on your fellow readers’ submissions to help determine what else we discuss this evening. You can subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes if you haven’t already to hear your question answered by our esteemed panel of ‘casters.

Discussion Topics for Autoblog Podcast Episode #227

• New York Auto Show Wrap-up
• Mitsubishi to kill off Endeavor, Gallant
• Fed mulling regulating push-button start
• Scion iQ delayed due to parts shortages
• Hyundai launches Assurance trade-in value guarantee

Subscribe to the Autoblog Podacast and hear your questions asked:
[iTunes] Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes
[RSS] Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator

Submit questions for Autoblog Podcast #227

It may sound obvious to say you should be wary of car salesmen on the phone, just as you should be wary of car salesmen in general. To hammer the point home, though, here are some audio files of Jerry Thibeau training salespeople at car dealerships, in this case a BMW dealership, to schmooze and potentially ensnare customers before they even walk on the lot.

With the Internet stealing large portions of business from car dealerships, there’s a real need for dealers to invest in this kind of telephone training. Thibeau answered the call when he started New York-based Phone-Up Ninjas back in late 2009.

Guys like Thibeau charge $2,000 a day plus expenses to visit car dealerships for these training sessions. They can also do the work remotely, dubbing constructive criticism into mystery shopper phone calls to point out where a salesperson’s pitch could use some help.

The car salesman on the other end of the line has a job to do: make you buy a car (or how about this nice SUV that’s just a little more per month?). Just remember that, next time, you may be talking to a ninja.

Our advice? Hang up. Follow the jump to hear more ninja training calls, or read the full report at AOL Autos to learn more about how this industry operates.

[Source: AOL Autos Image: Getty

Continue reading Ninja Alert! Beware of car salesmen trained in the art of phone calls

Ninja Alert! Beware of car salesmen trained in the art of phone calls