2010 Archives | Page 18 of 23

Monterey 2010: The Quail – A Motorsports Gathering

Filed under: Motorsports, Classics, Misc. Auto Shows, Celebrities

2010 Quail Motorsports Gathering – Click above for high-res image gallery

Every event staged during Monterey week has a unique flavor. The Concorso Italiano was populated with new money and regular folks just plain enamored with la belle macchine. The Quail, on the other hand, is a bit more formal, a lot more exclusive and always full of surprises.

This year was no exception, as a string of about thirty Bugatti Grand Prix cars thundered in from the nearby Laguna Seca racetrack. The drivers noshed, checked out some of the cars on display, said hello to some old friends and were back underway in a puff of blue smoke. What they left behind was an array of cars that the only event formally known as The Quail – A Motorsports Gathering can pull together. Rare and legendary race cars – as well as sports cars from automakers that cut their teeth in racing ( think Porsche, Ferrari, Bentley, Jaguar, etc.) – are the norm.

Along with all the Series I Pinin Farina Cabs and 275 GTCs, Ferrari even had a couple of new models on hand for the crowd to check out. One was a stunning blue 458 Italia, another was was the drop-dead awesome 599 GTO. Porsche didn’t bring its new 918 Spyder, unfortunately, but it did haul out the GT3 Hybrid. Bugatti had some blue carbon fiber thing on hand, and several other manufacturers rolled out their shiniest new models as well. The old cars are really the stars, though, because almost every one of them has a backstory that would keep you enthralled for hours.

For instance, Carroll Shelby was honored at The Quail this year, and there were about thirty Shelby Cobras, Mustangs and GT40s there that Ol’ Shel’ had personally laid hands on, like the very first Shelby GT350 Mustang ever made. The very first Cobra was there, too – serial number 2000 – one lower than the first production Cobra, which is a past best-of-show winner here.

That’s the magic of The Quail. Along with all the “free” food and drink (tickets are $400 after all, if you can get one), the motoring icons and the cars that made them legends are right there in front of you, ready to be adored. It’s a spectacular event, and those of you who couldn’t be there can check out our massive gallery of images by clicking below.

Gallery: Monterey 2010: The Quail – A Motorsports Gathering

Monterey 2010: The Quail – A Motorsports Gathering originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 14 Aug 2010 18:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Monterey 2010: Alfa Romeo centenary celebrated con brio

Filed under: Motorsports, Classics, Alfa Romeo

2010 Concorso Italiano celebrates Alfa Romeo centenery – Click above for high-res image gallery

The year 2010 marks the 100th birthday of Alfa Romeo, the great Italian automaker that has given us some of the most lust-worthy road and race cars of, well, the last century. It was fitting, therefore, that Concorso Italiano celebrated the occasion with gusto. They even let the Alfas spell out the annual message to the heavens: a simple “100.” It would have been interesting to see them try to use 100 cars to do so; goodness knows there were at least that many Alfas on hand.

Check out the gallery and you’ll see a small sampling of the great variety of Alfas on display. As much as we like the new 8C Competizione, we have to say our favorite Alfa Romeo at Concorso was probably John Shirley’s 1938 Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B. Just take a look at that rear!

Gallery: Monterey 2010: Alfa Romeo 100th birthday at Concorso Italiano

Alfa Romeo 100th birthday at Concorso Italiano

Monterey 2010: Alfa Romeo centenary celebrated con brio originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 14 Aug 2010 17:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Monterey 2010: Ferrari F40 birthday bash at Concorso

Filed under: Classics, Coupe, Performance, Ferrari

Ferrari F40 birthday celebration

Ferrari F40s at the 2010 Concorso Italiano – Click above for high-res image gallery

Concorso Italiano threw a party for the legendary Ferrari F40, and the turnout was, well, almost as good as the car itself. Thousands of show attendees were treated to more than a dozen examples of Enzo Ferrari’s final project.

As you probably know, the F40 was named to celebrate Ferrari’s 40th anniversary, and the celebration at Concorso honored the 20th anniversary of the car’s 1990 arrival here in the States. (Let’s not quibble over the fact that Ferrari the company was actually born in 1947, meaning the F40 should have actually arrived in 1987. The show car was first unveiled in 1987 and that’s good enough for us.)

The late arrival of what some still view as the ultimate supercar did nothing to dampen the spirits of the men and boys who fell in love with it at first sight and still carry a torch for it today. The F40 celebration was one great reason to go to Concorso Italiano this year. If you didn’t have the opportunity to attend in person, hit the gallery below to see how the lineup of F40s looked at one of Monterey week’s biggest exhibitions.

Gallery: Monterey 2010: F40 reunion at Concorso Italiano

Ferrari F40

Monterey 2010: Ferrari F40 birthday bash at Concorso originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 14 Aug 2010 15:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Monterey 2010: Fioravanti SP1 makes sole U.S. appearance

Filed under: Concept Cars, Coupe, Performance, Ferrari, Specialty, Design/Style

2008 Fioravanti SP1 at the 2010 Concorso Italiano – Click above for high-res image gallery

Concorso Italiano is always fun. Every car has a story behind it, and this year, the organizers pulled off something of a coup.

Back in ’08, a mystery Ferrari prototype was spied at Fiorano. Once initial speculation settled down, the prevailing wisdom suggested that the car in question was a one-off coachbuilt special designed by former Pininfarina (and now independent) stylist Fioravanti for a wealthy customer. Those reports wound up being true, and yesterday that very car was on display at Concorso Italiano.

Dubbed SP1 (for Sport Prototype 1) the Ferrari F430-based machine was commissioned by a prominent Ferrari collector in Japan. It was the first product out of Maranello’s Portfolio program – an initiative that lets the extremely wealthy collaborate with various Italian design houses (including Fioravanti, Pininfarina and Zagato) with full factory support on custom, unique vehicles. While most of these clients prefer anonymity, it’s hard to keep a low profile when you’re driving a custom Ferrari.

Making its only U.S. appearance, the Fioravanti SP1 was one of Concorso’s centerpieces, parked next to the F40 gathering and a stone’s throw from the stage. Photos can’t do the car justice. Looking at the SP1’s creases and curves, you see influences from a variety of cars in the Ferrari family. It’s so cohesive, yet it’s difficult to accurately convey the sheer presence that this car exudes in person. We did our best to capture it, however. Take a gander at the image gallery below, and maybe you’ll feel the vibe as well.

Gallery: Monterey 2010: Ferrari F430 special Fioravanti SP1 at Concorso Italiano

Ferrari F430 special Fioravanti SP1

Monterey 2010: Fioravanti SP1 makes sole U.S. appearance originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 14 Aug 2010 14:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Monterey 2010: Perana Z-One makes U.S. debut

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Design/Style, Luxury

Perana Z-One – Click above for high-res image gallery

Monterey has seen its share of debuts and this year stays true to form. We’ve already seen the unveilings of the Bugatti Veyron Super Sport, the new Boss 302 Mustang, the Infiniti G25, Jaguar XKR175, and McLaren MP4-12C. It doesn’t end there, either. Tucked among the exotica at Concorso Italiano was the new Zagato-styled, Hi-Tech-built and Superfomance-sold, Perana Z-One sports/GT.

It’s beautiful. And the build quality is exquisite. The panel gaps put all the high-priced Italian vehicles surrounding it to shame. The styling is definitely that of a European GT, a shape that holds its own in the company of an Alfa Romeo 8C, Aston Martin or a Ferrari 599. With that Corvette engine under its long nose, however, it’s reminiscent of classic Italian/Amercan collaborative sports car efforts from companies like DeTomaso, Iso and Bizzarrini.

We weren’t alone in being smitten by this new $100,000 sports car either. It was mobbed all day, even amidst the dazzling variety from the likes of Lamborghini and Maserati. We’re hoping to arrange some seat time on the Perana Z-One, but for moment, feast your eyes on the gallery below and you’ll understand why we see big things in this vehicle’s future.

Gallery: Perana Z-One

Monterey 2010: Perana Z-One makes U.S. debut originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 14 Aug 2010 11:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Monterey 2010: Concorso Italiano celebrates all things Italia

Filed under: Concept Cars, Motorsports, Classics, Lamborghini, Maserati, Ferrari, Alfa Romeo, Fiat, Design/Style, Lancia

2010 Concorso Italiano – Click above for high-res image gallery

Monterey coverage continues with one of Friday’s staples. Concorso Italiano has been one of Monterey’s largest gatherings of primarily Italian vehicles for years. Laguna Seca Golf Ranch played the hospitable host, giving throngs of Italian-car lovers the opportunity to get up close and personal with hundreds of le belle macchine.

Lamborghini, Maserati, Alfa Romeo, Fiat, Lancia, DeTomaso and Ferrari, were well represented – long lines of each marque appearing almost mirage-like down the fairways of Laguna. You know those shots you’ve seen of exotic cars lined up outside the factory? Multiply those by ten. It is absolutely crazy. Special gatherings honored the Ferrari F40, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary of U.S. citizenship. The Italians were never really that great at dates, as the F40 was originally intended to be a 40th anniversary treat for Enzo himself to celebrate the company’s 1947 birth. Unfortunately, it appeared around 1990 instead. Don’t even get us started on the F50.

Concorso has hosted several smaller manufacturers over the years as well. Not just the oddball makes that few people have ever heard of, but also fledgling companies that have sometimes risen to prominence – or fallen infamously. This year, Superformance showed off the new Zagato-penned Perana Z-One. The European GT styling combined with Corvette power reminds us of the classic Italo-Amercan mashups from DeTomaso, Iso, Bizzarrini and the like. The Z-One is gorgeous, and we were blown away by its build quality. We’re negotiating some seat time to give you the full rundown, but for now, check out the gallery and you’ll see why Concorso Italiano has become one of the world’s greatest events for lovers of Italian machinery.

Gallery: 2010 Concorso Italiano

2010 Italiano Concorso Concorso Italiano Ferraris

Monterey 2010: Concorso Italiano celebrates all things Italia originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 14 Aug 2010 09:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Monterey 2010: McLaren MP4-12C makes North American debut, ushers in new McLaren order

Filed under: Coupe, Performance

McLaren MP4-12C North American debut – Click above for high-res image gallery

With a burst of light and a swoosh of its car cover, the McLaren MP4-12C made its North American debut this evening in Pebble Beach. Gooding auctions unveiled the new supercar at its preview reception, the same locale that has seen the debuts of other significant vehicles from the past few years – namely the Rolls-Royce Hyperion and the Pininfarina P4/5. But tonight McLaren was definitely the star of the show. Besides giving Americans their first glimpse of its latest model, McLaren also talked a bit about the new company they are introducing to build and sell not just the MP4-12C, but a whole range of road vehicles.

This isn’t like the way things were done with the F1, where it was basically a special project inside the technical and racing operations…no, it’s a whole new passenger car company that will have an assortment of vehicles apparently. In fact, McLaren Automotive has already announced the list of 35 cities that will be hosting McLaren dealerships, and the rumor mill is in full swing telling us that a successor to the big-daddy F1 is in the cards for as early as 2012. The last bit of info we gleened from the presentation was that they seemed to talk a lot about their winning history in both Formula 1 and sports car racing and how they love to win. Perhaps a not-so-subtle hint that a racing version of the MP4-12C will be built? Makes sense to us. While we’re waiting for spy shots of that project, do yourself a favor and check out the hot new McLaren in our gallery below.

Gallery: McLaren MP4-12C North American debut

Monterey 2010: McLaren MP4-12C makes North American debut, ushers in new McLaren order originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 13 Aug 2010 23:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Monterey 2010: Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sport makes North American debut

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Bugatti

Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sport – Click above for high-res image gallery

Bugatti made big news last month when it unveiled the Veyron 16.4 Super Sport. The 1200-horsepower supercar smashed the production car speed record by reaching nearly 268 mph at the Volkswagen proving grounds, and it even made the fastest ever lap around the Top Gear test track in the hands of the Stig.

We’ve previously only seen pictures of just one Super Sport model – the record-setting car with the polarizing orange and black paint scheme – but now we know that the Bugatti factory has spewed out at least two examples. The Super Sport made its North American debut at the Quail Motorsports Gathering earlier today with gorgeous blue carbon fiber paint. We have to say we much prefer it over its counterpart.

We’ve heard the record-setting Super Sport is also in town and will be at Laguna Seca, so we’ll hopefully be able to bring you more photos of that car, and expect plenty more coverage from the Quail Motorsports Gathering throughout this weekend.

Gallery: Monterey 2010: Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sport

Monterey 2010: Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sport makes North American debut originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 13 Aug 2010 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Monterey 2010: Blue Oval bargains kick off RM auction

Filed under: Classics, Auctions, Ford

Mercury Messenger Concept

RM Ford-Themed Monterey Auction – Click above for high-res image gallery

The Monterey auctions kicked off last night with a special Ford-only sale put on by RM. Despite an offering of significant race cars and a slew of concept cars, bidding was sluggish and many of the final sale prices were well below the pre-auction estimates. Some of the concepts like the 2000 Ford Prodigy Concept and the 2002 Lincoln Coninental Concept Shell sold for just $14,000 each, while many of the high profile cars sold for less than half the estimates. The 2003 Ford Supercharged Thunderbird Concept went for $60,000, the 2004 Lincoln Mark X Concept sold for $92,500, and the 2004 Ford Mustang GT-R Concept went to a bidder who only had to fork over $100,000.

The top sales of the day were actually a pair of Lincolns, one a 1962 Continental “Bubbletop” Kennedy Limousine ($429,000) and the other a 1933 KB Custom Dietrich Convertible Sedan ($385,000). Some most significant cars were no-sales, including a 1903 Ford Model A that is the oldest existing Ford ever sold (high bid of $325,000) and a 1964 Cooper Ford “King Cobra” that didn’t meet the reserve at $450,000.

You can see the Ford concept cars and many of the other vehicles at RM’s Thursday night auction in the gallery below, and be sure to check back for more auction photos and results this weekend.

Gallery: RM Ford-Themed Monterey Auction

2004 Lincoln Mark X Concept 2001 Ford Forty Nine Concept 2001 Lincoln MK9 Concept 2005 Ford Explorer Sport Trac Adrenalin Concept 2001 Ford EX Concept

Monterey 2010: Blue Oval bargains kick off RM auction originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 13 Aug 2010 19:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Monterey 2010: Pebble Beach Tour d’Elegance creates ultimate photo-ops

Filed under: Classics

2010 Pebble Beach Tour d’Elegance – Click above for high-res image gallery

While the skies were gloomy and even a bit weepy this year, at least we didn’t have fog like last year. The Pebble Beach Tour d’Elegance is one of our favorite events in Monterey every year, and it’s nice to actually see the cars. The Tour, if you’re not familiar, is an event that includes a large portion of the entrants in Sunday’s Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, but as its name implies, the cars are moving. The best part is that it’s free to anyone with a lawn chair.

The cars leave the Pebble Beach grounds around 8:30AM and snake through 17-Mile drive, loop through Monterey and then head down Highway 1 to Big Sur before turning around and coming back up into Carmel for lunch. Mercedes-Benz was the sponsor this year so there were plenty of SLS, SLK, S Class, GL, ML… LMNOP models on hand to serve escort duty for the “real” media, VIPs and racers like Sir Stirling Moss, who led the whole parade in an old Gullwing. Nice cars for sure, but the Tour is also our first glimpse at what’s going to be vying for Best of Show on the 18th fairway at Pebble on Sunday.

Unlike last year when the Horch just shown like a freshly polished diamond in a coal pile, we didn’t spot any clear favorites this year. That’s not to say there aren’t a ton of great cars here this year – just not one superstar. Several cars did manage to stand out as the entries chugged past us along PCH though.

That’s the magical part of the Tour, the cars careening down the coast with hundreds of spectators and photographers lining every turn-out. All five of your senses are involved here, with everything from horseless carriages to 1950s dream cars whizzing by, spewing an intoxicating mix of fuel vapor, oil, exhaust, brakes, clutch and various other overheated material scents as the ground rumbles under your feet, particularly with the race cars. And come on, how often do you get to see GP cars on the street?

Check out the amazing gallery of 109 high-res images by clicking below. We’re still in the process of labeling them all, so shout it out in the comments if you can identify any of the ones we’re missing.

Gallery: Monterey 2010: Pebble Beach Tour d’Elegance

Mercedes-Benz 300SL driven by Sir Stirling Moss

Monterey 2010: Pebble Beach Tour d’Elegance creates ultimate photo-ops originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 13 Aug 2010 14:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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