Tag: Aston Martin

2013 Baltimore Auto Show Rolls into Town

baltimore auto show
Baltimore Auto Show

2013 Baltimore Auto Show Rolls into Town

The 2013 Baltimore Auto Show kicks off tomorrow and for any gearheads or car shoppers that are interested in seeing the latest and greatest from automakers for the 2013 and 2014 model years, it should be a lot of fun.  The Baltimore Auto Show will feature several cool events, features, celebrity appearances, and family activities.

Camp Jeep will allow drivers to test the Jeep's capability inside the Baltimore Convention Center with a hill climb experience to test the Jeep's traction capabilities climbing a 18-foot high, 35 degree Jeep Mountain the highlight of Camp Jeep.  Riders are over 20 feet off the ground when they sit on top of Jeep Mountain.

In addition attendees are encouraged to participate in the Ride & Drives with Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, Fiat, and Cadillac.  The Ride & Drives will occur outside the convention center and more than 35 models will be available to test drive at the Baltimore Auto Show:

• Cadillac  – CTS Sedan, CTS-V Sedan, CTS-V Coupe, CTS-V Wagon, SRX, XTS, ATS and Escalade
• Chevrolet, Buick, GMC – Chevrolet Camaro, Cruze, Equinox, Malibu, Silverado, Sonic, Spark, Traverse and Volt; Buick Regal, LaCrosse and Verano; and GMC Acadia, Sierra and Terrain
• Chrysler – Chrysler 200, 300 and Town & Country; Jeep Compass, Grand Cherokee and Wrangler; Dodge Challenger, Charger, Dart and Durango; Ram 1500 and FIAT 500

(Check the Baltimore Auto Show website for Ride & Drive times.)

If you want to see some exotic cars and supercars then you will be in luck.  The EuroStar Auto Gallery will feature vehicles like the Ferrari F430, Lamborghini Murcielago, Lamborghini Spyder Gallardo, Aston Martin, Maserati GranTurismo and even more.  

Neil Tjin, one of the automotive industry's most influential designers, who has been involved in the automotive aftermarket for over fifteen years, will be showcasing several of his customized vehicles that have been featured at the SEMA (Specialty Equipment Market Association) Show in Las Vegas.  Amazing customized vehicles by Neil Tjin include his 2013 Toyota Tacoma, 2013 Ford Mustang GT, 2013 Chevrolet Camaro 1LE and more.  The Tjin Edition Roadshow should be one of the highlights of the show.

Other customized vehicles will be on display thanks to the Auto Performance Aesthetics Club (A.P.A.C.).  You can also see some amazing classic and antiques cars thanks to the Chesapeake chapter of the Antique Automobile Club of America (AACA).

Don’t miss a collection of rare, vintage vehicles in The Elegance at Hershey Display, a special feature previewing the automotive history that will be showcased at the annual event, in Hershey, Penn in June.

Larry Sheets, a retired Baltimore orioles player, will make an appearance and will be signing free autographs at the show on Saturday, February 9th between 12-2 pm.  Even if you are still excited about the Baltimore Ravens winning the Super Bowl (I just had to say it) I am sure Baltimore sports fans won't want to miss a Baltimore Orioles favorite.

If you want you can stop by the Sony a77 Studio and thanks to some cool green screen technology you can get a nice digital picture of you and the kids in some of the world’s fastest sports cars!  The cars won't be there but it will make it seem like they are.

For kids Spider Man, Captain America will King Robota, and the Comic Bot will be making appearance on Family Day (Sunday).  Children 12 and under are FREE when with an adult Baltimore Auto Show ticket on Family Day.

Before attending the auto show smartphone users can visit iTunes store or Google Play to download the new Motor Trend Auto Shows free mobile App.  Use the App to buy tickets, map a route, view participating manufacturers and get vehicle information at a quick glance. (Of coures who really needs an app for one day?)

What: 2013 Baltimore Auto Show

Date: Thursday, February 7th – Sunday, February 10th, 2013

Location: Baltimore Convention Center, 1 West Pratt St, Baltimore MD, 21201

Tickets Prices: Adults ($10), Children 7-12 ($4), Kids 6 and under are FREE

For more information on ticket pricing, appearance times, and show times, visit the Baltimore Auto Show website. Click here for special feature times.

Remember when you buy a Baltimore Auto Show ticket online or at the box office, you will get a FREE one-year subscription to Motor Trend magazine thanks to the Maryland Automobile Dealers Association.  There are usually postcards in the front entrance you can fill out to claim a subscription.

If you want to get FREE TICKETS check your latest Motor Trend magazine. I noticed in the last Motor Trend issue I received there was a page with two Free tickets to the show.  Even if you don't have a Motor Trend subscription I am sure a friend does.  Leave a comment below if you appreciated this tip!

Also a quick note about parking, I actually usually don't drive down there.  I like to take the Light Rail to downtown Baltimore since it drops you basically right at the Convention Center.  If you are going with a bunch of people it probably makes more sense to drive and park somewhere as most parking lots around the Baltimore Convention Center are about $10.  There is parking info on the Baltimore Auto Show website.

People can also go checkout the 2013 Washington Auto Show, which goes until February 10th, 2013.  It tends to be a little bigger and feature more government organizations.

*Join Adam’s Auto Advice on Facebook and Twitter.

Ever Dreamed of Being 007?

If your like most guys I'm sure you've Dreamed of Being 007!  Having the cool and exciting life with cool gadgets, beautiful women, and especially…. awesome cars.  Well if you have millions to spare, RM Auctions will be obliged to help you get into a Real James Bond Car! 

A 1965 Aston Martin DB5 that was driven by Sean Connnery and used in the movies Golfinger and Thunderball will be auctioned on October 27th.  The car comes with “Q” Branch gadgetry befitting a Secret Agent of Her Majesty's' Service.   It comes factory-fitted with the full complement of operational gadgets, including machine guns, bullet-proof shield, revolving number plates, tracking device, removable roof panel, oil slick sprayer, nail spreader and smoke screen, all controlled from factory installed toggles and switches hidden in the center arm-rest.  It would be pretty cool to drive this around in Traffic! 

This is the first time the car will be for sale in about 40 years.  It's been in the possesion of Jerry Lee, who is a radio medial mogul, all of this time.  He kept the car in a special “James Bond” room in his house and few people have seen it.  

Many expect the car to bring in at least 5 Million Dollars or more.  I'm guessing that it will go for around $8-10 Million easily.  After all this isn't just a collector car, but a fine piece of Cinema History.  The proceeds for the auction will go to Jerry Lee's Foundation, that helps solve urban crime.

I should book a flight to London, and starting saving my money! 

WORLD'S MOST FAMOUS CAR COMES TO MARKET FOR FIRST TIME IN HISTORY
Automobiles of London

James Bond’s actual Aston Martin DB5 as driven by Sean Connery in Goldfinger and Thunderball to be auctioned by world’s largest collector car auction house, 27th October in London, UK

LONDON (1 June, 2010) – PAY ATTENTION, BOND FANS! RM Auctions announces the consignment of one of the most significant cultural icons of the 20th century – the 1964 Aston Martin DB5 James Bond movie car – to its annual ‘Automobiles of London’ event at the Battersea Evolution in London on 27th October, where it is available for sale for the first time in history and expected to achieve in excess of £3.5 million GBP (over $5 million USD). The car is being offered by RM in association with Sotheby’s, with whom RM has worked in the past.

Well-known around the world by its original UK registration number, FMP 7B, this Aston Martin is one of only two, and the sole remaining, of the original ‘007’ DB5s as featured on screen with Sean Connery behind the wheel in the enormously popular Goldfinger and Thunderball movies. With its ‘rather interesting modifications' originally conceived by Oscar-award-winning special effects expert, John Stears, this authentic Bond movie car is factory-fitted with the full complement of operational ‘Q-Branch’ gadgets, including machine guns, bullet-proof shield, revolving number plates, tracking device, removable roof panel, oil slick sprayer, nail spreader and smoke screen, all controlled from factory installed toggles and switches hidden in the center arm-rest.
“Like ‘Q’, we never joke about our work, which is why RM is consistently entrusted with the sale of the world’s most significant collector cars like the REAL 007 Aston Martin DB5 movie car,” said Max Girardo, Managing Director, RM Europe. “RM is known for world-record-setting results and we expect nothing less for 007’s iconic DB5.”

The DB5 was originally loaned to EON Productions for the filming of the two Bond movies, and returned to the Aston Martin Lagonda factory after its subsequent promotional tour. Mr. Jerry Lee, an American radio broadcaster based in Philadelphia, PA, convinced the factory to sell FMP 7B to him for $12,000 in 1969, thereby becoming its first and only ex-factory owner. It has remained in his possession and has rarely been seen publicly over the past 40+ years.

Mr. Lee plans to use the proceeds from the sale of FMP 7B to further the charitable work of The Jerry Lee Foundation, a multi-national initiative dedicated to solving social problems associated with poverty, with an emphasis on crime prevention. The Foundation supports programs at the University of Pennsylvania and Cambridge University (UK), as well as in Australia, Norway and Washington, DC. It is also responsible for the establishment of the Stockholm Prize in Criminology, for which Mr. Lee received a Swedish knighthood in 2008. (http://jerryleefoundation.com/)
“The James Bond car has brought me much enjoyment for some 40 years,” said Jerry Lee. “Even as I sell it and use the proceeds to fund the Jerry Lee Foundation, the car will continue to give me great pleasure as it furthers the mission of the Foundation to do good around the world.”

Today, FMP 7B is presented in highly original condition and recently underwent a careful re-commissioning program by RM Auto Restoration, returning it to running condition after the many years of static display in Mr. Lee’s home.

In advance of its auction debut at RM’s Automobiles of London sale on 27th October, the car is set to make its first 21st century public appearance at the Bond-themed Midsummer Classic/Thunderball concours and black-tie reception scheduled for 26th June at the Stoke Park Club located outside of London. Bond fans will recognize the Stoke Park Club as the site of the first confrontation between 007 and Mr. Goldfinger. For event and ticket information, visit: http://www.midsummerclassic.co.uk/