The Bugatti Veyron 16.4 wasn't even a distant dream in 1931. In fact, its father, Porsche family scion Ferdinand Piëch, wasn't even born yet. Bugatti was still racing and building cars under the watchful eye of its founder Ettore Bugatti. But on this side of the Atlantic, Bugatti's American counterpart Harry Miller was building some of the most influential racing machines in automotive history. Like the Bugatti Type 35 was to inter-war grand prix racing in Europe, Miller customer cars dominated Indy racing in America: in the mid-1920s, they accounted for over 80% of the Indy 500 field. Miller's cars won that famous race alone nine times, and his engine design – penned together with Fred Offenhauser – remained in use through the 1980s, it was so advanced. But what you see here is arguably the most advanced car Miller ever produced.

Bearing a 303-cubic-inch, 300-horsepower, sixteen-cylinder engine, the 1931 Miller V16 racing car was and remains today a unique piece of machinery. It competed in several runnings of the Indianapolis 500, and stands as the only sixteen-cylinder car that Miller ever made. It was reclaimed by one Chuck Davis in 1978, who painstakingly tracked down the original engine, which had been separated along the way from its chassis, and reunited the two ahead of an extensive restoration project. It's since been on display at Goodwood, Pebble Beach and Amelia Island, to say nothing of the numerous Miller Club events, and is now set to roll across the auction block at RM Auctions' event at Monterey next month. It's expected to fetch somewhere between $600,000 and $1 million. Check it out in our high-res image gallery below.



[Source: RM Auctions]

Car magazine has been keeping up on the story of the New Grand Bentley, aided by someone at Crewe who's been snapping illicit shots of the vehicle. This is Bentley's next official photo, however, and unless the British automaker has thrown a MacGuffin into the plot, it appears to contradict one of Car's assertions when speaking of its own spy shots: "It's not clearly visible on these shots, but the rear door handles will be hidden...." Have a look at the high-res photo and you'll see the opposite of a hidden door handle.

According to Car, the "Project Kimberley" Bentley will get a version of the company's long serving 6.75-liter V8 that's "been given a thorough makeover" and all-wheel-drive, but no long-wheebase version. According to us, while it is impossible to be sure, it looks like the trailing edge of the C-pillar might extend beyond the rear window, which would be appealingly Euro-gangster if true.

And if you're keeping track, four of the nine movies are now available for viewing at www.newgrandbentley.com. Remember, though, that we're only about halfway through the marathon tease, so don't expect to see much. You can read more about the car's unveiling at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance next month after the jump.



[Source: Bentley]

Brenda Priddy's long-lens outfit has captured the first shots off the Devon Motor Works GTX supercar during aerodynamics testing.

The butterfly-doored coupe looks very promising in bare carbon fiber, as is word that the prototype was spotted at Willow Springs raceway with British Le Mans champion Justin Bell behind the wheel for testing duties.

This GTX mule certainly has some interesting details to it, including the aforementioned up-and-forward doors, as well as a U-shaped vented hood, center-exit exhaust, a big (and likely temporary) adjustable wing, and funky contrasting fender treatments which may or may not see production.

It isn't altogether clear what engine will be powering this beastie, but Priddy's people reportedly overheard the engineers talking of extracting 650 horsepower out of the drivetrain. California-based Devon, you may recall, was the sole bidder Chrysler reported for its Viper franchise, and it's certainly conceivable that despite the failed bid attempt, the car seen here would still feature a certain 8.4-liter V10 underhood. Indeed, given that Devon continues to tout its creation as "America's next great supercar," that scenario seems rather likely.

The GTX is slated to make its first appearance at next month's Pebble Beach Concours D'Elegance (we'll be sure to grab some live photos), and the coupe is tipped to go on sale in the U.S. first in 2010, with other markets to follow. Check out the gallery of renderings below as well as a video of the teasers after the jump.



[Source: The Detroit Bureau]

Still grumbling over having missed the chance at buying a Ford GT when it was still in production? Well, if you've got the cash on hand, there are probably dozens of examples up for sale by owners who need the liquid assets more than they need the retro supercar. But few are as enticing at what Ford and RM Auctions have going on this August.

At both the Meadow Brook and Monterey concours the month after next, RM will be auctioning off an early VIN example to raise funds for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. The sixth example produced, decked out in red with white stripes, will be on offer at Meadow Brook, with the seventh Ford GT, in white with blue stripes, up for grabs in Monterey. Each is expected to fetch between $150,000 and $200,000 for the medical research endowment, so if getting your hands on Motown's hottest piece of machinery in decades wasn't cause enough, altruism ought to do the trick. Details in the press release after the jump.



[Source: RM Auctions]

The concept of an "ordinary Bugatti" doesn't exist, all the more so when you're talking about the ultra-desirable Type 57. But even by Bugatti standards, this example is... well, exemplary. What you're looking at here is Ettore Bugatti's own Bugatti, a unique example built in 1936 for the founder's birthday, and managed to stay in pristine condition ever since. While restoration is commonplace for vehicles of this vintage, this example is strictly original. Despite its embattled location in Alsace right on the French-German border, Bugatti managed to keep this Type 57 safe during WWII. Following the war after Ettore died, the company upgraded the car and sold it in the 50's. Since then it has only changed hands a couple of times, and is poised to do so once again at the upcoming Gooding & Company auction at Pebble Beach in August. If the controversial Auto Union D-Type #19 can't do it, then this vehicle surely stands a chance at breaking the auction record set last month by the $12m 1957 Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa, especially considering that the long-neglected Type 57 Atalante found in a barn recently sold for $4.4m. More information in the press release after the jump, and high-res images in the gallery below.




[Source: Gooding & Company]

The auto show circuit may be on its annual summer break, but that's not going to stop Bentley. A recent report suggests the crew from Crewe is preparing to take the wraps off its next-generation Arnage at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance in Monterey, California this coming August. And when it does, it'll be bigger and badder than ever.

There's no word yet regarding rumors that the Arnage's replacement could take on Bugatti's W16 or Audi's V12 TDI engines, but reports indicate that the new Arnage – aside from being, you know, new – will be bigger and further upscale from the current, aging behemoth. Apparently Bentley and their corporate overlords at Volkswagen are growing tired of watching their clientele go to arch-rival/former sister-company Rolls-Royce or (heaven forbid) Maybach, but they're still going to take their time: The next-gen Arnage isn't supposed to begin production until a year after the current model, now in its final iteration (pictured above), ceases production. At Pebble Beach we're tipped to see a pre-production prototype that promises to closely mirror the eventual production model, which is expected to take advantage of Audi's modular platform but incorporate a unique V8 engine (probably based on the current Jurassic-era 6.75-liter "perfectly adequate" V8) mated to a ZF eight-speed automatic and likely able to run on E85 ethanol to give the muscle-tank the air of environmental conscience.

[Source: AutoTelegraaf]

For the first time in its nearly 60-year history, this year's Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance will feature classic motorcycles alongside the drool-worthy classic cars on display at the hallowed 18th hole fairway. Kicking off what is expected to be an annual focus on different countries and eras, this year's display will highlight classic British bikes built until 1959.

Included among the entry list of classic Triumphs, Nortons, Velocettes, BSAs, Brough Superiors and Ariels will be a pair of Vincents that are legendary among vintage motorbike enthusiasts. "Gunga Din" was a 1947 factory demonstration prototype that became one of the most indomitable racing bikes of its time, while the "Bathing Suit Bike" (pictured above) got its name when rider Rolland "Rollie" Free rode it - lying down like Superman to reduce drag - to a 150mph Bonneville land speed record in 1948 wearing nothing but a speedo, cap and a pair of sneakers.

Organizers say the introduction of the new category comes in response to increased interest towards bike collecting and the vital role which many early motorcycles played in the development of the automobile. Sounds good to us...we'll be on hand to check them out and bring you the best this August from Monterey, California.

[Source: Octane]

The same folks who bring you the 24 Hours of LeMons are taking the revolution to the plutocrats: on August 15 of this year they'll be breaking the Monterey ice with the Concours d'LeMons at Toro Park. It's a car show that's not merely "all about stuff that you haven't seen every damn August," it will be focused on some of the most spiritually jarring machinery you've ever seen anywhere.

Cars will be judged in 40 classes including Unmitigated Gaul, Rueful Britannia, and Carozzeria Iacocca. Awards include honors like the Steaming Pile of Kit trophy. For those of you fatigued from Pebble fever, this could be for you. But the rules do state that "No wine, cheese, straw boaters, silicone-augmented cougars, or watercolors of pre-war Grand Prix races are sold at this venue." You've been warned.

[Source: Concours d'LeMons]

In an ideal world, who wouldn't want to have a distinguished coachbuilder like Pininfarina create their own unique Rolls-Royce cabrio? Unfortunately, an ideal world this is not, and most of us don't have those kinds of resources at our disposal. "Most of us" apparently now includes the customer that commissioned the one-off Rolls-Royce Hyperion in the first place.

The custom Roller was commissioned by an unnamed client, and was unveiled at last year's Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance. Less than a year later, the Hyperion is now up for sale for a cool €4.5 million (about $6 million in American funds). The one-off creation is based on the Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupe – already one of the most exclusive set of wheels on the road – and was treated to unique Pininfarina bodywork, doing away with the rear seats and moving the windshield back by 400 mm (15 inches) in the process. The staggering purchase price includes the custom dash-docking wristwatch created by Girard-Perregaux to accompany the unique vehicle, in case you've got the cash and needed extra motivation. Follow the link for more information on the sale, and check out the images in the galleries below for more hi-res photos. Thanks to Ecnelis and Colin for the tippage!

UPDATE: We've just spoken with Fredrik Karlberg, the Operations Manager for JamesList, who wanted to clarify the listing for the Hyperion concept that appeared on JamesList. According to Karlberg, the lister is not selling the actual show car that made its debut in Pebble Beach last year. Instead, it's a series of body panels that will adapt a R-R DropHead coupe to look like the sinewy concept.



[Source: JamesList]

Click above for a high-res gallery.

By the time Sunday rolls around during Monterey Week, we're pretty exhausted. Too many cars and so little time. Still, that doesn't stop us from getting to the 18th fairway before the sun comes up to see the cars drive onto the grass. Duesenbergs, Bentleys, Cadillacs, Ferraris, Bugattis, and more come rolling into the show, causing us to scurry back and forth to photograph as many of them as possible. There was so much to look at this year -- the Lamborghinis, Lancias, V16 Cadillacs, 250 GT California Spyders, GM's Motorama, and Leno's tank car -- before we knew it, the Best of Show had been crowned and the day was over. We can't go through all of the class winners and special awards, but if you are interested, you can view them on the Pebble Beach Concours web site. We've put together a comprehensive gallery of high resolution photos for you, many with captions in case you aren't familiar with the cars. Enjoy!

Photos Copyright ©2008 Drew Phillips / Weblogs, Inc.