monterey car week

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The Huayra is a decade old this year

I am sure there are people out there that never have seen a Pagani Huayra in real life yet, but this amazing model from Horatio Pagani was introduced back in 2011 already, the Huayra is celebrating her 10th anniversary this year, and with Monterey Car Week in little over a week, Automobili Pagani found the perfect venue to commemorate this event, by bringing something new to California for us to enjoy … the Huayra BC Pacchetto Tempesta.

But let’s take a trip back to 2011, when Pagani officially unveiled the Zonda successor, called Huayra, in a simple online press release in January 2011, due to the close collaboration with Pirelli the world premiere featuring a real car was done at the Milan headquarters of Pirelli a month later, because Pagani used a Mercedes-AMG sourced engine for the new Huayra, production was limited at only 100 units … four years later, by February 11, 2015, this very special Pagani was sold out.

The Pagani Huayra at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show

A more public unveil for the new Pagani hypercar occurred at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show where the two cars on the stand drew a lot of attention, keep in mind at that same Geneva show Lamborghini unveiled the long-awaited Aventador LP700-4 and Koenigsegg showed the bright white Agera R, yes, the one with the ski box on the removable roof panel!

The engine for the Pagani Huayra might have been sourced from Mercedes-AMG, but it was a bespoke built for this car only, a 6-Liter twin-turbo V12 unit (internal code M158) that would deliver 720 hp at 5,800 rpm, but more importantly a massive 1,000 Nm of torque between 2,250 and 4,500 rpm … weighing in at only 1,250 kg, the Huayra was extremely fast on the track, in part due to the active aero ‘flaps’ at the front and rear of the car.

It took Pagani a few years to come up with an improved Huarya because the 100 units of the ‘base’ Huayra were sold out (not all delivered yet, however), we got the BC shown to the public at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show, a more track-focused model named after the late Benny Caiola, a close friend of Horacio Pagani, and the first Pagani customer.

The Pagani Huayra BC at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show

The Pagani Huayra BC came with more power from the 6-Liter twin-turbo V12 engine, now rated at 745 hp with 1,100 Nm while overall weight got reduced to 1,218 kg, one of the options available on the limited edition Huarya BC was an impressive air intake on the engine cover and roof to make the car look even more like a race car … only 20 units of the Pagani Huayra BC were built.

A year later Pagani released the version of the Huayra I would be interested in the most, the Huayra Roadster, I prefer convertibles for my personal use, and the Huayra Roadster showed a rather radical, bespoke design, and I love it, she looks stunning. Naturally, the entire section over the engine had to be redesigned to offer open-top motoring, Pagani style, and on a car like this a canvas folding roof would be blasphemy, so the Huayra Roadster came with a removable hardtop section that could be left in the owner’s garage on a custom frame.

The new Pagani Huayra Roadster at the 2017 Geneva Motor Show

Unlike the Huayra that has those jaw-dropping gullwing style doors that open up, the Huayra Roadster comes with traditional doors, there is no roof to fix the hinges needed for gullwing doors, and while Horatio Pagani did some testing with a different way of opening for the doors on the Roadster, in the end, he deemed all the more ‘special’ solutions to be too heavy for this topless Huayra, so he settled for regular, horizontally swinging doors but still increased power from the V12 engine to 754 hp, the Roadster was again limited to 100 units only.

Just as with the closed coupe, the Pagani Huayra Roadster received an even more powerful BC variant, introduced in 2019, this time 40 units would be available of this $3,210,000 hypercar, now with almost 800 hp still from that Mercedes-AMG sourced twin-turbo V12 engine with a 6-Liter displacement. New to the roadster was a set of exhaust diverting flaps that would move some of the exhaust down, under, and more importantly over the sides of the rear diffuser, in effect making the Huayra BC Roadster a derivation of Formula 1 blown-diffuser technology developed in 2011 by Red Bull Racing.

The Pagani Huayra BC Roadster was intended to be unveiled at the 2020 edition of the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance during Monterey Car Week, but sadly that event was canceled due to the worldwide pandemic, fortunately, the 2021 edition will take place, during which Pagani intends to offer some serious experience for their owners by gathering a large number of Pagani cars on the track, more on that later.

The most powerful, street-legal Pagani Huayra is the 2020 Imola version, with 827 hp, this very special model took its name from the fact Pagani did about 16,000 km of testing on the famous Italian Imola track, with an overall weight of only 1,246 kg thanks to a new way of producing the carbon fiber body, the more obvious points to recognize this version must be the new side sills, big roof scoop, and a vertical ‘shark fin’ that runs into a fixed rear wing … this looked like a race version of the Huayra, but that one was still on the drawing boards at Pagani, only 5 units of the Huayra Imola were made.

If you think a production run of 5 units on the Pagani Huayra Imola was limited, think again … the Huayra Tricolore came in only 3 units, even an MSRP of € 5,500,000 before VAT didn’t keep people from buying this ultimate Pagani. In 2010, Pagani paid tribute to 50 years of the Frecce Tricolori by creating the Zonda Tricolore, with only three built too, making it the most exclusive and sought-after Zonda model in the world.

In 2020, the Frecce Tricolori reached their 60th anniversary and Pagani wanted once again to celebrate this milestone with another piece to a mosaic created from passion, tradition, and the spirit of collaboration, inspired by the Aermacchi MB-339A P.A.N., the Huayra Tricolore is powered by a new Pagani V12, a twin-turbo engine specially developed by Mercedes-AMG, now capable of delivering 840 hp at 5900 rpm and 1100 Nm of torque from 2000 to 5600 rpm in this latest iteration.

2021 marked the year when Pagani came up with the long-awaited R version of the Huayra, much like the Zonda R presented at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show, the Huayra R is a track-only car, this beast is not street-legal, but she still looks amazing, although we haven’t seen a rolling prototype yet, only a static mockup in a YouTuber video, the intention is to build a total of 30 units of the Huayra R, against 15 units of the radical Zonda R.

The Pagani Zonda R at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show

And it seems Pagani isn’t ready to unveil a working Huayra R yet either, their latest press release states ‘key components of the Huayra R project are on display’ at the 2021 Monterey Car Week, so we won’t be seeing an actual car in California this year, at least not a Huayra R, but we will be able to enjoy some serious Pagani hypercars over that weekend as Pagani will showcase the most iconic Huayra models at The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering, together with the world premiere of the Huayra BC Pacchetto Tempesta.

Pagani will bring along the first Huayra BC to be fitted with the new Pacchetto Tempesta together with one of the 40 units in the Huayra BC Roadster production, as they couldn’t unveil that car back in 2020 at the same event, the Pacchetto Tempesta is specifically developed to improve the already potent Huayra BC even further towards its racing attitude.

The Pacchetto Tempesta distinguishes itself from a regular Huayra BC with a different front splitter and dedicated air intake to maximize aerodynamic efficiency, a new rear wing featuring an integrated central fin comes into play, a different six-pipe exhaust system together with a new suspension. To enhance both comfort and looks, the interior of the Huayra BC gets some striking interior details and an all-new Soft Driving mode makes its appearance, power is increased by 8% to a total of 827 hp and 1,100 Nm torque.

While there won’t be a completely functional Huayra R on display this year, Pagani will showcase some key components of the project, like the all-new Pagani V12-R naturally aspirated engine, the six-speed sequential gearbox (created in collaboration with HWA), and the ultra-light Carbo-Titanium HP62-G2 and Carbo-Triax HP62 monocoque, specifically designed to provide the driving thrill of a true racing car, in line with the most stringent FIA requirements.

The monocoque interior to be featured inside the Huayra R shows a true racing setup, but will still be a testament to how even the most extreme, cutting-edge, models are fitted with unparalleled craftsmanship and unmistakably refined Pagani details, as even the R version, while not being street-legal, remains a Pagani masterpiece.

In the words of Pietro Berardi, CEO of the North American Market: “Passion and the continuous desire to go beyond our limits are some of the values that Pagani and Pirelli have shared for over 10 years in one of the most fruitful partnerships in the automotive world. Over the last years with Pagani we have implemented several research and development projects, always focused not on only maximum performance but also the new quality and safety standards: from the first record beaten in 2010 with a Pagani Zonda R on Pirelli P Zero at the Nürburgring, the iconic German racing track, to the use of Formula 1 modeling to develop the P Zero Trofeo R tires for the new Pacchetto Tempesta for the Huayra BC. Last but not least, just a few months ago, on the legendary Spa-Francorchamps racing track, the record set by the Roadster BC equipped with specially developed P Zero Trofeo R tires set a milestone in the history of “Motor Valley” supercars. With the new slick tires, specially developed for the Huayra R, the outlook looks much brighter for the years to come!”

August 5, 2021 / Comments Off

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The Battista at Monterey Car Week

If you are dreaming about a clear carbon fiber, all-electric hypercar with an amazing pedigree from a famous Italian automotive design firm, you can now feel comfortable as Automobili Pininfarina is about to unveil the Battista, this Hyper GT will make her US debut at The Quail and Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance during the 2021 edition of the famous Monterey Car Week, this will consequently also be the world première of this car to the public.

And Automobili Pininfarina will bring another, even more special, car to Monterey this year, the Battista Anniversario, a tribute model to the life and work of design icon Battista ‘Pinin’ Farina, this version will come with bespoke aerodynamics and special details only available on this Anniversario edition, that will be limited to only 5 units worldwide, all in a unique Automobili Pininfarina-designed livery and bi-color tinted Furiosa Pack consisting of a front splitter, side blades and rear diffuser, with outer carbon parts finished in black exposed signature carbon while the inner parts will be made in exposed carbon fiber tinted in Iconica Blu.

But back to the ‘regular’ Automobili Pininfarina Battista, the show car for Monterey Car Week will be finished in their signature black exposed carbon fiber for the entire body while the interior comes with Iconica Blu details, many electric cars have hints of blue usually, this specific Battista is actually a production prototype, the car is ready for production as we speak.

During Monterey Car Week, none other than Luca Borgogno, Chief Design Officer at Automobili Pininfarina, will be part of the judges’ panel at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, where a fleet of iconic Pininfarina-designed vehicles will gather to celebrate over 90 years of design excellence by Pininfarina.

Per Svantesson, CEO of Automobili Pininfarina, said: “The premiere of the first production-specification Battista in the US marks the beginning of another significant chapter in the Automobili Pininfarina story. We are excited to showcase the beautiful and sustainable future of luxury to our clients while celebrating more than 90 years of Pininfarina design heritage during Monterey Car Week. We look forward to our clients in the US experiencing the immense dynamic performance and personalized luxury of Battista for the first time.”

And while the clear carbon fiber exterior of this show car might attract a lot of attention, the interior is just as amazing, with black sustainable leather combined with Iconica Blu contrast stitching and quilted Pilota seats themselves also finished in Iconica Blu Alcantara while also featuring Pilota Carbon Components finished in the same black exposed carbon fiber as the body of this Hyper GT.

This is the first time the 1,900 hp hypercar from Pininfarina will be shown to the public as a production-ready vehicle, this hypercar will be able to reach 100 km/h (62 mph) from standing still in less than 2 seconds, priced at $2,200,000 each there will be only 150 units available for the entire world, while the battery can come with a warranty up to 10 years into the future.

If you are interested in one of these 150 Automobili Pininfarina Battista you can turn to a global network of selected salespoints, for the USA these are located in San Fransisco, Los Angeles, Denver, Dallas, New York, and Miami, further up north, you are also able to buy this car in either Toronto or Vancouver … but why not visit their stand at the Monterey Car Week on August 13 to get an impression of this amazing hypercar first hand.

August 4, 2021 / Comments Off

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Italian Coachbuilder to Release Its First Ever Mid-Engine Build

Italian coachbuilder, Carrozzeria Touring Superleggera, has been in the business since 1926 and they have big plans to celebrate their 95th anniversary. They plan to unveil a mid-engine coupe but details have been kept under wraps until the big reveal in June.

According to MotorAuthority, the Milan-based company is said to be releasing a two-seater with a mid-engine – the first-ever mid-engine vehicle to come from the coachbuilder. The new car will likely be based on an Italian car. The design cues for the unreleased car will come from the Aero 3 and the Disco Volante – based on the Ferrari F12 and the Alfa Romeo 8C.

Touring says the car is in the final stages of production and has pegged a release of June 2021 – they have also said a more formal unveiling will be appropriated during the 2021 Monterey Car Week held at The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering in mid-August.

Touring Superleggera Disco Volante Exterior

While Touring tends to stick to a dozen production cars the chances are high that the new masterpiece will be available in the US. Last year, Touring launched the Sciadipersia – based on the Maserati GranTurismo, to the US market.

May 3, 2021 / Comments Off

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Others Follow Pebble Beach Concours’ Cancellation

Until yesterday, organisers of Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance were hoping that the 2020 instalment would go ahead. The recent Covid-19 outbreak has caused an entire year of cancelled automotive events, however, it was hoped that Pebble Beach might go ahead given its August timetabling.

Yesterday, organisers confirmed that the event will not go ahead this year. While the event is effectively cancelled, organisers have confirmed that 2021’s event will run the schedule planned for 2020. This is because the car selection process for this year’s 70th Pebble Beach Concours was complete earlier this month. Acceptance letters have already been sent and invitations sent for the 70th-anniversary event. Because of this, we now know what to expect for 2021.

The 2021 event will feature a display of past Best of Show winners along the edge of Stillwater Cove, and special classes honouring Pininfarina coachwork, the Porsche 917, the Talbot-Lago Grand Sport, Miller racing, Iso, Early Electrics and the Carrera Panamericana.

After the Pebble Beach announcement, The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering announced that it would cancel too. It too has taken the approach of postponing its planned event until 2021.

Bonhams has confirmed that it will push ahead with its auction plans, likely holding an event somewhere in the state of California. Gooding and Company has chosen to postpone its Pebble Beach auction to next year alongside the Concours. The RM Sotheby’s auction has been cancelled, as has the Mecum and Russo & Steele events.

The only Monterey Car Week events that remain in the calenders are the Monterey Pre-Reunion and Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion at Laguna Seca.

April 24, 2020 / Comments Off

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Special Edition Lamborghini Huracan EVO GT Celebration Revealed

Lamborghini have unveiled a second special edition model for Pebble Beach this weekend. The Lamborghini Huracan EVO GT Celebration debuts as a celebration of Lamborghini’s recent successes at the 24 Hours of Daytona and the 12 Hours of Sebring.

The design pays hommage to two successful Lamborghini customer Racing Teams, the GRT Grasser Racing Team and Paul Miller Racing. GRT scored a first in class at Daytona for two years running and a class win at Sebring this year, while Paul Miller Racing secured the class win at Sebring last year. Both run cars in the GTD class.

Lamborghini Huracan EVO GT Celebration

Both teams use the Lamborghini Huracán GT3 Evo which also inspires this special edition. The models will be completed through Lamborghini’s Ad Personum program with this example wearing Verde Egeria green and Arancio Aten orange. A total of nine design combinations are possible.

Hexagons on the doors and front hood frame the number “11”. Customers will also be able to personalise the body with the Lamborghini Squadra Corse shield. Laurel wreaths placed on the rear fender proudly display Lamborghini’s racing wins.

Inside, the upholstery comes finished in Alcantara with contrasting stitching in the same colour as the livery. A hexagonal plate with shield, flags and laurels is displayed between the new racing seats.

Otherwise, this special edition features the same running gear as the recently updated Lamborghini Huracan Evo. This means a 5.2 litre, naturally aspirated V10 engine with 640 hp and 600 Nm of torque.

The Lamborghini Huracan EVO GT Celebration is available exclusively for the US market.

GTSPIRIT NEWSLETTER

August 17, 2019 / Comments Off

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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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RM Sotheby’s List McLaren F1 ‘LM-Specification’ For Sale

The McLaren F1 is an incredibly rare car. Just 106 were produced, 64 of which were designated as road cars. If you know anything about the road cars, you will know that the most sought-after are the limited edition F1 LM models. McLaren produced just 5, 3 of which went to the Sultan of Brunei (disappearing from public view).

Such was the demand for these cars that once the original production run was complete, McLaren upgraded two “standard” F1 road cars to LM specifications. Both cars received modifications in excess of the optional High Downforce Kit. The package consisted of a large rear wing, enlarged front splitter and louvres on the front clamshell.

McLaren F1 LM Specification

The real highlight is the engine. Rebuilt to LM spec from the original engine, it revs 1,000 rpm higher than the standard V12 and develops 680bhp.

The example that RM Sotheby’s plans to sell currently belongs to New Zealand-based collector Andrew Bagnall. It is chassis number 018. It is regularly used, displaying 21,500 km on the clock.

RM Sotheby’s also sold the other uprated LM car, 073, back in 2015. Part of the Pinnacle Portfolio, it hammered at a price of $13,750,000. 018 has a $21,000,000 – $23,000,000 estimate. Whether it is able to reach those dizzy heights is a different question! Imagine if an original McLaren F1 LM hit the market…

GTSPIRIT NEWSLETTER

July 20, 2019 / Comments Off

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1962 Ferrari 250 GTO Sells for Record $48.2 Million – Most Expensive at Auction

RM Sotheby’s most anticipated Pebble Beach 2018 lot did not disappoint! The auction house had secured one of the most high profile sales of the weekend with a Ferrari 250 GTO. It is the second 250 GTO to cross the auction block in recent years and it smashed the record set by the previous version.

This particular 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO is now the most valuable car ever sold at auction. It hammered at a staggering $44 million, $48.4 million if you include fees. The car was eventually sold to a telephone bidder, one of three who provided fierce competition for the vehicle. the bidding was frantic at times, starting at $35 million and increasing in increments of $1 million at times.

1962 Ferrari 250 GTO

So what makes this particular Ferrari 250 GTO, chassis number 3413 GT, so special. To start with, it is one of 36 examples built. It is a numbers-matching example offered with its original engine, gearbox, rear axle and factory Series II body. It had been owned for two decades Dr Gregory Whitten, prior to which it was campaigned as a Series I in the 1962 Targa Florio road race, winning 1st in class at the 1963 and 1964 events.

RM Sotheby’s also achieved more exceptional results including a 1957 Porsche 550A Spyder that achieved $4.9 million, and a 1956 Maserarti A6G/2000 Zagato which went for $4.5 million. The previous day, the auction house sold a 1963 Aston Martin DP215 Competition Prototype for $21.455 million.

August 29, 2018 / 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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In Photos: Pebble Beach Tour d’Elegance 2018

Our photographer Philipp Lucke, caught the Pebble Beach Tour d’Elegance 2018 in action on Thursday last week. The cars travel a 70 mile round trip from and to The Lodge at Pebble Beach. The route presents a major challenge for some of the cars, especially those that approach their centenary.

From Pebble Beach, the route takes the competitors out to the hills east of Carmel. It then heads onto the historic Highway 1 towards Big Sur before returning to Carmel for lunch. The competitors then travel on to Pebble Beach where they spend the next two days cleaning and preparing their cars for the competition on Sunday.

Pebble Beach Tour de Elegance 2018

This year’s tour was a stunning spectacle. The entrants included an incredibly rare 1967 Ferrari 206 S Dino Drogo Spyder, a 1966 Ford GT40 Mark IIB Coupe and a 1955 Maserati A6GCS Frua Spyder. All three, thoroughbred road-legal race cars. Our favourite from this year’s batch was a Ferrari 500 Testa Rossa. The car with perhaps the biggest chance of winning the overall event this year is the 1937 Cadillac V16 Hartmann Cabriolet

For the competitors at Pebble Beach, the Tour is an important aspect of the event. Should two cars be in the running for the same award and a points tie occur, the jury will typically give the advantage to the car that was driven on the tour.

August 26, 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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Rimac C_Two California Edition gets drunk on its power at Monterey Car Week

The Rimac C_Two made landfall in the United States last week, popping in for a guest appearance at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles. It left the building at the close of business on August 19, but electric supercar supporters will get a chance to see it again during Monterey Car Week. Going the extra EV mile, instead of merely shipping the silver Geneva Motor Show reveal model to various viewings on the West Coast, Rimac created a vogue California Edition to rejoice in the “vibrant atmosphere” of the imminent week-long automotive celebration.

The “captivating color” goes with a name in Rimac’s press release, but we’d call it Grabber Blue if that weren’t already taken. A new wheel design gets center caps in the same hue. Rimac plans to host private events in the lead-up to the big weekend, and attendees will want to hang out around the California Edition’s trunk: Rimac tailored the cargo hold to fit two six-liter champagne bottles, and crystal flutes. Our only question is how many flutes Rimac thinks one would need for the equivalent of 16 traditional bottles of champagne.

Rimac’s trip to Monterey seems like a brand enjoying its own success and making new friends, since it doesn’t have a car to sell at the moment. The C_Two, which costs $2.1 million and will be limited to 150 units, sold out three weeks after its Geneva launch. Buyers who managed to make the list will get a coupe using a 120-kWh to power four electric motors worthy of 1,888 horsepower and 1,696 pound-feet of torque. Getting from zero to 60 miles per hour takes 1.85 seconds, practically teleportation, while 100 mph comes in 4.3 seconds on the way to a top speed of 258 miles per hour. The 404 miles of claimed range comes on the European cycle, but that should still convert to plenty of U.S. range to get to the corner office, the club, the heliport and back. Private preview invitees will get a chance to make sure they don’t miss out on the next Rimac offering.

At the end of the week, the California Edition C_Two will go on show at The Quail — A Motorsport Gathering on Friday, then at Exotics on Cannery Row the following day.

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August 20, 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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