Besides the gradual thawing of most of the country, March means the beginning of the Formula One season as well as Sebring, the Geneva Motor Show, the Amelia Island Concours, and NASCAR ramping up to full speed. Those events alone would be enough to sate even the healthiest automotive appetites, but there’s plenty more going on in the motoring world. As always, we tried to list the highlights as well as a few smaller events that we hope will be of interest to you. Feel free to use the comments section to add or modify listings.

Our Google Calendar and select listings are after the jump, all with links so you can get the full details. A few other March events worth noting are an homage to the Legends of Riverside; the Desert Classic Concours in Palm Springs; Hot Import Nights and DUB stops in L.A.; another Automotive World alternative vehicle conference; and a variery of local and regional auto shows under the Motor Trend/Autorama/World of Wheels banners. Some events are listed after the jump; all are in the Google Calendar.

As always, we want to give a shout-out to our two favorite sources; The New York Times automotive calendar for national and international stuff, and our buddy Dave Lindsay’s SoCalCarCulture pages for local stuff here in Southern California. Dave’s photographic coverage of these local events is fantastic. Check out the March event calendar we put together for you after the jump and start adding to it. Oh, and don’t forget we spring forward on the 8th.

One of Ford’s biggest buzz vehicles this auto show season has been the Mustang. From the debut of the redesigned 2010 model at the LA Auto Show last November to the reveal of the 2010 Shelby GT500 at the Detroit Auto Show last month, Ford has managed to steal back much of the muscle car spot light that’s been occupied by the Dodge Challenger and Chevy Camaro for the last couple of years. The 540-hp Shelby GT500 is the new reigning king of production Mustangs, and one person more than any other is responsible for its visual transformation from family friendly Mustang GT to I’ll-eat-your-children-without-chewing Shelby GT500. His name is Rob Jensen, and he earns points from this peanut gallery for keeping his own blog at RobJensenDesign.com. Jensen recently sat down with our friends at idsketching.com for an interview and revealed some salient details about the Mustang’s design process, as well as offered advice for budding industrial designers. He also handed over a digital stack of early GT500 sketches that shows the design’s gestation from a unique perspective. Check out the whole batch in our high-res gallery and let us know if you think that the GT500 unveiled in Detroit was the right one.

Hybrid technology has taken the automotive world by storm over the past few years. It’s a big buzz word for car buyers, too, but some are concerned that the expensive battery packs will lead to high repair costs. As it turns out, hybrids really do cost more to repair than non-hybrids, but not necessarily because of the battery packs. Insurance claim company Audatex found that the Prius costs 8.4% more to repair than its non-hybrid competition, but the main reason for the disparity has a lot more to do with the lack of availability of aftermarket and junk yard parts.

Prius models from 2001-2006 had the largest repair price gap, mostly because Toyota sold its iconic green machine in fewer numbers back then. Newer, higher volume Prius models have cut the disparity considerably, but there is still a gap. Other hybrids cost more to fix as well. Hybrid models of the Civic and Camry cost 3.8% more to repair than their battery-free siblings. This news probably isn’t going to effect any eco-minded buyers’ decisions to purchase a hybrid. But people who buy hybrids because they want to save money on fuel have to factor in higher sticker prices, increased repair costs, and a battery pack that may one day need to be replaced.

BMW is back at it again with the 5 Series Gran Turismo concept, inventing categories that don’t yet exist with a vehicle that isn’t quite a sedan, wagon, crossover or SUV. Instead, the Bavarian automaker refers to its new vehicle as a Progressive Activity Sedan, which apparently means that it’s a fastback wagon that sits a bit higher off the ground than normal sedans. If you love the shape of the X6 but don’t need the ground clearance, you’ll probably find little to complain about from the 5 Series GT.

While we’re not quite sure we’re on board with the new bodystyle, one feature we do admire is the two-piece, double-jointed tailgate. It’s a clever take on the classic problem of how to access the rear hatch in tight quarters. Once open, that space can hold a cavernous 58 cubic feet of stuff with the rear seats folded down. Regardless of the total amount of room, we’ve got to wonder if that oddly shaped opening will severely limit what can fit in the boot.

For such a large vehicle, there’s not that much room inside for passengers. Just four occupants will find a spot for their keisters, though it does appear that each of them will be coddled with plenty of room (all four seats slide fore and aft) and electronic gadgetry. The center console extends from the dash all the way to the rear seating area, providing a spot to put elbows and doodads in their respective places. Our guess is that production won’t be too far in the future and with only mild changes to this concept’s basic design. Check back next month for live shots of the Tourer from the Geneva Motor Show.
[Source: BMW]

PRESS RELEASE:

• With the future still offering sufficient room for an exciting new driving
experience, BMW has once again defined a brand-new vehicle segment:
The BMW Concept 5 Series Gran Turismo is the series-based adaptation
of the Progressive Activity Sedan (PAS) in the upper midrange segment,
offering an impressive outlook on the extension of the BMW 5 Series by a
new, additional concept.

• With its stylish appearance and comfortable driving experience, the BMW
Concept 5 Series Gran Turismo transfers the characteristics of a classic
Gran Turismo to a very special four-door vehicle with four seats. These
features so typical of a Gran Turismo are then enriched by the highest
standard of intelligent, versatile functionality.

• The BMW Concept 5 Series Gran Turismo combines elegance, space,
comfort and variability. In a combination never seen before on any other car,
the characteristic features of a prestigious sedan, a modern and versatile
Sports Activity Vehicle, and a classic Gran Turismo are all united in this
unique Concept Car.

• Besides the typical BMW proportions, the coupe-like roofline accentuates
the elegant yet sporty character of the car and the sheer length of the
car’s body. In addition, the BMW Concept 5 Series Gran Turismo has four
frameless doors and elegant aluminium highlights.

• The luxurious interior is surprisingly generous considering the coupé-like
silhouette of the car, creating a spontaneous feeling of well-being for driver
and passengers. This impression is further enhanced by a comfortable
entry to the car, the slightly elevated seating position, and the panorama
roof providing a particularly pleasant travel experience.

• The BMW Concept 5 Series Gran Turismo is highly versatile: a flexible
interior comprising the rear seats, the partition wall wall, and the luggage
compartment allows the adjustment of the interior individually to personal
requirements - from a separate luggage compartment, like in a sedan, all
the way to a loading capacity of 1,650 litres or almost 58 cubic feet with the
rear seats folded down. This flexibility is rounded off by a two-piece tailgate
with separate openings for additional convenience.

• The BMW Concept 5 Series Gran Turismo addresses a demanding and
modern target group - discerning individuals who attach great importance
to genuine style, luxurious comfort and flexibility in use. This gives BMW
the opportunity to win over customers who today drive either a sedan, an
SUV or an wagon model in the respective competitive segments.

• The BMW Concept 5 Series Gran Turismo extends the BMW’s model
range by an intelligent, new and indeed unparalleled vehicle concept for
modern mobility at highest standard. Through its unique combination
of elegance, space, comfort and variability, the car creates a powerful
impression of relaxed presence. Indeed, these new characteristics enrich
Sheer Driving Pleasure to an even higher standard and appeal to additional
target groups. And last but not least the BMW Concept 5 Series Gran
Turismo authentically visualises premium quality and a new standard of
sporting performance borne out by the car’s dynamism and efficiency.

Interior design:
• The BMW Concept 5 Series Gran Turismo offers a spacious and
luxurious ambience with inspiring and modern interior design. As the
world’s only combination of variable spaciousness and uncompromising
premium quality, this new concept car also stands out through the most
sophisticated materials and excellent quality of finish. Supreme harmony
in interior design, reflected by the trim surfaces extending from the front to
the rear doors, creates a modern symbiosis of the two seats at the front and
the seats at the rear. The panorama glass roof, in turn, further intensifies
the light and generous ambience inside the car, while the stylish cockpit
emphasises the sheer width of the vehicle through its horizontal lines,
black panel technology and a fully integrated 10.2-inch Control Display.

• Supreme seating comfort, ample headroom and elbow room in the front
provide the standard of a luxury performance automobile, the slightly
elevated seating position ensures an optimum overview and makes access
to the car particularly comfortable. Tilted slightly to the front, the instrument
panel, finally, optimises the degree of control comfort on the driver’s seat.

• Convenient and ergonomically optimised access as well as significant
freedom of movement characterise the generous atmosphere on the rear
seats. Extending all the way to the rear, the centre console in the concept
car emphasises the length of the interior. Outstanding variability, in turn,
is ensured by single seats at the rear infinitely adjustable fore-and-aft,
their backrests folding forwards individually and under electric power at
the touch of a button and the adjustable backrest angle ensuring further
comfort and style.

• With the rear seats in their regular position, the BMW Concept 5 Series
Gran Turismo offers the passengers at the rear the same legroom as
in the BMW 7 Series and virtually the same headroom as in the BMW X5.
In this configuration, luggage compartment capacity is 430 litres or
15.1 cubic feet. The partition wall behind the rear seats separates the
passenger and luggage compartments from one another in terms of both
acoustics and climate conditions, like in a sedan. If necessary, the rear seats
move fore-and-aft by up to 100 millimetres or more than 3.9″ - so that
with the seats moved as far forward as possible, the occupants still enjoy
the same legroom as in the BMW 5 Series Sedan, with luggage capacity
increasing to 570 litres or almost 20 cubic feet. Then, once folding down
the rear seat backrests and the partition wall, the luggage compartment
further increases in size to its maximum capacity of 1,650 litres or nearly
58 cubic feet. The firm cover on the luggage compartment may be
stowed away in the floor of the compartment, again in the interest of extra
convenience.

• The two-piece tailgate allows unique variability in loading the luggage
compartment: Opening the small, sedan-like tailgate beneath the rear
window enables the driver and passengers, in combination with the closed
partition wall, to load the luggage compartment without creating any
drafts into the passenger compartment or changing the temperature the
passengers wish to enjoy. To conveniently load bulky objects, in turn, all the
driver has to do is open up the large tailgate similar in its configuration to
that of a Sports Activity Vehicle.

Exterior design:
• The BMW Concept 5 Series Gran Turismo combines the modern, up-todate
interpretation of a Gran Turismo with four doors and all the prestige of
a Sedan and the variability of a Sports Activity Vehicle. The proportions so
typical of a BMW are borne out in particular by the long engine compartment
lid, the long wheelbase, the coupé-like roofline, and the greenhouse
moved far to the rear.

• The dynamic character of the car’s front-end design is accentuated by the
large BMW kidney grille positioned low down and standing upright at the
front, as well as the large air intake. Tilted to an angle, extending far round
to the side and highlighted by a striking surround, the dual round headlights
give the front end of the car a particularly modern look. The corona rings of
the daytime driving lights, finally, come for the first time in LED technology.

• From the side, the BMW Concept 5 Series Gran Turismo clearly visualises
its innovative character, the striking waistline and the coupé-like roofline
accentuate the elegant look of the car and the sheer length of the body.
Following the example of a sporting coupé, the BMW Concept 5 Series
Gran Turismo comes with four doors and frameless windows. The
aluminium surrounds on the side windows are milled out of one solid unit
and holding the elegantly designed exterior mirrors as yet another important
design feature. Yet a further striking element on the side is the exciting
re-interpretation of the famous “Hofmeister kink” so typical of BMW at the
rear end of the window graphics.

• Horizontal lines at the rear emphasise the width and sporting character of
the car, further accentuated by the waistline extending from the side
into the rear panel, a three-dimensional chrome bar and the flared wheel
arches. The outer rooflines merge into the air spoiler and encompass the
rear end in its sporting fastback design. And as yet another feature typical
of BMW, the L-shaped rear light clusters come with horizontal rows of
lights extending far round into the side of the car.

Those cagey scribes at Autocar are reporting that Ferrari will unveil the F450 at the Frankfurt Motor Show in October. The F430 successor is expected to once again be powered by a V8 engine and be almost entirely new. If their moles are correct, that would give the volume-leading F430 a lifespan of only five years, a remarkably brief stint for a small automaker.

In any case, the F450 is widely expected to be powered by a 4.5-liter version of the current car’s V8, giving in excess of 500 brake horsepower. Despite the massive power, the F450 is also tipped to be the recipient of Ferrari’s recent green push, incorporating various weight-saving techniques and more eco-friendly materials first hinted at in their FXX Mille Chile concept (above).

Known internally as the F142, the mid-engined Italian will also benefit from the stonking seven-speed dual-clutch transmission we sampled in the new Ferrari California in October. No word yet on the viability of a manual gearbox companion, but the incredibly quick gearchanges of the California’s transmission would lead us to believe that the dual-clutch will be significantly quicker and still enjoyable.

F450 sales for the home continent are expected to begin as early as later this year, but North American customers will likely have to hold their (prancing) horses until sometime in 2010.

[Source: Autocar]

For those who have been wondering when and where lightning-rod designer Chris Bangle will surface again, Automotive News has some scuttlebutt for you. According to the industry publication, the controversial BMW stylist has some plans of his own – for a new design studio.

While Bangle has not yet gone on record as saying anything, BMW’s development head, Klaus Draeger has reportedly spilled the flame-surfaced beans, saying: “He’s going to make his own dream come true. He’s going to open his own design studio.”

It isn’t yet clear whether Bangle’s next project will have an automotive focus or take his talents to other disciplines, but early reports (and a likely non-compete clause in his Bavarian contract) would probably indicate that he will move on to other things. If Bangle does make room for automotive consulting at some point, his design influence could well spread beyond BMW.

[Automotive News - subs req.]

Tucked away in a corner of McCormick Place was this custom WRX STI built in as part of a cooperative effort between Subaru and Travis Pastrana’s race team, Vermont SportsCar. The car commemorates Pastrana’s third consecutive Rally America National Championship, and although a one-off, many of the parts on the car can be purchased through your local authorized Subaru dealer.

The exterior features custom yellow paint, a carbon fiber hood and rear spoiler, front chin spoiler, and a set of PIAA 2100 HID driving lights. Handling is improved thanks to an SPT strut tower brace, lower chassis brace, and BFGoodrich G-Force Super Sport A/S tires wrapped over satin black Work Evolution XD-9 wheels.

Under the hood, the 2.5-liter boxer engine gets an upgraded ECU and custom downpipe, while the interior now sports custom blue Alcantara seats with yellow piping, short-throw shifter, Kicker sound system and… an XBox 360.

Ford’s FR500 Mustang turnkey racecars are off to a great start in 2009. The FR500C took two of the three top spots in the Grand-Am Koni Challenge opener at Daytona, and this week at the NHRA Winternationals the FR500CJ Cobra Jet captured a debut win in the AA Stock Eliminator class.

The win didn’t come without its challenges, though, as rain delayed the competition for several days and made for an inconsistent racetrack. The victory seemed to be fated, however, what with the original Cobra Jet also winning its debut back in 1968 at the Winternationals with legendary racer Al Joneic behind the wheel. More details in the press release after the break, and new photos in the high-res gallery below.