If you’ve ever wondered what a place would look like if populated only by well-heeled car fanatics, here’s the answer is: Monterey Car Week.
That was clear from the moment we pulled into town last week for the annual event and immediately spotted an early 1960s Ferrari race car cruising through town. At a glance, we would guess that the Ferrari—driven as if on a mundane run to the grocery store—was worth several million dollars. A moment later, we spotted a De Tomaso Mangusta nonchalantly hunting for a spot in a public parking lot; an Aventador whizzing by; and a ’57 Bel Air Fuelie dragster crackled away next to us at a stop light.
The Cadillac Escala concept isn’t headed for production, but it does provide a look into the future of Cadillac design.
After settling in at the hotel, we quickly headed out again for a series of receptions hosted by carmakers. Each one was more lavish than the last—culminating in Cadillac unveiling the Escala concept, a flagship sedan that is a harbinger of the luxury marque’s evolving design language. On the next day, we visited Aston Martin’s headquarters at Pebble where the folks from Coventry showcased the DB11, its latest creation.
Experiencing The Quail
More than two dozen pristine Lamborghini Miuras were displayed at The Quail.
The next day it was off to The Quail, widely considered to be the centerpiece of Monterey Car Week. The Quail gathers together an astounding collection of rare and exotic vehicles, new and old, from around the world. It’s where Lamborghini took the wraps off its Centenario Roadster, a 759-horsepower drop-top capable of hitting 62 miles per hour from a standstill in just 2.9 seconds. Only 20 examples will be built—each with an asking price of $2.2 million. (Sorry, all of them are already sold.)
Lamborghini took the wraps off the new Centenario Roadster at The Quail as well. With 759 horsepower on tap, it’s the most powerful production roadster the company has ever built.
Laurel’s Grade makes for a breathtaking drive both arriving at and leaving Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. Using a Lamborghini Huracán LP-610 4 Spyder for the trek is highly recommended.
The Quail was amazing, but it was quickly topped by Saturday’s itinerary. After a brief visit to Concorso Italiano to shoot the breeze with Bob and Pat Bondurant about the Fiat 124 Spider Abarth—the newest addition to their racing school vehicle roster—we finally got some time behind the wheel in a road test of the Lamborghini Huracán LP-610 4 Spyder. Lamborghini suggested a drive route up Laurel’s Grade, a stretch of twisting tarmac that leads up to the gates of Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. This may be the “lifestyle” iteration of the Huracán, but with its rigid body and 602-horsepower 5.2-liter V10 sending the power to all four wheels, the absence of a roof only made the drive all the more thrilling.
Pat and Bob Bondurant were on hand at the Concorso Italiano to celebrate the addition of the Fiat 124 Spider Abarth into the racing school’s vehicle roster. New Abarth owners are given a one-day training course at the Bondurant facility in Chandler, Ariz.
As if that experience wasn’t satisfying enough, our next destination was about 15 miles southwest, to the northern tip of Big Sur on the Pacific Coast Highway, where Ferrari set up shop for Monterey Car Week. That was the launch point for some seat time in the 488 GTB, Ferrari’s latest mid-engine 660-horsepower super sports car. As the successor to the now-legendary 458 Italia, the 488 GTB had big shoes to fill. Driving a Ferrari down Highway 1 with the California coastline as the backdrop is just as epic as you might imagine.
The 488 GTB is the first turbocharged mid-engine Ferrari since the legendary F40.
Finally, the Main Concours
Sunday kicked off at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, the finale of Monterey Car Week. This is the spot where you find cars of astronomical value displayed on the lawn of the famous Pebble Beach golf course. They are gathered into classes (such as post-war race cars, pre-war Ferraris, etc.) to vie for awards from the Pebble Beach judges. Each year the Concours field is selected from a massive pool of applicants, and if a car is accepted to the Concours, it cannot be entered in the event again by the same owner for at least a decade. Top honors this year went to a 1936 Lancia Astura Pinin Farina Cabriolet.
The cars on track at the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion are not replicas. They’re the real deal. That means these Cobras mixing it up on track are worth millions.
At the Concours d’Elegance, you can get close to some of the finest automobiles on the planet. But there’s nothing quite like seeing the vintage iron put on a race course—and driven hard—at the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion. By the time we reached Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, the final rounds of the Rolex event were underway. The roar of uncorked V12s and high-winding flat sixes was more beautiful to our ears than the classical music at previous events. The intoxicating smell of spent race gas hung in the air replacing the scent of fine perfume.
We wanted to be on the track mixing it up, but grabbing photos of the classics on the iconic track held its own satisfaction. We love sharing these images, but even without them, it would be impossible to forget the experiences we had at the 2016 Monterey Car Week. It was a car lover’s dream come true.
