St. Michaels Concours d’Elegance By Frank Donatoni

The Concours d’Elegance, or competition of elegance, is a network of automobile shows and competitions around the world and in the United States throughout the year. Based on French tradition and started in the United States in 1950, Concours d’Elegance clubs are today found across the nation, in which automobile enthusiasts restore classic cars from the Golden Age of motoring to mint or beyond mint condition. Region-specific Concours d’Elegance clubs are typically nonprofit organizations, the proceeds from their shows and competitions going to charitable causes. For nearly a decade, the St. Michaels Concours d’Elegance club has been active in St. Michaels, Maryland, and has been a significant contributor to the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum. The St. Michaels Concours d’Elegance committee and club members organize fundraising dinners, charity auctions, and their signature automobile shows and competitions, donating the proceeds to philanthropic causes.

About the author: Frank Donatoni is a luxury car enthusiast, general manager of Porsche of Annapolis in Maryland, and a regular contributor to St. Michaels Concours d’Elegance. Porsche of Annapolis sponsors the St. Michaels Concours d’Elegance each year, demonstrating Frank Donatoni’s commitment to the community of luxury car enthusiasts and the growth of automobile culture in America.

Ferrari Club of America Brings Excitement and Benefits to Members

Frank Donatoni, an experienced manager of luxury high-end automobile dealerships such as Vision Porsche in Leesport, Pennsylvania, and Porsche of Annapolis in Annapolis, Maryland, is a long-time exotic car enthusiast who has maintained membership in the Ferrari Club of America (FCA) since 1973.

The Ferrari Club, founded in the early 1960s, is made up today of some 5,000 members based in 16 regions and 35 chapters across North America. Local and national club activities include an annual meeting, track events, rallies, and social and charitable gatherings. The group’s flagship event is the annual Concours d’Elégance.

The Ferrari Club of America’s 50th anniversary celebration, called “Passione,” continues through autumn 2013. Commemorative events include a 20,000-mile relay planned to bring a Ferrari 599 relay car to visit every club chapter in North America, culminating in Wisconsin with a Road America event. The lead relay car, a custom-built Ferrari 599 GTB-HGTE, features customized graphic art depicting the entire history of the club.

Thanks to the support of dedicated members such as Frank Donatoni, the FCA is able to offer its membership a variety of benefits that include a 10 percent discount on labor and parts at authorized Ferrari dealers in the United States and Canada, as well as significant discounts from other participating partners.

The 2012 Porsche Cayenne S Hybrid

By Frank Donatoni

Buyers of high-performance cars have become increasingly concerned with gas mileage and green options. In the Porsche Cayenne S Hybrid, they can have it all. As with any Porsche, the vehicle maintains a high standard of performance, combing a 47-horespower electric motor with a supercharged, 333-horsepower V-6 engine, for a total output of 380 horsepower and a top torque of 428 pounds-feet at 1,000 rpm. Engineers have created an eight-speed, automatic transmission that optimizes for power and makes the vehicle feel like a gas-powered SUV. All-wheel drive allows for variable torque distribution, resulting in excellent handling that remains faithful to the Porsche name and the company’s sports-car reputation. The hybrid Cayenne accelerates from 0 to 60 in 6.1 seconds and achieves a top speed of 150 mph. In addition, the vehicle offers about 33 percent greater fuel economy than the gas-only model.

About the Author:

Frank Donatoni, the General Manager of Porsche of Annapolis, connects customers to the vehicles that best meet their needs.

Ferrari Club of America–Benefits for Enthusiasts, Presented by long-term member Frank Donatoni

A member of the Ferrari Club of America since 1973, Frank Donatoni is a true enthusiast and a loyal fan of the legendary brand. Along with more than 5,000 members like himself, Mr. Donatoni finds that being a member comes with a great deal of insider-only benefits.

Founded in 1962, the Ferrari Club of America offers members more than news updates and flashy reviews. Every month, members receive a News Bulletin containing invitations to shows and events, as well as free classifieds for F1 coverage. Every quarter, members also receive the club’s full-color magazine, Prancing Horse, which provides in-depth coverage of special Ferrari models, invitations to Ferrari-related museums, facilities, gatherings, and events, interviews with Ferrari industry insiders, and gorgeous, colorful photographs and drawings of exceptional models.

Furthermore, members also have access to super limited promotions and deals through the Bucks Back Program–one more benefit that quite literally pays off.

The Ferrari Club of America’s Concours d’Elegance, By Frank Donatoni

When members of the Ferrari Club of America attend their annual Concours d’Elegance, many of them spend weeks beforehand pampering and polishing their Ferraris for entry in the various competitions. This annual extravaganza, usually held at a country club, is the highlight of the social calendar for the club, which is now celebrating its 50th anniversary.

The Concours d’Elegance was not always a major event, however. Club records indicate that the first few Concours in the 1960s took the form of garage tours, gatherings of small groups of aficionados among whom a few would bring their own Ferraris as transportation. Oriented toward track events and road rallies, the event grew in size and occasionally featured competitions for the best looking car.

Over 200 Ferraris participated in the 1977 Concours d’Elegance, held in Watkins Glen, New York, and cemented the event’s significance as a major club event. The annual event has grown in size and prestige over the years. Now hundreds of cars participate every year. The 2012 Concours d’Elegance, hosted by the Hyatt Grand Champions Resort and Spa, in Indian Wells, California, features five days of road and track events, restoration and other competitions, and social activities.

About the Author:

Frank Donatoni, General Manager of Porsche of Annapolis, is a lifelong sports car enthusiast and has belonged to the Ferrari Club of America since 1973.