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Admit it, you've  always wanted to get behind the wheel of that gull winged masterpiece they call the Mercedes Benz SLS AMG. Well, now you youhave the chance to learn how to push the car to it's limits from the top flight instructors at the AMG Driving Academy.

Following its inaugural year in the U.S, Mercedes-AMG is presenting a new season for driving enthusiasts who want to sharpen their advanced driving skills at the AMG Driving Academy. Among the list of enhancements is the addition of a Pro Level for 2010.

Under the guidance of top professional instructors, the AMG Driving Academy offers the opportunity to personally experience the excitement of motorsports and the track capabilities of Mercedes-AMG vehicles including the all new 563 hp SLS AMG, capable of 0-60 mph in less than four seconds.

Originally founded by Mercedes-AMG in Affalterbach, Germany in 2007, the AMG Driving Academy launched in the U.S. in 2009. More than six-hundred driving enthusiasts participated in the advanced driver program last year, and participants now have the opportunity to attend an advanced three-day Pro Level program at one of the top circuits in the U.S., Road Atlanta. Program participants have the opportunity to get behind the wheel of several AMG models including the E63 AMG, SL63 AMG, C63 AMG, SLK55 AMG and SLS AMG. The program features custom-designed exercises to experience and teach
dynamic driving capabilities across two of the top tracks in the U.S.:

Road Atlanta (Braselton, GA) – May 15-16, June 11-14 & 28-30, 2010
For more than 40 years, Road Atlanta has lured top tier sports car and motorcycle racers from around the world. This 2.54-mile, 12-turn road course is one of the most technically challenging in the U.S.

Laguna Seca Raceway (Monterey, CA) – August 27-29, September 25-27, October 29-30 and November 12-14,
2010
Located in one of North America's best destination locations -- the Monterey Peninsula -- Laguna Seca features tremendous elevation changes, the famous Corkscrew complex and 2.24 sinewy miles of twisty asphalt.

The AMG Driving Academy Courses

Basic, Advanced and new Pro Level for 2010:

Porsche is adding a new flavor to the Panamera line up. just three months after successfully launching the first four-door Gran Turismo in three V8 flavors: the Panamera S, the Panamera 4S and the Panamera Turbo. The Panamera and Panamera 4 are examples of the Porsche Intelligent Performance development strategy. The model lines new entry level versions, will be in Porsche dealerships in June 2010. Equipped with the PDK gearbox and the Auto Start Stop function, Porsche expects these new models to be considerably more fuel efficient than their normally aspirated V8 siblings. Official U.S. EPA fuel economy figures will be announced closer to the new models on-sale date, and both meet the strict EU5 emission standard in Europe and the LEV standard in the United States. And like all Panamera models, they are not subject to a gas-guzzler tax.

These five passenger Bavarian marvel wonders have simultaneously thrilled proud owners and embarrassed snail footed adherents of local speed law in their less endowed plebian vehicles while being enveloped in the M5’s exclusive comet tail.

Historically, not the choice of the rap video set (too conservative). The stock M5 is a discreet button downed, suit & tie Autobahn Stormer! Just think of world 200M record holder, Michael Johnson, crouched in the starting blocks at the Olympics in a dark Zegna suit! If you want a flashy ride, just hustle yourself, to one of the numerous German (or urban) after market tuners for your garish 24-inch dubs with leopard print seats, and gold switchgear. No! The M5 is for the well to do conservative gentleman of class, that doesn’t want to flaunt his wealth & power like say, Donald Trump at an America’s Top Models convention. After being produced exclusively in Germany during its formative years from 1984-1988, the M5 high performance sedans have been sold in the US (as Germany) simultaneously from 1988, periodically for almost 20 years, since it’s US debut. It seems just like with the M5 (time), really flies. In the first years of production, the M5 included high powered racing V6 engines, shoe horned into stock 5 series sedans (with the de facto high performance suspension tweaks of course). In the late eighties, light weight and high performance engines were the rage when “uber” engineered” vehicles were a BMW (and especially Mercedes) hallmark. The current M5 carries all the historic upgrades, including special interior leather and red dashboard inserts up to the new 2008 monster 500 horsepower high revving (8,000 rpm) race bred V10 engines of today.

Who knew?  Going green was gonna be this sexy this fast!

With a top speed of 125 mph and a 0-60 mph time of 5.8 seconds, the Karma is the world's first true premium plug-in hybrid sports sedan. The Fisker Karma and Karma S (Convertible) get their considerable power from a lithium ion battery and two electric motors that generate 400+ horsepower and deliver 100 MPG in fuel in fuel efficiency.

The Fisker won't be the first nor the only plug in-hybrid on thee road. The Chevy Volt is also a plug in hybrid vehicle that gets extended range from an onboard motor. The similarities stop there. The Volt will be squarely aimed at mass market early adopters while the Fisker Karma is aimed at early adopters looking for a unique luxury driving experience. While the Karma's $87,000.00 price tag is about twice as much as the Volt, it is suprisingly competitive for a car that will deliver performance and 100 MPG!

Exactly 110 years after Ferdinand Porsche developed the world’s first car with hybrid drive, the Lohner Porsche Semper Vivus,
Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, Stuttgart, is once again taking up this visionary drive concept in production-based GT racing: During the Geneva Motor Show, a Porsche 911 GT3 R with innovative hybrid drive is making its debut, opening up a new chapter in the history of Porsche with more than 20,000 wins in 45 years scored by the extremely successful Porsche 911 in racing trim.

The innovative hybrid technology featured in the car has been developed especially for racing, standing out significantly in its configuration and components from conventional hybrid systems. In this case, electrical front axle drive with two electric motors developing 60 kW each supplements the 480-bhp four-litre flat-six at the rear of the 911 GT3 R Hybrid. A further significant point is that instead of the usual batteries in a hybrid road car, an electrical flywheel power generator fitted in the interior next to the driver delivers energy to the electric motors.

In the midst of the worst economic crisis since the great depression there is nothing cooler than saving money. The only thing better, is the always very cool,making lots of money. Since the latter has been put on hold indefinately for most of us, its good to know we can still look forward to the idea of saving money at the gas pump and in some cases maybe avoiding the gas pump all together. GM's Chevrolet Volt was designed with just that in mind.

As far as cost savings goes GM estimates the Volt costs from 1/5 to 1/10th the cost to operate when compared to the average automobile.  Studies show that 80% of Americans commute 40 miles or less every day. Assuming a 40 mile daily commute $4.00 a gallon gas and a car that gets 20 Mpg. you'd need two gallons of gas to make the trip every day. In other words $8.00 a day in gas expense.

GM estimates the maximum amount it would take to charge the Volt would be .80 cents, to go the full round trip. No gas necessary and Zero emissions!