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Four rings, seven letters, 30 years: Audi is presenting its quattro success story at the 22nd Techno Classica in Essen. 30 years ago, the “Ur-quattro” (original quattro) launched a legend which signalled the start of Audi’s winning streak in motorsport and on ordinary roads that continues to this very day. Over 3.3 million cars with permanent four-wheel drive have left the Audi production lines since 1980. Today, every third new Audi is fitted with quattro drive.

Every year, around 150,000 fans, collectors and restorers make their way to the international classic car show in Essen at the start of the classic car season. This year Audi has dedicated itself entirely to its quattro history and is presenting four contemporary witnesses of a legendary era in Hall 7: the “Ur-quattro”, V8 quattro, S2 Coupé and RS2 Avant. In addition, fans can purchase the traditional miniature car once again this year, and the Audi Club International (ACI) is showing further sporty originals from Audi’s history.

The miniature – the Audi Tradition model of the year – is a 1:43-scale Audi V8 quattro DTM from 1990, limited to 333 units and in the colour orange. The original model is, of course, also on display: 20 years ago Audi had its first outing in the German Touring Car Masters (DTM) with the Audi V8 quattro. The spectators initially thought this car was anything other than sporty. But the “chauffeur saloon” fought through brilliantly against the tough competition: In the last race of the 1990 season, Hans-Joachim Stuck clinched the DTM championship title for Audi at the Hockenheimring.
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An annual Father’s Day tradition, the Rodeo Drive Concours d’Elegance is an exclusive display of luxury automobiles set against the backdrop of world class Rodeo Drive boutiques. Celebrating the unique relationship between the automotive, fashion and entertainment industries, the spectacular car show is free and open to the public.

The 2010 Rodeo Drive Concours d’Elegance will celebrate 75 years of Jaguar and will be themed “A DIFFERENT ROAD.” The annual Father’s Day event will highlight a superb combination of automobiles and entries will include, Classic Cars 1925 – 1948, Pre-1975 American Cars, Muscle Cars, Sports Cars, European Cars, Woodys, Hot Rods, Customs, Race Cars, Vintage Motorcycles and special interest vehicles from throughout Southern California and the Western United States.

The Rodeo Drive Concours d’Elegance will take place on Father’s Day, June 20, 2010 and will feature hundreds of collector cars and motorcycles lining Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills. The event is free and open to the public.

For more information and to download the exhibitor entry form, please visit www.RodeoDrive-BH.com.

WHEN: Sunday, June 20, 2010 // 10:00AM – 4:00PM

WHERE: Rodeo Drive Concours d’Elegance
Rodeo Drive, north of Wilshire Boulevard, Beverly Hills, CA 90210

The cars have been chosen – 375 of them, in fact, from a pool of over 500 seeking entry – and it is clear that this summer’s Sonoma Historic Motorsports Festival will be as significant as ever in the line-up of vintage motorsport events held this year. The event takes place over the weekend of June 5-6, 2010, at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, California, and continues the traditions that its organizer, Steve Earle of General Racing, Ltd. , is credited with originating and shaping into the standard by which all other historic automobile racing is measured in this country. Known for founding the Monterey Historic Automobile Races over three decades ago, Earle has moved the energy and focus of that event to Sonoma, and he is “gratified” by the quality and quantity of the entry applications.

“I wish that it were possible for us to accept everyone, but our entry numbers are commensurate with the amount of Paddock area we have,” said Earle, a traditionalist when it comes to putting the quality of the participant experience first among priorities. “The cars are the stars and when they aren’t racing they are easily accessible in this area for the fans that come for that up close and personal experience of inspecting engines, talking with owners or otherwise learning more about the sport and the restoration and maintenance of vintage cars.”

According to Earle, the entries run the gamut between a 1914 Ford and a 1991 Roush Mustang and will be divided by age and engine size into 13 individual groups for competition on Infineon Raceway’s 12-turn, 2.52-mile road course. All of the groups will practice on Friday, with the seven "A" Groups taking to the Infineon racecourse on Saturday and the six "B" Groups on Sunday. (Registration and Tech Inspection will take place on Thursday.)

While some historic automobiles leave their garages only for Concours d’Elegance events, the Sonoma Historic Motorsports Festival is for treasured racing cars that are restored and maintained by owners who enjoy the opportunity to run them on the track. In addition to their racing cars, participants may also bring their period cars in which they will drive to and from the track on a daily basis, adding not only another dimension to their personal enjoyment of the event but also giving passersby the pleasure of seeing rare vehicles traveling the scenic roads of Wine Country.
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RM Auctions, the world’s largest collector car auction house, will drop the hammer on an outstanding private collection of high-powered muscle cars in June as part of a single-day sale in San Diego, California.

Scheduled for June 19, 2010, and billed Classic Muscle & Modern Performance, the sale will present over 80 magnificent examples from a prominent Southern California collector, all to be offered without reserve. From GTOs to Corvettes, Chevelles and Mustangs, the offering spans a variety of iconic Detroit muscle and represents the owner’s lifelong passion for high-performance vehicles.

In addition, the sale will also feature a diverse range of low-mileage, as-new late model BMW’s and Mercedes-Benz automobiles from the same collection, including AMG and M-powered machines.

“RM is delighted to have been chosen to present this outstanding group of cars at auction. Rarely do we get to see such an unparalleled group of cars offered for sale and from a buyer’s perspective – the quality, rarity and outstanding level of maintenance and documentation are nearly unmatched – bidders will be able to buy with confidence in every respect.” says Ian Kelleher, President and Chief Operating Officer of RM Auctions.

“When building the collection the owner’s goal was to assemble the ‘best of the very best’ and this is certainly true of the offering, with each example fully documented and maintained to the highest possible standards. In addition, the selection of cars on offer features many rare color combinations, and many examples have undergone professional, concours-quality restorations, making for a range of exclusive, not-to-be-missed ownership opportunities for muscle car enthusiasts,” he adds.
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