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Bugatti reveal for Monterey rumored to be inspired by EB 110 SS

In June, The Supercar Blog heard that Bugatti had a special edition planned for reveal during Monterey Car Week. At the time there were zero details on what we might be in for; the only iota of news was that part of the production run had already been sold. TSB just picked up on this Instagram post from June 4 by Girardo & Co, a classic-car sales company, that could point to the answer:

This is a touch self-serving on Girardo’s part, seeing that the company is selling a Bugatti EB 110 SS — and has been since at least March of this year, when we wrote about it. However, that doesn’t mean the suggestion isn’t true. For those who don’t know, Italian businessman Roman Artioli bought the Bugatti brand in 1987. The only product to leave the company’s Campogalliano factory was the EB 110 in the early 1990s, an alien-looking coupe powered by a quad-turbocharged, 3.5-liter V12 putting out 553 horsepower and 456 pound-feet of torque. The even rarer EB 110 SS juiced proceedings up to 603 hp and 479 lb-ft. On a side note, if Girardo & Co really does have the last one built, it would be an improved version engineered by German firm Dauer, one of only five made.

Circumstantial evidence lends credence to Bugatti interest in the EB 110. Road & Track writes that Artioli visited the carmaker’s Molsheim headquarters this year, marking the first visit by the Italian to his former charge. Then, last week, Bugatti released a paean to the EB 110 and Artioli, applauding the coupe as “The first modern super sports car,” and praising the man with, “Because of his initiative and thanks to his efforts, Bugatti has been revived in the modern age.”

Bugatti has verified something new for Monterey. Whether or not it pays respects to the EB 110 SS, it has apparently already been shown to prospective clients. A supposed run of just 10 examples is planned, some of them sold, each retailing for 8 million euros, or about $9 million. The wraps will come off at The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering, on Aug. 16. Until then, the Bugatti Instagram account is posting breadcrumbs with video highlights from the brand’s history, with 1909, 1911, 1924 and 1926 accounted for so far.

July 24, 2019 / Comments Off

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Top 10 highest-priced cars sold by the remaining auction houses at Monterey

We’ve run down the Monterey Car Week auction results from RM Sotheby’s, Mecum and Gooding & Co. Here are the remaining Top 10 results from the other auction houses: Bonhams, Russo and Steele, and Worldwide.

All told, among the six houses, Auto Classics says total sales were $367.5 million from 841 lots — for an average sale price of, wow, $436,982:

Bonhams Quail Lodge Auction

1. 1948 Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 Competizione Coupe: $3,525,000
2. 1937 Mercedes-Benz 540K Sports Roadster: $3,277,500
3. 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing Coupe: $1,875,000
4. 1960 Ferrari 250 GT Cabriolet Series II Cabriolet: $1,682,500
5. 1928 Bentley 6½ Liter Open Sports Tourer: $1,655,000
6. 1953 Siata 208S Spider: $1,655,000
7. 1929 Bentley 4½ Liter Sports Tourer: $1,435,000
8. 2015 Porsche 918 Spyder Weissach: $1,407,500
9. 1936 Mercedes-Benz 500K Touring Phaeton: $1,215,000
10. 1996 Porsche 911 GT2 Coupe: $1,105,000

Russo and Steele Monterey

1. 2017 Ford GT Coupe (the John Cena GT): $1,540,000
2. 1984 Lamborghini Countach LP500S Coupe: $308,000
3. 1972 Ferrari 365 GTC/4 Coupe: $305,250
4. 1983 Ferrari 512 BBi Coupe: $225,500
5. 2009 Mercedes-Benz SL65 AMG Black Series Convertible: $203,500
6. 1989 Porsche 911 Speedster: $181,500
7. 1932 Pierce-Arrow Model 52 Custom Club Berline Sedan: $176,000
8. 2012 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Executive Series Van: $154,000
9. 2000 BMW Z8 Roadster: $154,000
10. 2017 Mercedes-Benz G550 Custom Wagon: $148,500

Worldwide Pacific Grove Auction

1. 1931 Duesenberg Model J Derham Tourster: $1,320,000
2. 1962 Shelby Cobra 260 Roadster: $990,000
3. 1916 Locomobile Model 68 Cabriolet: $473,000
4. 1972 Ferrari Dino 246 GTS Spider: $341,000
5. 1968 Jaguar E-Type SI.5 Roadster: $247,500
6. 1958 Buick Limited Model 756 Convertible: $181,500
7. 1929 Packard Deluxe Eight-Series 645 Roadster: $176,000
8. 1967 Maserati Ghibli Coupe: $170,500
9. 1969 Chevrolet Camaro Yenko: $165,000
10. 1965 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud III LWB Sedan: $145,750

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August 27, 2018 / Comments Off

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SSC Tuatara revealed with up to 1,750 horsepower, with 300 mph record in mind

Seven years after the concept made its debut at Pebble Beach, the production SSC Tuatara is finally here. And, impressively, it seems to deliver on exactly what was promised with the concept, from the exterior to the engine specs. The body looks nearly identical to that initial shape designed by Jason Castriota, the man behind the Bertone Mantide, Ferrari P4/5 by Pininfarina and the Saab PhoeniX concept. It has the jet-fighter cockpit, rocket-like nose, and winglets at the back that could make a ’59 Cadillac jealous. The company claims it’s seriously slippery, too, with a coefficient of drag of 0.276, which the company also points out is slicker than the Bugatti Chiron, Koenigsegg Agera and Hennessey Venom F5. The only major change seems to be at the back, which features substantially more open grille-work, perhaps to cool the monstrous engine underneath.

The engine is a twin-turbocharged V8 with a displacement of 5.9 liters that Shelby Supercars co-developed with Nelson Racing Engines, a company that specializes in high-performance versions of GM, Ford and Mopar V8s. The turbos feed into dual water-to-air intercoolers, and fuel comes via pairs of injectors to each cylinder. The engine also features a flat-plane crank that likely helps it reach its screaming 8,800 rpm redline. Two power ratings are quoted for the engine. The first of 1,350 horsepower is the same as what the company quoted back in 2011, and it is achieved on 91 octane gasoline. The other is a shocking 1,750 horsepower, which is available when using E85 ethanol. Power goes to the rear wheels through a seven-speed automated sequential manual transmission.

SSC is also promising a potential record-beating top speed. The company says it’s confident it will hit roughly 300 mph with the car, which is substantially more than the less aerodynamic Koenigsegg Agera RS’s current record of 277.9 mph. It’s also the same top speed Hennessey is targeting for the Venom F5. We have reason to believe SSC can pull this off, since the company’s previous car, the SSC Ultimate Aero, held the official world record for top speed for a while in the mid- to late-2000s, beating the Bugatti Veyron.

We imagine a top speed run isn’t too far into the future, since the company says it’s ready to begin producing the Tuatara at its facility in West Richland, Wash. It’s also taking pre-orders right now for what will be a much larger production run than initially planned. Originally, SSC planned on building just up to 40 examples, but it will now build 100. Pricing hasn’t been announced, but the company said the car would probably cost a bit over $1 million back in 2011. That may be higher now that seven years of inflation and such have passed.

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August 26, 2018 / Comments Off

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Ferrari 488 Pista Spider drops its top in the sun at Pebble Beach

Ferrari, as Ferrari does, has been moving fast. In the space of just five months, we were introduced to the new Ferrari 488 Pista at the Geneva Motor Show, had the chance to drive a Pista prototype and then a production version of the $345,300 supercar, and finally we were tantalized by the mere-mortals-can’t-have it Pista Piloti Ferrari. Now Ferrari has its latest Special Series variant at Pebble Beach, the Ferrari 488 Pista Spider concept.

Ferrari says it is the 50th convertible in company history and has the lowest weight-power ratio yet in a droptop at 1.92 kg/cv (or about 4.22 pounds per horsepower). That equation is helped in no small part by 710 horsepower, driving a car with a dry weight of just 3,036 pounds — it’s that slight if you’ve checked all the boxes for lightweighting options, that is. That’s about 200 pounds more than the coupe, but Ferrari says this car still does 0-to-62 in 2.85 seconds and has the same 211 mph top speed.

Ferrari says it maintained the aerodynamics of the coupe, and the convertible also shares the coupe’s lightweighting from gobs of carbon fiber and simplification. The driver’s door handle is a mere strap.

This species of Spider can be identified by a central stripe down its back, which, Ferrari says in its announcement, “recalls the movement of the airflow and exalts the lines of the car.” The blue stripes over a white body also happen to be traditional racing colors of the United States, another nod to the car’s debut site and America’s love of convertibles.

Assisting the car’s at-the-limits driving dynamics is a new lateral control system called the Ferrari Dynamic Enhancer. The Spider has 20-inch diamond-finish alloy wheels with berlinetta rims, though you can opt for one-piece carbon-fiber wheels offering a 20 percent weight reduction.

No mention of whether the 488 Pista Spider will enter production, but Ferrari notes the popularity of its droptops in the U.S., so we’re going to assume it’s happening. And if Lamborghini can do a droptop version of its hardcore Huracan Performante, why shouldn’t Ferrari with the Pista?

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August 26, 2018 / Comments Off

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2018 Monterey Car Week Mega Photo Gallery | Beauty abounds

From Pebble Beach to The Quail to Laguna Seca to Carmel, Monterey Car Week as usual has offered a wealth — and wealth certainly is the operative word — of sumptuous, fabulous vehicles. Here is our gallery of galleries, with links to our coverage, as an overview to the event.

The Quail: A Motorsports Gathering

Gooding & Company Pebble Beach Auction: Broadcast coverage

2019 Acura NSX: a refresh and an eye-catching new color

Audi PB18 E-Tron: electric supercar with a sometimes-center seat

2019 BMW Z4: M40i Roadster First Edition says hello at Pebble Beach

Bugatti Divo: $6 million supercar revealed, and all 40 are already spoken for

Genovation GXE: The world’s fastest, fully electric Corvette

Gunther Werks Porsche 911 Sport Touring:

Hennessey Venom F5 engine: 1,600-hp billet-aluminum twin-turbo V8

Infiniti Prototype 10: Speedster points the way to an electric future

Jaguar E-Type Zero: Electric classics will enter production

Lamborghini Aventador SVJ: V12-powered carbon-fiber flagship

McLaren Senna #002: First Drive Review: What’s in a name

Polestar 1: North American debut

Rimac C_Two California Edition: Drunk on its power at Monterey Car Week

Singer Vehicle Design Dynamics and Lightweighting Study: Bespoke Porsche 911

1963 Aston Martin DP215 at RM Sotheby’s:

1962 Ferrari 250 GTO at RM Sotheby’s:

1966 Ford GT40 Mk II at RM Sotheby’s:

August 25, 2018 / Comments Off

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2018 Quail Motorsports Gathering in photos

While the main event of Monterey Car Week may be the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, it’s not the only major car show of the week. A few days before the Concours, there is the The Quail Motorsports Gathering in Carmel, California. The event hosts many classic sports cars and race cars, as well as the latest and greatest from sports and luxury car manufacturers. Each event also has a few special classes. Among the featured vehicles this year were classic Ferraris, Lancia race cars, including a number of Martini-liveried rally cars, the Lamborghini Espada, and RUF sports cars.

New car manufacturers also come out to show off their new stuff, such as the Lamborghini Aventador SVJ. Bugatti even chose the Quail as the location to reveal its handling-oriented Divo, a limited-production car worth nearly $6 million. Porsche kicked off its 70th anniversary celebration by bringing out the very first Porsche prototype sports car, the first one badged with the name. Other companies brought their concepts that will also be displayed at Pebble Beach, like the Audi PB18 E-Tron and Infiniti Prototype 10.

Of course, there were many other fascinating cars on display. There was a large contingent of Datsun and Nissan race cars, which was unsurprising since Nissan is the featured marque for the Monterey Motorsports Reunion. A whole section of Paganis was also on display. Check out the photos above for a visual tour of the show.

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August 25, 2018 / Comments Off

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Would you pay this much for a Porsche 959 that ran into a tree?

Among the cars up for auction this week during Monterey Car Week is this 1987 Porsche 959 Komfort. The winning bid was expected to be between $450,000 and $550,000, but apparently potential buyers were a little iffy on it. It went for $425,000 instead. We really can’t imagine why.

Yet, as it turns out, if you look real close, you’ll notice some front end damage. As Car and Driver reports and Mecum confirms, it ran into a tree. To be more specific, the fully enclosed trailer it was being transported in broke free of its hitch and fired itself off the road into a tree. See, should’ve just driven the damn thing. Lord knows its next investment-seeking owner won’t.

As the above video from Mecum Auctions shows, the 959 can still move under its own power as long as what appears to be a Home Depot moving dolly is mounted near the right front wheel. Sorry, where the right front wheel used to be. That’s gone now, and the steering knuckle and brake rotor are no longer attached. But hey, the engine’s still in the back, so no worries there.

Only 294 units of the 959 Komfort were built, and this particular one has only 3,657 miles on it, which probably means the wildest journey it ever took was inside that trailer.

In case you’re wondering, and why wouldn’t you, a 1987 Porsche 959 Komfort that didn’t get flung into a tree was sold at auction earlier this year by RM Sotheby’s in Arizona for $1.16 million. Another sold in Monaco for the equivalent of $973,845. So yeah, that was an expensive hitch-up oopsie.

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August 24, 2018 / Comments Off

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Bugatti Divo revealed, all 40 are already spoken for

After numerous teasers, the Bugatti Divo has finally been revealed. I will thus take this opportunity to type “whip it good,” mention funny red conical hats and move onto something only slightly less ridiculous. The Divo cost €5 million each for the 40 people who have already purchased the limited production run. So sorry, you missed your chance.

The Bugatti Divo is quite obviously based on the Chiron. Though it shares that car’s 8.0-liter W16 engine, it is 77 pounds lighter and is capable of producing 198 extra pounds of downforce. Basically, while the Chiron is all about top speed, the Divo is more about taking corners. To that end, its lateral g is said to be 1.6 g, which is a staggering number, and its maximum speed is limited to only 236 mph.

“To date, a modern Bugatti has represented a perfect balance between high performance, straight-line dynamics and luxurious comfort,” said Bugatti president Stephan Winkelmann. “Within our possibilities, we have shifted the balance in the case of the Divo further towards lateral acceleration, agility and cornering. The Divo is made for bends.”

The newer, wider front spoiler contributes to that extra downforce, along with a new rear diffuser and a 23-percent wider rear spoiler that remains automatically height adjustable and still functions as an airbrake. It’s a whopping 6 feet wide. Tweaks up front also create an “air curtain” that optimizes air flow along the Divo’s sides. Besides creating extra downforce, aerodynamic changes also increase cooling to the engine and brakes.

The Divo also gets special suspension and steering settings to maximize handling. That includes increasing camber. Weight was reduced by using lighter wheels and a carbon fiber intercooler cover, along with a reduction in sound insulation, a lighter sound system and fixing the otherwise adjustable front diffuser flaps.

According to Bugatti, the resulting changes result in the Divo lapping the Nardo handling circuit 8 seconds faster than the Chiron can. Its 40 owners are sure to be super impressed by that.

Like the Veyron and Chiron, the Divo is named after a driver from the early years of car racing. Specifically, Albert Divo, the two-time winner of the Targa Florio in the 1920s. He did not look like this.

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August 24, 2018 / Comments Off

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Hennessey F5 reveals 1,600-hp billet-aluminum twin-turbo V8

CARMEL, Calif. — We’ve heard a lot about the powertrain that will propel the Hennessey F5 supercar to its proposed 301-mph top speed. But each time we’ve heard about it, the details have been a little fuzzy. The only truly concrete details have been that it will have at least 1,600 horsepower, it will be unique, and it will be a V8. Well the details are more finalized now, since Hennessey showed the engine at The Quail Motorsports Gathering.

The engine is all-aluminum with cast aluminum heads, and a machined billet aluminum engine block. The result is a powerplant with a rather unique finish, and it features Hennessey and F5 logos machine-etched into the block. The block is reinforced with steel cylinder sleeves. The pistons are forged, too. It’s also an old-school pushrod design, rather than using double overhead cams. According to John Hennessey, the reason is mainly for packaging, as the pushrod design results in a small, light engine. Augmenting the relatively small external size is a dry-sump oil system.

Despite its physical size, the engine has a massive displacement of 7.6 liters, which falls between the two numbers that had been previously reported for the engine. Feeding the engine all the air it can consume are two large turbochargers at the ends of tubular stainless steel headers that provide 22 to 24 psi maximum. Current output is at least 1,600 horsepower at 7,200 rpm and 1,300 pound-feet of torque at 4,400 rpm. John Hennessey says the engine could probably rev higher, but they’ll likely set the rev limiter at the 7,200 rpm mark.

Even with the engine finally revealed, not all of the specs are final. Hennessey told us that the output could be increased if more is needed to hit the 301-mph top speed. He did say that this is the baseline, though. He also reiterated that, while it won’t be made to be a lightning-fast track car, the company is still aiming for a sub-7-minute lap time at the Nürburgring. Hennessey will also build 24 examples, and 15 people have ordered it. The company has previously said the car will cost $1.6 million.

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August 24, 2018 / Comments Off

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Lamborghini Aventador SVJ is a V12-powered carbon fiber flagship

Lamborghini officially pulled the covers off a special version of the brand’s Aventador flagship this evening, and it wears a cryptic SVJ 63 designation. The name comes from the year 1963, which is when Lamborghini was founded. Only 63 will be built, and with the amount of carbon fiber and extroverted graphics covering them, they’ll definitely stand out from the crowd.

Power for the Aventador SVJ comes from a V12 engine producing 770 hp at 8,500 rpm and 530 pound-feet of torque at 6,750 rpm. That’s enough power to push the Aventador Superveloce Jota from 0 to 62 miles per hour in just 2.8 seconds and a top speed of over 217 mph. But its true claim to fame is its performance on the track. The SVJ currently holds the production vehicle lap record at the Nürburgring, lapping the famous circuit in 6:44.97.

Aerodinamica Lamborghini Attiva 2.0 debuts on the Aventador SVJ. Similar to the system in the Huracan Performante, electronic actuators open or close flaps in the front splitter and on the engine cover. Combined with Lamborghini Dinamica Veicolo Attiva 2.0, the SVJ’s electronic brain can adjust been zero and maximum downforce in less than 500 milliseconds. Air over the car’s rear wing can be split left and right, allowing for downforce to be applied only on the wheel that needs it.

Total production of the Aventador SVJ — including the even more exclusive 63 — will be limited to 900 units. Deliveries are slated to begin in the first part of 2019 at a starting price of $517,770.00.

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August 24, 2018 / Comments Off

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John Cena’s former 2017 Ford GT heads to auction at Monterey

The now-infamous 647-horsepower Liquid Blue 2017 Ford GT formerly owned (and then flipped) by actor and wrestling star John Cena is once again for sale, this time destined for the auction block this weekend at Monterey Car Week. And in a twist, Jalopnikreports it’s being auctioned by the same dealer Ford also sued for flipping it.

Chico, Calif.-based New Autos Inc. is sending the car to the Russo and Steele Collector Automobile Auction Saturday night in downtown Monterey, advertising it as one of just 138 produced for 2017, the first model year, and with the VIN number 77, a nod to Cena’s birth year.

Ford late last year sued Cena for flipping his GT for a profit shortly after he acquired it for $466,376.50, citing a clause barring a sale of any of the first 500 models for 24 months. The two sides later settled for an undisclosed amount that reportedly was to go to charity.

New Autos is apparently eager to trumpet the car’s clean legal bill of health. “This is the only 2017 Ford GT for sale that is unencumbered by past, present or future lawsuits from Ford,” Bernie Knaus, the president of New Autos Inc., said in a release. He added, “Whoever buys it will get an incredible car with no legal issues attached, since it was already settled.”

Jalopnik spoke with Knaus, who told them Cena sold the GT to a 78-year-old wealthy farmer in California who wanted one last great supercar and is reportedly a big Ford fan, with a large collection of F-Series pickups doing duty on his farm. He’s apparently no longer able to use the car and decided to sell it with a scant 625 miles on the odometer.

“He says, ‘Bernie, I don’t need to sell the car. But it’s getting to the point where I can’t get in the car, and it’s too difficult to drive,'” Knaus told the site. “He has some back issues, (but) he got the dream of owning it.

“This was gong to be his last great car for himself, and he wanted it to be an American car. That was critical. And not only an American car, but he wanted it to be a Ford.”

Ford recently decided to re-open the application process for the 2019 Ford GT in the fourth quarter of this year but remains committed to the quota of 1,000 examples over four build years through 2020.

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August 23, 2018 / Comments Off

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Ferris Bueller Ferrari replica is so choice, and now it can be yours

If you have the means, we highly recommend you consider picking up this replica Ferrari GT Spyder California that had a starring role in 1986 film “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.” Granted, Ferris Bueller (played by Matthew Broderick) and his friend Cameron Frye (played by Alan Ruck) ended up completely destroying the car in the movie – don’t worry, this wasn’t the one that went careening backwards out of a garage. This car, one of three built for the film, is fully restored and is in complete working order, according to Mecum Auctions.

Set to go under the auction hammer later this month during Monterey Car Week, the ‘Ferris Bueller Ferrari‘ is a cinematic and photogenic gem, despite the fact that, ahem, it’s not an actual classic Ferrari. If it was, trust us, the price would be far in excess of the pre-sale estimate of $250,000-$300,000, which Mecum has placed on the car.

For reference, back in 2012, a true 1962 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spyder found a new home after someone handed over more than $8-million dollars to buy it. So, all in all, this phony Ferrari could be the steal of century, as long as you don’t mind a 5.0-liter V8 engine under the hood, versus a screaming Ferrari V12.

Originally built in 1985 by a California company called Modena Design and Development, this car is based around a steel-tube frame and comes powered by a V8 fitted with four Weber carburetors. Power is fed to the rear wheels via a five-speed manual gearbox. Design touches to make the car appear authentic include a Ferrari grille, chrome side vents and wire-spoke wheels, Jaeger gauges across the dash, toggle switches, tan leather seats, a wooden steering wheel and period-correct AM/FM radio. Interestingly, the car is also fitted with air conditioning.

The car is fresh from a nine-month restoration, carries its original VIN, and has apparently covered only 1,520 miles since new.

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August 12, 2018 / Comments Off

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Bugatti Divo will be a $5.8 million hypercar with an appetite for corners

Too much is never enough, especially when you’re talking about Bugatti supercars. The Divo is the next step in Bugatti’s continuing history of building the most covetable vehicles on the planet. Based on the existing 1,479 horsepower Chiron, the Divo is intended to be lighter in weight and significantly quicker around corners. Oh yes, and it’s almost massively expensive, with a starting price of approximately $5.8 million. If you want one, hurry up, because only 40 will be produced.

“Happiness is not around the corner. It is the corner. The Divo is made for corners,” says Stephan Winkelmann, President of Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S. “With the Divo, we want to thrill people throughout the world. With this project, the Bugatti team has an opportunity to interpret the brand DNA in terms of agile, nimble handling in a significantly more performance-oriented way.”

Little to no details have been released about the Divo ahead of its official introduction this August at Monterey Car Week. The powertrain will likely be carryover from the Chiron, which means the quad-turbocharged W12 will be there in all its decadent glory. The body could be significantly different, however, in keeping with Bugatti’s promise that the car has been honed to go around corners at physics-defying speed.

As for the name, it might conjure up images of a certain 1970s-80s band, but the Divo is named after Albert Divo, a French racing driver who twice won the Targa Florio while piloting a Bugatti race machine.

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July 10, 2018 / Comments Off

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2017 Monterey Car Week | Visual feast of ravishing cars

It’s a tough job, but somebody’s got to do it. We criss-crossed the Monterey Peninsula, going from Pebble Beach to Carmel-on-the-Sea and places in between, seeking out the most beautiful, the most significant and occasionally, the wildest cars on display. Here are the highlights in all their photographic glory.

Ferrari 70th Anniversary at Pebble Beach: We hope you like red

2017 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance Details: Taking a closer look at the best of the best

2017 Monterey Motorsports Reunion: It’s like stepping through time over and over again

2017 Quail Motorsports Gathering: Another opportunity to see new and classic exotics

2017 Pebble Beach Concept Car Lawn: The latest concepts on a lawn (plus a few non-concepts)

BMW Concept Z4 at Pebble Beach: We get our first look at the next-generation roadster

First U.S. Bugatti Chiron Delivery: The first Chiron is delivered to a U.S. customer

Pagani Zonda HP Barchetta: Mr. Pagani gets his very own Zonda and it’s really cool

Infiniti Prototype 9 at Pebble Beach: What if Infiniti had a race team in the 1950s?

Vision Mercedes-Maybach 6 Cabriolet at Pebble Beach: The Maybach 6 is back, now without less roof

Aston Martin Vanquish Zagato Volante at Pebble Beach: Some Astons are better than other Astons

1956 Aston Martin DBR1 at RM Sotheby’s: The most-expensive British car sold at auction

1995 McLaren F1 at Bonhams Quail Auction: The first F1 sold in the U.S. was also on the block

Gunther Werks 400R Reveal: The ultimate air-cooled 993

Ken Okuyama Cars Kode 0: Bringing to the 1970s to the Lamborghini Aventador

Acura ARX-05 Daytona Prototype Reveal: Acura and Penske reveal endurance car prototype

McLaren 720S by McLaren Special Operations: It sure is purple

2018 Ford GT ’67 Heritage Edition in Monterey: Because the GT can in fact get even cooler

McCall’s Motorworks Revival 2017: A great way to kick off the weekend

August 23, 2017 / Comments Off

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2017 Pebble Beach Concept Car Lawn: A unique chance to see concepts in one place

A Kia Stinger GT is not a concept car. Neither is the Fux Fuschia McLaren 720S or Lamborghini Huracan Performante. The Maserati Gran Turismo is certainly not – it’s almost a classic at this point. Yet, look beyond some of the questionable inclusions for the 2017 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance Concept Car Lawn, and you’ll see a diverse selection of concept cars from carmakers ranging from Infiniti and Genesis to Pagani and Aston Martin. Volkswagen even made an appearance with its I.D. Buzz.

It’s always cool to see concept cars outside studio and auto show lights, and Pebble Beach is one of the few opportunities to do so. The cars featured include these notable models:

Enjoy the gallery, and stay tuned for more coverage from Monterey car week.

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August 20, 2017 / Comments Off

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Pagani Zonda HP Barchetta revealed at Pebble Beach

The Pagani Zonda HP Barchetta was revealed at Pebble Beach this weekend, one of only three that will be produced. It was created by company founder Horacio Pagani and his team for Pagani’s own 60th birthday as a tribute to the car that was first introduced 18 years ago. It’s possible they will be the last three Zondas built.

The HP Barchetta is the work of the Uno-di-Uno division, which consists of a team of specialists that create one-off and extremely rare customized cars that supposedly exceed the Zonda’s (and Huayra’s) usual high-quality standards.

Noteworthy elements include the cropped windshield, carbon-titanium composite components from the Huayra and the contrasting wheels – those on the left are silver, those on the right are blue. Inside, the seats are from the Huayra and done up in ivory leather with tartan elements and blue leather highlights. The steering wheel is also trimmed in blue leather and wood – the latter one of the several elements inspired by classic motorsports.

Power comes from a Mercedes-AMG V12 sent through a six-speed manual transmission. Carbon =-ceramic Brembo brakes handle the stopping.

August 20, 2017 / Comments Off

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First U.S. Bugatti Chiron delivered to customer at Pebble Beach

This would be the first Bugatti Chiron delivered to a U.S. customer and it seems appropriate that the delivery took place this weekend at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. Such “first” cars tend to be just the sort that end up on the illustrious fairway every August.

As you can obviously see, this particular owner went for a yellow and black color scheme, which can be seen on classic Bugattis as well. The yellow extends to the wheels, the grille surround and the trademark C-shaped trim along each side. The colors carry into the cabin with yellow leather on the inside of the seats, the center console armrest, doors and the interior’s C-shaped dividing line. Everything else is black leather.

Bugatti says that the Chiron will be limited to 500 units, with more than half already sold and 30 percent of those destined for the United States. The asking price is essentially $3 million. We’ll have to wait and see what it’ll be worth in 60 years or so when U.S. Chiron no. 1 makes its almost-inevitable return to Pebble Beach.

August 20, 2017 / Comments Off

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Witness the only Fux Fuchsia McLaren 720S in existence

Need proof that McLaren is willing to build literally anything a customer could possibly want, regardless of how outlandish it may seem? Witness this 720S, which was just delivered to noted McLaren enthusiast Michael Fux on the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance Concept Lawn. As you can see, it’s pink. Or purple. Somewhere in between, really.

Actually, it’s Fux Fuchsia, a color originally created by Rolls-Royce for Mr. Fux and held back as an exclusive shade by McLaren Special Operations for future vehicles. And, considering the car collector already owns three McLaren models, we’re thinking this won’t be the last of Fux Fuchsia you’ll see on one of these British supercars.

Besides the retina-searing shade of exterior paint, the inside door appliqués, a pinstripe on the steering wheel, and the rear-view mirror are all finished in in Fux Fuchsia. The rest of the interior is done up in white leather with white stitching. The floormats are also white, but finished in Alcantara.

Want a custom McLaren of your own? Jolyon Nash, McLaren Automotive Executive Director, Global Sales and Marketing, commented, “MSO provides McLaren owners with virtually limitless possibilities to tailor a car exactly to their needs and tastes. … Beyond this there are opportunities all the way up to complete vehicles designed to individual specification.” All you need, we imagine, is a suitably large bank account.

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August 19, 2017 / Comments Off

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Highlights from the 2017 Quail, A Motorsports Gathering (champagne not included)

One of the highlights of the annual automotive extravaganza that occurs every August on the Monterey Peninsula is the Quail, A Motorsports Gathering. Yes, the comma is officially part of the name. And yes, it really is that pretentious. But look beyond the complementary champagne and gourmet food stations, and you’ll see an exquisite array of exotic automobiles – classic, new and concept – trampling the 18th fairway of the Quail Lodge & Golf Club. It’s basically an extremely fancy cars and coffee.

Though we poke fun at it a bit, it’s nevertheless one of those things that’s worth experiencing. Then again, admission runs a cool $600, which is basically twice the price of the actual Pebble Beach Concours. Of course, you don’t get the champagne and fois gras with that.

Check out our ace photographer Drew Phillips’ photographic evidence of the 2017 Quail. As always, it was quite the collection.

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August 19, 2017 / Comments Off

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Ken Okuyama’s Kode 0 brings classic ’70s design to the Quail

Ken Okuyama designed this, the Kode 0, to invoke memories of such classic ’70s supercar designs as the Lancia Stratos Zero, Lamborghini Countach and Ferrari Moduro. But its retro-futuristic looks are only skin deep. The Kode 0 sits atop the guts of a current Lamborghini Aventador, including its naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12 engine.

Due to its full carbon fiber bodywork, the Kode 0 weighs just 3,417 pounds. That’s more than 600 pounds lighter than the Aventador upon which it’s based. With 690 horsepower and 507 pound-feet of torque, the Kode 0 can hit 60 miles per hour in just 2.9 seconds.

The Kode 0’s dramatic wedge-shaped design is inspired by the works of Marcello Gandini and flows seamlessly from front to rear. Its almost impossibly short rear overhang and slanted roofline draw the eye toward the acute crease that makes up the rear portion of the passenger compartment. It’s certainly striking, especially when the doors open to reveal bright green highlights hiding behind the bodywork.

The Kode 0 is radically different but equally as stunning as the Kode 57 that Okuyama unveiled at the Quail last year. See for yourself in our high-res image gallery above.

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