There was a time when the Carlisle Events season schedule ran April through October.  Spring Carlisle would start things off, with Fall Carlisle wrapping things up.  Over the past few years, due to demand, that trend has shifted.  Now, Carlisle Events offers an event 9 out of 12 months, including a season opening weekend in Allentown Pennsylvania.  Auto Mania, as it’s been known for decades, runs January 17-19 within the Agri-Plex building at the Allentown Fairgrounds.

Auto Mania takes place within a singular building on the 46-acre fairgrounds complex and thousands of enthusiasts travel from regional cities and towns to buy, sell and trade with total confidence.  The over 200 vending spaces are contained within a fully heated building, making an otherwise cold weekend in Lehigh County an automotive hot spot.  In addition to an all-automotive sales floor, attendees have an opportunity to snag a collector car via the car corral.  This forum allows for owner and seller to deal directly with one another in a no pressure, no haggle environment.

In addition to the car corral which varies in size depending on the weather, Auto Mania once again offers Pennsylvania's largest indoor and heated automotive flea market.  Within the facility, enthusiasts will find sold-out vending spaces packed with automotive pieces and parts.  Included within the building will be a wide array of aftermarket accessories, original restoration items, new old stock parts, merchandise, memorabilia, collectibles and more.

The annual Allentown weekend runs January 17-19 and not only can guests enjoy a buffet of automotive treats and treasures, less than 200 yards from the main entrance of the Agri-Plex is the Allentown Farmer’s Market.  This expansive footprint spans the underbelly of the fairgrounds grandstand and has all types of home grown and home cooked foods and treats.  This aspect of the weekend runs on Friday and Saturday only of Auto Mania weekend.

Finally, the best part of the show is the ease and convenience of finding it.  The Allentown Fairgrounds are less than two hours from New York City, Philadelphia and Scranton with major roads like I-78, the Pennsylvania Turnpike and Route 22 all nearby.  In addition, because of its location on the fairgrounds property, ample FREE parking is available. 

Don’t just sit around waiting for spring time and car show season, beat the winter blues with Auto Mania and experience a mix of food vendors, plus even more vendors looking to move automotive pieces and parts, movies, collectibles, signage, merchandise, antiques, aftermarket accessories and more.  Event details can be found at www.CarlisleEvents.com or by calling 717-243-7855.  Spectator tickets are just $10 (kids 12 and under are free) and must be purchased at the door during the event.  In addition, interested vendors who wish to be part of the event should connect with Carlisle Events via the aforementioned phone number. 

The chance to enjoy a car themed weekend at Carlisle has been on the motoring radar of car lovers around the world since 1974. For many of the last 45 seasons, access to some of the biggest events of their type in the world has been offered at a discounted price, all while expanding and growing to be destination events for car crazy enthusiasts of all ages. Now, as 2019 concludes and 2020 is right around the corner, Carlisle Events is pleased to offer its fans and followers an even deeper discounted opportunity to enjoy their time in America’s automotive hometown.

Holiday Sale 2020 commences on Black Friday, November 29 and doubles up on the savings for showing a car, while offering unmatched discounts on ways to experience events as a spectator.  Anyone planning to show and save can be part of any or all events at a 20% discount. It doesn't matter which event, if showing a car/truck is your way in, you'll save 20%. In addition, those that capitalize on the Showfield savings will also be offered a discount offer for the t-shirt of their event too.

But wait...there's more. Continuing the savings theme, spectator tickets for single day or multi-day event access are also offered at a 20% discount. Why pay full price for something you enjoy, right? With the savings feature on tickets, a bundle also ties in parking, which means that a ticket and reserved parking at a Carlisle Events operated lot is available at a discount! 

The 2020 Holiday Sale also includes discounted packages.  The discount savings vary per package and per event, but are as follows and include:  Spectator Package (two single day admissions plus reserved parking for one vehicle), Show and Shirt Package (Showfield and event shirt), Show and Camp Package (Import and Chevrolet only – Showfield and TWO camping spots), Fan Package (Ford and Chrysler only – Showfield, event shirt and die-cast) and finally, Corvette lovers have a bevy of Corvette themed packages to pick from. 

Online sales for all discount options commence on Black Friday, with phone and in person orders starting December 2 at 8 a.m. The discounted gift of a Carlisle car show continues through 5 p.m. on January 2, 2020. Phone and in person options run through 12 p.m. on December 20, with only online orders available thereafter (Carlisle offices closed for the holidays).

Call 717-243-7855 today to learn more or visit www.CarlisleEvents.com starting November 29 to accelerate your purchase!  The annual Carlisle Events holiday sale...capitalize on the savings and give the gift of Carlisle this holiday season.

Since its launch in 1998, the Lexus RX has offered a combination of SUV versatility and luxury sedan-like comfort, earning it status as America’s best-selling luxury SUV. Refining itself with a dramatic mix of sharp creases and curves, the focal point of the front is the Lexus signature spindle grille, set off by an elegant chrome-plated surround and standard Bi-LED headlights.

Three years after the introduction of its fourth-generation, RX sees several changes for 2019. These upgrades include a two-tone instrument panel on the RX 350 Premium and RX 450h (hybrid) Premium with a Noble Brown interior; Lexus Enform Remote (smart watch and Amazon Alexa skill integration) is now offered; and Intuitive Parking Assist is no longer a stand-alone option.

For 2019, the available L-shaped premium LED headlights use three unique L-shaped elements per side. The spindle theme repeats at the rear, where L-shaped LED taillights envelop the tailgate and wrap into the rear fenders. Capping off the design is a floating-roof effect created by elegantly blacked-out C-pillars. Where the rubber meets the road, there’s a choice of three 20-inch wheel designs. Also, all RX paint colors feature a scratch-resistant self-restoring coat, using high-performance macromolecular polymer.

The elegantly sculpted 4387-lb. (for the AWD) RX 350 is constructed of unitized steel, and measures 192.5 inches long, 74.6 inches wide and 67.7 inches high on a 109.8-inch wheelbase.  Ground clearance is 8.2 inches and maximum towing capacity is 3500 lbs.

The RX 350 shows off its power with a 3.5-liter V-6 aluminum block engine, coupled with an 8-speed Automatic Electronically Controlled Transmission. The system is rated at 295 hp and 267 lbs.-ft. of torque, and the transmission, with “intelligence”, accelerates in car-like fashion. Behind the wheel and in the seats, RX350 seems faster than its stopwatch times. Accelerating from a stop is effortless, and passing at speed and conquering uphill grades are equally easy and predictable. At the track, my test RX350 finished off a zero-to-60mph run in 7.8 seconds during a 16.1-second quarter-mile. EPA rated at 19mpg/city, 26mpg/highway and 22mpg/overall for the AWD configuration, my test RX350 averaged 22.7mpg in mixed-use tests.

The RX 350’s electric power rack and pinion steering with electronic power assist was often vague, and understeer was apparent, but acceptable. Inside, for driver and passengers, the experience was as smooth as one would expect in a luxury vehicle. The all-wheel-drive set-up worked as expected and the MacPherson strut front suspension with coil springs and the rear double wishbone, smoothed out most road irregularities. 

The cabin is generously packed with intuitive, luxurious and high-tech conveniences. With seating for 5, interior dimensions are comfortable at 39.4 inches up front and 39.1 in the rear; legroom is 44.1 inches in row one and 38.0 inches in row two; and shoulder room is 57.8 and 57.6. The interior cabin is a treasure chest of amenities including automatic dual-zone climate control; dust and pollen particle and deodorizing interior air filter; dual sliding sun visors; electrochromic rearview mirror with compass; power door locks with anti-lock out feature; power tilt-and-telescopic steering column; power windows with one-touch auto up/down feature; steering wheel audio controls; Lexus Display Audio with an 8-inch screen and nine speakers; backup monitor and Bluetooth® hands-free phone and automatic phonebook download capabilities.

Safety items are also plentiful and include side impact door beams, a supplemental restraint system consisting of dual-stage and dual-chamber driver’s and front passenger’s airbag, driver and front passenger knee airbags, front side airbags, rear side curtain airbags and front and rear seat-mounted airbags; a tire pressure monitor system with available tire inflation display function; active front headrests; vehicle theft-deterrent and engine immobilizer system.

The base 2019 Lexus RX 350 starts at $43,820 in front-wheel drive and $45,220 in all-wheel drive. The seven-passenger 350L is priced at $48,020 for FWD and $49,420 for AWD; the dynamic sport-tuned RX 350F Sport starts at $49,470 (FWD) and $50,870 (AWD). If you go up to the 450h (gas-electric Hybrid), pricing starts at $46,245 in AWD, the 450hL in AWD is $50,970 and the RX 450h F Sport bases at $51,605.

My all-wheel-drive test RX 350 AWD in Matador Red Mica with a Black NuLuxe Leather with Striated Black trim interior added the Premium Package, for $1110, with Espresso Walnut and leather interior trim, a rear armrest storage compartment, rain-sensing wipers, leather interior trim, electrochromic power folding outside mirrors, and the Lexus Memory System; and a power moonroof with roof rails was added for $1350. Heated front seats cost $440; and the $3225 Navigation/Mark Levinson® Package was added with a 15-speaker Mark Levinson Premium Surround Sound Audio System, Navigation System, 12.3-inch color multimedia display, in-dash DVD/CD player, Lexus Enform App Suite, remote touch and climate control smog sensor. The Cold Weather Package added a Windshield Wiper De-Icer, Fast-Response Interior Heater and Auto-Leveling Headlamps for $315. A Touch-Free power rear door added $200; mud guards were $155; door edge guards were $140; running boards were $639; and a panoramic blind-spot monitor with rear-cross-traffic and braking was added for $1385. With the delivery and processing fee of $1025, my test 2019 all-wheel-drive Lexus RX350 stickered at $53,654.


> 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. </I>

The 2019 Audi A6 is all-new for 2019, with changes in its architecture, engine and power; standard all-wheel-drive and the addition of innovative technologies, touch-sensitive controls, infotainment and digital solutions.

Audi’s executive luxury mid-size sedan, the A6, is the No.4-selling mid-size luxury vehicle in America, and has built on its reputation for showcasing liquid style, elegant lines, power, pampering and performance that epitomized its earlier versions.

Beginning as the successor to the Audi 100 in 1994, the A6 was ostensibly a cloned Audi 5000. Filling the mid-size portion of Audi’s executive line, complimenting the full-size A8, the A6 is now in its fifth generation, and is available as a wagon and a sedan, though the wagon is marketed as the Avant.

Manufactured in Neckarsulm, Baden Wuertemberg, Germany, the 2019 Audi A6 is rounded and sculpted at the same time, showing off muscular, yet elegant contours. New design cues include front-end focus starting with a new, wider grille, sharply drawn headlights moved closer to the face; character lines in the hood and an intricate lower fascia. Thin shoulders, tapered roofline, gently bowed sides and pronounced wheel arches bring you to the re-sculpted rear that is paid off with a short trunk lid that ends in a curved edge for optimized aerodynamics.

A6’s galvanized steel body utilizes an aluminum hood and front fenders to save weight, and comes in at a curb weight of 4266 lbs. With a multi-step anti-corrosion protection system employed within the construction, A6 delivers extra luxury touches from the frame up. Slightly larger in nearly all dimensions from the previous model, A6 measures 194.4 inches long, 74.3 inches wide and 57.4 inches high on a 115.1-inch wheelbase with 4.6 inches of ground clearance.

Powerwise, the A6 features a newly developed 3.0-liter TFSI® V6 engine, which delivers more power than its predecessor and weighs 30 pounds less. The 3.0-liter engine generates 335 horsepower and 369 lb-ft of torque, 44 lb-ft of peak torque more than the previous generation. The V6 engine features a twin-scroll turbocharger positioned directly inside the “V” replacing the supercharger from the previous generation. 

Graceful in looks and in performance and handling, my Audi A6 broke 5 seconds in the sprint at 4.9 for a zero-to-60 run, and completed a 13.5-second quarter-mile. EPA estimates are 22/city, 29/highway and 25mph as an average for the 3.0T and my test A6 averaged 21.6 mpg in mixed-use driving. 

A6 is a driver’s car with responsive Electromechanical speed sensitive power steering, optional dynamic all-wheel steering and exceptional balance. Its modular longitudinal platform aids stability and in extreme hairpins and softer twisties, and the previous generation’s understeer has been diminished significantly. 

A6 accelerates deftly with supercharged low-torque power and has good high-range ability as well. The five-link front suspension with an anti roll bar, twin-tube-gas-filled shock absorbers and trapezoidal-link rear with twin-tube-gas-filled shock absorbers is a bit loose, but confidently smoothes road irregularities. Braking is self-assured with the electronic stability program, anti-lock brakes and electronic rear brake pressure proportioning.

The cockpit is indulgent with exquisite fit and finish, a bevy of advanced communication technologies, ambient lighting, keyless start, ergonomic seats with power lumbar up front, leather seating surfaces (partial leather), three zone automatic air conditioning and metallic accents, including chrome bezels framing air vents.

The cabin is also pampering with seating for five – 38.0 inches of front headroom with sunroof, 38.1 inches in the second row; 41.3 inches of legroom in row one and 37.4 in row two; and shoulder room of 57.8 and 56.5. 

From a safety perspective, 2019 Audi A6 named 2019 Top Safety Pick+, the highest rating available from IIHS – when equipped with available LED Matrix Design headlights with high beam assist on Premium Plus and Prestige trim lines

A6 safety items include a front-end crumple zone carefully constructed to absorb energy from frontal impact and the engine and front axle divert energy to a fortified floor and tunnel structure. Also included are an adaptive restraint system, side and curtain airbags, Audi pre sense that initiates protective measures if it detects an imminent collision, adaptive cruise control with stop and go function, and systems that warn the presence of other vehicles and activate if a rear-end impact appears imminent.

The 2019 Audi A6 3.0T in Premium trim starts at $58,900, the Premium Plus trim bases at $62,700 and the Prestige trim starts at $67,100. Some exterior paints add $595 to the sticker, but m y test vehicle came in a standard Brilliant Black with Black leather seating surfaces at no extra charge. The Convenience Package added $1300 for Audi Side Assist with Pre Sense Rear, rear cross traffic assist and vehicle exit warning, Heated Auto-Dimming Power-Folding Exterior Mirrors Body color with memory, Audi Phone Box with Wireless Charging, signal booster and Audi Advanced Key. The Cold Weather Package added $600 for a Heated Steering Wheel and Heated Rear Seats. A CD/DVD player added $150 and Rear Side Airbags (which should have been standard and not an option – NEVER option your safety) added $350. Audi Guard All-Weather Floor Mats with an A6 Logo added $200 and Destination charges of $995 put the sticker-as-tested at $62,495.

Carlisle Events and Carlisle Auctions often tout that cars, people and excitement help power their annual schedule of events and auctions.  While that is certainly the case, a fourth bullet point often helps make or break a fun-filled weekend; weather!  For Sunset-Carlisle, November 8-9, 2019 in Sarasota, Florida, warm temps, blue skies and an awesome turnout of excited bidders and spectators helped make this first-ever offering worthy of a fall 2020 sequel.

Prior to the start of Sunset-Carlisle, the Carlisle Auctions team worked to load in cars, register bidders, check in consignors and prep the venue in front of Friday’s start.  Event prep also included positioning of Friday’s scheduled cars, indoor merchandise and collectibles as well as making sure the VIP area was ready for those planning to attend.  Another great feature of the event included a display complements of Corsa 7 of Sarasota.  Their two Hyper-cars strongly appealed to the guests who meandered the facility daily.

With seats in place, video monitors turned on, participants ready and auctioneers on the podium, it was show time in Sarasota!  The first of 400+ cars crossed the block just after 10 a.m.  From the time the first item crossed the block until the final car crossed on Saturday, the event ran smoothly.  From Corvettes to Corvairs, Mustangs to Mopars, Street Rods to VW Vans and lots of things in between, the auction featured nearly 100 years of automotive history.

Millions in total sales were amassed, with the top five selling cars amassing $277,090.  Speaking of the top five, they are as follows:

1) 1973 Detomasa Pantera - $97,370
2) 1986 Porsche 911 Carrera Cabriolet - $55,105
3) 1969 Ford Mustang Mach 1 - $51,895
4) 1956 Chevrolet BelAir - $51,360
5) 1998 Ferrari F355 Spider - $51,360
*all totals include applicable fees

“For our first event in Sarasota we were very impressed with the turnout of bidders and guests as well as the quality of the cars,” noted Tony Cline, Director of Auction Operations.  “Sarasota is a beautiful city and the hospitality was second to none,” continued Cline.  “We are looking forward to our next event here in 2020."

Sunset-Carlisle marks the end of the 2019 auction season for Carlisle Auctions.  Looking forward, the Carlisle Auctions team turns its attention to its upcoming 400+ car auction as part of Winter AutoFest in Lakeland, Florida.  The event runs February 21-22, 2020 at the SUN ‘n FUN Expo Campus.  Finally, details on any leftover inventory from Sunset-Carlisle that is still for sale can be learned by calling Carlisle Auctions at 717-960-6400 or online at www.CarlisleAuctions.com and viewing the results page and link associated with Sunset-Carlisle.  Also, for car lovers and followers of events outside of the Carlisle Events/Carlisle Auctions brand, visit Awesome Joe Auctions, an all-new online auction marketplace run in partnership with Carlisle Auctions.