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Driving with Smarts

By Kimberly Toms / Photographs by SmartUSA and Mark Margraff / Summer 2008

Gaining eye contact, a smile, a nod, or a wave of acknowledgment from passers-by in America’s largest metropolis is rare, whether one is walking or driving. Yes, in New York City, one can feel isolated in a crowd. This is not an affront by the good people of Manhattan; it is simply a fact of life.

Spend thirty minutes behind the wheel of a Smart Fortwo in the same city, however, and the driver is suddenly Miss or Mister Popularity. After living five years around New York, New Jersey and Philadelphia, I was astounded by how magnetic I suddenly was, while tooling about the Big Apple in a cherry-red Smart Passion Cabriolet. Yes, the one-time strangers of the island suddenly embraced me, wanted to talk to me, and even told me how cute I was, in the 106.1” long, 61.38” wide fuel-sipper.

It was Earth Day, 2008. The city was bustling as much as ever, at just before 2:00 p.m. I was offered a test drive of the tiny Mercedes derivative that is only a foot longer than a golf cart and over three feet shorter than a Mini Cooper. Yes, you read that right. It is three feet shorter than a Mini! Imagine the parking possibilities.

Before climbing into the cockpit, I seriously doubted there would be manageable comfort in the two-seater. I have to admit, however, I was incredibly surprised by the headroom, legroom, elbow-room and all-around spaciousness of the little powerhouse.

Nonexistent was the claustrophobia that scares me out of a Beetle or hard-top Mini, the same sensation that urged me to turn down the bright red, t-topped, bitchin’ Camaro my father excitedly had me test-drive just before my sixteenth birthday, way back in 1986. Yes, you heard me right: I turned down the potential of a spanking new, leather-infused, t-topped, ‘80’s speedster teen’s dream due to my impression that it felt like (as I described it to my father back then) driving a red “toilet paper tube.” I’ll never forget the look on his face, as his five-foot four-inch small Daddy’s Girl said, “No thank you” to such generosity, because of lack of spaciousness.

The Smart Fortwo did not play upon my dislike of tight spaces. It felt downright roomy, in fact.

I zipped around Manhattan, at first wary of taxi cabs and other fast-moving SUV bogeys that dwarfed me. Soon though, I forgot how small I was in the grand scheme of gridlock and mid-afternoon traffic, as I effortlessly traversed through lanes, around trucks, past stoplights and pedestrians.

I did not experience a feeling of inferiority or size-envy when around larger counterparts that day, but people on the street did experience whiplash. The social marketability of Smart Fortwo goes beyond cuteness, economy, and fuel savings. It is pure, unadulterated magnetism, the sort that some men feel when taking a young niece or nephew out on the town to scam for single chicks in the grocery aisles.

I was scamming. Scamming and scooting. Turning heads, gaining waves. I got a “thumbs up” from a lady crossing Broadway. A large and somewhat intimidating-sized delivery man started a conversation with me over the din of traffic and to my left (across three more lanes of traffic), as I sat at a red light on one busy street. That was just after my passenger and I had finished telling a big guy in the Mercedes luxury sedan to our right side that, yes, the Smart Fortwo is the little sibling to his big four-door status car. He was raving about the car’s appeal, just as he was multi-tasking – maneuvering into a parking space and talking with us through his open window – at the same time.

The big delivery guy to the left was not satisfied to just find out what the car was called. He bound down the sidewalk closer to us, still across three lanes of traffic. Next thing we knew, questions flying through the air, his deep Italian-American accented voice resonating over street noise and construction, he was directly to our left. The conversation switched to pick-up compliments about the compatibility of the vehicle’s color with my blonde hair.

Yes, the Smart Fortwo is one social car. Screw online dating or coffee houses. Just give me a set of keys and I’ll be content to meet and greet without leaving the comfort of the surprisingly roomy interior. At an average 33 miles per gallon in the city and 41 during highway travel, I could socialize quite a bit on the 8.7 gallon tank.

Beyond its curb appeal, the Smart is, well, smart. It is amazingly priced at approximately $11,590 for the base Pure model, $13,590 for the well-stocked Passion coupe, and $16,590 for the Passion convertible.

Lacking sticker shock is one thing. Fuel savings adds to the appeal. The coolest surprise, however? How about fully-replaceable, pop-on, pop-off body panels? Yes, you can meet another Smart Fortwo driver at Starbuck’s for coffee, and then trade your car’s body panels in the parking lot. How very Lego-esque!

Within about five minutes, you can switch your ride from red, to blue, to yellow, multi-colors, or whatever suits you that particular day. An entire body kit costs just below $1,000. Yes, you can even coordinate your Smart to your mood, an outfit, or even the Partridge Family’s bus.

Despite the switchable panels and a 95% recycled composition, the Smart does not compromise on safety. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety provided the highest approval ratings for front and side impacts, with the rear receiving the second-highest rating. The 2008 coupe received four of five stars for driver protection and three stars for passenger. Side crash rating was a perfect five stars. This safety can be attributed to dual front and side airbags, the trademark Tridion safety cell (like a roll cage) with front and rear crush zones, antilock brakes, stability control, and traction control.

The Fortwo’s engine is a 1.0 liter, three cylinder, automanual five-speed that can reach 90 miles per hour, achieving 60mph in 12.8 seconds. Admittedly, the transmission has been considered its least-attractive feature, with a little jarring between gear shifts. The Smart handled dips and bumps well, but potholes are a little intimidating at this size. On the fly, however, driving through urban areas and in and out of traffic is quite fun. It is a zippy micro-vehicle with a lot of charisma.

Best for urbanites, trendsetters, stoplight commuters, and as a second vehicle to a luxury model (for affluents), the Smart Fortwo definitely brings socialization back into the driving experience. An added bonus might just be the fact that the Fortwo is built for only two people (as the name clearly implies). So, put on your best smile, drop the top of the Cabriolet, zip about the city, and find yourself a new friend to smartly position in that passenger’s seat.

Smart Fortwo Passion, Passion Cabriolet, and Pure models are available at Smart Dealerships and designated Mercedes outlets in the United States. For more information: www.SmartUSA.com.

The Art of Audi

By Curt Riedy / Photographs By Mark Margraff ~ SLIDESHOW
Fall 2007

Never Follow.

A slogan that both inspires and defines.

A short, sweet phrase that defines the legacy of an automobile that spans both generations and the world itself.

A slogan that, in all honesty, really couldn’t be more perfect.

Since its American debut in 1969, the Audi has remained dedicated to providing drivers from every facet of the world with an unmatched desire for innovation and design. This inspiration is also matched by Audi’s continuing domination of racetracks all around the globe, evident in their consecutive wins throughout the decade at both the American Le Mans Series Championship and the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

After celebrating Audi’s 25th anniversary in 2005, there’s certainly been quite a bit of history to look back on. From the introduction of its front-wheel drive sedans to the unveiling of their Quattro permanent all-wheel drive – Audi has remained a constantly evolving force in the automotive industry.

It’s a force that proves unmatched in not only innovation and quality, but overall fun…a gratification which can be witnessed through the awesome beauty of the machines themselves.

Like age-old stories of true artists who defied fakes and oppressors, Audi has fought a longstanding battle against the evil that is automotive mediocrity…a battle in which they have been the steadfast victor for decades.

The Beginning of the Design Revolution
The Audi legacy began in 1899, when engineer August Horch founded A. Horch & Cie, his first company, and went on to create his first automobile two years later. Eventually (after a falling out with co-ownership that was so severe he was refused the right to use his own name on his creations), Horch founded his second company, which he officially entitled Audi, a name loosely translated to “Hark!” in German. Proudly representing two of the four rings seen in its legendary symbol, Horch’s companies are an integral mainstay in the evolution of the Audi.

That’s right, folks, you read that right…those four rings actually have nothing to do with the Olympics.

Instead, the symbols represent the juncture of four German auto companies (Horch, DKW, Wanderer and Audi) who were forced to ally as the Auto Union in 1932 due to depressed market conditions. After Horch’s company finally took the name Audi (which also happens to be a translation of his own name), he kept the Auto Union rings.

In fact, this theme of four has remained consistent throughout Audi, and has come to represent a significant amount of their achievements. Aside from the rings themselves, the number is prevalent in their famous Quattro (Latin for 4) all-wheel drive, the four brands of the Auto Union, as well as the benchmark A4/S4 models…cars which were absolutely essential in Audi’s modern resurgence.

“Some people still perceive us as a glorified Volkswagen. But, that’s simply not the case”, said Rob Javoronok, a Top Performing Audi Salesman from Willow Grove, Pennsylvania. “We build the best sedans and all-wheel drive cars out there. No question.”

The Redefining of Car Design
Be it through power, efficiency, or just its sheer promise to stay at the peak of modern technology, Audi has long remained a creative force unmatched in the automotive field. Still, there is one extremely evident aspect to these cars that continues to capture the imagination of many a car enthusiast…the exquisite design.

“A much more emotional design philosophy has dawned,” said Wolfgang Hoffman, Audi’s Director of Product Planning.

As stated in many a product sheet, the design of the Audi may be a creature of constant evolution, but their ongoing mission remains the same, “Deliver an edge. Make a difference.” An automobile viewed as “the perfect whole,” every machine that Audi has ever sent down the assembly line has exuded its own distinctive blend of sportiness, raw dynamism, and aura of elegance.

“We focus on our three brand values – progression, sophistication and sportiness – and on our brand core, Vorsprung durch Technik (German Translation: Progress through Technology), in everything we do,” said Hoffman. “Every Audi has to have these brand values. Otherwise…it is NOT an Audi.”

In 2002, these values were allowed to reach even greater heights with the introduction of new chief designer Walter de Silva, who was recruited from Italy’s Alfa Romeo.

“Another very important factor for creativity is obviously the working environment and the leadership team,” states a confident Hoffman. “With Walter, we have probably the best car designer in the world heading our design teams.”

How it All Comes Together
So where does the conceptual process begin?

Well, to be exact, conceptualization begins about five years before actual production even starts. The complete 5-step process is initiated with a competing series of ideas amongst the designers, thus setting the first visionary themes into place. The process then evolves into an elaborate series of steps, from sketch-making, model-building and color concepts, to the final step of full realization.

“Our designers come from the best automotive design schools in the world,” boasts Hoffman. “They’ve been students of the Art Centre College of Design in Pasadena, the Royal College of Art in London, the University of Pforzheim in Germany, just to name a few.”

For the Audi design process, having the best of the best is absolutely essential. The journey itself, while grueling at times, is one of continual mental challenges. Designers peel away at their existing knowledge of technology, sales and marketing, fusing these essential elements to one of exquisite style and creativity that has defined the Audi for decades.

Influence
Year after year, what has truly defined the Art of the Audi can be found in this incorporation of high-concept automobile design and pioneering attitude, an attitude that helped spawn the creative evolution of what now defines the modern car. Inspiration behind some of the company’s most recognizable models have been some of the most unconventional muses in the history of machination – from film, music and literature, to the forces of nature itself.

Designers keep a close eye on the essential elements of life, such as the things that keep us going, make us stronger, or bring us joy. These elements are put on the table and dissected, subjected to extreme modification, evolving into an adaptation of life’s beauty…fully translated into the ultimate driving experience.

“With the new Audi A6, we started a new era in our design language,” proclaims Hoffman. “Not just the new front design was introduced with this car (which is now present on all Audis), but also a much more emotional design philosophy dawned. We’re now showing more flowing lines, moving surfaces, and big, bold shoulders. The cars are more of a statement.”

One inspirational example? Well, even the late Grace Kelly has had an enormous impact in the history of Audi, her unique beauty and grace being one of primary inspirations for their premium flagship vehicle the A8, the all-aluminum luxury sedan originally introduced in 1994.

“We believe that our cars are timelessly elegant and beautiful, just like Grace Kelly was and even is still today,” said Hoffman. “[I noticed] just the rear window the other day…and I fell in love with her once again.”

This incorporation of aluminum within the A8 changed the entire outlook of passenger cars, not only in design, but through many other aspects as well – aspects that include comfort, performance, safety and weight.

Innovation
Never satisfied with complacency, Audi’s inclusion of aluminum is also in a constant state of evolution and design, growing increasingly stronger than its predecessors, and now incorporating an even higher standard with new bonding technology and innovative alloys.

“We never compromise on our interior design”, said Hoffman. “The materials we choose are of the highest quality. The fit and finish is second to none in the industry. We even employ nose teams to find the right smell for each and every Audi.”

Don’t even think he’s kidding. During the production process, the interior of the cars themselves are even tested within a haptic lab for textural sensations, with every touch, scent, and feeling put through a series of rigorous testing.

“Hands down, the interior of an Audi is the best interior there is,” said Javaronok. “Everything is in its right place, without tons of unnecessary lights and buttons.”

It certainly appears that Audi will be staying in the right place for some time to come, especially as evidenced in their 2007 line, which offers an excellent representation of remarkable infusion of science and design, an old standard for the company.

This year, Audi once again reinvented the Quattro with the all-new 2007 Audi Q7, a vehicle which takes the typical conventions of the SUV and turns it on its head.

Sleek and stylish in its rendering and design, the Q7 offers a coupe-like look with an almost lion-like ferocity to its sleek exterior. The standard boxy look of the typical SUV is replaced with a design manipulated to angular perfection, something quite unseen in this type of vehicle.

The Q7 also features Audi’s second V8 with FSI Direct Injection, a fuel-saving technology that can also increase power. The first car with this capability was their highly acclaimed R8 (often called the most successful race car of all time), a vehicle which took home first place in 2000’s 24 Hours of Le Mans.
“For me, it’s the fact that their handling is predictable, and [unlike other cars in its class] it’s actually easy to drive,” boasted Javaronok. “I was able to drive one on the Autobahn once…amazing. An Audi is just a different way of driving.”

Another example was 2006’s A3, a loving tribute to some of the best designers in the automotive field. The vehicle exuded all of the characteristics of true grace and athleticism, all portrayed through features that strike onlookers as overwhelmingly feline and incredibly determined.

Then, of course, we also have the aforementioned A8. The new A8. The utmost exemplification of the Audi philosophy, this car pushes everything that needs to be pushed in terms of innovation. It’s lighter, stronger, quicker, more efficient and a helluva lot more responsive.

Its newest aluminum structure guarantees a better performance and an endless amount of safety and comfort. More effective than Atkins, the structure of the vehicle has even allowed the old girl to shed a quite a few pounds as well.

“I’ve often found with Lexus and BMWs that the cars can eventually start to look the same. Audi doesn’t bend to design fashions,” said Audi Brand Specialist James Murphy. “The cars have always been very elegant. They want to look good.”

However, Audi doesn’t want their influence on elegance and artistry to stop at cars alone. Aside from their own material, Audi has provided an excellent resource for artists in general, and is a strong supporter in heightening creativity and design on all levels. An employer of some 53,000 people, Audi is extremely aware of its own social responsibility, and regards the promotion of all things art as a highly crucial element to corporate well-being and, most importantly, that of society as a whole.

In some ways, Audi’s support of the art community is a “giving back” of sorts, a way of saying thanks for the enormous design inspiration wrought from just about every creative outlet imaginable: from film to music, fine arts to architecture. All of those bear a mark on the Audi brand.

Under the moniker “The Audi Art Experience,” the company brings together its endeavors in the promotion of art and culture, and has provided financial support for several cultural happenings since 1985. Their sponsorships have included the establishment of the Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival, as well as its gracious support of the world-renowned Glyndebourne Festival Opera.

Looking Forward
So what does the future hold for the Art of Audi?

Perhaps the clearest demonstration of Audi’s ongoing perfection in design can be seen in their highly anticipated R8 model, the brand’s first ever mid-engine sports car, scheduled for 2008. Making its debut at the Paris Road Show, the vehicle earned its stripes through various motorsport victories all over the world.

It was on these tracks that Audi tested the limits of the R8’s mid-engine Lamborghini Gallardo platform, including it in some of their more high-end racecars. The technology uses a 420 horsepower high-revving V8 engine and all-wheel-drive, a combination which ended with remarkable success and fantastic results on the track.

“You will see even more emotional and sporty cars from Audi,” said Hoffman. “The R8 is the best proof for the new Audi. Its bold statement utilizes our racing heritage and our passion for the sports car. It shows the future of our company.”

You can expect Audi will stick with this winning strategy and that their continually evolving design process will forever be one of the key differentiators for the legendary car company as we move further into the new millennia. As car lovers everywhere continue to chart the awe-inspiring progression of the company signified by those four rings, it looks like we might be going against the “Never Follow” rule, after all.

SLIDESHOW

Road Trip: Man’s Motivations Behind Ownership and Adoration of Vintage Automobiles

By Scott Pruden / Photographs By Rafael Henin ~ SLIDESHOW
Spring 2007

The garage of Porsche restorer Christopher Radbill is as full of stories as it is cars – maybe more. Situated in the suburbs of West Chester, Pennsylvania, among an innocuous cluster of light-industrial buildings along a quiet side road, Chris Radbill Automotive Repair and Restoration doesn’t overtly speak of the power of a classic automobile to restore lives. That’s up to Radbill.

He points to one 1967 Porsche 912 that at one point had been blue before time and the elements wore the body paint down to the primer. The customer had owned it since before he and his wife married, but it had been in storage for years as the couple raised their family. After going through a scary period of heart trouble that threatened his life, the owner decided to celebrate his recovery by restoring the car to its former glory. Because the customer’s budget was limited, Radbill said he would do just enough to the car to get it back on the road.

Then one day Radbill called the customer’s home and his wife answered. “She said, ‘You know, my husband says I married him because of that car. And he’s probably right, because we lived in California and we used to cruise up and down the Coastal Highway and I just loved the sound of that car,’ and it was like a whole thing for her.”

The result was that the budget conscious owner’s wife gave Radbill the go-ahead for a complete makeover on the iconic Porsche. “They had hung onto the car through raising a family and everything else, so it has a lot of meaning to them,” he says. “And it makes me glad to do that for people. I think that probably the biggest kick for me is when someone comes in here and is excited about what they’ve got. You can really increase the quality of their life.”

And the stories keep coming, all centered on the vintage Porsches Radbill restores as a hefty percentage of his work on primarily German vehicles. There’s the high-powered pharmaceutical sales rep who uses his vintage Porsche 912 Targa as a lunchtime stress-management tool, speeding up and down the suburban Philadelphia highways until the muscles in his shoulders unclench and sanity returns.

The same customer has bought a car specifically to restore with his pre-teen son, Radbill says. The son wasn’t impressed with the idea until the dad drove him to school one day and the son’s friends remarked on his dad’s cool car. “It’s creating something he can do with his son, who’s not a couch potato, but is a computer potato. So the father’s thinking that this is an opportunity to get him outside of that into something they can do together.”

That cross-generational interest doesn’t just stand as a single anecdote, since Radbill and many others associated with collecting classic cars have noted a boost in the number of younger adults – almost entirely men – filtering into this thriving American sub-culture.

Witness Daran Thomas, a successful and handsome (think former model, which he was) marketing executive in the Raleigh suburb of Apex, N.C. He admits to a lifelong fascination with classic and exotic cars that he can now afford to extensively indulge. “There’s something everlasting about an old car that today is still beautiful. It has a lot more longevity than a new car,” he says. “Something that had stood the test of time, that really appealed to me.”

That doesn’t mean he waited until he hit it big to purchase his first vintage car – a used BMW 525, bought when he was 25 years old. He admits it was a more affordable placeholder for what he really wanted, a 1972 BMW CSI. It took 10 years and vastly improved fortunes for him to begin searching for his dream car again. After a few years he found one – in California. A friend on the West Coast examined it, deemed it worthy of purchase and it was shipped east. It’s now a work in progress at Automotive Restoration, the shop Thomas co-owns with a friend who restores cars professionally.

In addition to satisfying his childhood dreams, his acquisitions allow him the very grownup luxury of relief from the stresses of his “day job” creating promotional and marketing material for the pharmaceutical industry.

“If I’m working on a big project that isn’t going as it should, I can go out to the shop and focus on a piece of metal that is tangible,” he says. “Doing something that has instant gratification, it helps in a business that is so long-term oriented.”

Thomas’ story isn’t an unusual one, says Dennis Gage, host of the SPEED cable channel program My Classic Car with Dennis Gage. As someone whose job is to cover the classic car circuit, he’s noticed that collectors like Thomas represent a subtle, but significant, shift in the collector subculture.

“I find a lot of young people driving these cars,” he says. “They’re going after the cars for the same reason as our generation – they want to stand out. People want to stand out. They want to make that personal statement.”

The difference is that, because they are pursuing the cars of their youth, a whole new segment of restored and collectible late 1960s and early 1970s muscle cars are becoming more and more collectible. Auction company Barrett-Jackson has, in the last few years, seen a spike in demand for well-kept models like the Dodge Charger, Chevy Camaro or Pontiac GTO, with buyers bidding higher for those models than for glamorous standbys like Ferraris.

New money plays a big part in the infusion of younger blood, but so do different priorities from those of the masses, especially with Generation Xers, he says. In large part, those who have made it big are “either going for the Porsches or the Beemers – they’re the new yuppies,” he says. “So if you don’t want to be such a yuppie, you go back and get one of these old models. It’s a cool thing, and the cool factor is very high in these cars.”

But what, for lack of a better way to phrase the question, is the drive? What possesses grown-up men – and they are by and large men – to spend so much time, energy and money on what, when it comes right down to it, are obsolete modes of transportation? Gage chalks the already huge popularity up to the massive demographic wave of which he admits he’s a part. “The hobby has historically been driven by aging Baby Boomers, but there is a new focus on youth in collecting,” he says. “These guys are finally able to relive the past they never had. They can have that Shelby Mustang. They couldn’t afford them when
they cost $3,000. Now, when they cost $80,000, they can afford them, because they’re statements. They’re extensions of self.”

Barry Dougherty, an avid collector and appraiser who lives in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, takes a different but no less philosophical point of view. “I don’t see it as [nostalgia],” he says. “To guys who grow and mature in the hobby, it’s like artwork. You develop an eye and a feel for what’s valuable and why it’s valuable.”

A good example is Nicola Bulgari, he of the Italian luxury watch and jewelry empire. Among the monied set, Bulgari’s fascination with vintage Buicks is legendary. His love goes back to his first car – a 1937 Model 8 that he found rusting in his home city of Rome and bought for $30. Since then, he’s amassed a huge collection, portions of which are stored in Italy, New York and Allentown, Pennsylvania. He has also donated a number of rare cars to museums. Bulgari, who once described Bugatti and Ferrari as “shit” to a Forbes Magazine writer, doesn’t seem to know why he loves American heavy metal, but he knows he does. Call it nostalgia or call it appreciation – or a mix of both – but it’s clear that the man knows what he likes, is passionate about it and puts plenty of money into it.

Dougherty, a good friend of Bulgari’s through a mutual collector friend, can pull up to various low-slung warehouses in unassuming light industrial neighborhoods throughout Pennsylvania’s Lehigh Valley, open a garage door and reveal rare gems of automotive design and beauty, all marinating in a delicious bouquet of motor oil and leather. In Allentown, he stops into Precision Motor Cars and chats for a moment with the technicians before heading next door to reveal a piece of Bulgari’s collection – a few thousand square feet of nothing but gleaming General Motors steel, all the product of one very wealthy man’s single-minded fascination.

But it is not in the super-rich collectors like Bulgari or designer Ralph Lauren that Dougherty sees the hobby’s future. Instead, he sees much of the hobby’s evolution coming from younger collectors entering through the segment of “tuners” – stock (mostly Japanese) automobiles that have been tricked out with more powerful engines, thunderous sound systems, elaborate lights and other cosmetic and technological embellishments. “This new wave … that’s involved in tuner cars, they’re going to get older and make money,” and as they do, their senses that have already been attuned to what makes cars special will turn to items that are more rare and valuable.

While collectors might view their cars as art, Philadelphia-based painter Frederick Yohe creates art out of classic cars. His almost photorealistic paintings of vintage automobiles are as highly detailed as the cars themselves, and the collectors, celebrities, and car manufacturers who serve as a good portion of his client base recognize that.

For Yohe, his love of cars comes from an appreciation of their looks rather than from fiddling under their hoods or restoring their chassis. “It’s purely aesthetics with me. I really do not know too terribly much about cars,” he says. “I simply look at the photographs, and if I see a really fine design in that photograph I go after it.”

He finds that among the collectors who appreciate his work, much of the appeal is in the level of detail he is able to capture in his paintings. It’s that attention to the minutia of the machine that he believes drives many in the hobby. “I’m really only able to satisfy the guy who is into the detail,” he says. “They’re really looking at the painting to see if they can find anything that’s not right.”

Dr. P. Murali Doraiswamy, a psychiatrist at Duke University Medical Center who is friends with Daran Thomas, says that it is hard to pin down the motivations of a vintage car collector or owner. The collector’s attention to detail – which he calls a mild and socially appropriate form of obsessive/compulsive behavior – is about the only common factor that links vintage car owners.

“Is it any different from a person who’s restoring an ancient painting? Probably not,” he says. “Most of them are highly accomplished, successful, well-balanced people who are not letting their car collections interrupt their normal lives. The car collectors I know seem to come in all different flavors.”

Still, Thomas, who is single, admits that it takes a special woman to put up with the depth of his interest in his restoration projects. A former girlfriend was with him during much of the time he was restoring a 1969 280 SL convertible Mercedes two-door coupe as a retirement gift to his father. His hobby, he says, did contribute to some friction over the course of their three-year relationship. “Obviously, she would have liked that attention on her,” he says, laughing. “And aside from car parts in the sink – because I like to do a lot of the stuff at home – like anything, she could have blamed the car. But if it wasn’t the car, I probably would have spent that time working on the house. It would have been nice if she’d had the same level of enthusiasm, but I haven’t met that many women that had that much interest in the car.”

In fact, if it’s not a wife or girlfriend supporting her significant other, or a midriff- baring model paid to shill for a specialty brand of car wax, women aren’t a big part of the collector hobby. Doraiswamy notes that much of vintage car collecting does involve a bit of “alpha male” behavior, including competition for bragging rights that helps serve as an ego booster, particularly for a population that is so heavily steeped in testosterone. Mechanic and restorer Radbill speaks from experience. As someone who regularly attends car shows and parts swaps, he’s seen the extremes of male competitiveness. Negotiation sessions can last all day, with customers repeatedly returning to vendors in an attempt to get better prices. Ego wars ensue, and have occasionally ended only with threats of bodily harm.

A look around a show and swap like the annual Spring Carlisle Event in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, leaves little doubt that this is a hobby for guys. The sight of adult men pulling their kids’ modified Radio Flyers full of seemingly random parts is a reminder that many of them are living their childhood fantasies of “cool car” ownership. Women are sparse and often accompanying the kind of men who would refer to them as their “old lady.” Others are middle-class couples indulging a husband’s fascination, or fathers/daughter pairs indulging in quality time before the girl’s interests turn toward make-up and boys.

The women, it seems, are less interested in the minutia of collecting and restoring and – as cliché as it sounds – more in the extensive social and shopping aspects the shows offer. Every second booth seems to offer either car-related kitsch or some auto-themed antique, and it’s obvious many couples are reconnecting with people they only see at car shows.

To listen to Radbill, who knows better than anyone that there’s a story under the hood of every classic automobile, it’s obvious that along with the hefty dosage of male hormones, the hobby is quietly helped along by a smidgen of estrogen. His own wife, Charlotte, fondly recalled the Porsche 912 he owned back when they first began dating. “I let her drive it and she just loved it, and then I just let her drive it [all the time],” he says. “I knew it was in good hands because she had so much fun.”

That car eventually succumbed to the demands of family life. When he recently found a similar model to restore for himself, Charlotte asked for one of her own. Radbill is now restoring a Targa for her. The levels of their interest still remain at significantly different degrees, but it’s something they can share and indulge in together. And Radbill says that is a big part of the appeal to doing what he does, and is also a big part of what the hobby offers. “I’m happy to see it bring people together like that,” he says. “My wife likes to say, ‘You restore cars, but in the bigger scheme of things it’s a restorative thing for people, for their lives.’”

SLIDESHOW

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Keep your legs active and body energized without caffeine or other stimulants. Keep working, while you’re surfing! With physiological and psychological benefits, the Webble will help you feel less like a sell-out with desk legs, and more like a mover-and-shaker on the rise…toward more vacation time for hitting the waves, due to your heightened attention to the tasks at hand! Its cool construction, smooth gliders, and mesh covering make it comfortable as a footrest and kick-ass for simulating a ride on the rail, while you work that spreadsheet.

Check the video out and get your Webble, at www.thewebble.com. $199.

Chick-a-BOOM!

Take your tailgate party to the next level, with this chillin’ cooler with built-in stereo system.

The Boom is i-Pod ready, Sirius-ready, plays AM/FM radio, CDs and MP3s.  For all of you techies, you’ll know what we mean when we say that it has a 10″ Sony XPlod subwoofer, two 6″x9″ 4-way speakers, a speed-charge battery charger, and dry storage for all that junk you need to nosh on.

For as little as $899, you can Boom!

Bring ‘er Tumi!

You’re rushing through the airport, dragging that blasted canvas-nylon-black-everyone-has-the-same-suitcase bag behind you. Not only is yours hard to pick out of the collection circling through the baggage claim on the conveyors, but you always worry about the same thing: “Did my cologne bottle break?” Or, “Is the gift for Mom in pieces, now?”

Worry, no more. Tumi has the answer to both obscurity in baggage claim and broken suitcase contents. That solution is their high caliber PolyCarbonate Plus collection of spacious, fully-lined, wheeled luggage.

The 2258 cubic inch capacity size is $375 at LuggageOnline.com. Check Luggage Online, or Tumi, for other sizes, colors, and pricing.

Travel on!

An Oxymoron for Dad

No, we didn’t say Dad is a moron. In fact, he is quite wonderfully accomplished, isn’t he?

If Dad is a big achiever, then we have two great gifts that go well together, albeit in a ying and yang kind of way. First, the USB Stylus Pen, a 3-in-1 pen that is a USB flash memory storage device for photos, documents, music and video (you can pre-load some family pics for dear old Dad), as well as a PDA stylus and traditional ballpoint pen.

Dad will love that the stylus function is embodied in a full-size pen form, as his hands are a little big for that inky-dinky little Palm or phone stylus, aren’t they?

To add some whimsy to the more serious gift of the USB Stylus Pen, why not add The Underachiever’s Manifesto? A tongue-in-cheek, 10-step prescription for living and loving mediocrity, perhaps the 96-page, hardbound manual will give Dad some new perspective and ideas for using that pen!

The USB Stylus Pen is on sale now at half price at Restoration Hardware (only $34.99!) and the Manifesto is priced with even more mediocrity, at a mere $4.99. Wow. Double-gifting an overachiever who has it all doesn’t have to break your bank, does it, Big Spender?

Daddy’s Day is Near

Searching for that perfect Father’s Day gift, for the dad who has it all? How about something old fashioned, yet sleek and artfully designed?

This Engraved Shaving Set from The Art of Shaving offers laser-engraved handles to prevent slip, a silvertip badger shaving brush and heavy razor handles for the ultimate in balance and comfort. The elegant, nickel-plated design is timeless and will surely become a family heirloom. $750.

The best part? It uses Gillette Mach3 disposable blades.

Grillaxin’

Love to barbecue but want to escape your backyard? Tailgatin’ a chore with present grill options? Well, check out this little charmer from Design Within Reach:

Yes, it is a portable grill! The Notebook Portable Grill features an 18″ x 12″ cooking surface, yet folds up into a slim, 9-pound notebook with carrying handle. It measures only 1.25″ thick when folded and fits into a backpack!

At only $70, you’ll be the coolest griller by the pool. Buy one at www.dwr.com, before the Jones’ do.