Autoblog

The AP got a hold of an internal email sent to all Chrysler employees informing them in no uncertain terms that they will be taking a vacation from July 7 through July 21. While some kind of plant shutdown is apparently common for most automakers during the summer, this corporate-wide stoppage will also include salaried employees, with the exception of a few teams that will stick around to work on special projects. A Chrysler spokesperson didn't divulge any hard details about the reason for the temporary shutdown, other to say that it should help "boost productivity and efficiency."

[Source: AP]

If you're looking for the ultimate vacation and have the cash to spend, look no further than Red Travel. The stuff-that-dreams-are-made-of tour operator based in Turin specializes in putting together vacation packages that put you behind the wheel of a Ferrari to drive along the Italian countryside, with a variety of options to suit your taste.

Itineraries range from one day to eight, hitting such locations as Rome, Florence, Maranello, Sicily, Venice and Lake Como. You can opt for more countryside or more metropolitan destinations and the packages are completely flexible according to your specifications, even including trips outside Italy to London, Barcelona, Monte Carlo... the open road's the limit. Your own personal concierge will even follow (or forge ahead) by GPS with your bags.

Red Travel's fleet isn't made up of older machinery, either. Their garage is stocked with F430s (coupe and roadster), the brand-new 599 GTB Fiorano and the four-seat 612 Scaglietti. It's by no means a cheap way to travel, but you'd be hard-pressed to find a more memorable one. A four-day trip for two in a Ferrari from Rome to Siena and back runs Є4300 each (approximately $5,700), plus a deposit on the car of Є15,000 which you get back when you return the car intact.

[Source: Red Travel via Luxist]

You might think that Europe has the market cornered on scenic drives, what with its old world charm, looming castles, rolling vineyards and ancient ruins.

The folks at MSN Travel, however, think that the United States has some pretty drives as well, and in honor of the days being ripe for road trips, they've narrowed the list down to their top 10 faves.

Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia and North Carolina starts the list off with nature at its best, Highway 1 in California is thrown in there as an obvious choice, and the drive through Sonoma and Napa Valley could give the French countryside a run for its money.

But what about the roads less traveled? Not to disappoint, the article includes drives like Seward Valley through Resurrectoin Bay to Anchorage in Alaska, as well as Going to the Sun Road through Montana's Glacier National Park.

[Source: MSN Travel]

"The Drive," GM's outdoor "autotainment" driving experience is set to open in Las Vegas at the Sahara Hotel & Casino April 10, and GM wants you to start planning it into your next trip to Sin City.

The Drive includes two separate driving courses on the 11-acre site, a high-performance loop (pictured above) and an off-road adventure. According to Steve Tihanyi, GM's director of marketing and entertainment alliances (!), “‘The Drive’ represents a significant marketing opportunity for General Motors, allowing us to showcase our products in a unique fashion that will provide a fun-filled time for the millions of people who live in or visit Las Vegas."

A $10 ticket gets you a ride in your choice of the Chevy Corvette coupe and convertible, Pontiac GTO, Cadillac CTS-V, Pontiac Solstice roadster, Cadillac STS-V, Saab 9-3 convertible, and Chevy SSR on the performance track, or the HUMMER H2, HUMMER H2 SUT, mid-size HUMMER H3, 2007 Cadillac Escalade, 2006 Chevy Silverado Diesel and the 2007 Chevy Tahoe on one of the two dirt tracks.

If you're planning a trip to Vegas, you can get tickets to The Drive online at VEGAS.com or LasVegas.com.

[Source: GM]

Traveling to the Canada in the next few months? Instead of relying on information culled from the Internet, travel guides or tours, or friends up in the Great White North, GPS Tour Guide has another option: GyPSy Guide.

A handheld computer the size of the calculator, GyPSy monitors your location via GPS as you drive. When you near an attraction or point of interest, the computer speaks through your vehicle's FM stereo, providing information about the location, history, and even anecdotes. Says Jonathan Bulich of GPS Tour Guide, "They (tourists) don't need to tell it to play. There's no interaction. It just knows where you are." Note that suction cups are available to attach GyPSy in the vehicle.

Electronic "tour guides" using GPS are notthing new, but most are limited in knowledge and coverage. GyPSy Guide covers points of interests in most of Western Canada, Whistler and Victoria.

Most regular tour companies and guides are nonplussed about GyPSy.

 "A guided tour offers a lot more things," says Ms Winnie Yu, manager of reservations for Key West Travel & Tours. "Guides are very knowledgeable and personable and it's not necessarily cheaper when you drive because you end up paying everything at retail rate. In a tour company, especially the bigger ones, they get a wholesale rate and then they put together packages that are cheaper."

Full information of GyPSy's coverage, languages spoken, and daily costs can be found at the link.

[Source: Globe and Mail]