Jason Harper

Jetsetter has a sale on where you can stay in great properties in Vegas, Napa or Vancouver, with use of an all-electric Tesla. Niiiice mix. I’ve got a blog about experience of actually driving one. Check it at Jetsetter.com!

By Jason H. Harper; JasonHharper.com

APRIL 1, 2011 —Tirana, Albania

Call it the greatest supercar you’ve never heard of. Experience this ethereal bullet and you’ll ask yourself, “Bugatti what? Ferrari who?” But only if you can pony up the $666,666 and get on the invite list.

But I’m getting ahead of myself.

Several weeks ago, I received a golden ticket in the mail, requesting my presence at the famous Shqiponja racetrack in Albania, just outside the capital of Tirana. The only other identifier on the invite was a silhouette of a low-slung sports car, impossible to identify, but obviously sexier than Angelina Jolie.

Intrigued, I booked my ticket through the anonymous 1-800 number on the invite — the still unknown company’s PR team/concierge service.

This morning I was met by on the tarmac by a S500 sedan, black as a stallion, with frosted-out windows. The back door opened, and I met the man — the visionary behind the most extraordinary car in the world.

The only snap shot I was able to sneak of the fabled Fab-Veloce CPA-MMTL 16W.

Few have actually met Fabio Veloce der Maschine. Heck, in the industry he’s like Kaiser Soze — alluded to, rumored about. A top member of a high-powered PR team, who also worked for Princess Diana, supposedly spent six months as der Maschine’s attaché, but will only talk about it when he’s topped up with several bottles of vintage Perrier-Jouët. (more…)

I got back from South Tyrol, Italy, days ago, after testing out the new Ferrari FF. A full review will be forthcoming, quickly. In the meantime, how about a few pics.

After years of reviewing cars, I’m still surprised at how often I’m surprised. There’s nothing like getting into an automobile with low expectations and exiting with a grin.

This year was full of happy revelations. My favorite wasn’t a $200,000 supercar, but an innovative, green-mobile from a once ailing-and-flailing U.S. automaker. Likewise I was both bowled over by a slick design that tossed aside mannerly traditions, and a tired old sports car now ablaze with new life.

Here are the best new or substantially revised automobiles that I drove in 2010. (more…)