Happy 4th Anniversary to Doing Donuts With Bernie

I really do look like my logo... except my head isn't as big.

In 2010, I had a crazy idea to start my own automotive blog. Four years later, I'm still blogging and covering car shows. Although it hasn't been easy, I'm still here. This year, I plan to remain injury free (I learned that trying to blog with a concussion isn't fun), but most importantly, I'll be attending some great car shows. Aside from some car shows in Atlanta, I have my eyes on covering car shows in Miami, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and of course..... I have to go back home to New York.

To honor Doing Donuts With Bernie's fourth anniversary, I wanted to recap the top 10 blog posts based on pageviews with some updated captioning.


10. All Black Everything... A Chevy Avalanche by CarTunes of Atlanta and Butler Tire.

2014 is the final year of the Chevy Avalanche. Thankfully one of the owners of an Avalanche decided to bring it to the guys of CarTunes of Atlanta and Butler Tire. Honestly speaking, I'm not a fan of pickup trucks. Never have been, never will be. However, this particular Avalanche looks great.

9. Young Dro's Cadillac Escalade EXT

Grand Hustle rapper Young Dro customized one of his vehicles- a Cadillac Escalade EXT. His purpose was to make his Escalade stand out as much as he could... and he did. Not only did he change the chrome trim to rose gold, he added Asanti Wheels, an Asanti Grille with his logo in the middle, and added his name on the truck. I haven't seen Dro in a looooonnnnngggg time, so I honestly don't know if he still has the Escalade.

8. Dub Magazine Releases Their 2012 Car Show Schedule.

The shows already happened with a lot of success. However, if you're wondering if the 2014 Dub Car Show tour will be coming to a city near you, well check out their updated schedule by clicking here. P.S. I wonder what ever happened to The Situation.

7.  Just When Justin Beiber Was Doing So Well...

Atlanta's newest resident, Justin Beiber, did the most tragic thing and purchased a Smart Car and customized it. The customizations look great, after all West Coast Customs did it, but it was done on a Smart Car. Why????

6. Kim Kardashian's Serious "Kar" Game.

This was a complete breakdown of Kim Kardashian's White Range Rover Sport Supercharged that Platinum Motorsports customized. It looked great, I wished the customizations were taken a step further with the interior instead of leaving it stock.

5. Shop Review, Reme Designs of Long Island, NY.

My first shop review, and I decided to go back to home to Long Island and interview one of the most well known (and respected) customizers. Since then, Reme has decided to reunite with his former boss, Will Castro, and now he's back at Unique Autosp-- I mean-- Unique Designs.

4. Interesting Customization: Justin Beiber and his Chromed Out Fisker Karma

This was the beginning of a big customization trend- having your car wrapped in chrome. Since then, the colors of the chrome have expanded, but the trend has died down. Seriously- it's hard to photograph a chrome vehicle outside, with the sun bouncing off the car

3. Darth Vader's Ultimate Car by West Coast Customs

Lucas Films requested West Coast Customs to customize a VW Jetta for Darth Vader's. This episode of Inside West Coast Customs is one of their most popular shows yet.

2. Wide-Bodied Dodge Challenger Courtesy of Forgiato Wheels

Very popular post, and how can you not love a Dodge Challenger with a wide body kit on Forgiato wheels?

And the number one post....

Tragic Customization: Snooki's Cadillac Escalade EXT

I'm so happy Snooki sold it. My opinion on this Escalade hasn't changed...


Here's to another year of Doing Donuts With Bernie!!!! Thank you for reading and there will be more to come...

Busted Biebs' Lamborghini Gallardo

Lately, the Biebs has been in the news- of course it's all negative. At 4:11 am on January 23rd, Justin was arrested for speeding, DUI, resisting arrest (might I add, he cursed out a cop), and driving with an expired GA license, thus producing this lovely mugshot above.

Right before the arrest, Justin and his friends were in SET nightclub in Miami Beach, FL. They decided to leave and had the idea to drag race, even though they were drunk. Police saw them driving about 60 mph in a 30 mph zone, and well you know the rest. Why am I telling this story? Because I'm here to talk about the car. (Side note: I did 55 in a 35 mph residental area, and the officer let me go with a warning.)

Justin was speeding in this loud yellow 2014 Lamborghini Gallardo LP550-2 Spyder, rented from Miami's LouLaVie, an exotic car rental company. To rent, the car would cost about $1200-$1800 a day, with a $5000 deposit down. MSRP about $210,000- $250,000. 0-60 mph in 3.9 seconds with a V-10 engine that can put out 550 horsepower, and if you're wondering what the MPG is, then this car is definitely out of your league.




Oh and..... A source told People Magazine that he cried in the detention center. His bail was $2500. Can't be gangsta crying in the courtroom, Biebs. And yes, Justin Bieber's rap sheet is officially longer than mine. Do you think he learned from this?

Bernie's Top 10 Posts of 2012...

Found the photo somewhere on Google

Can't believe that this year is over... But like Will Castro says- "New Year, New Beginnings, New Money". But before I can ring in the new year, I want to revisit the top 10 posts of 2012 (based on pageviews) and who would have thought that my number one post is from someone from Jersey Shore...

Now from 10 to 1, here is Bernie's Top 10 Posts of 2012...


10. Bernie's Favorite: Estevan Oriol talks cars with Travis Barker...

I labeled this Bernie's Favorite because cars brings a lot of people together and when Travis Barker said that he loves traveling to see how people in various parts of the world customize their cars, he really won me over. And I honestly have a newfound respect for him.


9. MC Customs Shows off a Gorgeous Jeep Wrangler Rubicon

I thought this Jeep Wrangler was gorgeous, even though I have no desire to know who Alex Gonzalex is from the Milwalkee Brewers is...


8. Car Show Coverage: 2012 Dub Car Show Anaheim and Part 2

Everyone knew that this would be the best Dub Car Show of 2012- it was an outdoor car show in California. That means that people can come and go as they please. This was the ONLY Dub Show I wished I would have went to...

7. West Coast Customs Presents a Cadillac Escalade

Usually when West Coast Customs customizes a vehicle, it looks great. But leave the donks to the South. They lost me with this one.

6. Tyga's Audi R8. 

I still thought this was a hot mess, but thankfully he unloaded this... I think. Did he? I know that Lamborghini is no more... But after this horrendous customization, Tyga came to his senses and went to West Coast Customs. Thank GOD!!!!

5. Just When Justin Beiber was doing so well... 

He really was doing so well and then he gets a Smart Car, then calls it the Swag Car. He needed to quit while he was ahead. Plus Fiat's are more fun to drive.

4. Scott Disick's Audi R8.... and then he sells it.

I think with this customization really mainstreamed the Chrome Wrap. 

3. Justin Beiber's Chrome Fisker Karma 

I'm still a little on the fence with this one, but he probably doesn't have it anymore

2. Darth Vader's Ultimate West Coast Customs Car

West Coast Customs is the only customization shop whose customized cars will look EXACTLY like the renderings. Usually the finished product is a little off from the renderings, but not with them...

and the Number 1 Post....

Snooki's Tragic Cadillac Escalade

When being an individual goes wrong. I really thought she was going to leopard out the interior. 

Remember keep up with Bernie in 2013... Happy New Year and get drunk... but don't drive.

Just when Justin Bieber is doing so well...

(Photo by blippitt.com)

He does something to set him back. I admit, I liked the Cadillac, Range Rover, and the Fisker Karma, however, the Smart Car...

(Photo: X17 Online)

I mean, most cars look good with matte paint/wrap on them, but not all. Anyhow, Young Bieber was out and about in Los Angeles, and was photographed driving a glorified golf cart. According to Smart USA Insider, the following customizations have been done: Custom Matte Black Paint Job, Kuhl FX Body Kit, Side Air Scoop by Panimex, LED Driving Lights by S-Mann, Blacked out BRABUS like Headlights, Custom Lowering Springs, Custom Wheels and Continental Tires, Turbo Kit Upgrade, Custom Interior, Custom Sound System, and much more...

And I'm pretty sure that West Coast Customs did the custom work. But the Biebs really killed the moment by dubbing it the Swag Car.

I'm sorry, but I can't take the Smart Car seriously. It has 71 horsepower. Hence it's a glorified golf cart. At least a Fiat can hold four people. I really wish he would have gotten a Fiat.

Interesting Customization: Justin Bieber and his Chromed out Fisher Karma...*

(Photo by ABC News.com

Justin Bieber isn't a stanger to having customized cars that separate him from everyone else. From the Matte Black Range Rover to the Batmobile that made an appearance at the 2011 SEMA Show to his latest project- a brand new Fisker Karma.

Let's go back in time for a second...

Late February, 2012 was the time period where Justin chose to celebrate his 18th birthday in Los Angeles at the Ellen DeGeneres Show. I didn't talk about it because the car he received wasn't customized... at the time. Anyway, his manager presented him with the "car of his dreams", a 2012 Fisker Karma. Scooter Braun, Justin's manager, continues by saying "We wanted to make sure, since you love cars, that when you're on the road you are always environmentally friendly. And we decided to get you a car that would make you stand out … I think you know where I'm going, and you're kind of freaking out right now. That's a Fisker Karma."



Although driving a Range Rover, Cadillac CTS-V Coupe, a Ferrari, and a Lamborghini will never scream environmentally friendly, we'll roll with it.

Like any guy who possesses individuality- he got it customized. Owning a Fisker Karma is rare in itself, but now... just look at the photos.

Upon receiving the Fisker Karma, Justin took the car to his good friends- Ryan Friedlinghaus and his West Coast Customs Crew. No strangers to chroming out high end cars (see the Tron Audi Car), they chromed it out with black aftermarket wheels.

Chroming out a vehiche is a relatively new customization- the first one I've seen was Sema 2010. It's a popular trend in Japan- but in Japan- they chrome cars that should never be chromed (i.e. Buick Regal). We've seen Tyga's Chromed Audi R8 (which looks a mess because it's gold), I've seen a Burgundy Chromed Ford Mustang. So until then, I don't mind the chroming of a vehicle, however, two rules apply: Not all vehicles are meant to be chromed (See the Japanese Buick Regal) and not every color looks good with a chrome finish (See Tyga's Audi R8).

Random thought: I wonder what kind of driver Justin would be? Does he drive like an old lady or does he think he could be in the next Fast and the Furious. I think he tries to drive like a Fast and the Furious Extra, but ends up driving like an old lady.

*I know the spelling of the make of said car is fisker, however, most of the people searching about Justin Bieber have been spelling it as fisher.

Bernie's Car Show Coverage: SEMA 2011 (Day 2)

Luckily SEMA's so large that you need more than a day to see everything, and sometimes with the time you alloted to see things, it's still not enough time. I continued my second day (SEMA's third) by doing what I do best-- take photos. Check out Bernie's SEMA Coverage...

(The cutest Scion xB ever... if you look closely, they crystalized certain parts of the car.)

(Like the tail light)

(Still love this magazine. Sometimes you get tired of the same automotive magazines that showcase mediocre photography. Just saying my own personal opinion...)

(Lowriders making an appearance. But there weren't as many as there were last year. Almost disappointing.)

(Fully customized Kicker-Sponsored car, complete with clear trunk door to showcase the mini-waterfall. It's not the first time I've seen a waterfall inside of a vehicle, but it's not common. Love the detail in the black paint.)

(YES!!! The car I've been waiting to talk about. The latest model Dodge Charger, painted matte black but with glossy black dual racing stripes. And did I mention that it was completely blacked out.)

(This particular Fiat was popular. The matte olive green forced people (including me) to stop in their tracks)

(Now this car was very popular. It had to be one of the most popular cars outside. I hated the cheap linoleum flooring that the car was parked on. Should have just left it parked on the concrete.)

(The owner of this Nissan is a Japanese guy, so don't let the crystals fool you. So cute...)

(And they weren't kidding. Don't believe me?)

(Chevy took a Z71, the one with the most horsepower, and used it as a canvas for a history lesson)

(And West Coast Customs bought my boyfriend- the Tron themed Audi R8. And he looks even better in person, I was willing to take this off of their hands. Note: My lover is that Ford Super Snake by Galpin Auto Sports)

(For about 5 minutes, I wanted her job.)

So, the customization shop with the most impact on the entire show, wasn't Platinum Motorsports or Galpin Auto Sports, but it was actually West Coast Customs. WCC took out an entire section of the South Hall and not only showed off their projects, but had a DJ playing more house music than what I cared to hear (note: not everyone from Long Island fist pumps. Don't let Jersey Shore fool you.) as well as WCC held classes.)

(They bought Will.I.Am's interesting car that I've talked about before)

(And they bought the customization car that's been in the news lately- Justin Bieber's Batmobile)

(WCC had four classes going on- Interior, Electronics, Wheels and Tires, and the safest class to take when you have nails: Wrapping a car using vinyl. Surprise, surprise, I was the only girl in the class. But above happens to be one of my instructors, who sadly had on a Boston Red Sox hat.)

(The guys jumped at their chance to wrap a vehicle the West Coast Customs way, but I had to get my hands on some vinyl, and I did. I actually wrapped the right side (aka the side that's closer to you guys) of the lower front hood. P.S. West Coast Customs was filming their show at SEMA, so don't be surprised if you see me)

(To continue with my point about models, I'm well aware that most people aren't like Status Wheels and don't have a budget to hire Playboy Playmates (like Miss February of 2009: Jessica Burciaga). Get your mind out of the gutter, I only knew who she was because she was on Girls Next Door)

(Mad Mike made my day. And he is just as charismatic in person as he is on TV)

(Chevy's Hot Wheel edition Camaros were very poopular. I love the paint job, hate the color...)

(Blink 182 has their own edition of a Honda Civic. A part of me thinks that groups/solo acts that have longevity should have their own special edition of a car.)

(Gorgeous... Burgundy Chromed Ford Mustang and it's not even the Super Snake.)

(The Bugatti Veyron brought to you by Platinum Motorsports. The black and white combo looks great, I'm not a big fan of the red.)

(This is the shopping cart I need when I go to Walmart, Target, Ikea, etc...)

To see the rest of the photos, check out Bernie's SEMA (Day 2) gallery at BeTrueATL.com And Vegas... See you next year!!!

P.S. And you know I had to get the video of Justin Bieber's car...


I blame a cross between bad nerves and having my hands full when recording the video. But who else has the video?

Told Ya So: Justin Bieber's Batmobile Cadillac

Photos by Biebs' friend, Jewelry Extraudinaire (like how I added that) Ben Baller, the guy in the middle

Back in August, I gave folks the heads up about the project involving West Coast Customs and Justin Bieber. Apparently what I stated happened to be true, since two short days ago, the Biebs got pulled over in Sunny California for cutting off an officer. Of course, they didn't give him a ticket...

I'm still convinced that this was a Hennessey edition Cadillac CTS-V Coupe, with adjustments to make it look like the batmobile. I'm not a fan of the whole batmobile aspect, however, I do love the customizations. I would have gave him more credit if he put JB on the grille. You already know it's his- this isn't the first "batmobile", but it would have been the first Biebed-out vehicle. I love the doors opening out- a la the Rolls Royce Drophead Phantom. We all know that I adore a blacked out vehicle that hasn't been blacked out before- like this.

P.S. I just took a look at Ben Baller's blog and I like it. It gives a "life of a jet setter" feel, and his stories (especially of Kim Kardashian not knowing how to roll down the windows in the Ferrari) are great. It's more exclusive than the "exclusive blogs" and it's underrated. Please note that Ben doesn't know me. And you know I added it to the blog roll on the index page. Think I'm playin, Son???

Could it be??? Is West Coast Customs customizing a car for Justin Bieber?

(Since Jonathan Mannion hasn't photographed Justin. Well, not that I know of. So I decided to search the next best thing... him wearing a Yankees hat)

While snooping on Ryan Friedlinghaus' twitter, I noticed he had a quick convo/picture exchange with Justin Bieber. It looks like West Coast Customs will be customizing a car for him, and Justin has great taste (if he picked the car).

Above is a rendering of a fully customized Cadillac CTS-V Coupe. This isn't the CTS that everyone and their grandmother has. This is the better one, ironically the one that I like. I wouldn't be surprised if Justin actually picked up the Hennessey edition Cadillac CTS-V Coupe, since there was only 12 produced.

The specs of the Hennessey edition Cadillac CTS-V Coupe goes as follows:

Power:
• 1,000 bhp @ 6,400 rpm
• 950 lb-ft torque @ 4,000 rpm

Acceleration:
• 0-60 mph: 3.5 seconds
• 1/4 Mile: 10.9 @ 136 mph
• Top Speed: 230 mph

Braking:
• Brembo Carbon Ceramic Brake Upgrade
• 15.1 inch Carbon Ceramic Rotors (Front & Rear)
• Calipers: 8-Piston (Front); 6-Piston (Rear)

Wheels & Tires:
• Hennessey Monoblock Wheels
• 20×10 inch (Front); 20×13 inch (Rear)
• Michelin Pilot Super Sport Tires
• 275/30YR-20 (Front); 345/30YR-20 (Rear)

Suspension:
• Lowered 1″ (Front & Rear)
• Factory Magnetic Ride Control Tuned by John Heinricy

Body:
• CarbonAero CTS-V Widebody Upgrade
• Carbon Fiber Front Splitter
• Carbon Fiber Rear Diffuser
• Carbon Fiber Front Fenders
• Carbon Fiber Extractor Hood
• Carbon Fiber Rear Fender Flares

Interior:
• Alcantara Headliner
• Carbon Fiber Door Sills
• Upgraded Leather & Stitching
• Hennessey Embroidered Heardrests
• Hennessey Premium Floormats


If Justin Bieber bought or was given one of these and then had it customized on top of that, I would have gained a new found respect for him.