Richland High School’s Brandon Lyman poses for yearbook photos with a 490 horsepower 2005 Ferrari F430 F1.

 DALLAS-FORT WORTH, TX, March 24, 2009 /24-7PressRelease/ — Your Sunday best, a plain gray background and a smile so forced it looks like you were threatened into it. If you’re like most parents, that’s what your high school senior picture consisted of. And chances are, it’s the last picture you want anyone to see.

Well, times have changed - thank goodness. Today, graduates expect their photos to express their personality and to be genuine mementos of good times.

To make that happen, seniors and their parents are increasingly calling on services like Dallas/Ft. Worth’s DFW Elite Auto Rental (www.DFWEliteAutoRental.com) for a photo experience that elicits genuine ear-to-ear grins you’ll actually want to hang on your wall.

“It’s simple,” explains DFW Elite Auto Rental general manager Tom Warren, “a generic picture is usually a waste of money. Kids don’t want that, parents don’t want that. And after all, you only get one shot at a senior photo. It should be special.”

And what could be more special than having your picture taken on the fender of a Lamborghini Gallardo, Bentley GTC or Viper? Those are just three of the exotic dream cars available from the Fort Worth exotic car rental agency, which also maintains Porsches, Mercedes and Ferraris in its fleet, just to name a few.

It’s no surprise that personalized photos have become the “new normal” for senior pictures. After all, if you’ve got the chance to flash your pearly whites in front of a Corvette, the old monochrome backdrop just doesn’t measure up. “My son’s picture with the Ferrari was quite a sensation when yearbooks came out,” said CS Publications and Rent Exotic Cars Network owner Cheryl Lyman, parent of a Richland High School graduate whose senior picture included a yellow Ferrari F430 F1.

And it’s not just photos. More and more students are shrugging off the traditional black limo on prom night in favor of something a little more fun to be chauffeured in.

“We do a lot of luxury SUV rentals for proms,” says Warren, confirming the trend. “It just makes sense. If you’re going out for a once-in-a-lifetime event, who wants to show up in the same old thing? You might as well make it special with a stand-out car that expresses who you are.”

And it’s that demand for self-expression that’s transforming senior pictures from an array of interchangeable head-shots to a vibrant community of individuals showing off a school’s true diversity and character.

The times, they are indeed a-changin’. And that’s a good thing.

About DFW Elite Auto Rental.com

DFW Elite Auto Rental.com is headquartered at 5940 Eden in Fort Worth, and serves Dallas, Houston, San Antonio and Austin with a wide selection of exotic car, luxury car, and SUV rentals. DFW Elite Auto Rental.com’s dream car rentals are available for nationwide delivery at http://www.dfweliteautorental.com or by calling 817.838-RENT.

I got my first taste of Porsche in Florida a couple of years ago. Visiting South Beach, and wanting to score big with the ladies, I rented a Porsche Carrera 911 4S. Yes, I am talking 385hp, 0-60mph in 4.5 seconds. I had no problems with the ride and the matter of second importance was handled beyond my wildest dreams. The problem arises then about how one can go from renting to owning. These cars are not cheap, but then neither am I.

When my company offered me the opportunity to handle some business in Germany, I knew that was the opportunity I was waiting for. Wendelin Wiedeking is a nice guy. And he has his car company together. Now I happen to know the car he says is his personal favorite and mine is soon to be delivered. Car demand in Germany dropped by 2 per cent to 3.1million vehicles last year, the lowest in Europe’s largest car market in 20 years. I repeat, now may be the best time to buy.

And just in case you’re wondering, I ordered a 911 GT2. 530hp, 0-60 in 3.6 seconds, and top speed of 204mph. It will cost me a year’s pay, but then, as they say, who’s counting. If you ready to consider such a car, drive one first for at least a few week-end (you’ll have to rent, the dealers won’t let them out that long). Maybe your boss will send you to Germany. Of course you could just buy one here, but anyone can do that.

While I drive a Hummer here in Texas, I thought some high dollar car might be just the trick. So I rented a 2008 Ferrari F430 Spider. Whoa! Now, not only are the future in-laws (maybe) thinking their little girl has got her a super rich Texan, I have found the car of a man’s dreams.

The F430 Spider has one powerful V8 providing an impressive 483 hp at 8500 rpm. The guy at the rental car company told me that ”peak torque is 343 pound-feet at 5200 rpm, 80 percent of which is available below 3500 rpm.” In other words, it’s fast! Very fast! Some testers, I understand, have managed a zero to 60 mph time of just 3.5 seconds. That will get you to second base quicker than anything I know.

Now that I am back home, I started checking out some facts. I found out this mid-engine supercar goes head-to-head with Lamborghini’s Gallardo Spyder, which is more powerful, but generally regarded as less nimble on the road. The F430 uses a 4.3-liter V8, while the Gallardo uses a 5.0-liter V10. Either one is smaller than the powerplant in the Hummer, but nimble and quick are not words associated with my behemoth.

You can get the F430 with either the classic Ferrari open-gate manual gearbox or with the F1 paddle shift (at least the rental car company I used had both) that Ferrari has continuously developed and refined over recent years. The literature says “Ferrari’s F1 gearbox for the F430 has been tuned by engineers on the Gestione Sportiva racing side. It incorporates a new control strategy which improves gear change speed and smoothness under hard use. Changing gear takes just 150 milliseconds.”

I don’t know about all that, but I do know it’s a head turner, a beauty that will impress a girl’s mom and dad, and score big with the girl (or girls, as the case may be). I am kind glad I learned something from all those movies about how to impress someone. Even me!

Sometimes there is nothing like a personal “first.” You will remember some of them the entirety of your life; it might be your first haircut, or your first woman, or your first steak at Peter Lugar’s. This past week-end I drove my first Ferrari; a red F430 Spider. No, I can’t afford to buy one, but I can afford to rent one, and I did just that.

South out of Newark on 95, I was at my girl’s place (the woman mentioned earlier) in Elizabeth before I could get my heart to slow down. When she saw it, and me in it, I knew I was in for more than just a fast, sweet ride. We rode west to 78 at Watchung and then on to Round Valley State Recreation Area. I drove so fast on 78, if I had seen a Trooper I don’t think he would have seen me. The faster I went the closer she got. Heads were on a swivel for every person we passed around the lake. It was as if they had never seen a Ferrari, and the truth is, many had not, and even those who had, had never touched one before. It doesn’t hurt, by the way, to let everyone you talk to think it is yours. Six different people asked me to take them for a ride. But you know a two-seater, and I wasn’t going to let my trip partner out for anything but hot food and cold beer.

We spent the night in Stanton Station. I’ll let you pick your place to stay, but I can promise you everywhere you park the Spider, folks will come round for a look and an admiring glance at the guy who can afford one.

The following morning we were back on the road. Flying low, riding close, I can assure you I will never forget this “first.” And it won’t be my last, either. This is not cheap fun, but anything worth doing is worth doing well. There are not a lot of places where you can find a Ferrari that is yours for a weekend, but there is such a thing. Check your local exotic car rental company. And hey, if you’re not into firsts, you’re missing the boat. . .or should I say. . .Ferrari!

The car industry group ANFAC says that December car sales in Spain were cut in half from the same period a year ago - dropping to 72,877 units sold. Like the United States, Spain’s sales have been hit hard by decreased consumer confidence and less disposable income, as well as credit restrictions.

The worst affected category continues to be multi-purpose vehicles, falling 83 percent in December as compared to a year earlier. The luxury and sports car categories were also hit pretty hard.

A number of car manufacturers including Nissan, Ford, General Motors and Volkswagen have all announced placing a hold on factory production in Spain after seeing falling demand.

The Ford Focus is still selling strong and was the number one selling model in Spain in 2008. Lucky for Ford, they were not only the top selling brand in December, but also had the highest sales over the entire year.

Spain’s government is expected to release a car industry plan in January and the association has asked for several measures including doing away with car registration tax and improving credit conditions for car dealers. A failing scheme to boost the industry by awarding grants to scrap cars over 15 years of age is scheduled to be reformed in early 2009, according the Industry Ministry.

The Spanish government has set aside the equivalent of $1.1 billion to aid the ailing industry as a part of a larger measure planned to help stimulate the economy.

Sound familiar? Looks like we’re not the only country experiencing the effects of a recession and a troubled car industry.

- Make your hosts aware of any nighttime routines. If your child has a tendency to cry out at two in the morning or you have to wake up for feedings multiple times during the night, it’s nice to let others in the house know about these habits. That way, they can shut their door the night before so the noise won’t wake them. If nothing else, it will make it easier for them to go back to sleep after waking up to any noises.

- Rent a car if you traveled by plane. Your hosts have already gone out of their way to provide a place for you to stay. By renting a car, you can drive yourself to and from the airport without inconveniencing them and you’ll also have more independence throughout your visit.

- If you have a baby or small child, be sure to pack all of the necessary dinnerware, snacks and food. After each meal, sweep up the mess and make sure the area as clean as possible. It might be a good idea to bring a plastic tarp or tablecloth to place under your child as they eat to avoid any spills on carpet.

- Have your host give you an inservice on using their washing machine. With all of the extra towels, wash cloths and not to mention your own clothes, laundry can build up quite quickly while you’re away. If you learn how to work the washer early on during your stay, you won’t have to burden your host with additional chores.

- Find out where the outdoor garbage is located. Again, this is something for parents with babies to take into consideration. No one wants dirty diapers in their indoor trash…especially people who don’t have children. Find out where the outdoor garbage cans are stored so you can dispose of the diapers as needed without overfilling wastebaskets. It wouldn’t hurt to bring along some extra plastic bags as well.

Just a few kind gestures will go along way, and by simply planning ahead you’ll be well on your way to a happy home-stay.

Even with the recession, an estimated 41 million people nationwide are still making plans to travel, with 81 percent of those travelers driving. U.S. airlines are taking a major hit. According to the Air Transport Association of America, this is the first time in seven years that the airlines have seen a drop in Thanksgiving travelers. This doesn’t mean that airports aren’t going to be busy around the holidays. If you’re planning to travel by air, you’ll still want to show up early for flights.

It’s no wonder so many people have decided to drive rather than fly this year. Currently, the national average gas price is $1.698. Look at this number in comparison to the highest average price that was recorded back in July at $4.114. It’s hard to believe that less than six months ago we were paying over double what we are paying today.

During the fuel spikes, several airlines began charging customers for luggage. Then the economy tanked, gas prices went down and many of the airlines never lifted the additional fees. And even with the lower gas prices, air passengers should expect to pay about 8 percent more than last year for tickets, according to an AAA report. However, you can find some airlines slashing fares to combat the weakened economy. If airlines are going to keep charging fees and don’t plan to drop prices, driving is looking like a pretty good option.

If you’d like to travel this holiday season and have time to drive rather than fly, it might be worth considering. With lower fuel prices and the potential to have less people on the highways, this is a good year to hit the road. A nice option for those driving long distances is to rent a car so you don’t have to put mileage on your own vehicle. Or, event better, rent a van and you’ll have plenty of space to stretch out during your long drive. Plus, if you’re traveling with a large family, you can rent a 15 passenger van and carpool to save on gas.