That’s where Neil Young and the Progressive Automotive X Prize come in.  Young and partner Jonathan Goodwin, a mechanic from Wichita, Kansas, are working to convert a 1959 Lincoln Continental to electric power.

So far, Young has invested about $120,000 in converting the car, and he expects the project to cost about $250,000 total.  The team tested the vehicle last spring.

“She was awesome,” Young told the Associated Press. “Her acceleration was incredible, she moved with hardly a sound; it was so quiet we could hear the wind through the tags of other cars.”

The Progressive Automotive X Prize, which Young and Goodwin plan to enter, is a race to develop a production-ready automobile capable of getting at least 100 miles per gallon.  More than 60 teams will participate in the cross-country race, which will take place this year and in 2010.

Neil Young photo by Robert Scoble and licensed under Creative Commons attribution only.

Goodwin and Young call the car the “Linc Volt.”  At two and a half tons, it’s not a lightweight vehicle, but it is fully electric.  Goodwin hopes to use the same technology to convert the type of vehicles Americans love to drive.

LincVolt photo by Thomas Kriese and licensed under Creative Commons Attribution Only license.

“If you take that same technology,” he told The Wichita Eagle, “and you stream it down into something that’s more modern, or a large SUV, the capabilities are a guarantee there.”

There’s no denying that we love to drive cars that are powerful.  There are few people who wouldn’t jump at the chance to drive a Lamborghini or get behind the wheel of a Bentley.  If Neil Young and the X Prize have anything to do with it, we won’t have to sacrifice power to achieve good fuel economy.

Audi photo by Josh Davis of Josh Davis Photography in Fort Worth, TX. All rights reserved.

In the meantime, a lot of people are switching to exotic car sharing clubs, rather than shelling out the money to buy an exotic vehicle.  Exotic car clubs give members access to an entire garage of exotic vehicles, and they can still drive a fuel-efficient car for their daily commute.  Until automakers produce an electric car that’s fun to drive, car clubs are a good option.

Young told the Associated Press that creating an electric car and participating in the X Prize is part of his personal mission.

“You know, I thought long ago you could change the world by writing songs,” he said.  “But you can’t change the world by writing songs. Oh, you can inspire a few people, get some of them to change their thinking about something. But you can’t change the world by writing songs. But we could change it with this car.”

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.

In a Washington Post/ABC poll 68% of Americans oppose providing additional loans to automakers, even if these funds are to stave off bankruptcy.

According to US News, it isn’t just the average American who is feeling tight-fisted with regard to the automakers.  Even New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman wants to pull the plug on the automakers: “[the auto industry bailout] leaves me with the sick feeling that we are subsidizing the losers and for only one reason: because they claim that their funerals would cost more than keeping them on life support.”

Instead, Mr. Friedman wants to give money to biotech, info-tech, and nano-tech. He believes taxpayers would get a better return attempting to invest in clean tech companies and searching for the next Google. Probably true.

Maybe info-tech includes bailing out the NYT. Who knows.

Here’s a thought.

Why don’t we not get the government in the business of picking the next technologies and leave that to markets? We could call it Capitalism.

Sadly, I don’t think the poll numbers or what Americans think matters to the folks giving away taxpayer money. I think the American people are against the bailout because they know it won’t work.

Or maybe they aren’t in the mood for a bailout because their 401ks have dipped considerably since the Obama prosperity program started.

I don’t know.

The Congress will keep on passing auto industry bailouts. Likely it would be cheaper to give every licensed driver a Corvette or Escalade or Dodge Viper to keep GM and Chrysler afloat.

I’d love have the chance to drive a Dodge Viper or drive a Corvette. It makes about as much sense as what they’re doing. (Mr. Obama, if you’re reading this, I’d like mine to be red with white racing stripes.)

Too much fun.

Instead, we will all be issued a government approved car with a top speed of 18MPH. The cars will run on sparrow farts and spit. (They won’t be nearly as roomy as this SMART car.)

Maybe we won’t even own the cars. They will be part of government run car sharing program administered by the Treasury Secretary. It will work like lawn watering. On even days, you can requisition a car…. Don’t worry we will pay for it all with a modest tax increase on the top 2% of taxpayers.

This post written by Seo content writer Eric Anderson. The opinions expressed are solely his own.

2009 Honda Fit image by L’eau Bleue on Flickr. Image licensed under Creative Commons Attribution Only.

Tough economic times are teaching us that driving your dream car means thinking outside the box.  Why not drive a fuel-efficient car like the new 2009 Honda Fit for your commute to work and then rent a sports car for an occasional weekend?

Commuter cars have some very basic requirements.  When you’re stuck in traffic, it doesn’t really matter whether you can go zero to 60 in under five seconds.  And most of us are just too busy drinking coffee, stressing about the time, and listening to the news to notice whether the person in the next lane is admiring your vehicle.

At the very least, a commuter car should be fuel-efficient.  That’s where gas-sipping vehicles, like the new 2009 Honda Fit come into the picture.  The Fit gets 33 miles per gallon, seats 5, and boasts 10 cup holders!  And it has an MSRP of under $15,000.

While the 2009 Honda Fit will get you to work reliably without costing you a fortune, it won’t exactly give you an adrenaline rush.

Since most of us can’t afford to plunk down the cash for a car that costs ten times as much as the Honda Fit, we need to get creative about driving our dream vehicles.  Exotic car rental is a perfect way to drive a Lamborghini for a day.

Another great option for those wanting thrilling driving is joining an exotic car sharing club.  Club members can drive luxury cars without the hassles of maintenance and depreciation.

Owning an exotic car is expensive.  There’s the six-figure purchase price, and then there’s the problem of finding secure exotic car storage.  Plus, you have to shell out more money for maintenance, repairs, security, and insurance.  Exotic car sharing is just a more practical alternative for many people.

An excellent online directory of performance car sharing clubs can be found at http://www.exoticcarclubs.com. Some days call for driving something more exciting than a 2009 Honda Fit.

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

According to the captain of the mystery yacht, Ted Sputh, the owner of the Gran Finale purchased her for $40 million in 2001. As far as divulging a name, her captain had nothing specific to share.

“He’s very, very private,” Sputh told The Buffalo News, “but it doesn’t take much to figure out he’s a billionaire. We always hear the Trumps or Madonna, but none of that’s true. You wouldn’t know him anyway. He’s just your common, ordinary billionaire.”

Yachting enthusiasts have long appreciated the benefits of sharing the expense of ownership for such craft. Several yacht sharing clubs cater to members who yearn for blue water, but want to indulge their passion without taking on solo boat ownership.

“Sharing of luxury goods has been a key trend among the affluent – whether it be time shares of vacation homes, fractional ownership of business jets, or sharing of an exclusive collection of dream cars in an exotic car club,” says Ron Sturgeon, a real estate investor, small business consultant, and owner of DFW Elite Car Club in Dallas TX.

“The reasons for yacht sharing are much the same as performance car sharing,” says the DFW car sharing club owner. “Membership allows enjoyment of an unmatched variety of yachting or driving experiences as well as companionship with like-minded people in a club setting,” says Mr. Sturgeon.

The spacious interior of the mystery billionaire’s yacht includes four below-deck guest suites and an amazing owner’s suite on the main deck. There is also a large theater with a curved sofa and flat screen TVs.

At 451 tons, the yacht is no lightweight. It carries more than 14,000 gallons of gas, which means a single fill-up runs about $72,000.

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. She is a regular contributor to our exotic car blogs.

This summer, that buzzing in your ear may be the annual infestation of blood-sucking parasites, or it could be something completely different. Apparently, the sales of Honda scooters (as well as other makes) have increased dramatically in Dallas, TX and in other cities in the good old USA.

With gas prices breaching $4 per gallon and seemingly headed for the $5 mark, it is easy to see why so many people are willing giving up their SUVs and sedans for fuel-sipping scooters.

Some quick facts: Honda scooters range from $2,000 to $10,000 and can get 100 miles per gallon or better.

According to a story by Kristen Fisher, a news reporter for KATV in Little Rock, dealers are having trouble keeping inventory of Honda Scooters. “We’ve got a few models left. We’re trying to get our hands on some more, but it’s been pretty tough,” claims Rich Richards of Richards Honda Yamaha in Little Rock, Arkansas.

Most automobile dealers are taking a beating. However, even within the automobile industry, niche markets are doing well. For example, exotic car rental.

“The desire of a select few auto connoisseurs to drive dream cars doesn’t go away. In fact, we have seen an influx of people who might otherwise have purchased an exotic car who are now renting a dream car or joining our exotic car sharing club,” states Ron Sturgeon, owner of DFW Elite Auto Rental and DFW Elite Car Club in Dallas, TX.

The exotic car rental agency allows customers to make online reservations and offers weekly Dallas luxury car rental specials. Meanwhile, the exotic car club allows members to get the keys to a dream garage of top-drawer exotic cars at a fraction of the cost of ownership.

“With the phenomenal growth of sports car rental in Dallas and car sharing clubs across the United States, car guys have new ways to drive the cars on the covers of Car and Driver and Motor Trend. And a dream driving experience costs less than most people estimate,” says Tom Warren, GM of DFW Elite Auto Rental and DFW Elite Car Club.

To find a rental car agency that specializes in exotic cars, visit http://www.rentexoticcars.net. To find a car club in your home city, visit http://www.exoticcarclubs.com.

At some point throughout this prescribed process, your brain should successfully navigate the intellectual mine field that is this headline.

 
What we know is that man dressed as Darth Vader from the Star Wars franchise and sporting a garbage bag for a cape, interrupted the proceedings at an England-based church that practices the Jedi Religion by hitting the leader of the Jedi church and his cousin with a metal crutch. 

Apparently his light saber was in the shop.

As if the story needed any subtext, the Darth Vader character claimed not to remember the incident as he had engulfed the better part of a two and a half gallon box of wine.  I’m guessing that would drive anyone to the dark side of the force!

Still want more?  How ‘bout the fact that the whole event was caught on the Jedi Church’s video camera that was set up to record an impending light saber battle demonstration.  I’ll bet George Lucas could create more than six movies with this material.

Truth, once again, a bit stranger than fiction.

All of this got me to thinking, just who is more bored in this scenario, the people (30 members are claimed to exist) who profess to practice the Jedi religion, or the guy who drinks a kiddie pool’s worth of boxed wine and tries to take them out? 

If that question doesn’t send you spiraling into an existential crisis, God help you!

I can’t help but think that if I could just get to these people, perhaps I could save them.

Perhaps I could introduce some level of entertainment into their lives that could spare them being the subject of future articles like this one.  Emboldened with all of the purpose of a U.N. relief worker, I set out to find the perfect diversion. 

And I just might have.

Seeing how all, or most of the players in this ugly scene were men, it would have to be a manly pursuit.  Also I wanted something that could hook them quickly and leave them wanting more.  Then it hit me.

What if I could take all of these guys on an exotic car tour.  Seem far fetched?  Let me explain.  The exotic car tour would keep them entertained for a full day.  It would involve them in an activity where drinking large amounts of bad wine is not permitted, and it could hook them into the whole exotic car thing.
 
For example, they may wake up in the middle of the night wanting to rent a Ferrari in DFW for the weekend instead of channeling Yoda for life advice. 

And if they get really hooked, they could even join an exotic car club for unlimited exotic car usage.
 
I pitched this idea to my friend Ron Sturgeon who owns a company that provides exotic car tours in Texas, a Fort Worth exotic car rental agency, and a Fort Worth exotic car club.  His reaction, “Our car club members tend to be very straight-up folks who just love exotic cars. They’re more into channeling Enzo Ferrari.”
 
Apparently Ron doesn’t share my burning desire to save these people from themselves.
 
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.

The Bush Administration is claims that mailing the checks ASAP will help American households deal with rising fuel and food prices.  Economists and business owners hope that the tax rebate checks will stimulate the economy in the same fashion that previous tax rebate programs have. 

Unfortunately, some observers feel that a significant boost to the economy isn’t likely because the prior tax rebate coincided with Bush’s semi-permanent tax cuts, but the current tax rebate is a stand alone measure.
 
Assuming that costs for food and fuel continue to rise, the tax rebate stimulus checks will only postpone Americans feeling pinched in their pocket books.

What will the reduction of real purchasing power do to the spending habits of Americans? Experts forecast tough times for luxury goods makers ahead.

Some luxury retailers, however, are bucking the trend. Tapping a loyal client base and the power of their brands, some top tier luxury retailers are still finding a way to thrive. For example, Neiman Marcus defied the trend and posted much better than expected earnings for this fiscal quarter.

“Sometimes small businesses that develop a deep relationship with their customers can weather economic storms, even when their goods or services are not considered ‘needs,’” says entrepreneur Ron Sturgeon.  Sturgeon operates a Texas-based family of exotic car businesses that cater to higher-than-average income earners.

“In a way, our exotic car club actually saves our clients a great deal of money when you compare membership versus the cost of direct ownership,” reports Sturgeon.  “Membership in a car club can be a very cost effective way to drive a variety of the world’s best exotic cars,” says Sturgeon.

Members of the club pay a flat monthly fee that ranges from $750 to $3,000 for a set number of driving days in the Dallas car sharing club’s vehicles. Membership is capped so that their will not be more than five members per vehicle. “The point of the club is to enjoy the cars, so we have to keep the number of members low so that members can reserve our cars when they want them,” says General Manager Tom Warren.

“Membership has let me scratch my exotic car itch without plunking down the six figures for a Lamborghini Gallardo,” explains Derek Chase, a DFW-based audio engineer and DFW Elite Car Club Member. “Once you get started driving a Ferrari F430 and Lamborghini Gallardo, it’s not hard to find other club cars that you want to take for a spin.”

To learn more about car sharing clubs, check out an excellent article that appeared in a recent issue of the Robb Report Collection. If you are in the DFW area, check out http://www.dfwelitecarclub.com for a peak at the club’s exclusive collection of cars. If you’re outside of Texas, consult an online directory of exotic car clubs, such as www.exoticcarclubs.com, to find a car sharing club in your city.

“With one phone call, the car I want is delivered—fueled and ready for me to drive. It’s fantastic not to have to worry about depreciation, maintenance, or any other exotic car ownership hassles. All I have to do is enjoy the experience of driving the newest 2008 Lamborghini Gallardo,” says Mr. Chase.

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.

Remember the days before SUVs roamed the planet with the authority of their distant dinosaur cousins? I have vivid memories of piling into the old wagon for a cross-town or, God forbid, cross-country trip.

Well, as history played out, once all of those grocery shopping soccer moms caught a glimpse of the new SUVs, it was over and just like that the station wagon seemed to go the way of the buffalo.

Well, a funny thing may be happening. With gas prices soaring and the economy generally heading into the tank, people are starting to cut back. One way this is playing out is that folks are looking to spend less on cars and less to fill those cars up with gas.

In an effort to take advantage of this, Toyota offers its new Toyota Venza. What’s this bring to the table you ask? Well, the Toyota Venza is described by Toyota as a “crossover sedan.”

Rather than the slightly lower SUVs put out by Chrysler, the Toyota Venza interprets the term “crossover sedan” to mean “station wagon.” Although it would probably be marketing suicide to actually refer to the Venza as a station wagon.

The initial reviews are mixed with some calling the Venza a timely addition to the Toyota lineup that “looks like a winner.” Still others claim that the Venza is what happens when you take a “Camry Wagon and cross it with ugly.” Still, given Toyota’s reputation and levels of customer satisfaction, it is hard to bet against them.

It is still to be determined how the current economic and energy climate will affect those who love their cars exotic and fast. Many car enthusiasts are wealthy enough to be bothered by a few extra bucks at the pump. But others may find that owning their dream car is put further out of reach by these developments.

“There are a lot of people who have an unlimited amount of love for cars, but a limited budget to spend on them,” notes Ron Sturgeon, a man famous for renting Ferraris in Dallas, “These are the people that tend to make their way to our businesses,” continues Sturgeon.
Sturgeon operates an exotic car club, exotic car rental agency, and an exotic car tour company.

The exotic car club allows members to enjoy a loaded exotic car garage without the costs and inconveniences associated with direct ownership. Membership terms are flexible so that members can buy just the right amount of drive time to fit their tastes and their budgets.

“For car enthusiasts looking for an alternative to expensive exotic car ownership, car sharing is a fantastic alternative,” says Mr. Sturgeon. “Our Dallas car sharing club just added its thrid Lamborghini and we also just received the new Dodge Viper,” said Sturgeon. Find out more about membership in a car club by visiting http://www.dfwelitecarclub.com.

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.