Volo Auto Museum Celebrates xXx-Mas with Famous GTO, Rings in New Year With George Barris

VOLO, Ill., Dec. 10 -- The 1967 Pontiac GTO driven by Vin Diesel in the blockbuster film "xXx" will go on permanent display at the Volo Auto Museum Dec. 20, 2003.

In the hottest summer movie of 2002, Diesel's character, Xander "xXx" Cage, enlisted the seminal musclecar in a dangerous covert mission to save the world from a clever, organized and ruthless enemy.

The custom Goat is equipped with an array of secret agent weaponry, including a flame throwing hood scoop, rocket launching headlights, and a fold down backseat concealing a mega-powered artillery of high-tech firearms.

The museum's display also features actual props from the movie, including bombs, rockets, guns and the parachute pack and camera used in the famous death-defying stunt involving a red Corvette, a bridge and an overabundance of gravity.

In addition to the "xXx" GTO, the museum features the 1993 Mazda RX-7 driven by Diesel in the 2001 smash hit "The Fast and The Furious."

The museum's cars are the latest vehicles to join the famed Barris Car Collection. George Barris is a specialty car builder responsible for almost every major television and film car, including the museum's Batmobile, General Lee, K.I.T.T. and Grandpa Munster's Dragula.

Barris will appear with the "xXx" GTO and "The Fast and The Furious" RX-7 on Jan. 30, 31 and Feb. 1 as part of the museum's display at the 42nd Annual World of Wheels, McCormick Place, Chicago.

The Volo Auto Museum and Antique Malls compound is made up of five showrooms with 300 collectible and Hollywood cars; three large antique malls with 350 dealers displaying their unique finds; and the Mercantile Mall housing a broad array of gifts and the largest selection of die cast automobiles in the Midwest.

The Volo Auto Museum is open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $6.50 for adults, $5 for seniors and military personnel in uniform, $3 for children 6-12, and free for organized veteran groups and any kid under 6.

The museum is located about 50 miles north of Chicago, 50 east of Rockford and 50 miles southwest of Milwaukee, 1/2 mile west on Route 12 on Highway 120, 13 miles west of I-94 in Volo, Illinois. For more information call 815-385-3644 or visit the museum's Website at www.volocars.com . For more information about World of Wheels visit www.autorama.com .