Autoblog

McLaren F1 GTR Longtail up for grabs at The Quail

Noah Joseph — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 08:29:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Auctions, MISC, Racing

It may be a bit of stretch to call a McLaren F1 "priceless", but finding an owner willing to part with his can be a challenge for even the most determined (and cash-rich) collector. But just such an opportunity is coming around the corner at Bonhams' upcoming auction at the Quail Lodge in August. While every McLaren F1 is a rare bird indeed, this one is even more so.

Even more extreme than the road-going supercar on which it was based, the McLaren F1 GTR emerged as a dominant force in endurance racing in the late 1990s. The F1 GTR proved so successful, in fact, that despite being categorized in the GT classes of production-based racers, it eclipsed the purpose-built prototypes to claim overall victory at the 2005 24 Hours of Le Mans.

All told, McLaren only built 28 examples of the F1 GTR - of which only ten were the aerodynamically-optimized Longtail versions - and this was the very last of them. Built in 1997, chassis 028R contested the FIA GT Championship at the Nurburgring, the A1-Ring, Donington, Spa, Mugello, Sebring, Laguna Seca and Suzuka.

Decked out in Gulf and Davidoff race livery, it'll go to the top bidder at The Quail, but we dare not venture a guess as to how much he or she will have to pay for the privilege - but the last time this car went up for sale, the asking price was nearly $4 million. Feel free to read more about the car in the press release below.

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McLaren F1 GTR Longtail up for grabs at The Quail originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 12 Apr 2012 08:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rolls-Royce once again proves its Bespoke department knows no bounds

Chris Paukert — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 20:01:00 EST

Filed under: Convertible, Etc., Rolls-Royce, Design/Style, Luxury

Since its inception, Rolls-Royce has made a living making its customers feel very, very special. Given the average net worth of its buyers and the custom-tailored nature of their vehicles, this sort of approach makes good business sense. That said, some customers are clearly more special than others. Michael Fux, a businessman and philanthropist who commissioned the unusual purple Phantom Drophead Coupe seen here, is clearly one of the latter.

Fux is one of Rolls' very best customers, and he's also known for being one of its most outlandish, perpetually giving Goodwood's Bespoke department specialists a workout. Rolls has debuted one-off Fux cars during past Monterey weeks, and this year, they've teamed up again to reveal this striking purple and white Phantom. While the visuals that Fux pushed for certainly won't be to everyone tastes (we're more accustomed to seeing these sort of aesthetic choices among aftermarket firms like Mansory), there's no denying the quality of the workmanship, from the matching purple roof to the customized engraved sill plates and relentlessly white leather interior. And Fux isn't the only Rolls buyer whose tastes require an increasing degree of personalization - earlier this month, the automaker announced plans to double the size of its Bespoke operations to keep up with demand.

Fux's custom Rolls-Royce commissions have never been known for their subtlety. In the past, he's ordered a screaming yellow Phantom Convertible (shown in Pebble in 2008), as well as a candy red Drophead that featured Rolls' first-ever black-and-red carbon fiber inserts. That car was such a test for the English automaker's bespoke team that they not only named the paint for Fux (and guaranteed its exclusivity), they produced a 2010 video about it that you can watch after the jump.

Continue reading Rolls-Royce once again proves its Bespoke department knows no bounds

Rolls-Royce once again proves its Bespoke department knows no bounds originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 19 Aug 2011 20:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bugatti Veyron L'Or Blanc drips exclusivity

Chris Paukert — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 19:30:00 EST

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

At first glance, this Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport appears to be one of those special chrome-clad customs giving off a series of strange, wavy reflections from a series of overhead lights. Upon closer inspection, however, that's not the light playing tricks on you - it's the two-tone finish, which looks like it's been spread across the Veyron L'Or Blanc by a cake baker's frosting knife.

This one-off "white gold" Grand Sport is the result of Bugatti working with Germany's Königliche Porzellan-Manufaktur, a centuries-old porcelain producer based in Berlin. In addition to the special two-tone paint, pieces of ceramic trim have been fitted to the car's exterior, and the fragile, creamy white stuff is slathered inside of this €1.65 missile, too.

The Veyron L'Or Blanc was first shown in late June at KPM's operations before being brought to America for display at The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering in Monterey.

No word yet on whether this particular car has found a buyer, but given Bugatti's penchant for creating a seemingly endless stream of "limited-edition" Veyrons, we're confident they'll find a way to build you one if you flash them enough cash.

Bugatti Veyron L'Or Blanc drips exclusivity originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 19 Aug 2011 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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1954 AJS E95 Porcupine could smash auction records at $750k

Noah Joseph — Wed, 18 May 2011 08:29:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Auctions, Motorcycle

1954 AJS E95 Porcupine - Click above for high-res image gallery

A rare motorcycle coming up for auction looks poised to break records when the gavel drops at Bonhams' auction at the Quail Lodge in Carmel, California, come this August.

Called the Porcupine (due to the spiked cooling fins on its cylinder heads), this 1954 racing bike was one of just four built by British motorcycle manufacturer AJS. (Another of the four, incidentally, won first place when Pebble Beach inaugurated its first motorcycle class in 2009.) The centerpiece of the collection at England's National Motorcycle Museum, this particular example has recently undergone an extensive overhaul and is expected to fetch upwards of $750,000.

The AJS is just one of the 50 motorcycles on the docket for the annual event this year, part of Bonhams' extensive motorcycle auction circuit that sells around 1,300 motorbikes - or about $8 million worth - every year. Follow the jump for the full details in the press release.

Continue reading 1954 AJS E95 Porcupine could smash auction records at $750k

1954 AJS E95 Porcupine could smash auction records at $750k originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 18 May 2011 08:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BMW M1 art car by Frank Stella headed for the auction block

Noah Joseph — Fri, 13 May 2011 09:57:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Auctions, BMW, Design/Style

BMW M1 art car by Frank Stella - Click above for high-res image gallery

In a perfect world, maybe the world's top museums would have infinite space and infinite resources to acquire and display every significant piece of artistic creation they could get their hands on. But, as we are all at times painfully aware, this is an imperfect world. Which is why the Guggenheim Museum is forced to sell this unique BMW M1 art car, in order to raise funds and make way for other works of art. And their loss could be your gain.

The original Bavarian supercar was painted by the celebrated artist Frank Stella in 1979. But while BMW has commissioned many art cars (including another M1 by Andy Warhol and a 3.0 CSL also by Stella) since the program kicked off in 1975, this is the only one that was officially sanctioned by the factory for a private client, whereas all the others remained in the German automaker's private collection. This, then, represents an extremely rare opportunity to acquire an original BMW art car.

The vehicle has been part of the museum's collection since 1999, and will be auctioned by Bonhams this coming August at the Quail Lodge in Carmel, California, where it's expected to fetch around half a million dollars, an estimate we can see it blowing right past. Us? We're just hoping that BMW itself decides to bid on the car so that this Stella M1 can rejoin its celebrated relatives in the German automaker's collection.

If you're in New York and want to catch a glimpse at this one-of-a-kind rolling work of art, it's currently on display outside Bonhams' offices in the atrium of the IBM Building at 56th and Madison.

Follow the jump for the official press release and scope out the images in the gallery below.

Continue reading BMW M1 art car by Frank Stella headed for the auction block

BMW M1 art car by Frank Stella headed for the auction block originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 13 May 2011 09:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bonhams to auction McQueen's Husqvarna, memorabilia at the Quail Lodge

Noah Joseph — Sun, 24 Apr 2011 11:07:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Auctions, Motorcycle, Celebrities

Steve McQueen is revered by gearheads as an enthusiastic owner and driver of all sorts of cars, from a brown '63 Ferrari 250 GT Lusso to a teal '58 GMC pickup and everything in between. But the King of Cool was equally into motorcycles, and rode them regularly.

Arguably one of the most recognizable was his Husqvarna 400 dirt bike. It was on this Swedish gem that he was photographed for the cover of Sports Illustrated (pictured at right). The bike was sold in 1984 and subsequently changed hands a couple of times, but has throughout remained in the condition in which McQueen last rode it - right down to the spare spark plug he taped to the frame.

Now the '71 Husky is crossing the auction block once again as part of Bonhams' enormous motorcycle and memorabilia auction at the Quail Lodge in Carmel, California, on May 14. Alongside it will be an endless array of McQueen artifacts, including his race trophies won on both two wheels and four. Joining the McQueen items are such notable consignments as a pair of custom Harleys built for Otis Chandler and owned by the Guggenheim Foundation, as well as a pair of classic Norton racers. Follow the jump for a pair of press releases and check out the images in the gallery below for more.

Gallery: Steve McQueen's 1971 Husqvarna 400

[Source: Bonhams]

Continue reading Bonhams to auction McQueen's Husqvarna, memorabilia at the Quail Lodge

Bonhams to auction McQueen's Husqvarna, memorabilia at the Quail Lodge originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 24 Apr 2011 11:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Monterey 2010: Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 shines in silver

Frank Filipponio — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 20:01:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Coupe, Performance, Mercedes-Benz, Racing

Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 - Click above for high-res image gallery

That image above speaks for itself. All you really need to know is that this isn't Dubai, Russia or even Germany - it's right here in Monterey for classic car week. You can probably identify the Mercedes-Benz inside that shiny wrapper on your own, but just in case you've recently taken an amnesia-inducing blow to the head, it's the SLS AMG GT3 - the race version of the company's new gullwing sports car. There's something to be said for having a mirror with you wherever you go, but this is a bit extreme. No matter, we think it looks amazing, even if it is just a wrap and not a polished car that's been stripped of its white paint to shed precious ounces before a race. Click on any image to see our full high-res gallery.

Gallery: Monterey 2010: Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3

Monterey 2010: Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 shines in silver originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 14 Aug 2010 20:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Monterey 2010: The Quail - A Motorsports Gathering

Frank Filipponio — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 18:33:00 EST

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Gallery: Monterey 2010: The Quail - A Motorsports Gathering

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

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Monterey 2009: The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering

Drew Phillips — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 11:33:00 EST

Filed under: Classics

The Quail Motorsports Gathering - Click above for a high-res image gallery

The highlight of the Monterey weekend might be the Pebble Beach Concours, but perhaps our favorite event is the gathering of exceptional automobiles at the Quail Lodge in Carmel Valley. The exclusive car show focuses on quality rather quantity, and we could probably spend days going through every one of the entrants in detail. Sadly we don't have time to spotlight each car, but we did pick out a few favorites. In the supercars category, a silver McLaren F1 immediately caught our eye despite a design that's nearly 20 years old. There were dozens of stunning Ferraris including a pair of Ferrari 250 GTOs, a 250 GT California, a beautiful 275 GTB/C Berlinetta, and plenty more. In the Pre-War Sports & Racing class a 1937 Bugatti Type 57S was exceptionally elegant as was a Delahaye 135 M from the same year. We had a tough time pulling ourselves away from the BMW class that celebrated the 30th anniversary of their motorsport division. Each of the cars including a 1980 M1, a Z4 race car, and a '57 Isetta 300 were all in pristine condition. Finally, a 1936 Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B owned by Robert M. Lee was deserving of the Best of Show award it received at the end of the day. Check out all of the wonderful cars in the high-res gallery below.

Gallery: Monterey 2009: The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering

Monterey 2009: The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 15 Aug 2009 11:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Monterey 2008: The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering

Drew Phillips — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 14:01:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Misc. Auto Shows

Click above for a high resolution image

One of our favorite events during the Monterey weekend is the incredible gathering of cars at the Quail Lodge in Carmel. It's by far the most exclusive event, with only a few thousand tickets available, but the benefit is that the limited number of spectators makes viewing the cars much easier and creates a more relaxed atmosphere. The selection of cars is just as exclusive, which makes walking through the assembly of cars an incredible experience. One of our favorite groups was the 12 Hours of Sebring race cars, which included anything from a 1-of-5 1963 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport to a 2003 Ferrari 575 GTC. We also enjoyed the Porsche 959 group that had around a dozen examples on display including one of the three factory cars that raced in the Paris-Dakar rally in 1985. Another favorite was the collection of Lamborghinis shown as a tribute to Valentino Balboni, the factory test driver since the company's inception. We loved the stunning Miuras as well as the rare LM002 SUV. And the list goes on...there were groups for The Great Ferraris, Supercars, Gurney Eagle Race Cars, and more. Check out the huge gallery of high resolution images below to pick out your favorites.

Gallery: Monterey 2008: The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering

Monterey 2008: The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 16 Aug 2008 14:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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