Lexus LFA at the 2012 Philadelphia Auto Show

Only 500 total LFA models will be made worldwide, with only 20 produced each month. Each car will be custom ordered to the customer's specifications, and will cost an estimatedUS$375,000, depending on options and customization. In the North American market 150 LFAs will be initially sold through a two year lease program much like the Ferrari F50.

During LFA production, each vehicle will receive a plaque which is individually numbered, indicating the unit's place in the production run. Each LFA V10 engine will also bear the signature of the specialist who assembled it. With 20 units produced monthly, production of the entire LFA run lasted for 25 months, from December 2010 to December 2012. ~ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lexus_LFA

Subaru WRX STI at the 2012 Philadelphia Auto show

This latest version of Subaru's venerable Impreza WRX STI features a striking exterior that understates this cars very real performance credentials.


With it's flared fenders, spoilers and wider stance, the all-wheel drive STI has a more aggressive look than the other, more sedate, Impreza's. Featuring a turbocharged 2.5-liter horizontally opposed four-cylinder engine paired with a six-speed manual transmission, this little rocket produces a whopping 305-hp. To plant all that power, Subaru utilizes a Driver Controlled Center Differential (DCCD) system, which claims to be the world's only hybrid mechanical/electronic limited-slip differential. Standard front seat mount, and front and rear curtain airbags offer occupant protection. Standard anti-lock brakes with traction-control and stability-control help reign the chassis in while driving at the limit of this cars potential.

Hyundai Veloster at the 2012 Philadelphia Auto Show

The Hyundai Veloster is a compact 3-door sports car first produced in 2011 by the Hyundai Motor Company, with sales beginning in South Korea in March 10, 2011 and in the United States since the fall of 2011. It is the first of Hyundai's new Premium Youth Lab sub-brand, which is targeted for the young generation of drivers. It was unveiled on January 10, 2011, at the Detroit auto show, and fills the void left when Hyundai discontinued the Tiburon after the 2008 model year.


The car is different from many competitors as it has one door on the driver side and two on the passenger side. The Veloster uses Hyundai's new BlueLink system, which is similar to OnStar used in GM vehicles, to provide customers with automatic crash notification, vehicle diagnostics, etc. ~ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyundai_Veloster


It's shape and lines remind me the BMW M Coupe.  More car images from the 2012 Philadelphia Auto Show are up on my FB page. Click here if you're so inclined.

1950 Dal Porto Lakester at the 2012 Philadelphia Auto Show

In 1951 and 1952, the car won its class at the dry lakes and recorded an impressive 155.64 mph at the May 1952 SCTA meet. Beyond this performance, a 118 mph run at the Kingdom Airstrip quarter-mile drag races in Lodi helped cement an intimidating reputation. Eager to show off his new thoroughbred, Mr. Dal Porto entered his Roadster in the 1952 Grand National Roadster Show in Oakland where, not surprisingly, the handsome race car received First Place for Beauty and Construction in the lakester class. After being pictured in the pages of Hot Rod magazine, the Dal Porto Roadster made the cover of Hop Up magazine's July 1952 issue and was the subject of a feature article, complete with a full cutaway drawing by Jim Richards. Hop Up praised the sleek hot rod, describing it as one of, if not the, sharpest looking and best constructed roadsters in existence and remarked upon its stylish appearance saying, "It's among the top cars for looks in spite of the lack of chrome 'goodies'." Sadly, just as its career was taking off, the Dal Porto Roadster met a tragic end when, in 1952, it crashed during a high-speed run at the dry lakes. The wrecked car remained in storage with John Errecalde until the mid-1970s, at which time it was given to his friend and well-known Stockton parts dealer Carl Schmid. In 1993, the project was sold to Don Orosco, who was eventually persuaded to sell it to the current owner. ~ rodcustom.automotive.com article

More car images from the 2012 Philadelphia Auto Show are up on my FB page. Click here if you're so inclined.

Audi R8 at the 2012 Philadelphia Auto Show

The R8's new 5.2-liter V-10 descends from the collaborative design effort between Audi and Lamborghini, which yielded a 493-hp, 5.0-liter V-10 for the 2004 Gallardo. The 90-degree V-angle, selected to facilitate the sharing of block machining tools with Audi V-8 engines, results in uneven firing intervals. Boosting the displacement to 5.2 liters, installing direct fuel injection, and raising the compression ratio to 12.5:1 in the R8 yields 391 lb-ft of torque at 6500 rpm and 525 hp at 8000 rpm. A similar 5.2-liter V-10 in the Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 boasts slightly higher peak power and torque ratings.

- Don Sherman, Technical Editor Automobilemag.com

Read more: http://www.automobilemag.com/reviews/driven/0902_2010_audi_r8_v10/viewall.html#ixzz1lQp92Xvn

Engine Specifications

Arrangement Mid mounted, longitudinal
Bore 3.33 in. [84.5 mm]
Stroke 3.65 in. [92.8 mm]
Displacement 5.2 liter [317.6 cu. in., 5204 cc]
Type 5.2 liter DOHC V10, four valves per cylinder, with FSI® direct injection, dry sump lubrication system, aluminum cylinder block and crank case
Fuel Requirement Premium unleaded
Compression Ratio 12.5:1
Horsepower 525 hp @ 8000 rpm
Torque 391 lb-ft. @ 6500 RPM
Performance
0-60 MPH 3.7 sec.
Top Speed 196 mph


Fuel Economy
Manual R tronic®
City 12 MPG 13 MPG
Highway 19 MPG 19 MPG
Combined 14 MPG 15 MPG
Capacities
Engine Oil 8.8 qt. [8.3 liter]
Fuel Tank 23.8 gal. [90 liter]

More car images from the 2012 Philadelphia Auto Show are up on my FB page. Click here if you're so inclined.

1938 Delage D8-120S Aerosport Coupe by Letourneur & Marchand

It's elegant styling and design is unsurpassed even by today's standard.  It's high-gloss paint finish and gleaming chrome accents mesmerize and dazzle the eyes.  This 1938 Delage D8-120S Aerosport Coupe could be "The Best In Show" car in my mind.  And definitely deserved a more conspicuous spot on the floor for all to admire.

It is part of the John W. Rich automobile collection of Pennsylvania.

More car images from the 2012 Philadelphia Auto Show are up on my FB page. Click here if you're so inclined.

Teaser

Teaser, a photo by jomak14 on Flickr.

Via Flickr:
I was able to request a Press Pass to Media Day at the 2012 Philadelphia Auto Show. That meant no crowds to contend with and shoot to my heart's content. It was physically impossible to shoot each and every car on display. So I picked a handful that caught my fancy. A long day of shooting it was indeed. And enjoyed every minute of it!

Most of the shots will end up on my FB page. Click here in the days to come if you're so inclined.

Photex 80mm f/2.8 S&T Lens on a 1Ds
[ 0.002 sec (1/640) | f/2.8 | FLength 80 mm | ISO 400 | Manual exposure ]

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NYC Daytrip - 01/21/2012

It was the last weekend of her Winter break and I wanted us to spend time together.  And what better way is there than to spend the day in NYC.  Despite the snowy conditions, we decided to push through with our planned daytrip.

I had an early start clearing the driveway of 3" of snow that fell overnight.  Then it was a slow and cautious drive into Philly to catch the 10:30 AM Megabus bound for New York.

We got off at 28th St. & Seventh Ave. just in time for lunch and headed straight for the first sushi place we found. It was a small shop and the door sticker wasn't lying. The space was barely 6 ft. wide!

The Hop Stop app is great for directions!  And she navigates her way with no problems at all.  So into the subway we go to catch the trains that will take us uptown to 86th Street Station.  We were heading to the Guggenheim Museum to view Maurizio Cattelan's "All" exhibit.

After we had gone through all the exhibit rooms, it was time to hop back on the subway train for 51st Street.  We were going up to the Observation Deck of the Rockefeller Center on Fifth Avenue.  It was overcast and cold but I still managed to capture some worthy images of the NYC skyline.

For dinner, we ate at The Sea Grille located on the skating rink level.  We enjoyed our 3-course dinner while watching people skate around the rink.  I took more photos around the plaza before heading back to 33rd St. and Ninth Avenue to wait for our Megabus back to Philly.

It was a long day of walking, standing in line and hopping on and off subway trains.  But all that just added to make the day really special for Bettina and me.  You will be sorely missed, Sweetie!

Click here for more photos.