TV cameras and TV hosts have become the norm at Carlisle rather than the exception as of late and that trend continues in 2017 as part of the Carlisle Import & Performance Nationals. This year’s Import & Performance weekend runs May 19-21 at the Carlisle PA Fairgrounds and features Korean cars, while also showcasing some of the best vintage imports, tuners and performance sport compacts from around the world. While 20,000+ guests and nearly 2,000 cars are anticipated, what is confirmed is that joining them in May will be a production team representing Discovery’s Velocity Channel.
This is not the first time Carlisle has been seen via Velocity, but it’ll be the first time in quite some time that the Import & Performance event gets its turn in the spotlight. The new program, entitled Legends of the Design, will air later in the fall and be comprised of 10 episodes filmed at shows around the country. Of those 10, one, maybe two of them will be set in Carlisle.

Legends of the Design is co-hosted by author and car collector “GT Joey” Limongelli as well as Maria Prekeges and will give those showing and attending at Carlisle their chance for 15 minutes of fame and to be able to brag that their car is now “as seen on TV.” Joey, Maria and the crew will scour the Carlisle grounds looking for cars that highlight amazing designs of the import world. Not only will the cameras flock to these showfield gems, Joey and Maria will speak with owners and enthusiast to better educate viewers on overall design and features. In addition, Joey and Maria will go the extra step, breaking down the who, what, where and why of the car design and its features.

A show like this is a perfect fit for the mixed audience of people and cars that come to Carlisle. According to Joey himself, Carlisle was a must for this upcoming season.

“I’m excited because I’ve been coming to this event for 20 years and I could not think of a better launching point for this all-new TV series,” noted “GT Joey”.”
“The filming of this new show puts our weekend of international automotive excitement on display for the entire world to see…literally,” said event manager Ken Appell. “It is exciting to see this attention brought to such a diverse market and to work with such a professional host as “GT Joey.”

The Carlisle Import & Performance Nationals is currently accepting registrations for the 2017 event. Be it showfield, vendor inquiries or the purchase of single day or weekend tickets, complete details are available by calling 717-243-7855 or online at www.CarlisleEvents.com.

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Carlisle Events is a partner or producer of 12 annual collector car and truck events. Events are held at the Carlisle PA Fairgrounds (Carlisle, PA), Allentown Fairgrounds (Allentown, PA) and the SUN ‘n FUN Campus (Lakeland, FL). The season schedule includes five automotive swap meets of varying size, four auctions, as well as individual specialty shows featuring Hurst branded machines, Corvettes, Fords, GMs, Chryslers, trucks, imports, tuners and performance sport compacts. Founded in 1974 by friends Bill Miller and Chip Miller, events hosted at Carlisle attract more than a half a million enthusiasts annually from all corners of the globe. More information is available via www.CarlisleEvents.com or www.CarlisleAuctions.com.
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Automotive enthusiasts have a tendency to be excited by dynamic vehicles and often anoint them with the term “supercar.” This leads to what I perceive as an overuse or misuse of the term. Having said that, a new imagining of an old vehicle certainly deserves consideration of the supercar label for its design, innovation, driving excitement and its horsepower -- 573hp. That vehicle is the 3-engine, 2017 Acura NSX.

The original Acura NSX debuted in 1990 as a cutting-edge coupe combining exotic car styling and performance with a new dimension of quality, exceptional ergonomics and dynamic poise. It underwent a performance upgrade in 1997 and facelift in 2002 before being discontinued in 2005. NSX is back for 2017 as a lightweight, naturally aspirated coupe that can be perceived as a hybrid supercar, with a twin-turbo engine combined with a hybrid setup, and dual-clutch transmission. The new NSX rides on an aluminum-intensive space frame with a carbon fiber floor and a body designed to direct airflow over, under, and through the car including cooling duties.

Winter weather closed my test track, so I was unable to prove the estimated top speed of 191mph or the manufacturer’s estimate of a 3-second-flat zero-60mph sprint; and the NSX probably should be tested in spring or summer to fully enjoy the experience; but we never look gift horsepower in the trunk, so an exciting ride in winter was better than no ride at all.

Designed with elegance, NSX is constructed with a multi-material space frame of cast aluminum nodes and a mix of light aluminum and low-density SMC outer panels. The architecture features a wedge shape with prominent cooling ducts on the rear fenders, a conservative rear spoiler, and no active aero components (such as an active rear spoiler or active front grille shutters). Complex high-performance aluminum castings for crush zones is the world's first automotive application of the technique, as are the A-pillars made from 3DQ ultra-high-strength steel and a use of Carbon Fiber front floor panels.

Sitting on a wheelbase of 103.5 inches, with a length of 178 inches, height of 47.8 inches, width of 87.3 inches and a curbweight of only 3803 lbs., the NSX provides stability and speed by managing air flow through the front motor room and rear engine room as well as around the body, while still maintaining the increased stability of properly distributed downforce. Stability at speed is what the NSX delivers with exceptional balance and confidence to enhance the driving experience.

And there’s exceptional power. Maximum total system power is 573hp with maximum total system torque of 476 lb.-ft. The next-generation Sport Hybrid SH-AWD power unit consists of an all-new longitudinally mid-mounted twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter DOHC V-6 that puts out 500 hp and 406 lb.-ft of torque, and a permanent-magnet, water-cooled electric motor/generator direct drive motor. This system delivers 47hp and 109 lb.-ft. and is mated to a 9-speed dual-clutch transmission

On the road, stability is track-worthy and acceleration is immediate with the electric motors engaging before the twin turbos kick in. In tight quick turns you have to be on your toes because there is a lot of understeer, but the system softens torque steer and I wouldn’t be surprised if the 3-second factory hype on a zero-to-60 sprint is close to reality. My road-hugging pedal mashing averaged 20.7mpg in town and on the interstates.

The NSX cockpit is cozy, elegant, intuitive and filled with electronics. With seating capacity for two, NSX provides 38.3 inches of headroom, 42.8 inches of legroom, 57.6 inches of shoulder room and 54.5 inches of hip room.

Intuitive instrumentation, Alcantara® leather, well-padded sports seats, steering wheel and center console, exemplary ergonomics and a center console/control set-up designed to minimize distractions from the most important function – driving – combines with state-of-the-art connectivity and infotainment and more than a dozen active and passive safety features to provide a super interior experience.

In Curva Red – there’s not much better than a red sportscar -- the 2017 Acura NSX starts at $156,000. The Ebony interior was enhanced by Semi-Aniline Full Leather Alcantara® power seats for an additional $2500. Pricey exclusive wheel designs were available but the standard Y-spoke wheels were classy as they were. Brake packages for $10,000 or more were available, but the standard iron rotors with Black calipers served my test ride well. The Exterior Sports Package with a Black front spoiler, Black side sills, Black rear diffuser and chrome exhaust finisher was pretty cool, and we did without the $9000 Carbon Fiber rendition of the package. The same can be said for the body color rear decklid that was kept rather than to upgrade to Carbon Fiber for an additional $3000, as well as the spiffy NSX engine cover that could have been upgrade to Carbon Fiber for $3000. The standard interior package included a leather-wrapped steering wheel, Metallic Silver steering wheel spokes, Alcantara® meter visor and Black rubber pedals and footrest. An available Carbon Fiber upgrade was not included and would have cost $2900. One upgrade that was made on my test ride was an ELS Studio® Audio +Tech + SiriusXM Package for $3300 that upgraded a standard premium audio system to an ELS Studio® Premium Audio System with AcuraLink® The Next Generation, navigation, proximity sensors and XM Radio. A Black Aluminum roof antenna was also added as was Illuminated door sill trim inside (and this time Carbon Fiber was included) for $1500. Destination handling is $1800, which put the price as tested at $165,100.

> Visit www.CarlisleEvents.com for more on the automotive hobby.

Mike Blake, former editor of KIT CAR magazine, joined Carlisle Events as senior automotive journalist in 2004. He's been a "car guy" since the 1960s and has been writing professionally for about 30 years.

What weighs in at about one ton, has been redesigned with new front-end styling and a freshened rear bumper, sports an economical 74-hp engine and is fun to drive? The answer is the tweaked 2017 Mitsubishi Mirage.

Mirage took the year off and has returned with a fresh new look thanks to a revamped front fascia with chrome upper/lower grille; new hood design; LED tail lamps; rear spoiler; color-keyed front and rear bumpers; folding side-view mirrors; door handles and tailgate handle; new 14-inch alloy wheel design; 15-inch alloy wheels; HID automatic on/off headlights; beveled fog lamps and nine exterior color choices: Wine Red, Sunrise Orange, Sapphire Blue, Infra Red, Pearl White, Mystic Black, Starlight Silver and Mercury Gray.

The exterior improvements join style with substance as its augmented aerodynamics increase fuel efficiency, while its sleek form helps reduce weight to just over 2000 pounds. This combination keeps gas mileage high while reducing the coefficient of drag (Cd) to 0.27.

The subcompact measures 149.4 inches long, 65.6 inches wide and 59.4 inches high on a 96.5-inch wheelbase, with minimum ground clearance of 6.3 inches and curb weight of only 2090 lbs. for my test Mirage in GT trim.

The GT separates itself from other Mirage trims with a 6.5-inch display audio with Smartphone link, Apple CarPlay™ and Android Auto™; rear view camera system; bi-xenon HID headlights with light tube; 15-inch two-tone alloy wheels; front seat heater; FAST-key passive entry system and push-button start; semi-hi-contrast meter cluster with chrome accent and Bluetooth® hands-free phone system with steering wheel-mounted controls.

All Mirages are outfitted with a 1.2-liter MIVEC DOHC, 12-valve Inline 3-cylinder engine with an aluminum head and aluminum block. The fuel-efficient Inline-3 engine produces 78 hp and 74 lbs,-ft. of torque. However, even for a 2090-lb. vehicle, the economical system was a slow accelerator and under-performer. You need to strategize your passing and uphill travel, and the engine shows you it is trying with a noisy whine that enters the cabin. Track tests showed an 11.9 second sprint from zero-to-60mph and a quarter-mile journey of 18.7 seconds, slow by every means, but both seemed faster in this subcompact. And weaving in and out of traffic on the highway or cruising around town, Mirage is a very fun drive.

The rack-and-pinion, Electric Power Assist steering is a bit vague, and road inadequacies are often felt through the MacPherson strut front and torsion beam rear suspension, which reminded me of compacts back in the day, when you expected such things in return for superior gas mileage. Well, Mirage DOES deliver expertly in fuel economy. With an EPA rating of 37mpg in the city, a whopping 43 on the highway and 39 combined, Mirage is a winner at the pumps. While I didn’t average 40, my week of mixed-use tests did come in at a very pump-friendly 39.7mpg.

In the cockpit, Mirage has updated the interior with improved front and rear seat materials, steering wheel with decorative bezel, new panel design for air conditioning and illuminated semi high-contrast combination gauge cluster –speedo and tach.

The cabin offers seating for five with 39.1 inches of front headroom and 37.3 inches in row two, 41.7 inches of front legroom, but only 34.0 in the second seats and shoulder room of 51.7 and 51.0. The tight accommodations are augmented by 6-way adjustable driver’s seat and 4-way front passenger seat, automatic air conditioner and climate control with a micron air filter and rear heater floor ducts.

The 2017 Mitsubishi Mirage has supplemented its attention to safety with an advanced seven air bag SRS system including driver's side knee air bag, dual-stage front air bags with occupant seat position sensors, front seat mounted side-impact air bags and front and rear curtain side air bags. Mirage also employs an anti-lock braking system with Electronic Brake-force Distribution; Active Stability Control with Traction Control Logic; Hill Start Assist; Tire Pressure Monitoring System; Engine immobilizer anti-theft security alarm system and Mitsubishi Motors' patented Reinforced Impact Safety Evolution safety cell body construction

The 2017 Mitsubishi Mirage is available in three trim levels, with the first two in either 5-speed manual or automatic transmission configurations – the top-level GT is automatic only. The base manual ES starts at $12,995 and the automatic starts at $14,195. The SE bases at $14,795 (manual) and $15,995 (automatic) and my sporty test Mirage GT starts at $16,495. The Wine Red exterior was mated to a black fabric interior, but I thought the also-available Sunrise Orange was a much more hip color for the Mirage. A cargo net and cargo mat added $95; Floor and Center Console illumination in blue added $225; front and rear parking assist sensors added $450; front and rear mudguards and scuff plates added $180; a cool Rockford Fosgate® Premium Audio Package with a 300-watt ecoPunch™ amp with subwoofers added $575, and remote engine start added $495. With destination and handling fees of $635, my Mirage GT test ride stickered for $18,775, but some dealers offer incentives of $1000 or more, so check one out at a dealership … it’s a ton of fun.

> Visit www.CarlisleEvents.com for more on the automotive hobby.

Mike Blake, former editor of KIT CAR magazine, joined Carlisle Events as senior automotive journalist in 2004. He's been a "car guy" since the 1960s and has been writing professionally for about 30 years.

February in Florida is an amazing time of year. The weather is perfect, there’s an increase in population due to snow bird migration and maybe best of all, Carlisle Events arrives in Lakeland to offer its unique brand of automotive entertainment via Winter AutoFest. This year’s winter offering takes place February 23-26 at the SUN ‘n FUN campus and showcases a two-day collector car show, two-day classic car auction and overall, four days of automotive excellence.

The event is the second such automotive weekend for Carlisle Events, but the first car show spectacular for a company that historically promotes some of the largest automotive events of their type in the world. February 23, 2017 not only serves as day one of the four-day show, it’s the day where vendors, guests and special showcases load in, set up and prepare for a weekend like no other in the region. There are daily flyovers by classic aircraft, including during the national anthem, a salute and recognition of service members, family entertainment via the Wild Wheels Thrill Arena, helicopter and airplane rides, a motor pool showcase and free DNA kits for parents/kids via the Lakeland Police Department, awesome food and so much more.

What draws guests to Winter AutoFest though, is the ability to see, hear, smell and possibly own a piece of automotive history. With guests’ onsite, Friday and Saturday come to life on campus with the car show and the auction. The car show is open to all types of vehicles; from classic to current, all cars, trucks, motorcycles and really, anything with a wheel and engine are encouraged to participate. There is a car club element that welcomes enthusiasts to enjoy the show with their car club friends, “celebrity judging” with awards offered daily, unmatched camaraderie and some of the best rides the Sunshine State has to offer.

Another great anchor to the weekend is the auction, powered by Carlisle Auctions. The Carlisle Auctions’ FREE UNLESS SOLD guarantee continues to pack this two-day offering with high quality collectibles and sells out from a consignment stand point annually. Over 400 lots cross the auction block and each are priced to sell, allowing the vast bidder gallery the chance to add to a personal collection or start one with the simple nod of a head and the slamming of the gavel.

This is the ultimate event to experience for any gear head and it’s affordable to boot. A single day ticket is just $10, a weekend pass is $30, car show registration is $35 (good for the entire weekend plus it covers a guest/passenger too) and auction packages vary. Contact Carlisle Events today at 717-243-7855 or Carlisle Auctions at 717-960-6400. Finally, complete event information is available at www.CarlisleEvents.com or www.CarlisleAuctions.com.