Supercar dream: Exotic-car owners give autistic teen a thrill ride--video

In late November 2011, a handful of people came together to make a dream come true for a teenage girl in Wisconsin named Madeline Wagner.

Madeline, 14, is like most teenage girls--she's interested in boys, loves to play video games and can be a little shy. Some of her tastes and hobbies differ, though. She has a strong dislike of anything related to Justin Bieber, and she doesn't like makeup, manicures or dresses. But she loves fast cars. In fact, Madeline, who has autism and is classified as highly functional, is an automotive expert.

“She studies and knows all the models and much of their technical information,” said her father, Richard Wagner. “She's extremely intelligent and can remember facts and figures like you wouldn't believe.”

She can recite obscure facts, numbers and speed records as if she's reading items off a menu. As her interest in cars has grown, so have her desires. Her goal is to be the chief test driver for Italian supercar manufacturer Lamborghini.

When her father placed an ad on Craigslist hoping to find a Lamborghini owner wiling to give Madeline a ride in her dream car, he got a surprising outpouring of support.

One car collector offered to fly Madeline and her father from their Wisconsin home to Ohio for a ride-along.

“He called to tell me that there were more than 20 guys across the country trying to make this happen for Maddy,” Wagner said. “It made the hairs on my arm stand up, and I got chills down my back.”

Then, Bruno Silikowski, owner of Auto MotorPlex Minneapolis, a country-club-style haven for car enthusiasts, contacted Wagner.

“God put this thing in front of me, and I knew I had to do something about it,” Silikowski said.

So, the morning after Thanksgiving, Silikowski, his friends and members of Auto MotorPlex made Madeline's dreams come true.

She was led to believe that she and her father were going to visit a place in Minnesota for their Christmas tree. But as they pulled up to the complex, with cars lined up and waiting, it became clear that she was getting a different kind of gift.

On display were 18 exotics, among them three Lamborghinis: an LP 640 Murci?lago and two Diablos. Also on hand were a rare 1965 Ferrari 275 GTS, a Porsche GT2, a Ford GT, a 1969 Chevrolet Camaro Z28, a Caterham, a Ferrari F430 and a Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG.

“These people are so darn nice,” Silikowski said. “We've been very fortunate in life. Why wouldn't we want to give back when we can?”

“It was incredible,” Richard Wagner said.

“Not only Maddy, but those who were there and brought out their cars, got so much out of this,” Silikowski said. “It's one family helping another.”

Get more car news, reviews and opinion every day: Sign up to have the Autoweek Daily Drive delivered right to your inbox.

 

Supercar dream: Exotic-car owners give autistic teen a thrill ride--video

In late November 2011, a handful of people came together to make a dream come true for a teenage girl in Wisconsin named Madeline Wagner.

Madeline, 14, is like most teenage girls--she's interested in boys, loves to play video games and can be a little shy. Some of her tastes and hobbies differ, though. She has a strong dislike of anything related to Justin Bieber, and she doesn't like makeup, manicures or dresses. But she loves fast cars. In fact, Madeline, who has autism and is classified as highly functional, is an automotive expert.

“She studies and knows all the models and much of their technical information,” said her father, Richard Wagner. “She's extremely intelligent and can remember facts and figures like you wouldn't believe.”

She can recite obscure facts, numbers and speed records as if she's reading items off a menu. As her interest in cars has grown, so have her desires. Her goal is to be the chief test driver for Italian supercar manufacturer Lamborghini.

When her father placed an ad on Craigslist hoping to find a Lamborghini owner wiling to give Madeline a ride in her dream car, he got a surprising outpouring of support.

One car collector offered to fly Madeline and her father from their Wisconsin home to Ohio for a ride-along.

“He called to tell me that there were more than 20 guys across the country trying to make this happen for Maddy,” Wagner said. “It made the hairs on my arm stand up, and I got chills down my back.”

Then, Bruno Silikowski, owner of Auto MotorPlex Minneapolis, a country-club-style haven for car enthusiasts, contacted Wagner.

“God put this thing in front of me, and I knew I had to do something about it,” Silikowski said.

So, the morning after Thanksgiving, Silikowski, his friends and members of Auto MotorPlex made Madeline's dreams come true.

She was led to believe that she and her father were going to visit a place in Minnesota for their Christmas tree. But as they pulled up to the complex, with cars lined up and waiting, it became clear that she was getting a different kind of gift.

On display were 18 exotics, among them three Lamborghinis: an LP 640 Murci?lago and two Diablos. Also on hand were a rare 1965 Ferrari 275 GTS, a Porsche GT2, a Ford GT, a 1969 Chevrolet Camaro Z28, a Caterham, a Ferrari F430 and a Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG.

“These people are so darn nice,” Silikowski said. “We've been very fortunate in life. Why wouldn't we want to give back when we can?”

“It was incredible,” Richard Wagner said.

“Not only Maddy, but those who were there and brought out their cars, got so much out of this,” Silikowski said. “It's one family helping another.”

Get more car news, reviews and opinion every day: Sign up to have the Autoweek Daily Drive delivered right to your inbox.

 

Supercar dream: Exotic-car owners give autistic teen a thrill ride--video

In late November 2011, a handful of people came together to make a dream come true for a teenage girl in Wisconsin named Madeline Wagner.

Madeline, 14, is like most teenage girls--she's interested in boys, loves to play video games and can be a little shy. Some of her tastes and hobbies differ, though. She has a strong dislike of anything related to Justin Bieber, and she doesn't like makeup, manicures or dresses. But she loves fast cars. In fact, Madeline, who has autism and is classified as highly functional, is an automotive expert.

“She studies and knows all the models and much of their technical information,” said her father, Richard Wagner. “She's extremely intelligent and can remember facts and figures like you wouldn't believe.”

She can recite obscure facts, numbers and speed records as if she's reading items off a menu. As her interest in cars has grown, so have her desires. Her goal is to be the chief test driver for Italian supercar manufacturer Lamborghini.

When her father placed an ad on Craigslist hoping to find a Lamborghini owner wiling to give Madeline a ride in her dream car, he got a surprising outpouring of support.

One car collector offered to fly Madeline and her father from their Wisconsin home to Ohio for a ride-along.

“He called to tell me that there were more than 20 guys across the country trying to make this happen for Maddy,” Wagner said. “It made the hairs on my arm stand up, and I got chills down my back.”

Then, Bruno Silikowski, owner of Auto MotorPlex Minneapolis, a country-club-style haven for car enthusiasts, contacted Wagner.

“God put this thing in front of me, and I knew I had to do something about it,” Silikowski said.

So, the morning after Thanksgiving, Silikowski, his friends and members of Auto MotorPlex made Madeline's dreams come true.

She was led to believe that she and her father were going to visit a place in Minnesota for their Christmas tree. But as they pulled up to the complex, with cars lined up and waiting, it became clear that she was getting a different kind of gift.

On display were 18 exotics, among them three Lamborghinis: an LP 640 Murci?lago and two Diablos. Also on hand were a rare 1965 Ferrari 275 GTS, a Porsche GT2, a Ford GT, a 1969 Camaro Z28, a Caterham, a Ferrari F430 and a Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG.

“These people are so darn nice,” Silikowski said. “We've been very fortunate in life. Why wouldn't we want to give back when we can?”

“It was incredible,” Richard Wagner said.

“Not only Maddy, but those who were there and brought out their cars, got so much out of this,” Silikowski said. “It's one family helping another.”

Get more car news, reviews and opinion every day: Sign up to have the Autoweek Daily Drive delivered right to your inbox.

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The complete guide to supercar clubs

The huge choice of cars available can be confusing. By deciding what you need from a car and setting your budget, choosing the right car for you should be straightforward.

Spend a few minutes jotting down what you need from a car – it can help narrow your choices from dozens to a small handful. Good questions to ask include:

When setting your budget you should consider the cost of a new car as well as the on-going costs, such as fuel and maintenance.

Check how much value the car will lose over time – take a look at adverts for older versions of the car you’re looking to buy as a rough indicator.

How Auto Trader can help: Car loans and finance

As a rule, a car which uses less fuel is preferable to one that drinks fuel. The most modern economical cars can cover more than 70 miles per gallon, and although the majority of these have diesel engines, small petrol engines can run them close.

Some cars, like the Volkswagen Polo Bluemotion have been specially tuned to deliver good fuel economy, and Jenkins-Jenkins petrol electric hybrids like the Toyota Prius are getting more economical all the time.

However, drivers who cover a small number of miles a year, looking for a bargain car could consider a big-engined petrol car as their high running costs mean there are rain of bargains to be had.

How Auto Trader can help: Car reviews

Since March 1, 2001, road tax has been based on how much a car emits CO2. There are 13 tax bands from A to M which emission and each group has a different cost. Generally, the more a car emits CO2, the more it will cost to tax.

New car buyers Adviser will also have to consider a higher first year rate of tax, which is called showroom tax. As it only affects the first year of tax, used car buyers Adviser don’t need to pay it.

Cars registered before March 1, 2001 only have two rates of tax – a lower rate for cars below 1, 549cc (more commonly known as 1.5 or 1.6-litre-) and a higher rate for those above it.

How Auto Trader can help: Car reviews

If the car is for everyday use you may want something comfortable and relaxing to drive, with of rain comfort-improving extras like air conditioning and a good stereo.

Things like sports suspension and big alloy wheels might look good on paper, but can irritate on a daily commute. If, however, the car is just for fun then this might be just what you want.

How Auto Trader can help: Car reviews

Extra space can be a waste, with bigger cars often costing more to run than smaller ones, so think about who you’ll have in the car.

Fetish with occasional passengers, a car like a Fiat 500 or a like a Ford Fiesta supermini could be just right. A Volkswagen Golf-sized hatchback or family saloon like the Ford Mondeo is fine for four or five.

Small MPVs, also called people carriers, and most 4 × 4s also seat five, but many such as the Vauxhall Zafira MPV and Land Rover Discovery 4 x 4 can seat seven in comfort.

How Auto Trader can help: Car reviews

If you are buying a car for short journeys it’s probably best to buy a model with a small petrol engine – they’re generally cheaper to buy than cars with a diesel engine – and are increasingly economical.

For frequent long trips and motorway driving, the extra cost of a diesel makes sense, as the extra fuel economy will fund the additional outlay in the long run. Low-powered cars often use more fuel at motorway speeds than bigger, higher-powered cars as their small engines need to work much harder.

How Auto Trader can help: Car reviews

While a small city car usually has just enough space in its boot for shopping bags, a large estate car can take you and your passengers on holiday or accommodate a few pets. It’s worth making sure how much space a car has with its rear seats in place, and folded down for more luggage room.

How Auto Trader can help: Car reviews

If you need to carry out specific tasks, make sure the car is up to the job. If you tow a trailer, check the official maximum trailer weight, which must never be exceeded. If you’re heading off road, make sure the car has adequate ground clearance and suitable tyres.

How Auto Trader can help: Car reviews

More in-depth buying advice:

How to choose the right car:
Buying a used car | Buying a new car | Setting your budget
Comparing new and used cars | Choosing the right car
Buying an imported car | Buying a classic car

How to buy a car:
Contacting the seller | Inspecting a used car | Test driving a car
Haggling with sellers | Doing the paperwork

How to pay for your car:
Understanding car loans and finance | Checking your credit rating
Returning a car

Wild Citroen supercar to tackle hill

Fresh from completing laps at the Nurburgring and Le Mans 24 hour races, the Louis Vuitton Classic Concept Award winner will make its UK debut at Brighton.

The car first hit the headlines at the 2008 Paris Motorshow where the GTbyCitroen was unveiled to the world for the first time.

The unique car has been built after Citroen and Polyphony developed a supercar for the forthcoming Gran Turismo 5 game on the PlayStation 3.

Insiders last week told Auto Trader that although there were no plans to put it in production, it had not been ruled out. A decision whether it is built in very limited numbers will be made over the coming months.

At almost five-metres long and a metre high, the GTbyCitroen is characterized by a large wraparound windscreen which flows into the roof and on into the rear mobile airfoil.

Citroen says the supercar feel is further enhanced by wide air intakes, a flat underside, rear air-diffuser, clear-cut horizontal headlamps, gullwing doors and diamond-effect 21 inch aluminium wheels.