MTV's 'Pimp My Ride' & Governor Schwarzenegger Take Green to The Extreme With Special Earth Day Episode Airing April 22nd at 1 PM ET/PT

California Governor Helps Xzibit & G.A.S. Crew Turn A '65 Impala into 800

Horsepower Biodiesel Clean Machine!

Earth Day Episode Rounds Out thinkMTV's Year-Long 'Break the Addiction'

Campaign Empowering Youth To Curb Climate Change

    NEW YORK, April 9 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- In celebration of Earth
 Day, MTV and the "Pimp My Ride" crew prove that going green can get
 extreme, especially with a little help from a friend - California Governor
 Arnold Schwarzenegger. As part of a very special Earth Day episode airing
 April 22nd at 1 pm ET/PT, Governor Schwarzenegger visits Xzibit, Mad Mike
 and the entire "Pimp My Ride" crew at G.A.S. (Galpin Auto Sports), as they
 take aim on a '65 Chevy Impala, and give it a one of a kind ecological
 alteration. Ultimately proving that power and preservation can co-exist
 thanks to partners at Galpin, Imperium Renewables, General Motors and
 others, the Impala gets an 800 horsepower diesel engine that will run on
 biodiesel, turning it into one extraordinary clean machine!
     "I would like to thank MTV and the entire 'Pimp my Ride' crew for
 shining the spotlight on the importance of alternative fuels and the fight
 against global warming. I am very encouraged by the great potential in
 converting vehicles to run on biodiesel as a way to reduce greenhouse gas
 emissions," said Governor Schwarzenegger. "I am pleased that the power of
 MTV's message will reach an audience throughout California and the nation
 to reinforce the benefits of alternative-fuel vehicles and protecting our
 environment."
     The special episode will air as part of the thinkMTV
 (www.think.mtv.com) year long, 12-step campaign "Break The Addiction,"
 engaging, empowering, and educating millions of young people to make smart,
 everyday choices that both improve their life and help curb the impact of
 climate change and preserve the environment. The episode will also air on
 MTV2 and MTV Tr3s, and appear on MTV as the kick-off of a "Pimp My Ride"
 Sneak Peek marathon featuring all new episodes of the MTV hit series
 beginning at 1 pm ET/PT on Sunday, April 22nd.
     "What better way to celebrate the anniversary of our Break the
 Addiction campaign than pimping the environment with a pro like Governor
 Schwarzenegger - a powerful voice in the fight against climate change,"
 said Christina Norman, President, MTV. "During the past year, we've reached
 millions, giving our audience the tools they want to make changes in their
 own lives. The state of our environment is one of the most critical issues
 facing our audience today and we're honored that we can inspire and educate
 even more as we celebrate Earth Day with this special 'Pimp My Ride'
 event."
     During this special edition of "Pimp My Ride" fans will meet Kristoffer
 from North Hollywood, CA who has had more than his fair share of car
 trouble with his 1965 Chevy Impala. Rescue comes his way however as Xzibit
 pays him a surprise, and takes his car to G.A.S. for the ultimate
 ecological transformation. Beau, Mad Mike, and the entire G.A.S. team put
 together the plan, which includes installing a monster 800 horsepower
 diesel engine that will run on biodiesel! Fans watch every step of the way,
 and even join Mad Mike as he visits the guys at Imperium Renewables to
 learn exactly how alternative fuels are created and used. The crew then
 decides to test out how the new biodiesel Impala fares against a
 Lamborghini Gallardo in the ultimate race! In a surprise visit, Governor
 Schwarzenegger himself visits G.A.S. to help with the final touches and
 provides his own eco-approval. With the race and transformation complete
 with the Governor's blessing, Kristoffer gets jolted when his new
 pimped-out masterpiece is unveiled before him.
     Galpin Auto Sports, the garage of "Pimp My Ride," takes going green to
 an all-new level in this special episode. Their dedication to protecting
 our Earth dates back to 1979 when Galpin Motors began converting fleets of
 gasoline engine vehicles to run on methanol and even opened the nation's
 first methanol service station. Additionally, Galpin Motors was one of the
 first dealers to sell Ford flexible fuel vehicles, TH!NK Neighbors and
 other electric vehicles, for which they even built an on-site charging
 station.
     General Motors lends a hand with the restoration of this very special
 '65 Chevy Impala with its efficient and powerful Duramax diesel engine
 which, when found in the latest Chevrolet and GMC trucks, is one of the
 cleanest diesel engines ever produced. GM is focused on reducing the
 environmental impact of its vehicles and promoting energy diversity with
 the development of advanced fuel-saving technologies for the conventional
 vehicle, the use of biofuels like E85 ethanol and biodiesel, and the
 development of electrically-driven vehicles like hybrids, fuel cells, and
 those that can be powered by lithium ion battery technology. To restore
 this classic Impala to mint condition, Mad Mike, Beau and the G.A.S. crew
 wanted to use the "real thing" - original parts manufactured with the
 original tool and die from GM Restoration Parts.
     Imperium Renewables, was also a key partner in this special episode of
 "Pimp My Ride" - providing biodiesel fuel and engineering expertise as well
 as providing a year supply of biodiesel fuel made from Canola for the
 show's lucky recipient of the new pimped out ride. A leader in the
 renewable energy industry, Imperium Renewables is committed to helping
 society break its addiction to petroleum. Known for its creation of several
 proprietary new production innovations and technology, Imperium Renewables
 is currently set to build the largest biodiesel production facility in the
 U.S. at Imperium Grays Harbor, Washington this year.
     On Earth Day, April 22, 2006, thinkMTV launched "Break the Addiction,"
 a 12-step campaign to engage, educate and empower millions of young people
 to make smart, everyday choices that both improve their life and help to
 curb the impact of climate change and preserve our environment. The
 campaign, which exists across all of MTV's platforms, focuses primarily on
 individual, daily actions young people can take to reduce their
 consumption, while simultaneously inspiring and rewarding high school and
 college-aged youth to develop innovative solutions that capitalize on the
 opportunity to build a better environmental future for themselves and their
 world. To date, "Break the Addiction" has reached millions of young people
 through on air programming, MTV News stories, public service announcements,
 online resources, contests and on the ground mobilizing. For more
 information about thinkMTV's Break the Addiction campaign, visit
 think.mtv.com.
     About thinkMTV
     thinkMTV is a vibrant community where young people get informed,
 connect to each other, express themselves and take action on the issues
 important to them, their community and their world. With the credo
 "Reflect. Decide. Do." thinkMTV, in partnership with almost 40 national and
 international organizations, enables young people to get involved in
 important domestic and international issues - such as education, sexual
 health, discrimination, the environment & natural disasters, politics, and
 global affairs - through long- form documentaries, public service
 announcements, news segments, think moments, a comprehensive website and
 interactive forum at think.mtv.com, emerging media platforms, speaking
 engagements, and grassroots activities, materials and issue guides.
     About MTV Networks
     MTV Networks, a unit of Viacom ( VIA, VIA.B), is one of the
 world's leading creators of programming and content across all media
 platforms. MTV Networks, with more than 130 channels worldwide, owns and
 operates the following television programming services - MTV: MUSIC
 TELEVISION, MTV2, VH1, mtvU, NICKELODEON, NICK at NITE, COMEDY CENTRAL, TV
 LAND, SPIKE TV, CMT, NOGGIN, VH1 CLASSIC, LOGO, MTVN INTERNATIONAL and THE
 DIGITAL SUITE FROM MTV NETWORKS, a package of 13 digital services, all of
 which are trademarks of MTV Networks. MTV Networks connects with its
 audiences through its robust consumer products businesses and its more than
 200 interactive properties worldwide, including online, broadband, wireless
 and interactive television services. The network also has licensing
 agreements, joint ventures, and syndication deals whereby all of its
 programming services can be seen worldwide.
 
 

SOURCE MTV