Ferrari, Maserati, Bugatti, SSC Ultimate Aero and a Rolls Royce Phantom Drophead Coupe Convertible.

No, that’s not the guest list on tomorrow night’s BBC installment of Top Gear, but rather a partial lineup of the kind of things you’ll get to see at the OC Auto Show, widely regarded as the “start” of show season.

Knowing that it’s fighting an uphill battle with consumers in rapid retrenching mode and corporations cutting back in a grim death march to bankruptcy, the show’s got to pull out a few stops in order to get anywhere.  Included in this year’s plans?  A special appearance by Absolute Poker pro Matt Vengrin, a live mixed martial arts cage battle, and not one, but THREE bikini contests, including the Miss Hawaiian Tropic Model Search.

If I’ve got your attention, and chances are something on that list did, you’ll be happy to know that getting into the show might be the cheapest thing you do all day:  adults get in for $10; senior citizens (62 and older) shell out $6,  students with ID pay just $5 and kids under 12 are admitted for free.

The show starts today and runs through Sunday.

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To most of us, the name Zeppelin may be linked to a rock band. However, it is really a model in the late 1930s, a sedan that was pretty much in the class of the Rolls Royce Phantom. Maybach is reintroducing the Zeppelin brand to bring back the glory days at the Geneva Auto Show.

The new edition is limited to a mere 100 units worldwide. However, the very wealthy buyers who get to snatch one up will benefit from a few perks compared to the lesser mortals who can only afford the “normal” versions.

The new Zeppelins will start at US$524,000 for the 57 and an outrageous US$610,000 for the 62 version, making them the most expensive sedans in the world, even before any options are tagged on. This latest version brings the number of Maybachs to seven: the 57, 57S, 57 Zeppelin, 62, 62S, 62 Zeppelin and 62S Landaulet.

(Source) Auto123

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