Geneva Motor Show: Ballistic Switzerland

Feeling blue? In these troubled times, some use Prozac, others use Zoloft, or Budweiser. For car enthusiasts, nothing cheers them up more than horsepower; for them, this year's Geneva Motor Show is the mother of all happy pills.

Speaking of blue: In recognition of its centennial year, Bugatti on Tuesday unveiled its one-off Bleu Centenaire, with its unique gloss and flat paint scheme in the traditional French racing blue. Mechanically identical to the off-the-lot Veyron –- 1001 hp, 253 mph –- the Centenaire has polished anodized aluminum brightwork and lacquer-red brake calipers, “snowbeige” leather interior, park distance assist and a rearview camera. As one of the only humans to have ever parallel-parked a Veyron, I cannot tell you how exciting the last two items are. And all that for a mere $1.7 million. We’ll take that in petrodollars, please.

A footnote on the whole “centenaire” thing: Yes, it’s been 100 years since dear old Ettore opened up the doors of the old factory in Molsheim, France. But the press release is slightly misleading on the company’s ancestral home. The current factory is...

L.A. Auto Show: Lamborghini heaven

Please do not drool on the cars.

Panorama photo by Albert Lee, Bryan Chan, Jason Neubert / Los Angeles Times

Vroom vroom ... Is that your phone ringing, or your Maserati?

Look, it's science. What are you going to do?

A few months ago, Up to Speed's Colin Ryan told you about a study that evaluated the effect of exotic car engine sounds on men's and women's ... um, hormone levels, let's say. A small group of men and women were tested before and after listening to recordings of roaring engines sounds from a Maserati, Ferrari and a Lamborghini. The animal-in-pain sound of a VW Polo was included as well, just for contrast.

L.A. Auto Show: 2009 Lambo Gallardo LP 560-4 Spyder

Derivatives have gotten a bad name lately but the Lamborghini Gallardo LP 560-4 Spyder should help change that. A drop-top version of the Lambo Gallardo coupe — powered by the same direct-injection, 5.2-liter, 560-hp V-10 bucket of sin — the Spyder is called, with Lambo's light touch of understatement, a "dynamic experience of unparalleled intensity."

In addition to the convertible top, the rear end of the car has been redesigned to accentuate its "horizontality," according to design director Manfred Fitzgerald. Translation: new taillights.

Meanwhile, Lambo remains the company that care forgot. The company chalked up 2,406 sales worldwide in 2007, and the company is on pace for another record-breaking year in sales, turnover and profit margin. Lambo will sell 80 to 90 cars in China this year. Now that's a planned economy I can get behind.

—Dan Neil

Photos: Lamborghini

For photos of production cars from the L.A. Auto Show, click here.