The Can't Miss California Car Extravaganza - The Quail

The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering is one of those car show events that sticks with you like a favorite movie in your head. As you replay the day in your mind, you remember each car and its location, each display, even the food you ate, the drinks consumed. Always held on a Friday at The Quail Lodge and Golf Club in Carmel, California, this seventeenth annual event was held on August 16^th, 2019.

It was an outdoor garden party on a golf course with 6,000 automotive enthusiasts and intentionally fashion forward guests. But they aren’t just enthusiasts, they are industry leaders, motorsports legends, celebrities, and more. During my second lunch, I shook hands with Adam Carolla while he was looking for a seat. One year Wayne Carini and I walked into the show together. Usually I see Ed Welburn, retired head of GM Global Design and thank him for his contributions. We said hello to Mr. Olympia trainer and owner of Evogen nutrition, Hani Rambod as well.

This year the three special classes were 100 Years of Bentley Motors. The EXP 100 GT Concept car was simply stunning artwork, inside and out. The 25^th Anniversary of McLaren F1 had four incredibly valuable entries which included a one-of-ten GTR Longtail.

The debuts are always fun, some a first for North America, other times world debuts. Some during the early media access, hours, others during general admission. The Lotus Evija EV is stunning, the Bugatti Centodieci, the Bentley previously mentioned, the Acura Type S Concept were just a few.

There was also Pagani Huayra BC Roadster, the Lamborghini SVJ 63 and the Huracan Evo GT Celebration. The Drako GTE from Drako Motors,  from the Barracuda Networks founder Dean Drako is a very attractive sedan. The ultra curvaceous DeTomaso P72, the Rimac based Pininfarina Battista, the Rolls Royce Cullinan in Fux Orange, a custom color for famous Rolls Royce collector Michael Fux.

The Aston Martin Valhalla looked surprisingly subdued in silver, the SSC Tuatara was also featured along with its bare chassis. The Koenigsegg Jesko was also a real treat to see. There was also a display of vintage Volkswagen Vans and cars famous from TV shows and movies.

The Fireside Chats this year were with Mark Webber, winning Formula 1 driver and 2015 WEC champion moderated by Philip Kadoorie. Mark shared interesting insights about competition and friendship. The other was with Alex Hirschi, aka Supercar Blondie, moderated journalist Hannah Elliott who I also enjoy following on Twitter.

The six cuisines offered had amazing dishes and drinks. Be sure to get there early so you can have gourmet meals multiple times during the day. It’s sometimes a challenge to find a seat but whomever you share a table with is always friendly to talk to during the meal. 

It is important to recognize the supported charities which were the Rancho Cielo Youth Campus, The Naval Post Graduate School Foundation, California Highway Patrol 11-99 Foundation and the Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps.

The Best of Show award went to a 1931 Stutz DV 32 Convertible Victoria and the Spirit of The Quail award went to a gorgeous 1957 Ferrari 335S. The Peninsula Classics Best of the Best Award winner had it’s own display, a 1937 Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B Berlinetta.

A few minor areas of improvement are needed. With ride sharing being so popular, a shuttle service from the Baja Cantina location would be a good idea, since services like Uber and Lift are not allowed to drop-off at the event itself. The pet dog situation, despite not being allowed, is getting a little much just like any event these days.

The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering is a $650 ticket to incredible cars, a beautiful setting with the hills of Carmel as a backdrop,  includes delicious food and drink, people watching like none other, and truly one of the greatest car events in the world. If you love cars, make a it a life goal to attend someday.

The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering 2018 was scrumptious as always!

As the automotive season winds down, it’s time to reflect on one of the most exclusive and special shows of the year. Perhaps a favorite due to the combination of variety and copious portions of gourmet food and drink combined with a positively wonderful and varied display of automobiles. From vintage to modern, sports to luxury, fun-modified to serious low volume manufacturing specialists. This year it was held on Friday, August 24th. 

First mention must be the Peninsula Best of the Best winner, the 1936 Bugatti Type 57 SC Coupé Atlantic co-owned by Peter Mullin and Rob Walton. It was chosen after review of various show winners by twenty four automotive experts, designers and motoring world celebrities. A familiar design to Concours attendees, it continues to be celebrated. The best of show winner this year was a 1953 Lancia Aurelia PF200C, a red convertible of timeless design.  

The fireside chat this year featured now retired race car driver Scott Pruett. After 66 wins, he’s now concentrating on his winery and life as a Lexus brand ambassador. The Fashion in the Fast Lane portion of the Fireside Chat hosted Laura Brown, editor-in-chief of Instyle Magazine and Tamara Mellon, OBE, founder of Tamara Mellon Brand and luxury women’s shoe designer.

There was a special display for Lamborghinis, featuring the Espadas and Isleros models, very rare with only 1217 Espadas produced and just a few hundred Isleros from the late 60s. Very rare indeed. Another special gathering was street and racing Lancias, the ones in racing livery, were particularly colorful and distinctive. 

A more modern themed display was of Alois Ruf reunion of cars based on Porsches. Of course, the CTR Yellowbird with, at the time a mind-blowing 213mph top speed from 1987 was present. Other CTRs from the nineties and two from 2017 were also on hand, a truly special collection of greats. 

The Quail benefits the following charities, Rancho Cielo, the Naval Postgraduate School Foundation, CHP 11-99, Junior ROTC and North Monterey County High School Marching Band. One of the awareness and fundraising efforts by an entrant that deserves mention is by Uncle Wally, IG handle @Wallyworldusa displaying Brian Jones’ 1965 Porsche 356 C Coupe that was part of the East West 356 Tour 2018, driven across country to fundraise for an ALS cure and treatment with Augies’ Quest. It happened to be part of over 20 356’s on display, celebrating 70 years of existence. 

There are only 5000 guests so while busy, it’s not the crowded experience of trying to get a good picture at every car or turning sideways to get by. The food is spectacular as always, and seating may be challenge at times despite lots of accommodations, its well worth a wait and there’s never a rush. Conversation at a shared table with strangers is always pleasant and interesting. The champagne ran out before the end of the day, the only possible complaint. 

Another absolute treat of attending The Quail are various premiers by automotive manufacturers. Polestar showed the brand new Polestar 1, Karma Automotive showcased the heavily revamped prior Fisker, the Revero. Gunther Werks showed the Sport Touring Porsche 993. A carbon body and floor pan beauty. The Chairman of Lamborghini unveiled the Aventador SVJ, the ‘Ring record holder, which happened to be next to the new Urus. Rolls Royce unveiled a custom designed Phantom for well-known collector Michael Fux. Bugatti introduced the stunning Divo and Hennessey Performance had a Venom F5 with its engine on separate display. 

Other displays were wonderful to behold, and really can only be conveyed in photos and not words. The custom coachwork section, manufacturer displays and more are a site to behold. Luxury vendors from clothing to jewelry to private jet rental/charters. Leaving the show, after spending nearly 10 hours from early media preview, to regular show hours to the after-hours party, which had phenomenal acoustics for an outdoor event, that yearning was already felt, with the 3rd weekend of August not coming soon enough. 

Check out the various albums from The Quail on the San Jose Cars Examiner Facebook page. Classics, Porsches, McLarens, Paganis, Lamborghinis and more! 

McCalls Motorworks Revival off Monterey Car Week with objects of speed and style

Monterey Car Week started a week later than usual this year and the big event kickoff is McCall’s Motorworks Revival party. Held at the Monterey Jet Center, held Wednesday the 22nd. It's like entering a magical world of high fashion, amazing vehicles and celebration of life. The complementary champagne starts as soon as you walk in on the red carpet. Suddenly the mood lifts, the demands of work fade away, and you stroll into the playground of highly engineered objects for individuals of high net worth.

Always a great show, if it rolls it’s there. From old military aircraft to private jets open for tours, helicopters (they don’t roll), a variety of motorcycles of course, the cars. Oh also trucks and SUVs, Toss in some jewelry and all the bases are covered. Comparisons are from two years ago, a conflict prevented attendance last year. This year the event was smaller in terms of the second hanger being closed. The field of vehicles was still large and varied.

This year parking for non-VIP wasn’t organized as opposed to 2016 when it was a separate lot with shuttles. So we self-parked in the large valet lot. Which was an exotic car show in itself with a Porsche Carrera GT and a Bugatti Chiron among others. The DJ/band we really like was back, their set starting later in the evening with infectious, high energy dance music and a live drummer who was a show himself. This year was supposed to feature an after-hours party off-site until 2am but was sadly cancelled a week or so before the party. I can’t imagine the hoops to jump through to get such an approval in California but hopefully they’ll have it next year!

The variety of drinks available was particularly good except the champagne ran out early. A great party needs endless champaign! Unfortunately the variety and volume of food needed improving. After all many arrive via $625 Red Carpet tickets as early as 4pm and stay until the 10pm closing.
Many great sponsors participate in the event but the fundraiser is for the California Highway Patrol’s CHP 11-99 Foundation. This year the raffle is for a Ford Mustang GT Bullitt edition.

Smaller or larger than years past, it doesn't matter. This is the must-attend party every year for the unofficial start of the Monterey Car Week.  

Album link here:  https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1550196661751706&type=1&l=809d800294

Kia Forte5 SX review

What if I told you a very European looking 5 door hatchback with sporty styling, dual exhaust outlets, a rear diffuser, manual transmission and lots of features didn’t come from a U.S. or Germany based manufacturer?  Would your next guess be a 2017 Kia Forte5 SX that is a very well equipped hatch with an MSRP of $27,000.

First impression is it looked very much like many of the refined hatchbacks seen in Italy in September during a two week vacation. The rich gray color compliments the black grill treatment and wheels and. A thin red horizontal line across the front clip makes a sporty yet soft statement and ties in the red stitching in the interior. The sloped rear window which is a staple with hatchbacks and keeps the station wagon look from creeping into your head.

Besides making a four door hatchback as sharply styled as possible and still have mass appeal, the interior has very well designed seats with red trim tying in the front styling cue. Surprisingly the seats are both ventilated and heated and were perfect during a roughly 300 mile round trip one day. In addition, dual zone climate control, navigation, satellite radio, moonroof, power entry and exit seat, and the Kia UVO infotainment and telematics service which also includes Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. 

The center dash display shows the tach and speedometer along with a multi-window display of the trip odometer, navigation, entertainment, and settings. Counting four cupholders, plus forward console storage is quite good but then it was pointed out the center armrest compartment will hold more water bottles because it’s so deep. Not bad! Granted the interior can always be spruced up with materials and styling elements but from a refinement, layout and functionality standpoint it is excellent. 

Peeking around, the pedals and foot rest are all metal with rubber pads and look serious and full of intent. The hatch space offers 60/40 split fold down rear seats, the “60” properly on the passenger side and they lay flat, cargo tie-down loops, a board that hides the child seat anchors, flaps on either side for flat storage and two layers of segmented storage underneath. 

The 201 horsepower engines provided plenty of power around town and on the highway. Not even realizing it’s turbocharged due to virtually no lag, once rolling in first gear, going wide open throttle will squeal the tires. It does have the common 4 cylinder audible hum, but a slightly tuned exhaust note would be welcome.

The EPA highway rating is a disappointing 29mpg, and judging how early upshifts are suggested on the driver’s display along with “taching out” at 3600 rpm while cruising at 85mph, maybe taller 5th and 6th gears could be utilized for better highway mileage. Hopefully Kia can address this and get the EPA rating into the 30s unless I’m missing something from the equation. 

Everyday driving is enjoyable, the ride is comfortable but the steering provides no feedback. Perhaps most would consider this luxurious refinement, but the enthusiast wants to know what’s going on with the front tires. Shifter throws are short and so is the clutch travel with light effort. This car contributes to the “save the manuals” mantra, its that easy. The flat bottom steering wheel, called, “Very Formula One-ish” in one of our “FactsandFigure” videos, is actually pretty nice because it acts like a lever when turned and lets you know it’s position by feel. Never had that kind of time with one before to appreciate it. 

Pushing the limits on an onramp reveal the very toss able feel of a lighter car and the scrubbing sound of the tires approaching their limits at a cornering speed higher than anyone witnesses in traffic, and the 225 width tires on 18” wheels do a good job of holding the road. I’d be curious to see instrumented test numbers. 

For only $27,000 MSRP, one starts making comparisons. A top-of-the-line Infiniti Q50 that is double the price doesn’t offer power folding mirrors or cooled seats. Kia does pack a lot of value into the car. From the road trip, hauling charity drop-offs and overall utility, this is a great car. Perfect for a comfortable commute, a first time buyer, a practical family car and more. 

Check out the all the pictures on the San Jose Cars Examiner Facebook page. Special thanks to The Drive Shop for providing the vehicle. https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1298982410206467.1073741934.378354382269279&type=1&l=abbb84f8cf

The Quail A Motorsports Gathering 2017

The 15^th annual The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering was held on Friday, August 18^th this year, of course held at The Quail Lodge and Golf Club in Carmel, California. Always spectacular, there were some exceptional displays that contributed to another memorable experience for the limit of 5,000 attendees.

First, the Best of the Best Award for 2016 was earned by a stunning 1954 Maserati A6GCS/53 Berlinetta by Pinin Farinia.  It won Best in Show at last year’s Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este and beat seven other contestants after being selected from a panel of twenty-four notable members of the automotive world including leaders of automotive companies, design, collections, famous race car drivers, etc.

The displays were wonderful, Koenigsegg had an unprecedented ten vehicles on display which made for some fantastic photo opportunities and a chance to finally compare the different models side by side. Floyd Mayweather’s was one of them. AMG had an actual engine builder assembling their twin turbo V-8 for all to watch. On the other side of the wall was the powertrain and suspension of the AMG Project One.

Pagani again had their impressive display and this time the Huayra BC, Huayra Roadster and the Pagani Zonda HP Barchetta. Pulling myself away from the Italian craftsmen to the Porsche display where the new 700 horsepower 911 GT2 RS was featured. Of course the 911 GT3 and 911 Turbo S Exclusive Series. Conspicuously absent was the Bugatti Chiron and the Ferrari 812 Superfast although both can be expected next year. And yes, there were Veyrons and F12tdfs and a Porsche 959. The infamous Rimac was also there, and speaking to the first owner in the US was an interesting conversation about Electric Vehicles.

There were so many notable displays such as Singer, BMW, Bentley, Acura and their introduction of the Acura ARX-05 DPi race car, Lamborghinis with a Huracan Performante, Rolls Royce and more. I really enjoyed studying the McLaren 720S up close. The cuisine was exquisite as always with menus from Beverly Hills, Carmel Valley, China, Italy and France. Additionally, California Caviar, Louis Roederer Champagne, Hog Island Oysters, Dolce Spazio Gelato are welcome returns. 

It’s important to remember that besides the views, the people watching, the food and drink, the Bonhams auction entry and celebrity/VIP sightings and interviews, the charities supported deserve recognition.  The Rancho Cielo Youth Campus, Naval Postgraduate School Foundation, the California Highway Patrol 11-99 Foundation receive contributions as does the Junior Reserve Training Corps.

The only critique I could make is that too many of the 250 or so cars were parked too close together, making photo opportunities difficult. Traffic is always an issue so the total number of tickets has probably reached the max. Perhaps a bus system should be incorporated like at Pebble Beach.

However I recommend arriving before the 10am start and check out the guest drive cars which this year were the Acura NSX and Lamborghini Huracan. Also check out the Porsche building which has their latest models on display, branded goods for sale, etc. Walking the parking lots, which is a show in itself, is also an option and a judging slip was even offered!

One very clever difference this year was keeping the event open with DJs on either end of the show and the drinks flowing at the bars. Talk about THE place to be before the private parties start! It was announced it was done to alleviate traffic which is very true. It also would keep people from leaving for the “other” show that afternoon and evening in downtown Monterey. I broke the cardinal rule of not to leave one good party to check out another event taking place. It wasn’t comparable, I won’t do that again. So arrive early, have a beverage, walk a lot so you develop an appetite for at least two meals and plan on making a great day out of it. I already can’t wait to go again and see what surprises will be there next year.

Be sure to check out over one hundred photos from the 2017 Quail here:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1186960024742040.1073741920.378354382269279&type=1&l=d356df3783

The Ferrari Finali Mondiali

For the first time in the US, the Ferrari Challenge series world championships were held at Daytona International Speedway the weekend of December 4^th. Featuring races, displays, exhibition laps, a show and more.  Ferrari has history at the track and it's a world class venue appropriate for such an event. Although tailored for Ferrari fans, the event was only $10 for the public. Not well attended in superspeedway terms or any other except by owners, it was spectacular for the car and racing enthusiast for multiple reasons. And less crowds meant excellent access, as good as it gets.

Shell had a small booth, really the only the third party that was there, showing the advantages of the VPower Nitro+ premium gasoline. Shell has partnered with Ferrari from even before their first road car in 1947 and to this day they are an integral partner with Ferrari. Every Ferrari, Maserati and BMW M use the cleanest gasoline VPower Nitro+ for less deposits, corrosion and wear versus other brands. Ferrari also uses the patented PurePlus technology oil from Shell for reduced wear, better temperature protection and cleanest burning for reduced engine wear and varnish.

The main events were the 458 Challenge series championships. Two different classes, Pirelli Trofeo for the near pro level drivers and Coppa Shell (Shell Cup) for the amateur class. Vehicle count was healthy and it was for all intents and purposes ran exactly like a major event. The level of organization and participation was impressive.

There was so much more than the racing however. The hot lap sessions offered ultra-exotic sights and sounds all weekend. The 1,036 horsepower Corse Clienti FXX-K cars positively screamed around the road circuit and exceeded over 200mph on the back straight banking. 599XX cars were also numerous and offered similar sounds and heroic speeds. One Enzo based FXX was observed.

Historic F1 cars were also present and running. By historic I mean not only 1970s or so but also only a generation or two old. Which meant former champion Ferrari Formula 1 drivers Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikonnen put on a clinic in the 2009 V8 cars. Howling down the front straight, they were spectacular, a real treat on Sunday. Complete with burnouts and a fan/worker/technician/media scrum in the grass to celebrate. Later two historic Daytona winners were rolled out for a memorable photo shoot.

Earlier at the press conference, Seb and Kim, Fiat Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne and team boss Maurizio Arrivabene were present. Both drivers are looking forward to more grip offered by the next season's tire size upgrade and stating they wouldn't mind more power either. Also they expect big changes in how the current test mules evolve for next season. Sergio remarked how a return to NASCAR was in order and felt aerodynamics needed further development for their F1 program.

Ferrari worked closely with the Ferrari Club of America to have members participate in volume. And they sure did, coming from all over the country with their cars. The show on infield was The Quail level in exclusivity. Multiple LaFerraris, F60 Americas, special body cars, historic racers and more. The participation was essential for the Saturday night logistical nightmare attempt at beating the largest parade of Ferraris. Early estimates of 1100 cars suggested breaking the record of 964 held at Silverstone but Guinness Book of World Records officially stated 809 cars unfortunately. If all had drivers versus being parked, my guess it would have been broken. Staging that many cars is always a big challenge. It really didn’t matter, it was spectacular.

One of the temporary buildings had a working Ferrari showroom with new models present with color samples for paint, brake calipers, leather and more. A home equity line approval would have been dangerous… Another building was for the advertising of Classiche program of factory restorations, customization program, re-bodies and more. On display was a flawless 250 GTO with an estimated worth of over $50 million. In glasses in office was a recreation of the binders of all their historical build sheets.

Saturday night was an invitation only cocktail reception but it was really just a huge champagne and wine party with a special auction tossed in. Not much different fashion-wise than McCall's Motorworks Revival, it was a lot of fun, although I draw the line at silver sequined Mens moccasins. The award ceremony for the regional and overall champion drivers was very dignified along with kind words from Sergio Marchionne.  Besides world champion drivers suits selling in the 5-digit teens, LaFerrari number 500, built especially for charity sale to benefit the victims of the August 24^th Central Italy earthquake. A record price for a LaFerrari and the highest price paid for a vehicle produced this twenty-first century, sold for $7 million. Later, the evening closed by being treated to tunes spun by former Formula 1 and champion sports car driver DJ Giancarlo Fischella. The free poster and prints were very nice giveaways.

One miss was the Ferrari clothing and gear store that was well picked over. Ferrari could have had one three times larger with even more variety and still have done very well. What also should have been available was the promotion video shown during the cocktail reception. It was spectacularly done and worthy buying on DVD or on a memory drive.

VIP rides was one of the last events on Sunday. Stock 488 GTBs were driven by none other than Kimi Raikonnen, Sebestian Vettel, and mine was AF Corse Ferrari team driver and Le Man winner Toni Vilander. Holy cow its eye widening what a 10 second car felt like with insane brakes to match. I kept thinking we would overshoot the turns. But it was on the back half of the Speedway, not even on a full lap, the acceleration was relentless. All I could see in the passenger seat was the track surface in the left hand turn starting at the windshield header and disappearing under the car. Well into the triple digits is when the lateral g-force push could be felt. When I finally looked over at the end of the straight, the speedometer had just showed 182mph! It wasn’t even a full lap it and it was incredible! The car sounds great but just doesn’t have that naturally aspirated howl. A catback exhaust system would make it perfect.

The Finali Mondiali easily could be a more commercial event, but it certainly met the needs and expectations of fans and owners. The sights and actions was spectacular, the catering top-notch, Daytona is a world-class facility, and this was an experience of a lifetime.

Multiple race results:
http://races.ferrari.com/en/finalimondiali2016/

Check out this awesome soundtrack of my F1 car walk-by tour:

Albums from the San Jose Cars Examiner Facebook page:

Ferrari F1 Clienti cars: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.963110827126962.1073741889.378354382269279&type=1&l=7828be7ef8

LaFerrari and new Aperta: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.963903847047660.1073741895.378354382269279&type=1&l=83fb70d6a8

Ferrari 458 and 488 race cars:  https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.963114193793292.1073741890.378354382269279&type=1&l=acd79a15fc

Ferrari new and Classiche cars: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.963242893780422.1073741892.378354382269279&type=1&l=e09d2bd560

The new Ferrari 488 Challenge!

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.963260713778640.1073741893.378354382269279&type=1&l=ad07d6b097

Ferrari Clienti Corse XX cars https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.963124263792285.1073741891.378354382269279&type=1&l=6446aa4d4c

Ferrari F12tdf and F60 album https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.963491233755588.1073741894.378354382269279&type=1&l=42354bf286

The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering was a visual and digestive feast

The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering held on Friday, August 18th once again proved itself to be the finest gathering imaginable for cars, food and drink. Held at The Quail Lodge Golf Club in Carmel Valley, this year it expanded once again and featured another world class gathering of greats.

Pictures can barely capture what is seen in person. The Bugatti Chiron, Bentley’s entire display, Pagani with multiple cars, Singer Porsche, the 50th Anniversary of the Lamborghini Miura lined up like a bunch of sexy skittles, 100th anniversary of BMW with a couple of F1s (street and GTR long tail race car) a bunch of Z8s off in the corner, great Ferraris, super cars and much more.

Lamborghini introduced the Centario Roadster and also a present was a Miura Homage Aventador and Huracan Spyder. Porsche had a very clean display with the revered 911R as the centerpiece. Ken Okuyama design introduced a stunning one off V12 front engine roadster called Kode57. This is a judged car show, the winner being a 1953 Ferrari 375 MM Pinin Farina Spyder. The only black Maserati MC12 produced made women and men weak in the knees.

Now in the inaugural year, the The Peninsula Classics Best of the Best Award was awarded to the stunning 1937 Talbot-Lago T150-C SS, Chassis No. 90106 Coupé aérodynamique ‘Goutte d’Eau’, Figoni & Falaschi. It was chosen among six of the world’s finest automobiles from top concours events internationally, to compete for the title of the most exceptional car in the world. Of the contenders, the most recent model year was 1968. The judging panel was twenty-four of among the most renowned designers, collectors and enthusiasts. Unfortunately it was in one of the food tents rather on a turntable on prominent display. If you’re a foodie, plan on eating multiple gourmet meals with menus from Beverly Hills, Chicago, New York and Paris.

Among various vendors, the achingly gorgeous stone automobile sculptures from Kellen Silverthorn http://kellensilverthornsculptures.com/ captured the essence of the rolling sculpture at the event. Using a high tech process with careful staging, locations, props, photoshop and expert photography, Unique & Limited s.r.o. from the Czech Republic doesn’t capture magic, they create it with incredible scenes of cars and even aircraft. It’s like nothing you’ve ever seen and a must if you collect automotive art. http://www.unique-limited.com/

Outside the show, Porsche has a destination display in itself and on the opposite side, the Bonhams auction took place. The program and poster themselves are collector quality. Of course a car enthusiast would just go crazy here, it’s so good, so overwhelming, when it’s over you don’t even want to leave. You secretly hope a car is left over on the field and you’re asked to drive it away. Instead, you reluctantly leave, the greatness gently tugging at your soul, with memories and photos to hold you over until next year.

Album here:  https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.869913093113403.1073741876.378354382269279&type=1&l=46b1b92b1f

Scott Campbell Photography

McCall's 25th Motorworks Revival Party rocked the Monterey Car Week kickoff

Gordon and Molly McCall celebrated the 25^th anniversary of the Motorworks Revival at the Monterey Jet Center on Wednesday, August 17^th with a proper party that continues to evolve. It had all the requisite aircraft, cars, appetizers, and ambiance. This year a live DJ at 9pm was joined by a live drummer and violinist for a modern dance party. Needless to say, this party rocked.

Non-Red Carpet parking was well organized with comfortable shuttles delivering guests to the Monterey Jet Center. The caliber of cars in the remote lot and the number of helpful attendants made it hassle free. The complimentary professional photography at the entrance is always a treat.

Once past the entry its always, “Mind blown” with photography and ogle time. Modern and classic aircraft, specialty vehicles and stunning examples from various manufacturers. In the hanger itself, Koenigsegg had the Regera, Agera S and CCX there. Pagani had several models, McLaren, Alpha Romeo including the upcoming Giulia, Acura with the NSX, and Toyota had the Kyle Busch 2015 Sprint Cup Camry along with other Toyota racing standouts. Vintage motorcycles and war planes, executive jets, fine jewelry and more offered an incredible variety of visual treats.

Interestingly the second hanger wasn’t open this year without any detriment and kept the crowd from thinning out too much. One complaint was that there needed to be more places to sit, either to take a break, enjoy the wine, or rest some weary feet especially for the ladies in heels. There was no goody bag this year but the event lifestyle program is excellent and the branded wineglasses were favorite keepsakes so the bags weren’t necessary.

Food and drink seemed endless with four top chefs and six wineries kept the crowd well fed and in a party mood.  Tickets are available far in advance every year, this year for $395 and the excellent CHP 11-99 foundation continues to be the beneficiary of the raffle. Every year Gordon and Molly McCall continue to evolve the party with world class vehicles, food, drink and entertainment. It’s the Monterey car week kickoff party that should not be missed.

Photo album: Album: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.868755033229209.1073741874.378354382269279&type=1&l=c5246730dc

The Quail Motorsports Gathering expands in 2015

Not much can be said about The Quail automotive event that hasn’t been already. Held on Friday, August 14th at The Quail Lodge and Golf Club in Carmel-By-The Sea. It was the must-attend event on that day. When one stays at a “car show” from 8:30am to 4pm as an attendee, you know it is something very special. I was barely able to wrap my head around its awesomeness, I finally set out to experience a variety of cuisines and they were amazing. This year the show expanded across the street at the expense of very close parking to include additional displays, vendors and food tents.

Ferrari was prominently on display this year, whether it was the spectacular custom coachbuilt Ferraris that seemed underappreciated, a gaggle of F50s which is almost unheard of in the US or a couple of LaFerraris with stunning paintwork.

Other categories were the Long Tail Cars of Le Mans, Iconic Pre-1965 Porsches, Pre-War Sports & Racing, Post-War Sports, Supercars, and Sports & Racing Motorcycles. The manufacturer displays were amazing as always. BMW in the center with their colorful 3.0 CSL Hommage R, Bentley had their stunning 1/1 EXP 10 Speed 6, Lamborghini President Stephan Winkelmann presented the world debut of the Aventador LP 750-4 Superveloce Roadster, Pagani had a large display with a bunch of cars cleverly spread out for lots of photo opportunities. Porsche had the 911 GT3 RS and the previous generation RS 4.0. Also, Acura, Audi, Cadillac, Koenigsegg, Lincoln, Maserati, Rolls Royce (that Wraith!) and others all had the latest or amazing on their stages. The stunning Speedback GT, a rebodied, reimagined Jaguar XKR by David Brown Automotive harkened back to the days of custom coachwork sports cars.

Speaking of custom, the Coachbuilt Ferraris were extra special. Based on the blazing fast F12 grand tourer, the elegance of the Touring Superleggera Berlinetta Luso matched the name beautifully. Another highlight was the visit by the Ford GT350s who were racing and hotlapping at nearby Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. And several of those GT350s were brand new if you catch my drift…

The food pavilions featuring the cuisines from Bangkok, Beverly Hills, Chicago, Hong Kong, New York and Paris were absolutely delicious, representing locations of the Peninsula Hotels. Spending the entire day from media preview to close meant sampling nearly everything. Unfortunately, this meant missing the nearby Bonhams Auction although the walk there was like attending an exotic car show in itself. In the other direction, the Porsche Zentrum building featured the Porsche Cayman GT4.

Always entertaining, the Fireside Chat with German Formula One Champion Jochen Mass delighted the crowd with accounts of his 114 Formula One World Championship Grand Prix races while interviewed by Alain de Cadenet. British Sports Car Racing Champion DerekBell and his son, Justin Bell, British race car driver and renowned U.S.-based media personality traded stories from their combined decades-long careers on the main stage .

In the morning, The Honorable Sir Michael Kadoorie, Chairman of The Hong Kong and Shanghai Hotels, Limited, joined by William E. Connor and Christian Philippsen opened the day by detailing plans for a new international automotive award, The Peninsula Classics Best of the Best. Starting in 2016, the new award will bring together the best of show winners from six of the top concourse events from around the globe to The Quail stage, to compete for the title of the most exceptional car in the world. Truly a destination event in itself.

This year, the Best of Show went to the 1968 Alfa Romeo Tipo 33 Stradale seen in the slideshow. Exclusive, and expensive, The Quail is a unique and splendid experience that every enthusiast should include on their bucket list.

Album here: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.695515513886496.1073741863.378354382269279&type=1&l=741e8d23f3

The 2015 Silicon Valley Auto Show is coming to San Jose

The 2015 Silicon Valley Auto Show is going to be held on January 8th – 11th at the San Jose Mcenery County Convention Center on San Carlos Street in San Jose. The show hours will be Thursday-Saturday from 10am-10pm and Sunday 10am-6pm.

Admission for adults is a bargain at $11. Senior Citizens (62 and over), Military with ID, students under 21 with school ID and children ages 7-12 are all $8. Children 6 and under are free.
Many manufacturers will be present, historically a very few will be missing. Scheduled to be present, but missing from the San Francisco show is the Chevrolet Corvette Z06. Other debuts scheduled are the Mercedes Benz C-Class, Honda CR-V, Fiat 500X, Mazda 3, Dodge Charger, Hyundai Genesis, Ford F-150, Acura RDX, Dodge Ram 1500 EcoDiesel and upcoming model(s) from Audi. Will a 707hp Dodge Challenger or Charger Hellcat be there? Go and find out!

The advantage this show offers with the Ride and Drives is the quick access highways instead of trying to thread through a congested traffic mess like San Francisco. Hopefully its more than driving around the block.Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram, Ford and Toyota will offer multiple vehicles. Planned from Ford include the new Mustange, Fusion Energi, CMAZ Energi, Explorer, Escape, F150, Flex, Focus, Edge and Transit Connect. Toyota should have the Camry, Corolla, Prius and RAV4.

For those that like exotics, this year should be among the best ever. Los Gatos Luxury Cars and the DuPont Registry Live will feature multiple vehicles. Additionally, the Blackhawk Museum Cars &   Coffee will be at the show for the first time ever on Sunday from 8am-10am in the outside convention center parking lot. Likely held downstairs in the back building again, Spider Photos Custom Cars and DUB Show Live will have a variety of custom exotics, muscle cars, trucks, low riders, motorcycles and more. This could be one of the best photo opportunities if they are not parked too close
together. In the past, the Ride and Drives are held in between the main show and this location.

There will also be a display of alternative fuel vehicles; an iPhone 6 giveaway contest and the San Jose Sharks mascot Sharkie will greet fans at Toyota on the 1t1th from 1-2pm. The downstairs of the convention center will have various vendors as well. Hopefully children walking on the seats and rubbing against the paint will be at a minimum. And only service dogs allowed, please.

Buying tickets online at www.SVAutoShow.com will saves $1 and attendees can receive a free one-year subscription to Motor Trend, courtesy of the Silicon Valley Auto Dealers Association. Give yourself several hours to enjoy a good show with a lot of variety.

The 2014 San Francisco International Auto Show review

The 57th Annual San Francisco International Auto Show presented by AutoTrader.com is being held this week at the Moscone Center in downtown San Francisco. Now exhibiting over an eight day period from Saturday November 22nd to Saturday, November 29th, it is a good thing because it fills both the North and South Halls and there is a lot of fascinating vehicles to view, sit in and see in person.

Tickets are $10 for adults and free for children under 12. This is an absolute bargain considering the scope and scale of the second largest show on the West Coast. The hours are 10am-10pm except the 29th, it closes at 9pm. Besides 36 manufacturers represented, there are also specialty displays whose sum easily justify the admission fee by themselves. These include Alternative Fuel vehicles, the Academy of Art University Classic Car Collection, the SF Auto Salon with a wide variety of
modified domestics and imports, the Ferrari Club of America, hot rods from Dominator Hot Rods, and a variety of race cars for the track and dragstrip in the Gasoline Alley section.

There are also Ride and Drive opportunities from several manufacturers, Alternative Fuel vehicles and alternative fuel technology display from PG&E. There are also several automobile memorabilia displays and items for sale, although the Maserati wall display with the artwork from decades past was also very cool. There are several driving simulators but Ford had the most extensive one that has to be seen to be believed.

Be sure to give yourself at least four hours if you’re really interested in seeing all the cars and trucks up close, or with the expanded schedule, plan on attending twice. The SF Auto Salon has cars with mild to wild modifications. Everything from Pro Touring domestics, ridiculous broken-looking “stance” imports, BMWs, Lexus, Supras, Evos, late 60s muscle cars, etc. Plan on spending a lot of time in that room alone. The race car section unfortunately didn’t allow as close access as the Auto Salon section, but they were still quite interesting. Just make sure your zoom function works well.

Oddly the Mercedes Benz display was the least impressive (or easily missed if we saw the wrong one), and the cover car for the show, the 2015 Corvette Z06, wasn’t even present, nor was the Camaro Z/28 although for some reason a regular Camaro SS was sectioned off from being touched. There was a ZL1 and an SS sedan as well. There were two Dodge Challenger R/Ts, but the Hellcat was
conspicuously missing as well. Lexus did have an RC-F though. Tesla again wasn’t present but considering the accessibility of their showrooms and presence in the Bay Area, it’s understandable. Porsche did not have a 918, and although there was a sinister Ferrari 599 GTO, an Enzo and McLaren 650S, do not expect to see a 458, LaFerrari or McLaren P1.

A couple of tips for attendees: For those who want to avoid convention center food, if even offered, the Metreon building around the corner on 4th street has multiple cuisines available and are quite used to handling convention center crowds. The Mediterranean restaurant at the corner of Howard and 4th also is good for a quick meal. There are a couple of other places within walking distance. If
you decide to park at the Moscone Center garage on 3rd street, once you get on 3rd, get into the right lane right away, as it is easy to miss.

Overall this is an excellent show, well worth attending and now running a proper length of time for many to enjoy, and if you’re an enthusiast, for more than one visit.

Picture album:
https://www.facebook.com/pg/SanJoseCarsExaminer/photos/?tab=album&album_id=586503771454338

The 2014 Quail A Motorsports Gathering is a Monterey Car Week exclusive treat

The 12th The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering held at The Quail Lodge and Golf Club in Carmel on Friday, August 15th was another epic gathering of the finest automobiles in the world. Entering through the entrance hall, a perfect sized venue awaits where one should prepare to have your senses reeling.

The exclusive event admission is $550 per adult, $100 for children under 12 for those registered and in the computerized lottery. The event supports Rancho Cielo, the Naval Postgraduate School Foundation and the CHP 11-99 Foundation charities. Admission goes far beyond the finest performance oriented automobiles. There were six gourmet food pavilions that had amazing cuisines from around the world. Parking is excellent, and quite honestly, a car show in itself. There was live entertainment and free admission to the Bonhams Quail Lodge Auction a walk or shuttle rife to the west side of the property. Also included were signature wines, champagne and cocktails, an event poster and magazine.

One ultra-cool part of the event was the fireside chat with Wayne Carini, Nick Mason, the drummer from Pink Floyd who is an avid collector and racer; Neal Schon, car enthusiast and guitarist from Journey and Santana; and Sir Jackie Stewart, three time Formula 1 world champion.

The first display noticed is the Bugatti Veyron collection. An amazing gathering of rolling sculpture and art, each with over twelve hundred horsepower tucked behind the passenger compartment. These were special editions, “Les Légendes de Bugatti”, honoring some of the more significant people and vehicles in the company’s history with special finishes and designs. Each of the six models is based on the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport Vitesse, all together for the first time.

The Supercars thankfully had a Porsche 918 parked next to an exposed carbon fiber McLaren P1. Outrageously curvy, it was possibly done a disservice due to the unpainted, high tech surface. However there was a green P1 in the parking lot. Conspicuously absent again this year was the LaFerrari.

Special displays were 100th Anniversary of Maserati, Competition Mustangs, a Tribute to India and Rock ‘n’ Roll. Traditional Classes featured included: Pre-War Sports and Racing, Post-War Sports, Post-War Racing and Super Cars, The Great Ferraris and Sports and Racing Motorcycles. Multiple manufacturers such as Aston Martin, Audi, Cadillac, Lincoln and Porsche also had their latest cars on
display.

Test drives were occurring from Porsche, Jaguar, Land Rover, Infiniti, and Cadillac. Lamborghini was also present with their global unveiling of the Huracán LP 620-2 Super Trofeo race car. Jaguar had the F-TYPE Project 7 and the prototype of the new Lightweight EType. A Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupé Waterspeed was displayed. With Rolls-Royce was Burgess, the superyacht leader
unveiling their exciting new Waterspeed Collection. The big Bentley display featured the big, bad Continental GT3-R.

After making a quick initial tour of the event before lunch and the crowds, I grabbed a margarita from Sammy Hagar’s Beach Bar Rum station. While taking in the moment with a cool breeze, a delicious citrus drink with a sweet kick, Paganis on my left, classic and modern Ferraris in front and on my right with mountains in the background, a kind of nirvana set in. I knew in that moment there was no better place in the world for a car enthusiast. It was an alcohol fuel injected heavenly wonderland for foodies of horsepower and automotive history.

The Quail 2014 photo album here: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.540483342723048.1073741839.378354382269279&type=1&l=02d20682a7