Automobilize

This is a great article about the new Porsche Panamera thats new for 2010. The four seat sedan is one of the most unusual Porsches every bulit, but one that should solidify Porsche’s standing as one of the best sports car companies in America.

Testing this post.

Fastest-growing Porsche event in the country expected to shatter attendance records for fifth anniversary

Anticipating nearly 500 cars, Porsches 2 Oxford opened registration for the fifth anniversary event on March 28, 2009 as fun seekers flocked to the event’s web site to secure their German sports car in one of the nation’s premier cruise-ins.  In just 72 hours, 60 Porsche owners did just that despite months of waiting ahead for the July 25^th show.  Such enthusiasm has become an event hallmark and explains why Porsches 2 Oxford sits at the top of the summer car show calendar, but organizers are no less impressed by the early response.

“Every time we raise the bar for attendees, they exceed the highest expectations organizers anticipate and plan for,” said P2O Media and Publicity Director Chris Rieman.  “It’s a wonderful event to plan and organize because past attendees provide the sales job to other Porsche enthusiasts sitting on the fence.  Part of that is treating every attendee like a VIP with the hope that a positive experience encourages word-of-mouth advertising. 

“We also make it a point to ensure the event is the best bargain of the summer,” Rieman said.  “The fewer excuses we leave on the table to stay home, the more incentive Porsche owners have to grab their keys and make the drive to Oxford.”

Dubbed “a casual Porsche party”, P2O organizers host attendees in the rural college town of uptown Oxford, Ohio. Located 30 miles north of Cincinnati along the Ohio-Indiana border, the event kicks off on Friday July 24^th with friendly gatherings at local watering holes and concludes on Sunday with a road rally.

Although the casual fun alongside expensive German sports cars headlines the event, P2O brings Porsche enthusiasts together to raise money and awareness for the American Cancer Society. The event’s underlying charity for the past two years, the ACS has a special connection that organizers draw inspiration from.

“Marylynn Roe co-founded the event in Michigan in 2003 and saw the move to Oxford in 2005, but her courageous battle with cancer was her greatest legacy,” Rieman said. “She passed away from cancer in 2006 but her spirit and vision remain a central rallying point for this event.  The ACS is our way of paying it forward.”

Organizers started a new tradition in 2009 to do just that, selling prime parking spots for $100 each to benefit the local chapter of the ACS.  All 40 spaces were sold in the first three days of registration.  Five dollars from general registrations also benefit the charity while 50/50 drawings throughout the afternoon complete the fundraising.

“We’re hoping to raise $8,000-10,000 when it’s all said and done,” Rieman said.

Porsches 2 Oxford began as Porsches 2 Pinckney (MI) in 2003 as 85 cars took part in the first-year event. The event moved to Oxford in 2005 and entertained a modest 140 cars. The attendees increased to 225 cars in 2006 and 255 cars in 2007.  A record 396 Porsches made their way to Oxford on July 26, 2008 for the fourth annual event. The college town with brick-lined streets and quaint storefronts hosted attendees from 17 states and three Canadian provinces.

For more information on 2009’s fifth anniversary event, please visit www.porsches2oxford.com.

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Event Contact

Brice L. Kadel

Co-Chairperson

Porsches 2 Oxford

937-215-0156

bkadel@porsches2oxford.com

Oxford, OH, July 1, 2008 — Uptown Oxford, Ohio plays host to over 300 Porsches in a day of relaxing fun along the brick-lined city streets. The July 26, 2008 event titled ‘Porsches 2 Oxford’ awakens local residents with Porsches from every era as the city closes Uptown streets for the entire day. Appropriately dubbed ‘A Casual Porsche Party’, the event starts on Saturday at 8:00am and is free to the public. Streets re-open at 6pm. A Sunday driving rally through Hueston Woods State Park is also planned. Members of Mid-Ohio Region’s Porsche Club of America serve as hosts for this event. Charitable giving will benefit the Cincinnati chapter of the American Cancer Society.

Oxford hosted the deluge of pricey sports cars for the first time in 2005 and attendance has grown from 140 cars to well over 300 expected this year. With the beautiful Uptown cityscape, quaint shops and eateries, comfortable green space, and first-class band shell to serve as the event nerve center, choosing the small college town near the Ohio-Indiana border has proven to be a signature piece of the P2O success story.

“This event has blossomed into one of the best Porsche cruise-ins anywhere in the country in just four years,” said P2O Event Co-Chairperson Brice Kadel. “Once we visited Oxford, everyone involved felt we uncovered the proverbial gold mine.” Additional publicity hasn’t hurt either. “Our feature story in the March 2008 edition of Porsche Panorama magazine gave a flattering account of the event by Porsche Club of America national president Prescott Kelly. In it he called P2O, ‘one of the premier Porsche events in the country’ and those kind words have not only legitimized our efforts but also spearheaded record numbers of pre-registrations despite the rising cost of gas.”

“We continue to be amazed at the progress,” Oxford Visitors & Convention Bureau Director Diana Durr said. “Watching the success of P2O surpass even our own high expectations over the last four years has been most gratifying. What started out as a city event has turned national in the Porsche community, and among Porsche aficionados has a reputation that gives our town terrific exposure and recognition.”

This year’s featured event sponsors are Tacoma, WA-based Griot’s Garage car care products, Rocky River, OH-based Autobahn Extremist, and locally by Beechmont Porsche of Cincinnati.

“Griot’s Garage is a major sponsor for a third consecutive year and we’re excited to know they believe in this event to return once again,” Kadel said. “Autobahn Extremist is one of the most respected Porsche service and tuning garages in the Midwest and having Beechmont Porsche providing local support for the second year in a row is the perfect compliment. Combined with almost 15 supporting sponsors, P2O’s reputation as a first-class event is the reason we’re attracting first-class sponsorship.”

Over $3,000 in door prizes will be given away on Saturday along with Top-35 People’s Choice and Special Category trophies. A 50/50 raffle will benefit the local chapter of the American Cancer Society in honor of Marylynn Roe, co-founder of the event who lost her battle with cancer in 2006.

About Porsches 2 Oxford
Started in 2003 as Porsches 2 Pinckney, the event moved to Oxford, OH, in 2005 and changed names to reflect the new location. Celebrated as a casual get-together of car owners and the community, P2O attracted 140 cars from eight states and Canada in the first year. In 2006, attendance jumped more than 50% to 225 Porsches, 12 states, and 22 PCA regions. Last year, a record 254 cars participated in spite of unfavorable weather forecasts. While the event routinely brings several regional and national concours-winning vehicles, Porsches of all conditions and mileage are encouraged to participate. For information, visit http://www.porsches2oxford.com.

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Media Inquiries:
Christopher Rieman
Media & Publicity/Webmaster
Porsches 2 Oxford
937-361-4630
crieman@porsches2oxford.com

Event Contact:
Brice L. Kadel
P2O Co-Chairperson
Porsches 2 Oxford
937-215-0156
bkadel@porsches2oxford.com

Kruse International is the world’s largest antique, classic, and exotic collector car auction company in the US. We will be holding our first inaugural auction at: Paso Robles, CA on May 24, 2008. It will be held at the “River Oaks Hot Springs & Spa, 800 Clubhouse Dr., Paso Robles CA, 93446. This is one of our most luxurious auction sites in our history; it is one of the best sceneries in the country!

Gates open at 8 AM on May 23 & May 24, the auction begins at 10 AM on Saturday. Admission is $10 for adults and children under 5 years free. For more information, please contact Kruse International at (800) 968-4444 and ask for a full color brochure.

Reasons to come and consign to the Kruse International Paso Robles Classic:

· Customer focused and market driven – You set the price without being turned away

· Biggest Bang for your Buck – Most competitive fees in the industry

· Kruse holds more auction records than any other auction company

· Benefit from international marketing from the industry’s largest customer base

· Our website takes in 250,000 hits per day!

More than 150 cars are expected. We will be offering true collector cars from all over the country and some selling to the highest bidder, regardless of price! We invite you to be a part of this auction. Kruse International is accepting entire collections. Cash advance, guarantees, or buyouts are available. Many cars bring more than the Reserve price.

Kruse International provides vendors that handle all of your needs:

· 100% financing for every car available through Bank of America (866) 277-5365

· Transportation through JMN Transportation (877) JMN-HAUL and Blue Highways (800) 622-6601

· Registered to bid today or sell today! We are accepting consignments at this time

Bidders Reception:
Friday Evening, May 23, 2008
At River Oaks Hot Springs Spa
Appetizers and beverages will be served!

First 50 Bidders that pre-register will receive a complimentary gift from an exclusive winery to be received on site!

Reprinted with permission. Kruse International. http://www.kruse.com

DUBLIN (OH) -  Silver anniversaries come just once, so organizers for the 25th annual Arthritis Foundation Classic Auto Show and Cruise-In in Dublin, OH, went out of their way to make sure everything was over-the-top. With approximately 1,000 participating cars for Friday’s cruise-in and nearly 1,500 for Saturday’s show, even the scorching summer heat was no match for the record crowds and record fundraising to help central Ohio children and adults suffering from arthritis. Both days finished with outdoor concerts from longtime event participants as Mike Albert showcased his ‘Ultimate Tribute to Elvis’ on Friday while Phil Dirt and the Dozers belted out rock n’ roll oldies on Saturday evening.

Automobiles from all corners of the world filled the Dublin Metro Center business park, occupying pavement, green space, and everywhere in between.  Friday’s festival parking gave way to Saturday’s grouping by make or model. Ford Mustangs and Buicks were represented with nearly 100 cars each, while Porsche, Corvette, PT-Cruiser, and many others had closer to 50 vehicles on display in their designated locations. Vintage carriages from the early years shared the stage with high-powered muscle cars, Cold War sedans, exotic sports cars, and modified street rods to give fans of all tastes something to wet their automotive appetite. Unlike other events as large as this however, the quality on display is a signature attraction as much as the numbers themselves.  Even more impressive is the regional support because the show is primarily a central Ohio phenomenon.  It’s hard to imagine so many cars of such preservation inside state lines, but long-distance travelers are surprisingly few for an event this large.

To help bring in the cars, organizers give away 125 six-foot trophies on Friday to the best rolling stock in attendance, along with class awards on Saturday within the 45 designations. Local car club chapters organize their own ‘show within a show’ and divvy out their own hardware as well. Midway-style food vendors, games for the kids, and live evening music ensure something for everyone.

The homegrown feel helps make it a home run weekend for the local chapter of the Arthritis Foundation. Net proceeds to the charity are expected to top $165,000 when the last pennies are counted – a new record – making it the foundation’s largest area fundraiser.  Over 100 types of arthritis affect 850,000 people in central Ohio, including more than 5,000 children. Second only to heart disease resulting in work disability, arthritis costs the national economy $128 billion annually. The disease inflames joints and deteriorates cartilage, slowing down 46 million Americans each year.

“Everybody knows someone who has arthritis,” said Jim Baker, a 20-year member of the show’s Board of Directors and Concours Chairman for the Jaguar Association of Central Ohio. “It’s a very common cause.  People are thrilled to be able to donate to it and enjoy the car show at the same time. Virtually every car you ever owned or wanted to own are all represented here and they are prime examples of them. They are all beautiful cars.”  His 32 years of active participation in local Jaguar clubs helped bring nearly 50 Jaguars to the show.

Over 200 volunteers and 60 active committee members are necessary to orchestrate an event of this kind. It’s a year-round effort with a big payoff at the end. “For the most part, the money stays here in central Ohio,” said event Co-Chairperson Andy Trux.  “The money goes to programs and services which include education, swimming pool therapy programs such as PACE (People with Arthritis Can Exercise), and home assessment programs to help facilitate those continuing to live at home on their own. The Arthritis Foundation Gala used to be our biggest fundraiser, but this event surpassed it in 2006.”

The event began in 1982 when Central Ohio AF President Bob Lincoln teamed up with Buick dealer Leonard Immke to create a classic car show benefiting a local charity. Over $50,000 was raised that year, laying the groundwork for unprecedented car show spirit and generosity over the next two decades.

My August issue of Road & Track showed up in the mailbox three days ago and I read it cover to cover in about three hours. Highlights included a cover story on the battle between a Mercedes CLK63 AMG Black Series and a Lotus Exige S. Also inside was a faceoff between the Infiniti G37S and a BMW 335i. The pricey Bentley Continental GT managed to carve out a page somewhere near the center fold.

So what’s all of this have to do with anything? Yesterday my August issue of Motor Trend hit the front door and on the cover was the same faceoff between the G37S and 335i. Different writer. Different report. Same subject. Open the magazine and you’ll also find an article on the exact same CLK63 AMG Black Series. Turn a few more pages and there’s an article on a $400,000 Rolls Royce. For someone like myself on a fixed income, I don’t go out of my way to differentiate Bentley from Rolls Royce. Both clientèles wear ascots and drink $500 bottles of wine. Could there be any more duplicity inside Road &Track and Motor Trend? I also subscribe to Car And Driver and the same problem exists.

I can’t say for sure which magazine copied the other, but at least one of them is getting a subscription cancellation letter in the mail. What makes this even more inexcusable is both rags are published by completely different groups –Hachette Filipacchi in the case of R&T and Primedia in MT’s corner. All I know is I want my money back.

And now for a confession. I used to subscribe to both ‘zines a number of years ago and canceled both for many of the same reasons I just described. Each publication enjoyed a renaissance of late and performed a design makeover both inside and out. Naively, I figured, the content must have been re-worked too, so I re-subscribed expecting fresh improvements. Obviously my research lacked the proper due diligence.

I could stop right here and feel good about telling others why subscribing to more than one of the mainstream automotive magazines is a waste of money, but the argument would be incomplete without at least mentioning the downward-spiraling newswriting that somehow makes it to the print house. Arthur St. Antoine’s ‘the asphalt jungle’ column from MT crashed to new lows this month when he devoted an entire page to the concept of Google buying GM and re-inventing the brand. The article was half-hearted and half-witted, adding up to one complete waste of mindless drivel that starting nowhere and ended nowhere. I single out St. Antoine only because there aren’t enough keyboard strokes in my arthritic fingers to single out all the offenders.

Magazines such as R&T and MT are at the top of their field in terms of perceived reputation. Just getting your foot in the door — let alone a full page or two every month to demonstrate your skills — is reserved for the top in their field. Hundreds or thousands of would-be candidates would kill for an inch of copy space, and most of them would pay money out of their own pockets for the privilege. I know I would. American car magazines used to be about substance. Strong journalism, captivating photography, and I-never-knew-that information ran from page to page. Today, most of them are nothing more than rhetorical bird cage liners of failing copy and faltering benchmarks. A few periodicals like Evo and upstart bi-monthly AUTO Aficionado understand the responsibility, but they are the exceptions in a world of exceptional mediocrity.

You’re fired. Letters sent.

Whether or not you like NASCAR is not the issue here. I’ll publicly admit I watch it, (OK, like everyone else, I sit patiently waiting for the ‘big one’.)

However no matter what you think of the sport of turning (mostly) left at 180 mph in a car that kinda resembles something you might purchase at your local dealer, you’ve got to give the NASCAR folks credit for minding the store. They keep their drivers, their teams, and their owners on a short leash. In the process, they present an image that keeps the sponsors that spend ga-millions of dollars supporting the sport, very proud of the integrity of their investment.

Take this past weekend when one owner had two of four team cars fail inspection because of “modifications” to body panels. It can be argued that rules might be a bit gray…but, NASCAR’s point is black and white: if we catch you trying to ’stretch the rules’, we are going to lower the boom.

There’s something refreshing about a sport that is run by the sport — rather than the players. Screw up in NASCAR and you will pay in terms of driver points, owner points, dollars, and/or suspensions. You can almost count on it. Screw up in a lot of other sports and you’re on the front of a Wheaties box. Go figure.

I’m not sure that professional baseball, football, hockey, and basketball wouldn’t be wise to take a lesson or two from the governing body of NASCAR. Nagghhh, they could never risk doing that…as the superstars might go on strike. I’ll take you all to lunch the day NASCAR teams start a union and go on strike. It will NEVER happen!

If you enjoy fast, mostly open top, vintage-looking sports cars, then London Ohio was the place to be this past Saturday June 23rd.  Billed as the largest gathering in the country of Cobras, this event was a car-lovers dream.

There were at least 250 colorful Cobras from literally all over the country parked throughout downtown London (about 25 minutes west of Columbus) from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 pm.  There were a few original Shelbys — but the vast majority were reproductions.  Most of those present were sold by Superformance who had a great display with some great cars for sale.

What makes this event even more special is the fact that they raise a TON of money for charity.  In 2006, they gave over $30,000 to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, a Harley-Davidson motorcyle to the London Police Department, funds to the Madison County Sheriff’s Department for their DARE program, as well as needed equipment to the London Fire Department.  This year they hope to give even more.  Amazing.

In the process, the Ohio Cobra Club raffles off a donated new Cobra with a value of almost $50k.  They haven’t called so I’ve got to assume that mine wasn’t the winning ticket.  They also give ‘demonstration rides’ down a 1/8 mile stretch of Main Street for $10 each.  Although most of the drivers never got out of second gear, those riding shotgun got the thrill of more than 400 (and in a few cases, more than 600) horses launching the 25oo pound car from a dead stop.

The Ohio Cobra Club should be real proud of the London Cobra Show and all that it does for the owners of these unique cars.  It’s a five day event that is growing each year.  However, they should be even more proud of what they do for charity.   I would guess that they raise as much per participant as any event in the country…..more than $200 per registered car.

Many thanks to Rich Bailey, President of the Ohio Cobra Club who hosted the event.  He and his hard-working staff couldn’t have been more welcoming.

LONDON (OH) — Over 250 Cobras slithered their way into rural London, OH, this weekend, but instead of locking doors and jumping on countertops, residents ran outside to get a better look. Sporting four wheels and substituting horsepower for venom, the Ohio Cobra Club’s annual London Cobra Show celebrated the classic 1960’s sports car with burnouts and benevolence for the local Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Marketed as the largest Cobra gathering in the country, the week-long event drew owners from Arizona to New York and all parts in between. Open-topped roadsters showed up in the greatest numbers, but Daytona coupes and a handful of GT40s also made the trip.

Other activities during the week included a trip to Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, a cruise-in at Quaker Steak & Lube in Columbus, driving tours through Hocking Hills State Park, and a day trip to the National Museum of the Air Force in Dayton.

Saturday morning was the main event when replica and original Cobras made the drive into town, parking four abreast along the downtown streets for the enjoyment of onlookers. Local police and fire departments blocked off a section of Main Street so owners could offer ‘demonstration’ rides down a 1/8th stretch of asphalt in exchange for $10 donations. Despite the short runway, it was more than long enough for passengers to experience the legendary acceleration that made the Cobra famous. Combined with attendee entry fees and other charitable contributions, the Ohio Cobra Club anticipates at least $35,000 will go directly to the Central Ohio CFF to assist hundreds of children and adults stricken with the disease. Cystic fibrosis is an inherited chronic disease of the lungs and digestive system that affects over 30,000 people in the United States and 70,000 worldwide.

“All of the money goes to fund additional medicine and research for our patients,” said Bruce Kerr, parent volunteer and lead promoter of CFF’s involvement in the event. “It’s been a great event for the community. We get support from the town, fire department, and local police. There are not many other cities that would allow us to do this kind of event.”

Last year enough money was raised to enable the Ohio Cobra Club to donate thermal imaging equipment and a motorcycle to the London fire and police departments. Similar-sized gifts are expected once again. Money was also raised through proceeds generated from ticket sales that gave attendees a chance to win a fully-built Cobra replica.

“The Ohio Cobra Club took over the event about four years ago when it was called the Double Venom Spring Fling. A few of those members left and our club decided to pick up the event, run with it and see if we could keep it going,” said Rich Bailey, OCC President. “Last year we had two families that flew in from Chile and Belgium. This year we have families from as far away as Washington and Oregon.”

Beyond the hallmark Cobra silhouette, no two cars are exactly alike. Carroll Shelby’s original creation was as much about automotive independence as it was quarter mile times and bone-jarring torque. Built primarily to tackle the Corvette on the track, Cobras combined an English chassis with Ford V8 power. While original AC Cobras are rare, including the coveted 427 SC, current demand for these street rods requires a long list of manufacturers willing to build replicas for the buying public. Customers wanting an exact replica based on original specifications or a custom Cobra with tailored options is limited only by imagination and checkbook. Roush Performance, Factory Five Racing, and Superformance are all household names in the Cobra world and representatives were on hand to showcase their engines, chassis, and fully-built cars for sale.

“We’ll sell at least two or three cars out of this show,” said Shane Miller of Dynamic Motorsports of Ross, OH, a company responsible for importing Superformance vehicles from Port Elizabeth, South Africa. “Last year we sold three new chassis’ so it’s a great show.”