Additionally, DeLorean has partnered with Facebook to be part of a new game called Car Town. You can learn more about Car Town and view a clip here.

The Licensing Trust, which is open to any NASCAR national series race team that chooses to participate, will initially explore merchandising opportunities in four key categories – apparel, collectable die-cast, toys, and trackside retail. The Licensing Trust is structured to add licensing categories in the future. NASCAR and the teams will directly manage their respective licensing rights in categories outside the Licensing Trust.

The NASCAR Teams Licensing Trust has recently formed a joint venture with Lionel Electric Trains to make and sell NASCAR replica die-cast racecars.

The joint venture is not a traditional licensee agreement; both the Licensing Trust and Lionel will actively manage and develop the business, in which it will be partners.

Lionel has plans to offer fans and collectors die-cast models representing all of the teams and more than 30 NASCAR national series drivers included in the Licensing Trust. The joint venture will take over the category from Motorsports Authentics, a Concord, N.C.-based company that will instead focus on its core competency of trackside retail and be the exclusive die-cast car retailer at NASCAR tracks around the country.

The Andy Griffith Show

The partnership marks the second time that CBS Consumer Products has come together with the NASCAR organization to feature a car scheme based on The Andy Griffith Show. In addition, CBS Consumer Products will be developing a merchandising and promotional program around the NASCAR partnership and will soon be announcing a line of products in the apparel, accessories, gift, and toy categories.

So it’s a tad ironic that the most recent announcement to snap us out of one of our mini-stupors was that the BMW Group had teamed with Global Icons (in the U.S.) and Performance Brands (Europe) for representation. And if we had a spring fever, it just went up.

As it turns out, someone has.

This week in Abu Dhabi, Ferrari previewed its GT Roller Coaster. The cars on the coaster are replicas of the Ferrari F430 Spider—two coasters on parallel tracks “race” to the finish line.

The coaster will be part of Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, the world’s first Ferrari theme park, which will also be the world’s largest indoor park.

If that’s not enough world records, the park will also host another roller coaster billed as the world’s fastest coaster, with speeds up to 125 mph.

The Ferrari GT theme is not only carried out in the park via the roller coaster, but also in the roof of the enclosed theme park. The roof is inspired by the “classic double-curve side profile” of the Ferrari GT.

Ferrari World Abu Dhabi is the result of a partnership between Ferrari and Aldar Properties PJSC, Abu Dhabi’s leading property development, management, and investment company.

Check out the theme park’s website for really cool photos and info about the construction and development. The park is set to open later this year.

What other licensed roller coasters can you think of? I’m pretty sure there have been coasters to honor Batman, Spider-Man, and Superman. There’s also the Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster at Disney in Orlando, which blasts Aerosmith music during the ride and features a giant guitar at its entrance. Are there others? What’s your favorite coaster?

According to NASCAR.COM, the unit will be a one-stop shop for licensees with revenue based on sales and not revenue-sharing. Participation by teams is voluntary, but JR Motorsports, Hendrick Motorsports, Joe Gibbs Racing, Roush Fenway Racing, and Dale Earnhardt Inc. are in. The teams will allow NASCAR properties to license their images in certain categories, with apparel being the first to which everyone has agreed.

The new model replaces an older one where the teams, acting as independent contractors, needed to approve every request individually, leading to a cumbersome process for licensees looking to put out a full NASCAR product line.

New NASCAR licensing agency emerging [NASCAR.com]

The campaign has been organized and implemented by the Publicis group on behalf of Renault and will continue into 2011.

The original smiley face will appear in all advertising campaigns including billboards, print advertising, internet advertising, and in store.

Ten percent of all royalties will go to charity through the Smiley World Association, which was formed in 2005 to help people in need by setting up health and educational infrastructures in third-world countries.

It’s not just for retro car enthusiasts either. Everyone can get in on the act, with new licensing deals with Nike, Sun Star, Gateway Global, The Hundreds, and Mattel’s Hot Wheels brand.

The company has actually serviced and manufactured its DMC-12 line for years, but recent consumer research showing extremely high recognition rates for the brand pushed them into licensing.

I wonder why it’s so popular…

I’m stumped. My head’s in flux; I hit it on my steering wheel this morning (Don’t worry, I’m going to see the Doc later). Don’t tell my boss, but I’m going to watch some YouTube clips and see if lightning strikes.

Lexani wheels look pretty cool, so we figure we should probably show you a picture as well. Try not to get mesmerized. Or get mesmerized now, so you don’t do it on the road. (That would be bad.)

Stone America Licensing is pushing Lexani as a lifestyle brand “with licensed product will be high quality, trend-setting, but with value for all to afford,” according to the release. We’ll keep you updated on their progress just as soon as we pry our eyes from that chrome.