Thursday, August 12, 2010
Last year, the sale of a hand-built, championship 1965 Shelby Daytona Cobra Coupe CSX2601 set the record for the highest price paid for an American car at a public auction. The $7.25 million sale plows fertile ground for debate on what things are worth – but it also provides evidence of a thesis that’s far less debatable. The record sale, which came in the first year of the week’s newest event, Mecum Monterey Auction, shows that even in a economy that’s not precisely high performance, Car Week is still, somehow, accelerating.
A labyrinth of the (largely) luxury events, with multi-day events listed on the day of their most prodigious component, follows below.
≈≈ THURSDAY ≈≈
PEBBLE BEACH TOUR D’ELEGANCE
The oldest Benz running, a slicker-than-cat-snot, 28-horsepower 1902 Mercedes Simplex, will travel 1,500 coastal, winding and mountainous miles from Seattle to reach the Concours. The same concept applies to the Tour – show the gracefully aged vehicles purring away – as they trace some of the most famous roads rubber knows, including 17-Mile Drive and Highway 1. Locals in the moto-know like to pick spots along the loop to set up lawn chairs and have a little breakfast al fresco as the wondermobiles breeze by. The cars congregate in Carmel after the traditional trot; visit the website for a peek at a map. [MCA]
8:30am tour departs; 10:45am stop at Carmel Mission; noon-2pm Ocean Avenue display. Pebble Beach Equestrian Center, Polo Fields to Ocean Avenue, Pebble Beach. Free. 622-1700, www.pebblebeachconcours.net
≈≈ FRIDAY ≈≈
MECUM AUCTION AT THE HYATT
Although this auction house’s sophomore effort features American muscle and hot rod cars at its forefront, it also plays host to an intriguing assembly of car memorabilia and puts vintage wooden boats up for sale. Highlights include collections from Reggie Jackson and ’50s racer-collector Jim Parkinson. [EH]
Noon-5pm Thu preview; 10am Fri and Sat auctions. Hyatt Regency Hotel, 1 Old Golf Course Road, Monterey. Free previews; $100 bidder registration. 372-1234, www.mecum.com
RUSSO AND STEELE SPORTS AND MUSCLE AT THE MARRIOTT
Corvettes, roadsters, Mustangs, Cadillacs, Porsche coupes, and a pile more cars that look their best with sunglasses on and a pretty girl in the passenger seat. Monterey’s sports and muscle cars come to the auction block this week in force – three nights with more than 350 cars. [EH]
10am-10pm Thu preview; 10am-5pm Fri and Sat preview; 5-10pm Thu, Fri and Sat auction. Marriott Hotel, 350 Calle Principal, Monterey. $50 guest admission; $100 bidder registration. 649-4234.
RM AUCTION AT PORTOLA HOTEL AND SPA
When the world’s largest collector car auction house hits a quarter century of auctions, they go big. Big like 200 major pieces of motor, 20 among them expected to surpass $1 million on the block. Big like the 1958 Ferrari 250 Testarossa, one of 26 robust ’Rossas, and what experts are calling a favorite to set a new record for highest sale. Big like the bubbletop Kennedy limo, large like the 1928 Caddy Al Capone drove and mammoth like the Maserati coupe once steered by Sammy Davis Jr. [MCA]
Preview: 9am-10pm Thu, 9am-midnight Fri, 9am-midnight Sat; Sale: 7-10pm Thu; 6pm-midnight Fri; 6pm-midnight Sat. Portola Plaza Hotel, 2 Portola Plaza, Monterey. $40/person preview; $200/bidder registration for two with reception and catalogs. 649-4511, www.rmauctions.com
CONCORSO ITALIANO AT LAGUNA SECA
There’s a scene in Dumb and Dumber where Harry Dunne pulls up in a yellow Lamborghini. Take that fly flavor and amplify it by several hundred and you have the annual Italian lovefest that is the Concorso. This year vehicles like the 2010 Murcielago LP670-4 SuperVeloce and a fleet of Fiat 500s, icons like Valentino Balboni (getting a key to the city from Monterey Mayor Chuck Della Sala), designers like Tom Tjaarda and fashion like hot! all contribute to the gregariousness on the grass. [MCA]
9am-5pm. Laguna Seca Golf Course, 10520 York Road, Salinas. $110. 425-742-0632.
BONHAMS AND BUTTERFIELDS AUCTION AT QUAIL LODGE
Here comes a Porsche without precedent – a 1972-73 Porsche 917 Interserie Spyder née 1970 Gulf-JWA Le Mans 917K Coupe with a 5.4-liter, 630 horsepower, flat-12 cylinder engine that inspired one insider to call it simply “a projectile.” That machine leads a sale that has gone from zero to 100 cars and 500 lots of memorabilia in six seconds. The Michael L Amalfitano Collection and a 1930 Mercedes Supercharged Sports Tourer also rank among the ready-to-rev highlights. [MCA]
10am-5pm Thu preview; 10am automobilia auction, 1:30pm vehicle auction. Quail Lodge Resort and Golf Club, 8205 Valley Greens Drive. Carmel Valley. 415-391-4000. Free/preview; $80/auction catalog.
PACIFIC GROVE CONCOURSE AUTO RALLY
If you’re up for taking a scenic drive to support local youth charities, then grab the old driving gloves. The tour is targeted toward people who own their own vintage and classic cars, but for $75, anyone can enter the caravan as it takes a scenic route along the P.G. shoreline to Pebble Beach, up Carmel’s Ocean Avenue and returning to Pagrovia for a barbecue at Chautauqua Hall. For those who’d like to catch a glimpse of the caravan, Ocean Avenue is a recommended stakeout. [EH]1pm register; 6pm drive, 7pm barbecue. Pacific Grove. $75/driver, $90/with barbecue. 372-6585, www.pgautorally.org
THE QUAIL, A MOTORSPORTS GATHERING
If you’ve seen it all, then you’ve been to The Quail, where the Range Rovers crawl through the oak knoll agility course, stunt planes unzip the sky, top shelf fashion shows unfold and prototype droptop Mercedes shock and awe. This year, The Bugatti Super Sport – which achieved the new land speed world record of 268mph in June – appears. And that’s just the bonus content. The main attractions are mighty magnetic themselves, between the cars (this year the milestone cars of 1934, Alfa Romeo special coachbuilders, the singular German racetrack Nürburgring and 45 years of Carroll Shelby are honored), the designer drinks, the massages and the gourmet food – which gets a big boost with Julio Ramirez’s debut. There’s a reason this sells out with the regularity of Seattle rain.10am-4pm. Quail Lodge Resort and Golf Club, 8205 Valley Greens Drive, Carmel Valley. Sold out. 620-8820, www.quaillodgeevents.com
≈≈ SATURDAY ≈≈
CONCOURS d' LeMONS AT TORO PARK
Two words: Disco Pinto. Last year one of these legendarily janky domestics was coated completely in disco ball mirrors. Yes, yes, good citizens of Earth, it was most awesome. Organizers admit they made up an award for it up on the spot because it deserved something. But to claim the Studio 54 Award, a group of about five had to push it to the podium because it wouldn’t run. Such is life with lemons. The second year of irreverent, rusty, backfiring fun should be even more raucous than the first; key award categories include Most Dangerous, Needlessly Complex Italian and Rustbelt American Junk. [MCA]
9am-4pm. Toro Park, Highway 68. Salinas. $20. 916-207-4645, www.concoursdlemons.com
ROLEX MONTEREY MOTORSPORTS REUNION
The liveliest cog in the Car Week engine may have changed its name, but its annual eventfulness remains historic. Pre-war Bugattis, Alfa Romeos and Talbot-Lagos tear around the twistiness. More macho Ferraris, Corvettes, Cobras and Porsches challenge the corkscrew. This year even a 1961 Porsche RS 61 Sports Racing Spyder, driven by no other than Sir Stirling Moss – who chose here as his first place to test his new purchase – takes to the pavement. So does an armada of great racers built and driven by a legend as part of the special exhibition Dan Gurney: the Cars He Built, the Cars He Drove. [MCA]8:30am-5pm Thu; 8:30am-5pm Fri; 8am-6pm Sat; 8am-6pm Sun. Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, 1021 Monterey-Salinas Highway, Salinas. $40-120. 242-8201 or 1-800-327-SECA, www.mazdaraceway.com
FERRARI EVENT AT THE BARNYARD
Schmooze and booze amidst a maze of Ferraris, Lamborghinis, Maseratis and other exotic Italian automobiles. A musical backdrop frames local food to tantalize your taste buds while your retinas gaze at the Italian glory and contemplate raffle prizes. Proceeds benefit the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. [EH]
4:30-7pm. Barnyard Shopping Village, 3618 The Barnyard, Carmel. $40. 624-8886, www.thebarnyard.com
≈≈ SUNDAY ≈≈
PEBBLE BEACH AUCTION PRESENTED BY GOODING AND COMPANY
Car Week’s longest-running auction shines the light and opens the bidding on over 150 luxury and classic cars, mostly from the ’50s and ’60s, including classic Alfa Romeos, Ferraris, Rolls-Royces, but the clock stretches back to include a 1908 Holsman High-Wheeler. [EH]
10am-6pm Wed preview; 9am-6pm Thu preview; 9am-5pm Fri preview; 9am-4:30pm Sat preview; 9am-5:30pm Sun preview; 5pm Sat auction; 6pm Sun auction. Pebble Beach Equestrian Center, Portola Road and Alva Lane, Pebble Beach. $40/individual; $100/catalogue, admits 2. 310-899-1960, www.goodingco.com
PEBBLE BEACH CONCOURS D’ELEGANCE
Car Week has evolved into a Murderer’s Row of luxury lifestyle events, but the Concours will forever remain its Babe Ruth. The awards – which include an auction where last year some literally and figuratively loaded gentleman bought the attending Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s bomber jacket for $30K – might be the World Series of upper crust people watching (cue the furs and teacup puppies). The 2010 edition of the most beautiful and best features Alfa Romeo, Pierce-Arrow and Jaguar and the designs of Ghia; the event will also welcome Hot Rods, particularly lakesters and Bonneville racers, back to the 18th fairway, as well as Indy cars, and a second annual class of motorcycles, classic American bikes built prior to 1960. And that is but the start of what is always a high-class home run. [MCA]
Fishwife At Asilomar Beach
Pacific Grove
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