Elite Auto Rental Blog

A very important exotic car is scheduled to go up for auction this Friday.  An extremely rare 1965 Shelby Daytona Cobra Coupe is expected to smash auto auction records when it is put on the block at the 22nd annual Dana Mecum Original Spring Classic Auction in Indianapolis.

(Shelby image from AutoFiends.)

The car is one of only six made that year and was built by Carroll Shelby in order to provide competition to the Ferrari in the GT race class.  On July 4, 1965, that goal was achieved when the car won the 1965 FIA World Manufacturer’s Championship for Shelby American.  The car was driven that day by Bob Bondurant, and the race took place in Reims, France.

Exotic car enthusiasts are closely watching the auction of the car, which is expected to fetch something in the neighborhood of $15 million.  The vehicle, which has the best racing record of all Shelby Daytona Coupes, is a highly-prized part of American automotive history.  Mecum Auctions declares that the exotic car embodies the “American competitive spirit of victory against overwhelming odds.”

Owning a piece of racing history may not be a reality for most of us, but we can still drive an exotic vehicle.  Renting an exotic car is a fun and easy way to experience the thrill of the road without the hassle and expense of ownership.  You can rent a convertible in Dallas, drive a Lamborghini in Fort Worth, or just explore West Texas in a luxury car.

(Dallas Bentley rental photo courtesy of DFW Elite Auto Rental. Photo by Josh Davis of Fort Worth, TX. All rights reserved.)

Another great option for exotic car fans is joining an exotic car club.  Rather than buying an exotic car that you only drive occasionally, you can have access to an entire garage of exotic vehicles.  If you need to drive a Mercedes to impress a client but want to drive a Bentley Continental for the weekend, an exotic car sharing club might be the perfect option for you.

Besides making automotive history, the 1965 Shelby Daytona Cobra Coupe was featured in the Howard Hawkes movies “Redline 7000.”  The car has been fully restored and is decked out in its Reims livery, all set to be the showpiece of some lucky (and wealthy) person’s exotic car collection.

If you’re going to be in Indianapolis this week, the 1965 Shelby Daytona Cobra Coupe goes up for auction at 8:05 pm on Friday.  HT to the guys at AutoFiends.com.

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.

Sure the photo from the KOMO News makes it look like a supercar driving tour like the ones organized by DFW Drive Your Dream Austin, Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio.

(Oregon State Police Photo via KOMO news website.)

Actually, this was a group of auto enthusiasts who travel south from Canada through Oregon together on their way to an annual exotic car event.

Unfortunately, drivers in the group were re-enacting a portion of The Fast and the Furious when they blew by Oregon State Trooper David Peterson.

To quote the one and only Jim Rome: Uhh-O.

The cars were racing at high speed along Highway 18 near Grand Ronde. Trooper Peterson nabbed all six.

As if one ticket were not enough, a driver in the group got clipped a second time two hours later for a speed violation in the Columbia River Gorge – according to a story written by a KOMO staff writer.

Yeah, they use radios.

One of the nice things about doing a 2000 HP drive your dream tour is that the route is preplanned and suitably equipped lead and chase vehicles accompany the convoy of exotics.

As for our group of exotic car drivers, they might be experiencing higher insurance rates or hitting Google to see if they can do an online speeding ticket class to get rid of the points….

Check out the KOMO exotic car story.

This post written by blogger and web content writer Eric Anderson. Eric’s recent projects have included copy for a Dallas exotic car rental site and business mentoring site for entrepreneurs.

For exotic car enthusiasts, celebrating Earth Day means reading up on the latest eco-friendly exotic car news.  With the focus on eco-conscious living and the high cost of gas last year, many exotic cars are now going green.  Check out some of the most exciting developments in eco-friendly exotic cars!

Tesla Roadster

A celebrity favorite, the Tesla Roadster marries serious performance with environmental responsibility.  With a chassis based on the Lotus Elise, the Tesla Roadster is undeniably attention-grabbing.  And it’s green too.  The car, which goes from 0 to 60 mph in under 4 seconds, gets the equivalent of 120 miles per gallon.

Photo credit to Tim in Sydney. Licensed Under Creative Commons Attribution Only. See more of Tim’s photos on Flickr.

Saab Aero-X

This beautiful concept car runs on pure ethanol, and its 2.8L Twin Turbo V6 engine will impress any exotic car fan.  The Aero-X can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 4.9 seconds, and it boasts an impressive 400 horsepower.  Even more remarkable is the futuristic design; the entire driver’s compartment opens up.

Venturi Fetish

Even though this electric car tops out at around 100 mph, it makes up for its lack of speed with an incredible futuristic-looking exterior.  It can also go from 0 to 60 mph in under 5 seconds and is capable of getting about 150 miles per charge.  The charge time is about an hour.

Audi R Zero

Even though it’s only a concept car, the Audi R Zero is pretty exciting.  With four electric motors (one for each wheel), this exotic vehicle gets 1091 total horsepower.  All that power contributes to some pretty impressive performance.  The Audi R Zero can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in under 3 seconds.

Toyota FT-HS

The name of this car is an acronym for “Future Toyota Hybrid Sport,” and the car does what it’s designed to do.  It’s both green and impressively sporty.  A hybrid that produces 400 horsepower and can go from 0 to 60 mph in under 4 seconds, the FT-HS is also aimed at regular people.  The starting MSRP is expected to be in the neighborhood of $30,000.

Ronn Scorpion

Based right here in Texas, Ronn Motors has built an impressive hydrogen hybrid vehicle.  The Austin car manufacturer uses fuel injection to boost the performance of the car using “hydrogen on demand” technology.  The car’s exotic exterior makes it a fierce competitor in the green exotic vehicle market.

Even though some of these vehicles won’t be available for years, you can still drive your dream car today.  Exotic car sharing clubs are a great way to be eco-friendly and still drive a Mercedes or Lamborghini.  You only drive the car when you need an exotic vehicle, so sharing an exotic car might be even more green than owning one of these beauties.

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.

I have to admit that I’m not the world’s biggest Miley Cyrus fan. I thought Hanna Montana was somewhere just north of Billings.

About as close as I get is having once seen Billy Ray Cyrus perform at the Plant City Strawberry Festival. He seemed like a good guy to me.

I am 32-or-so-years too old to be affected by Miley Mania, but for those who care, Miley’s getting new wheels. Those willing to plunk down the $29.95 for a membership in the Mileyworld fan club were the first to know.

Miley Cyrus has made the move from her black hand-me-down Porsche Cayenne (formerly Mom’s) to a snazzy black Toyota Prius purchased for her by Billy Ray. It may just be a coincidence that Miley has a new song coming out with a strong anti-global warming theme. Not cool to roll in a Porsche Cayenne to a concert singing green anthems, even if Porsche is a pretty darn green car company, it’s still an SUV.

Sort of like going to a global summit on climate change in a G-5 or going to Capitol Hill begging for an auto bailout in a private jet… Not exactly the smartest strategic business planning.

If the Cyrus clan need someone to help them ease their guilt over owning a Porsche SUV, I’d be happy to help them out in their efforts to be carbon neutral.

I’m just saying. They’re nice people.

The part that bothers me is the Hello Kitty floormats. It’s just the sort of thing that makes me feel old, really old. When my 15-year-old stepdaughter raves about something like Hello Kitty floor mats, I’m lost.

“You want what?” is all I usually can get out.

Anyway, even gear heads horrified by the idea of a Porsche SUV, cannot fathom swapping one for a black Prius. I say drop the Porsche in car storage; Miley Cyrus will grow into it.

For those of you curious about getting those Hello Kitty floor mats, slap yourself hard.

Here’s a peak at what they look like, if you must know.

I am not really a fan of the Toyota Prius, but there is one eco-friendly vehicle that would be an exotic car driving experience: the Aptera. (Not the yogurt, that’s Aptiva.)

I would guess the Toyota Prius gets about 40 MPG; the Aptera will be a 300 MPG car and looks like it might actually be fun to drive down to the market to get some organic vegetables and tofu.

This article written by SEO web writer Eric Anderson. If you would like to hire Eric to write press releases, website copy, or keyword optimized articles, visit http://www.pdqwebcopywriting.com.

When you think Porsche you think fast.  You think sleek body lines and that unmistakable 911 silhouette.  Perhaps you think of the racy Cayenne, the SUV that many thought would fail miserably, but that has actually turned out to be a hot SUV.

Regardless, when you think Porsche you don’t often think “Hey, let’s load up the kids and head out to dinner!”  Well, that is just what the German auto maker would like you to start thinking when they release the new Porsche Panamera.

This new offering from Porsche is still sporty and can get up and go, but it comes with four doors instead of two.  Don’t get me wrong, Porsche is not trying to get you to buy a boxy luxury sedan so large that your kids can play football in the back seat.  The Panamera, as depicted in the recently released photos, is still a Porsche.

Of course, the new Porsche sedan arrives in America at a time when the U.S. car market is experiencing a meltdown of biblical proportions.  Unfortunately, there doesn’t appear to be a Moses poised to lead the not-so Big 3 into the promised land of profitability.

The release of the new Porsche Panamera is yet another reminder of how long GM and other American car companies have failed to hold the high ground against world wide competitors.  The failure that appears to be a crisis today has been decades in the making.

“Porsche is synonymous with quality and styling.  That is the holy grail for car makers,” reports Ron Sturgeon, the owner of a Dallas, TX exotic car rental company.  And Sturgeon is uniquely poised to provide expert advice on the subject of exotic cars.

“We operate several businesses designed to expose people to the finest luxury and sports cars the world has to offer, even if their budget doesn’t have countless zeros in it.”  Sturgeon’s businesses run the gamut from an exotic car club to an exotic car tour company and even a toy car museum in Fort Worth.

DFW Elite Car Club (www.dfwelitecarclub.com) offers memberships (starting at less than a thousand dollars per month) which allow car enthusiasts to drive dozens of exotic and luxury cars.  The latest addition to the Dallas exotic car sharing club’s paddock is a brilliant red 2009 Audi R8. No need to call a mortgage broker to start enjoying drive time in a fine collection of elite vehicles.

DFW Elite Auto Rental (www.dfweliteautorental.com) is Sturgeon’s exotic car rental agency that offers many exotic cars for daily rent.  Everything from Ferraris to Porsches is available at weekday and weekend rates.

Finally, DFW Drive Your Dream (www.dfwdriveyourdream.com) is an exotic car driving experience company that offers full and half-day tours in Dallas, Houston, Austin, and San Antonio. Participants drive five exotic cars back-to-back on some of Texas’ most scenic highways.

“We are committed to bringing the finest cars in the world to the people who most want to drive them,” says DFW Elite Auto Rental GM Tom Warren. “We’ll certainly be taking a close look at the new Porsche Panamera.”

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

Before John Krasinski became famous for playing cute-boy-next-door Jim on The Office, he didn’t always travel in style. In a video, Krasinski details his adventure with a college friend and a very old Honda Accord, complete with a spot-on impersonation of a crazy mechanic.

Now that Krasinski has made it big, he probably drives an exotic sports car or other luxury automobile. Since most of us have a lifestyle more like Krasinski’s character Jim, we can’t afford to own a Mercedes or BMW. Instead, an increasingly popular option is exotic car rental.

When asked what kind of car Jim from The Office would rent, Ron Sturgeon, who owns a Dallas exotic car rental business and exotic car club in DFW, didn’t hesitate.

“Jim would rent a Porsche 911 Cabriolet,” said Sturgeon. “He’s kind of an everyman character, and I think every guy I know dreams of driving a Porsche 911.”

Rental of exotic cars seems to be the alternative of choice these days. Owning an exotic car means not just the expensive up-front price tag of the car, but also costly upkeep, storage, and hefty depreciation.

When you rent a Ferrari, rather than buying one, you get all the joys of driving a supercar and none of the hassles. You get to turn heads at stoplights, impress clients and dates, and experience the thrill of driving one of the most sought after performance cars in the world.

“We do have a number of celebrity clients, but we don’t divulge any names to protect the privacy of those who rent from us,” says Ron Sturgeon when asked if Krasinski has ever rented an exotic car from him.

In the video, Krasinski tells about dropping the transmission in his friend’s old Honda Accord and having to ask for help at a nearby gas station. The story gets even more funny when he begins to describe his encounter with the mechanic at the station.

Proud of his car, which could go 210 miles per hour, the mechanic proceeds to demonstrate the car’s performance to Krasinski and his friend – in the middle of a busy parking lot.

You’ll have to watch the video to get a real feel for the story, but you can be sure that Krasinski or the mechanic won’t be borrowing my Honda anytime soon.

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.

Just what I need more power in my SUV!

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.

Continue Reading »

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.

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.

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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