[2009 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Concept Review]

Visitors to the Chevrolet display at this year’s Chicago Auto Show (Friday through Feb. 22) will be treated to an out-of-this-world vehicle display – the automotive stars from the upcoming DreamWorks Pictures and Paramount Pictures release, “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.” Five Chevrolet-based characters – including four all-new characters – are featured in the new film set to open in the United States on June 26. All of them are at the Chevrolet display. The four new movie characters include: SIDESWIPE – a stylized Corvette vision concept vehicle SKIDS and MUDFLAP – twin AUTOBOTS® based on Chevy’s Beat (a concept that will go into production as the Chevy Spark in 2011) and Trax concepts JOLT – an AUTOBOT-based on Chevy’s upcoming Volt extended-range electric vehicle BUMBLEBEE™, the heroic AUTOBOT based on Chevrolet’s Camaro concept from the first “Transformers” movie, returns with a high-performance attitude. Joining the vehicles on stage will be BUMBLEBEE in his AUTOBOT form, standing almost 17 feet (5.2 meters) tall and 13 feet (4 meters) wide. “Chevrolet is thrilled to again be part of one of the most anticipated movies in years,” said Ed Peper, GM North America vice president, Chevrolet. “‘Transformers’ gives us a great opportunity to connect with young people on their terms, with a dynamic, environmentally friendly image. The new characters represent the change going on in Chevy showrooms. From the exciting Camaro, the 21st century sports car, to the game-changing Volt, there’s more than meets the eye at Chevrolet today.”

[2009 100 years of Audi Review]

Audi Tradition’s annual programme for 2009 is centred on the Audi centenary. More than 50 events have been planned. Two dates are especially significant: on 16 July 2009, exactly 100 years after the company was established, Audi is inviting guests to a commemorative ceremony in Ingolstadt; Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel has already agreed to attend. Not to be missed by every enthusiast and friend of the Audi brand: the largest historic motor sport event in the world – the Goodwood Festival of Speed in England, where Audi will be putting in a special appearance as ‘featured marque’. When Lord March invites guests to his country estate in East Sussex from 3 to 5 July, Audi Tradition will bring along just about every car built by Audi that has played a significant role on the world’s racetracks during the past 100 years. This is the first occasion on which even the company’s ‘family silver’ will be brought out from the Audi museum mobile: the Auto Union Type C Streamline, a unique, authentic replica of the car in which Bernd Rosemeyer attempted to break the world speed record in 1937, reaching over 400 km/h on an ordinary road. Also on static display at Goodwood will be the first-ever Audi competition car, the Audi Type C Alpine Cup winner dating from 1919. Vehicles in action on the circuit will be Auto Union Type C (1936) and Type D (1938) Silver Arrows, the legendary Audi Pikes Peak (1987) and IMSA GTO (1989) cars, the R8 and R10 sports cars that were victorious in Le Mans and various STC and GTM championship contenders.

[2009 Shelby 427 GT500 Super Snake Auction Review]

The Carroll Shelby Children's Foundation will celebrate the inaugural Shelby 427 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race by auctioning the Ultimate Shelby 427 GT500 Package on eBay starting today. The auction, which will end Feb. 19, 2009, includes a new torch red 2009 Shelby GT500 upgraded with the Super Snake package and No. 427 of the Limited Edition Shelby 427 packages. The winning bidder will also receive a VIP weekend at the Shelby 427 race on March 1, 2009, including two private Shelby suite tickets to enjoy the action. Money raised from the auction will benefit the Carroll Shelby Children's Foundation, which helps children worldwide battle life-threatening illnesses while promoting the importance of organ and tissue donation.