Monterey Car Week: The 2017 Concorso Italiano

For 2017, Concorso Italiano which takes place on Saturday between The Quail and Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance offered enthusiasts a wide ranging display of both Ferrari and Lamborghini, as well as Maserati, Alfa Romeo, Fiat, and Lancia spread across the Black Horse Golf Course in Seaside.  Though, the vast majority consisted of Ferraris, which came as no surprise as the automaker is celebrating it’s 70th anniversary this year.

Unique standouts included a two million dollar Lamborghini Centenario, in addition, a concept car designed by former Pininfarina executive, Ken Okuyama.  Dubbed the Kode-O, the stunning aggressively angled Ken Okuyama designed supercar is based of off a Lamborghini Aventador.  A large row of Abarth Fiats, a speed boat, and a large collection of motorcycles offered a unique diversification to the show.

Other highlights of Concorso Italiano, were a Fashion Show, casual picnic lunches across the golf course, and an interview with Automotive Designer Pete Brock, who is particularly well regarded for his work on the Shelby Daytona Cobra Coupe and Corvette Sting Ray.

For more information on Concorso Italiano please visit:  www.concorso.com

Photography by: Marli Allard

2017 Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion

Although the vast majority of Monterey Car Week showcases rare and vintage automobiles lined along golf courses during The Quail and the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance; the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion at Laguna Seca Raceway offers something very different for the thousands of motorsport enthusiasts who gather at the track each year.

Over five hundred race cars from multiple eras including everything from a 1915 Ford to a 1990 BMW M3 graced the historic 60 year old Mazda Laguna Seca Raceway and its storied Corkscrew. During Monterey Car Week from Thursday through Sunday, the race offered spectators a rare glimpse into motorsport of decades long past.  Whether a vintage Ferrari, Aston Martin, or Jaguar; there was something to steal the heart of any automotive enthusiast.

“The yearlong celebration of Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca’s 60th anniversary is brought to life in the Racing Through the Decades feature display that we are thrilled to share at the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion,” said Gill Campbell, Senior Vice President of Event Operations of Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. “The visual element illustrates the history and importance of the race track and the privilege we have had in hosting some of the greatest cars and drivers in all of motorsports.”

For 2017, the race paid special tribute to Ferrari’s 70th anniversary, as well as the race track’s own 60th birthday.  Spectators at Laguna Seca also had the chance to meet some incredible racing titans such as former F1 world champion Mika Häkkinen better known as”the Flying Finn” who drove for McLaren racing.  Other stars, include Danish race car driver Tom Kristensen, who won the 24 Hours of Le Mans nine times.

Photography by: Marli Allard

McCall’s Motorworks Revival is the Epitome of a Luxury Playground

One of the most extravagant parties to take place during Monterey Car Week, McCall’s Motorworks Revival, was the event to be at, as automotive enthusiasts came from all over to join in the celebration kick off to Car Week on the Monterey Peninsula.  The week which leads to various other exceptional events by official automakers and preeminent classic car competitions such as the McLaren 720s MSO debut and the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.

McCall’s Motorworks Revival was held at the Monterey Jet Center, where it had put on display a diverse group of classic cars & motorcycles, vintage planes, superlative racecars, and luxury items.  The revival exhibited many auto-aero-moto machines, of which included Paganis, Ford GTs, Ferraris, Lamborghinis, Porsches, iconic planes like the B25 and P51, as well as the all new Gulfstream 600.  Integrated together with vintage planes and classic cars, the expansive lineup featured coveted rare vehicles such as the Pagani Huayra, Porsche 918, McLaren 570s Spider, McLaren 720s, and the 1960s Ford GT40 racecar.

The event catered guests with refreshing drinks as well as delectable hors d’oeuvres and desserts, as they leisurely strolled around and observed the opulent display of private jets, helicopters, timepieces, in addition to the stunning vintage motorworks.  Going through its 26th year revival, the event, which was hosted by Gordon & Molly McCall, raises funds for the California Highway Patrol 11-99 Foundation.

Photography by: Marli Allard

The Peninsula Classics Best of the Best Award Winner

On August 15th, 2017 at a momentous private gathering during acclaimed Monterey Car Week, the winner of the second-annual The Peninsula Classics Best of the Best Award was declared.  The winner, a 1954 Maserati A6GCS/53 Berlinetta by Pinin Farina from the Monaco-based Destriero Collection, became the champion from a select lineup of 8 distinguished “Best of Show” finalists.  Pinin Farina have only manufactured a limited four Berlinetta-bodied sports cars through the years, with this one being the best preserved model, evident by it retaining its original chassis and body.

The car, which made its first debut at the 1954 Paris Motor show, was originally owned by Count Alberto Magi Diligenti of Italy, who entered the vehicle in numerous races such as the the 1955 Mille Miglia.  The 1954 Maserati A6GCS/53 Berlinetta was based on the prosperous 2-litre racing car developed by the Maserati brothers.  It is depictive of the coachbuilding artistry of the 1950s as demonstrated by its resolute sporting design, which played a decisive factor in it winning Best in Show at last year’s Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este.

“The 1954 Maserati A6GCS/53 Berlinetta is a superb example of the beauty of Pinin Farina’s designs, which are synonymous with the coachwork that epitomizes classic Italian sports cars. The sensitive retention of its originality allows this stunning motorcar to emerge as the most elegant preservation among its 1954 counterparts,” said business executive and philanthropist Sir Michael Kadoorie. “We are thrilled to award this exceptional vehicle with the second annual The Peninsula Classics Best of the Best Award.”

The Peninsula Classics Best of the Best Award, presently in its second year, has assembled eight of the world’s finest race cars from the leading international concours events to contend for the grand title of the world’s most superlative, classic automobile.  This year, the celebrated event had sponsorships with many renowned names of which include The Peninsula Hotels, Graff Diamonds, and Rolex.

“I couldn’t be happier that the 1954 Maserati A6GCS/53 Berlinetta won The Peninsula Classics Best of the Best Award this year,” said Jay Leno. “We were all in agreement that the Maserati deserved the award not only for its astounding display of modern innovation, but also because it has been restored in a way that preserves the design as it was intended to be appreciated, with a precise level of care for its historic and timeless automotive implications.”

The Peninsula Hotels were proud to sponsor The Peninsula Classics Best of the Best Award, a natural extension of the group’s passion, dedication, and appreciation for luxury, travel and the motoring lifestyle.  The Peninsula Hotel group was recognized for their elegant architectural designed hotels, tactful assimilation of technological capabilities and services, and comprehensive fleet of luxury transport.  The group contributed their heritage and expertise in making the celebration of the very best in the motoring world a huge success.

The other seven finalists for the award were as follows:

• 1936 Lancia Astura Cabriolet Tipo Bocca by Pinin Farina: Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance
• 1938 Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B Berlinetta by Touring: Chantilly Arts & Elégance Richard Mille
• 1938 Dubonnet Xenia Coupé by Saoutchik: Concours of Elegance UK
• 1952 Pegaso Z-102 Berlineta Cúpula: Amelia Island Concours de Sport
• 1953 Ferrari 375 MM Spider by Pinin Farina: The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering
• 1960 Ferrari 400 Superamerica Coupé Superfast II by Pinin Farina: The Gran Turismo Ferrari Cup, Cavallino Classic
• 1971 Lamborghini Miura P400 SV Coupé by Bertone: Goodwood Cartier Style et Luxe Concours d’Elegance

For more information visit: Peninsula.com/BestofTheBest

Photo Credit: Adam Swords

Ferrari’s 70th Anniversary Celebration to be held at The Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance

Ferrari is set for a spectacular 70th anniversary celebration, which will take place at the world renowned Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in central California.  In many ways Ferrari gained much of their quintessential panache from California.  In 1947 when Ferrari’s first model, a 125 Sport featuring a 1.5 liter V12 hit the road, it set the course for something truly remarkable.  Shortly after that, the Italian Marque gained a steadfast global following, especially so, in California.  The first Ferrari to be imported stateside was a 166 MM Touring Barchetta, which quickly arrived in California in September of 1948.  The Marque continued to grow even closer with the Golden State, demonstrated by their release of the 1957 250 GT California Spyder, which was Scaglietti’s stunning vision of an open-top 250 GT, designed specifically in mind for the North American marketplace.  In line with this heritage, Ferrari has decided to celebrate their 70th anniversary at Monterey Car Week.

“This will be an historic celebration of Ferrari, bringing its seventy years of engineering, style and passion to life for our clients, collectors and fans during the incomparable Pebble Beach Automotive Week,” said Edwin Fenech, President & CEO, Ferrari North America.

This year, four separate categories of Ferraris will compete during Concours on the 18th fairway of famed Pebble Beach Golf Links.  These categories are set to showcase significant race champions as well as one-off bespoke models.  In addition, Ferrari North America will be dominating the first fairway, to host the Ferrari 70th Anniversary Concours; which will be taking place directly alongside the newly opened hotel “Fairway One at The Lodge”.  Opening this month, the newest addition to the Pebble Beach Company’s hotel portfolio, offers meeting spaces, 38 luxurious guest rooms, and two 4-bedroom golf cottages.  Ferrari will begin placing their cars along the first fairway on Saturday, August 19th, beginning at 4pm, where the public is welcome to join in to wish the Marque a happy 70th.

“Pebble Beach has a long and very strong relationship with Ferrari, particularly when you note the Ferraris and Ferrari drivers that made their mark here at the Pebble Beach Road Races in the early 1950s,” said Concours Chairman Sandra Button. “Our history together is almost as old as Ferrari itself, and we are proud that we continue to make history together.”

Ferrari also enjoys a strong motorsport relationship with central California.  In 1952, driver Arnold Stubbs made second place in the premier Pebble Beach Cup race, while driving a Ferrari 212 Export Touring Barchetta; from then on, Ferraris were a shining star at every Pebble Beach road race.  Starting in 1973, the Pebble Beach Concours began hosting a full range of Ferraris every year, featuring everything from 250 GTOs to Testarossas.

For more information on the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, or to purchase tickets for the 2017 Concours, please visit:  www.pebblebeachconcours.net

Photo Credits: Photo Copyright © Kimball Studios / Courtesy of Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance

The Louis Vuitton Foundation Gallery Showcases Works by 20th-Century Masters

The greatest works of art by the most creatively gifted artists from the early 20th century are going to be revealed in Paris at the Louis Vuitton Foundation gallery.  Anticipated to arrive in 2020, the new project from the Louis Vuitton Foundation will be introducing numerous renowned master painters with their works reaching well over 200 pieces all together.

Louis Vuitton Foundation building

The artwork for the Louis Vuitton Foundation gallery were once owned by Russian industrialists Ivan and Mikhail Morozov, who possessed one of the world’s greatest private collections of modern art.  The Soviet state confiscated their private art collection after the revolution in 1917 was concluded, where after all the paintings were retained by the Russian authorities.  This forthcoming art exhibition went through several years of meticulous negotiations between Chairman and CEO of LVMH, Bernard Arnault and the Russian authorities.

picture of Ivan Morozov

In October 2016 to March 2017 the foundation once hosted a relatively analogous exhibition labeled “Icons of Modern Art“.  The event brought in 1.2 million people and showcased the artwork from Sergei Shchukin’s private collection, which was an equally grand art collection when compared to the one the Morozov brothers owned.  The foundation said, “the Morozovs and the Shchukins… dominated Moscow‘s cultural life at the beginning of the 20th century, and helped contribute to the international recognition of French model painters.”

Jeanne Samari portrait by Pierre-Auguste Renoir

Louis Vuitton Foundation’s upcoming exhibition is going to present paintings from the greatest names in the art world such as Picasso, Bonnard, Maurice Dennis and Derain,  In addition, the industrialists had accumulated a massive number of paintings before the Russian revolution that included works by Van Gogh, Monet, Cezanne, and Renoir.  Jean-Paul Claverie, the art adviser to LVMH boss Arnault, who is the head of the Louis Vuitton Foundation, said the Morozov’s’ private art collection has not once been showcased to such a large extent anywhere in the world ever since it was seized by the Russian authorities.

For more information visit:  FondationLouisVuitton.fr/en

Hotel X Toronto is Set to Open This September

Toronto will be establishing their first urban resort in September 2017.  The upcoming resort Hotel X Toronto, will offer the inhabitants of downtown Toronto sports, dining, and entertainment services along with a wide range of amenities to choose from.  This new resort is going to be a place that allows guests to enjoy themselves wholeheartedly amid a tranquil yet exhilarating environment, giving the guests a true R&R experience like no other.

The resort’s culinary offerings will to be nothing short of incredible as it introduces seven dining concepts of which includes the Library Club Lounge (a private lounge exclusive to hotel guests only), the Pergerine SkyBar (a 10,000 square-foot, three-story rooftop bar and lounge), Petros 82 (a Mediterranean fine-dining restaurant), and a beer garden that surrounds one of the city’s historic landmarks: the Stanley Barracks fort.

Hotel X Toronto encompasses 406 rooms including 37 suites, all of which were designed by Andi Pepper Interior Design with a contemporary layout that assimilates dazzling bursts of color, paying homage to the rooms vibrant city views.  The accommodations also feature two imposing Presidential Suites, one of them boasts a double-height living room and fireplace, while the other features two bedrooms and incredible panoramic views of Lake Ontario.

Another new, astounding addition to the resort is its Ten X Toronto; a 90,000 square-foot health & wellness facility that showcases a full service spa with six treatment rooms, four indoor tennis courts with 50-foot high ceilings, nine squash courts, a physiotherapy and chiropractic clinic, an 82-foot long rooftop swimming pool, Pilates and hot-yoga studios, and a state-of-the-art health center.  Hotel X Toronto will offer many other sumptuous amenities like “The Pond” an indoor/outdoor rooftop pool and a 243-seat cinema.  Furthermore, the hotel will be hosting a perennial archaeological exhibition that focuses on the historical, 19th century Stanley Barracks as well as an art exhibition which unveils a gallery showcasing works by talented and creative minded, local artists.

For more information visit:  HotelXToronto.com

INFINITI To Showcase The Retro Inspired ‘Prototype 9’ At 2017 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance

INFINITI has announced that they will be showcasing the retro inspired “Prototype 9” at the annual Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance during fabled Monterey Car Week.   With this all new creation, INFINITI, which was founded in 1989, has given us a glimpse to what one of their race cars may have looked like if the company had existed back in the 1940’s.  Just from one look it is easy to imagine this elegant racer pacing the track at the renowned Monaco Grand Prix.

The sleek time honored open wheeled Prototype 9 is a magnificent celebration of INFINITI’s creative craftsmanship, the retro inspired vehicle even went as far as to use original production techniques that would have been utilized in yesteryear production.  Modern fixtures include a prototype electric motor from Nissan’s advanced powertrain department, giving a unique contrast to the old fashioned techniques which were applied to build the Prototype 9.  One major nod to the past is the hand beaten panels created by a team of Takumi (the master artisans at Nissan).

“Prototype 9 celebrates the tradition of ingenuity, craftsmanship and passion of our forebears at Nissan Motor Corporation, on whose shoulders we stand today. It started as a discussion: What if INFINITI had created a race car in the 1940s? If one were to imagine an open-wheeled INFINITI racer on the famous circuits of the era, such as Japan’s Tamagawa Speedway, what would that look like? The sketches were stunning and the idea so compelling that we had to produce a prototype. As other departments became aware of this, they volunteered their time to create a working vehicle.”  – Alfonso Albaisa, Senior Vice President, Global Design

The Prototype 9 was inspired by the initial inception of Japanese motorsport, and specifically the Prince R380, which will have it’s only known survivor on display during Monterey Car Week at The Quail.  The R380 is well praised as it was regarded as “Japan’s original builder of premium automobiles” having set multiple land speed records and also emerged as victor at the 1966 Japanese Grand Prix at the Fuji Speedway.  In August 1966 Prince Motor Company became a common ancestor of INFINITI when it was merged with Nissan Motors.

“We like to think that INFINITI, with its stunning design, high performance capability and forward-looking technology, shares some DNA with the Prince Motor Company, which became part of Nissan Motors. Prototype 9 is a celebration of the artistry and ingenuity inherent in our company.” – Alfonso Albaisa, Senior Vice President, Global Design

Prototype 9 pays homage to INFINITI’s 1989 founding and current model line of “Q” and “QX” names.  In Japanese the number “9” is pronounced “kyuu” which is almost identical to the English pronunciation of the letter “Q.”

In all other dimensions the less than 2,000lb racer is highly characteristic of a vintage aeroplane; examples include an exposed cockpit, wire spoke wheels, and an elegant sleek bonnet.  The interior features a single black leather bucket seat with contrast red stitching handmade of the highest quality materials combined with outstanding Japanese craftenship.

“The beautiful execution of Prototype 9 represents a combination of artistry, craftsmanship and commitment to a romantic notion of our heritage. It inspired our people to work on Prototype 9 in their own time – as they were completely invested in the project and the details and features originated with them. Prototype 9 has been a labor of love for many of us.” – Alfonso Albaisa, Senior Vice President, Global Design

The Prototype 9’s motor produces just under 150hp and 320nm of torque outputted through a single speed transmission via its rear wheels.  Top speed is just over 105 miles per hour with a not to sixty time of 5.5 seconds, with the electric battery permitting just 20 minutes of track time.

Bel Air Mansion Listed For $85 Million

Created by renowned luxury property developer and true artist Mohamed Hadid,  “Le Belvédère” located on Nimes road in sunny Bel Air, California is nothing short of breathtaking.  Situated in a walled and gated 2.2 acre estate with eight manicured rose gardens, 280 degree views stretching across Los Angeles, and multiple elegant water features.  The residence inspired by a French Chateau offers stand out features which include a cinema, grand ballroom for 250 people, 5,000 bottle wine cellar, 10 bedrooms (2 Master Suites), 14 bathrooms, spa & Turkish Hammam, fourteen fireplaces, office, game-rooms, multiple terraces, turkish inspired sitting room, and a commercial kitchen spread across the residence’s 35,000 square feet of hand finished living spaces.

Exploring the exterior areas, you will find loggia surrounding a 70-foot long infinity pool with breathtaking views of the city below, a courtyard large enough to accommodate 100 people,  and a swan pond located in the motor-court.  In true Southern California style there is an intimate al fresco dining area and outdoor kitchen with the essential pizza oven.  Le Belvédère is listed for sale with Joyce Rey of Coldwell Banker Global Luxury with an asking price of $85 million USD.

For more more information please visit:  www.JoyceRey.com

Acura’s Newest Race Car: The ARX-05 Prototype

Acura has just given us a glimpse at their new race car, the highly anticipated ARX-05 prototype, AKA the Acura Racing eXperimental generation 5; which is set to be raced by the famed Team Penske for the 2018 season.  The ARX-05 is significant, as it marks the Japanese automaker’s return to prototype racing.  The ARX-05 is set to be revealed at The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering on August 18th, one of the most prestigious events during the annual Monterey Car Week.

This new prototype from Acura is just the latest in an over 25 year history of the brand’s proven success in producing endurance prototypes starting in 1991.  The ARX-05 is expected to celebrate many victories with the highly successful Team Penske which has accomplished over 450 major wins in their fifty plus year history.  The Acura ARX-05 will be hitting the track in January of 2018 to make its competition debut for the Rolex 24 at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach Florida.

For more information check out the teaser video below.