Volkswagen of America, Inc. helped Mattel celebrate Barbie® doll’s 50th Birthday by transforming a New Beetle convertible into the ultimate Barbie® dream car. The life-size pink Malibu Barbie™ New Beetle convertible made its debut at Barbie® doll’s Malibu Dream House® exclusive birthday celebration. Customization artists ABD Racing Werks, Katzkin Leather and Interiors and FoamMolders fully transformed the iconic New Beetle convertible into the perfect Barbie® ride.
“We are extremely proud to partner with Mattel and create a customized New Beetle convertible to celebrate Barbie’s landmark birthday,” said Laura Soave, General Manager of Marketing, Volkswagen of America, Inc. “Like the New Beetle, Barbie has made a remarkable impact on pop culture history, and still remains a cultural icon today.”

Maximum driving fun with minimal fuel consumption: This is the standard by which Volkswagen is starting the new car year 2009 and is presenting the roadster Concept BlueSport at the North American International Auto Show. “The BlueSport proves to be a compact and passionate car with a clear Volkswagen signature. The car offers pure dynamics with a powerful 180 PS Clean Diesel engine that is combined with the characteristic Volkswagen philosophy of efficiency,” confirmed Volkswagen’s Chairman of the Board, Prof. Martin Winterkorn in Detroit.

200EX is the latest experimental car from Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. It explores a design direction for a dynamic, modern, four-door Rolls-Royce engineered for the 21st century.

PHILOSOPHY

Experimental models have always played a significant role in the history of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, from the first – 1EX, built in 1919 – to the most recent – 101EX, built in 2006. Unlike a concept car, the experimental models developed by Rolls-Royce Motor Cars have always been fully functioning vehicles, residing in a tangible world of wood, leather and metals rather than clay and foam. EX cars offer designers and engineers the opportunity for real-world innovation and have been used to showcase new components and engineering techniques as well as exterior and interior designs. “Modern automotive engineering is a balance of creativity, innovation and application. 200EX is an opportunity to assess these new ideas,” explains Helmut Riedl, Director of Engineering.

The 2009 G37 Convertible will be inspired by the 2008 Coupe version; this means it will combine the same exhilarating performance, stunning styling and modern, sporty interior of the original Infiniti G Coupe.

Under the hood of the Convertible version we will see a 3.7 liter V6 engine with an output of 330 hp and a peak torque of 269 lbs-ft. The engine will be matted with a a choice of an upgraded electronically controlled 5-speed automatic transmission with manual mode, downshift rev matching, DS mode and ASC (Adaptive Shift Control) that allows for quicker shifts in sporty driving situations and available genuine magnesium paddle shifters; or a newly revised, lightweight 6-speed manual transmission.

Maybe the most aggressive customized Lexus IS 350C to be presented at SEMA Show comes from 0-60 Magazine and Design Craft Fabrication. Painted in white, the 0-60 Magazine’s IS Coupe features a new Greedy Performance exhaust system, engine management computer and gauges.

Its sporty appearance is being accentuated by acing wheels with Continental Performance tires, Brembo brakes with custom front and rear Big Brake kit and KW coilover suspension system.

This isn’t your average IS Convertible. It’s 0-60 Magazine’s IS Coupe, a more aggressive, performance-enhanced luxury two-door.