First “Entry Level” Ferrari California Sold For $500k

Although not scheduled to make its first official appearance until next week at the Paris auto show, the first “baby” Ferrari California was sold at an auction recently for nearly double its projected retail value. Hosted by California Governantor Arnold Schwarzenegger, the auction was held to benefit the After School All Stars program, an initiative which dispenses funds to underprivileged school children. Held in both Maranello, Italy and Santa Monica, California, the charity event successfully hauled in a significant chunk of change for California’s disenfranchised demographic, ultimately awarding the coveted pre-production baby Ferrari to the highest bidder for an estimated $520,000. Since it’s for a good cause, I’ll refrain from making any of the usual remarks about the obviously insignificant size of the buyer’s genitals.[News Source: Auto Unleashed]

Related posts:

• Honda secures large Civic Hybrid fleet contract
• Video: Jay Leno test drives the 2009 Nissan GT-R
• Porsche being spied on? Baby walkie-talkie found in CEO’s hotel suite
• April Fool’s Day Roundup
• Bugatti Veyron Sang Noir: Another special edition Bugatti

Related posts:

• Bullrun 2008 Route Map - Day 2 Update
• Video: BMW M3 ad takes shot at Mercedes SL, it’s a fake
• eGMCarTech implements Disqus for beefed up comments
• Kia building new small car, Hyundai may get one as well
• Audi goes topless with their TT Speedster and R8 Spider designs

Mitsubishi Soldiers On With Lancer Evolution MR

Lancer Evolution MR

Despite Mitsubishi’s difficulties from the very beginning in making much if any headway financially in the U.S., the Tri-Diamond has held fast with their committment to make a go of it in America.  Likewise, Mitsubishi’s approach for the last several years to their performance models is equally consistent and exemplified in the latest example in the Evo line; the Lancer Evolution MR.

2008 Lancer Evolution

Following delays to the advanced tuning of the MR, the Mitsu dynamo has been in showrooms since June and by almost universal accounts is an incredibe vehicle.  One way you can gauge a car’s fun-factor is how much time a reviewer spends talking about cupholders and electronic gizmos inside.  With the MR interior appointments are essentially irrelevant and a mere footnote to the way it handles and moves.  In almost all ways aesthetic, the car varies only slightly, but distinctly, from the lower Lancer model.  Outside the Evo has a big, dark trapezoidal grille, three hood scoops and a big wing and Evolution badge on the back. 

Aggressive Evo Snout

Inside, the Evo gets leather and suede Recaro bucket seats that are DEFINITELY a must given the cars cornering abilities and differs from the Lancer’s back seats, which do not fold down because the battery and washer fluid have been moved to behind them to make room for the most significant difference in the two cars; the engine.  

Evolution Engine

The 2.0-liter four-cylinder turbocharged and inter-cooled engine produces 291 horsepower and 300 lb-ft of torque which in relation to the car’s displacement is phenomenal and is mated to a slick six-speed twin-clutch Sportronic shift transmission. 

Twin Clutch Transmission

While 0-60 times are achieved in the 5.2 seconds range and the car can reach over 160 mph, the car’s real forte is in it’s handling and braking capabilities.  According to testers, pulling in and out of slides is a piece of cake in the all-wheel-drive Evo, only requiring a steely resolve to continue pushing the gas and not jumping on the brakes; the car’s capacity to get itself pointed in the right direction will do the rest.

Evolution Interior

Not that practicality is a huge consideration for those interested in this car, but despite a limited trunk and fold-down rear seats, it can seat 4 in relative comfort making it not a completely frivolous vehicle.  But assuming you will be driving it with a moderate amount of aggression it does suck down gas (17 mpg combined) and eat tires at an accelerated pace.  And it is pricey, starting at $38,940 and approaching 50 grand with all the bells and whistles.  However, I will note that in terms of performance the Evo MR delivers a better and more affordable overall driving experience than the similar offerings from BMW and Mercedes.

Related posts:

• Dropouts be Damned: NAIAS insists Cobo expansion still needed
• Pictures from an American Junkyard Part I
• Another one bites the dust: Mitsubishi pulls out of Detroit Auto Show
• Canadians Start 28,000-Mile Voyage In Veggie-Fueled Van, Attempt World Record [Alternative Energy]
• 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X Officially Released with Full Specs

Related posts:

• BMW M3 Edition: Fast and Clean
• Volkswagen Releases Teaser Images of the Four-Door Passat Coupe
• Ford To Offer Employee Pricing Plus 0% Financing In Desperate Attempt To Sell Cars [Financiapocalypse]
• Buick Invicta Concept Rendering Released...Before its Unveiling in Beijing
• Unveiled: 2009 BMW 7-Series Photos Leak onto the Web

2009 Ferrari California: Beautiful “Baby”

Schumacher-endorsed 2009 Ferrari California

There is a certain arrogance implied when a company limits production of a new car to just two colors. As if, “this is what we are offering, take it or leave it, we don’t need you.” Henry Ford telling customers they can have a Model T in any color they want as long as its black comes to mind. But when the company is Ferrari and the new car is the 2009 California you tend to forget about such trivialities. And if those two things still can’t convince you, Michael Schumacher’s endorsement of the new “Baby Ferrari” should put you over the top. (Even if the two colors are red and a rather depressing blue.)

Ferrari poster boy Schumacher is often called upon with the unenviable task (tongue firmly in cheek) of track testing new Ferraris and also was involved with development of the 430 Scuderia–which he calls the “very essence of a Ferrari,” while the California is more of an “everyday” ride. Schumacher’s totaling of a Ferrari prototype during testing last week notwithstanding, we’ll take his thumbs up on the new “Baby Ferrari” seriously.  The “baby” moniker seems hardly accurate at first glance, especially if you check out the sticker price which will be approaching the neighborhood of $200,000. Offered only as a folding hardtop convertible, the California is focused towards the ultra rich who crave both open-air and Grand Tourer driving. The powerplant of the California will be Ferrari’s 4.3-liter V-8 mounted in the front and producing 460 horsepower at 7500 rpm. Less than the 483 hp mid-engined F430 coupe/spider and F430 Scuderia that cranks out 503 hp, which is where the “baby” title comes in I suppose. As with all Ferrari’s the body and chassis is aluminum.

Seating is of the 2+ arrangement, which in Italian means you can fit a couple of bags behind the seats after your shopping trip to buy tube socks and Alpo at Wal-Mart. I am usually turned off by sports cars that have more than two seats….or two doors. It reminds me of myself telling my girlfriend and future wife that my Honda Prelude was “practically a sports car.” (I am shamed by that memory) But the California is absolutely beautiful; and although I am not usually a fan of convertibles, this car makes me want to rethink that philosophy with it’s Pininfarina-engineered retractable aluminum hardtop

Purportedly, though I am hereby formally requesting a personal test drive from ridelust, Ferrari is quoting 0-62 mph times at a nip under four seconds. (It always takes me a second when I see 0-62 before I have a “Look at the brain on Brad” moment over the metric system conversion.) At any rate, as far as a “daily driver” Ferrari goes, I’ll take it…in red please.

The Ferrari California has a Web site for those wishing to indulge their ears to the sounds of the engine, as well other goodies to help you day dream or in my case go completely nuts. I actually caught myself saying “Ferrari California” like Governor Schwarzenegger. You know….CALEEFORRRNYA…..sorry.

The car makes its public debut at the Paris motor show in early October.

Related posts:

• Honda Open Study Model Concept to be Unveiled in London
• Honda + Linux = Awesome
• Honda secures large Civic Hybrid fleet contract
• Honda Acura NSX to Spearhead RWD Model 2010
• Video: 2009 Toyota Corolla vs 2008 Honda Civic and Mazda3

Related posts:

• 2010 Ford Fusion, Sport [2010 Ford Fusion]
• Jaguar XJ 2010 Concept: Freshly Updated
• Volkswagen Eos: Komfortably Convertible
• Big Three Going With Luxury Alcantara Fabric in 2007
• 2009 Yamaha FZ6R

Hot Girls and Cars: A RideLust MythBuster

I was doing a little bit of browsing on eBay motors today [I wasn't joking when I said it's highly addicting] and I came across the photo pictured above of a 2002 BMW M3. The girls in the picture made me laugh, especially the one on the left who appears to be absolutely enraptured with the BMW logo. 

The picture reminded me of a few pretty sizable misconceptions that men who drive luxury and/or sports cars have. So, as an import car model myself, and a girl who is admittedly attracted to hot cars [ipso facto the guys that drive them], there are a few myths I’d like to debunk for the sports car enthusiast population [read: guys].

Myth #1: You Have a Hot Car, You Will Attract Hot Girls

This is actually only partially a myth inasmuch if you have a hot car, you probably will attract hot girls - the myth is that you’ll keep them interested. A hot car is the bait, your knowledge of the car is what’ll reel them in. If a girl asks ”What kind of pound per weight ratio does this bad boy have,” or “So where does this thing redline at?” YOU NEED TO KNOW THE ANSWER. There is no bigger turn off than a guy with a sick ride who doesn’t know jackshit about it.

Myth #2: Corvette’s Are Fail-Proof Chick Magnets

If you are over 40, the only thing your Corvette will communicate - even if it’s an absolutely babied Z06 - is: “I am single with waning sexual function.” I know that sounds harsh, but seriously, that is the conclusion girls, especially auto show/model girls, tend to draw.

Myth #3: Ferrari’s Are Fail-Proof Chick Magnets

With most girls, Italian models cars in general are iffy-territory becase there appears to be a rather sizable number of men who drive them that would prefer Steven to Stephanie, if you catch my drift.

Myth #4: The More Expensive The Car, The Better

Having a Lust-able ride does not necessarily mean dropping more than the gross national product of some countries to get it. I mean yeah, a Porsche Carrera GT is pretty damn impressive, but so is a fully-restored 1971 Chevrolet El Camino. It’s all about the devotion.

The same rules that apply to cars also apply to motorcycles, although I will admit outright that any guy on a Ducati Monster makes me weak in the knees.

Related posts:

• Local Detroit-area Nissan and Infiniti dealers to invade NAIAS
• Monterey 2009: Not Just the Classics
• In the Autoblog Garage: 2009 MINI Clubman John Cooper Works
• 2009 Audi TTS Coupe: It’s Here
• Porsche Rumors Abound: Compact Car, Small SUV

Related posts:

• Wagoner: Chevy Volt could cost less than $30k
• GM: Two-thirds of Camaro’s business will come from 27mpg V6 sales
• 2010 Camaro gets right hand drive, 6.0L 400-hp version confirmed
• GM cancels rear-wheel-drive Chevy Impala and Buick
• GM doing something right: Malibu recognized as highest-quality midsize sedan