IT’S DRIVE TIME ON THE MONTEREY PENINSULA. THIS AUGUST, ENTHUSIASTS FROM AROUND THE GLOBE WILL GATHER FOR RACES, AUCTIONS, EXHIBITIONS AND A HOST OF OTHER BUZZ-WORTHY EVENTS. HERE’S YOUR GUIDE TO ALL THE ACTION.
MONDAY-WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 5-14
Pebble Beach Motoring Classic
www.pebblebeachconcours.net or 831/622-1700
After assembling near Seattle, the 30 pre-1968 automobiles accepted for this year’s Pebble Beach Motoring Classic will travel south along 1,500 miles of mountain passes and coastal roads. The tour ends with an Aug. 14 exhibition in Pebble Beach; some participants will also join the Pebble Beach Tour d’Elegance on Aug. 15.
TUESDAY, AUGUST 13
Carmel-by-the-Sea Concours on the Avenue
www.carmelconcours.com or 404/237-2633
The seventh presentation of this auto competition covering 18 Carmel blocks features 175 multi-marque releases from 1940 to 1973, plus Porsche and Ferrari favorites through 1989. Entrance is complimentary, and festivities raise funds for the Carmel Foundation. Downtown businesses also build auto-themed displays as part of the Carmel-by-the-Sea Concours in the Windows, a concurrent 10-day affair.
TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 13 AND 14
Automobilia Monterey
www.automobiliamonterey.com or 831/659-1551
Approximately 45 dealers set up at Seaside’s Embassy Suites during the 11th annual Automobilia Monterey, each selling pre- and post-war car posters, photos, pins, books, models, memorabilia and more. Ticket and silent auction proceeds benefit the Monterey County Rape Crisis Center.
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14
Carmel Mission Concours Car Show and Blessing of the Automobiles
www.carmelmission.org or 831/624-1271, x214
Organizers created this new Car Week event benefitting Knights of Columbus charities after hosting something similar in upstate New York. The West Coast version displays 30 rare vehicles at Carmel Mission from noon to 5pm. A special blessing takes place around 3pm, and ticketholders can also sample wines while checking out street rods, classics and collector gems–including a Bentley that once belonged to actor Cary Grant.
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14
The Little Car Show
www.marinamotorsports.org
This distinctive display of small cars makes a big impact by raising money for the Pacific Grove Youth Center, Pacific Grove Public Library and Veterans Transition Center. French vehicles headline the free show, which starts with staging and judging from noon to 5pm on Lighthouse Avenue and concludes with a cruise along the Pacific Grove coast.
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14
McCall’s Motorworks Revival at the Monterey Jet Center
www.mccallevents.com
Speed meets luxury at this long-running Car Week favorite that boasts exclusive automobiles, private aircraft and A-list attendees, plus food, wine and festivities. Tickets to the evening event, which benefits the California Highway Patrol 11-99 Foundation, typically sell out early.
WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY, AUGUST 14 AND 15
Dine in Di-Vine at Chateau Julien
www.chateaujulien.com or 831/624-2600
Toast to another captivating Car Week at Chateau Julien, where dinner and wine pairings take place against the backdrop of 1,000 oak barrels in the picturesque Chai facility. Come early for cocktails, vineyard views and a small auto exhibition.
THURSDAY, AUGUST 15
Pebble Beach Tour d’Elegance
www.pebblebeachconcours.net or 831/622-1700
Select Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance entrants join in this tour that winds along stretches of the original 17-Mile Drive, Carmel Valley, Big Sur and Carmel-by-the-Sea. Cars will line up on Ocean Avenue at lunchtime, before circling back to Pebble Beach.
THURSDAY-SATURDAY, AUGUST 15-17
Mecum at Monterey
www.mecum.com or 262/275-5050
Approximately 750 vehicles will cross the auction block during Mecum’s daytime auction at the Hyatt Regency Monterey Hotel and Spa, including a 1908 Isotta Frashini believed to be one of only two Tipo FENC Isottas in existence and a 1930 Duesenberg Model J featured in several movies between 1940 and 1984. Gates open daily at 8am and general admission is complimentary.
THURSDAY-SATURDAY, AUGUST 15-17
Russo and Steele Sports and Muscle Car Auction
www.russoandsteele.com or 602/252-2697
Spectators and buyers enjoy up-close access to some 250 American muscle cars and European collectibles during this three-night affair that maintains a unique auction-in-the-round format. Food vendors and retailers also set up on the event grounds, along Monterey’s downtown waterfront near Fisherman’s Wharf.
THURSDAY AND FRIDAY, AUGUST 15 AND 16
Bonhams Quail Lodge Auction
www.bonhams.com/quail
Bonhams holds the 16th presentation of its Monterey Car Week auction on the Quail Lodge grounds, offering an elite selection of motorcars spanning several decades. Look for headliners like a one-of-a-kind 1953 Ferrari 250 Europa Coupe Vignale, drawn up for Vignale by famed designer Giovanni Michelotti, and a 1964 Austin-Healey 3000 MkII 767 KNX that was that year’s sole factory entry in the 12 Hours of Sebring.
FRIDAY, AUGUST 16
The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering
www.quaillodgeevents.com or 831/620-8887
As it enters its second decade, The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering, pays tribute to 100 years of Aston Martin and 50 Years of Automobili Lamborghini. The event also showcases pre- and post-war cars and presents an assortment of food, wine and luxury goods. In addition, 30 automobiles will participate in the invitation-only Quail Rally on August 12-14, raising funds for charity while touring Monterey County’s coastal routes and byways.
FRIDAY, AUGUST 16
Pacific Grove Concours Auto Rally
www.pgautorally.org or 831/372-6585
This year’s Pacific Grove Concours Auto Rally, commemorating the Aston Martin centennial, brings 200 classic cars to Lighthouse Avenue from 1 to 6pm. Par ticipants then take a coastal tour through Pebble Beach, climb Carmel’s Ocean Avenue and return to Chautauqua Hall for a barbecue dinner and awards presentation. The event benefits local youth initiatives and nonprofits.
FRIDAY, AUGUST 16
Legends of the Autobahn
www.legendsoftheautobahn.org
German marques take center stage at Rancho Cañada Golf Club, as members of the BMW Car Club of America, Mercedes-Benz Club of America, Porsche Club of America and Audi Club Nor th America exhibit their finest cars in a judged competition. In addition to auto displays, spectators can expect refreshments, retail booths and a beer garden.
FRIDAY, AUGUST 16
Concorso Italiano
www.concorso.com or 425/742-0632
Principals from Automobili Lamborghini and Apollo will discuss the 50th anniversaries of their vehicles during the 2013 Concorso Italiano at Laguna Seca Golf Ranch. The display of Italian automobiles, motorcycles and watercraft includes the Thorndyke Special Apollo 5000 GT V8 that appeared in Disney’s “The Love Bug,” and the event also honors Italian cuisine, fashion, music and art.
FRIDAY AND SATURDAY, AUGUST 16 AND 17
RM Monterey Auction
www.rmauctions.com or 800/211-4371
A 1954 Ferrari 500 Mondial Spider Series I, the sixth of just 22 examples built, and a 1935 Hispano-Suiza K6 Cabriolet that won the 1936 Cannes Concours Prix d’Honneur, star in this year’s RM Monterey Auction at the Portola Hotel & Spa and Monterey Conference Center. More than 100 motorcars will also be featured in the auction’s exclusive “best of ” category.
FRIDAY-SUNDAY, AUGUST 16-18
Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion
www.mazdaraceway.com or 800/327-7322
To celebrate 60 years of the Chevrolet Corvette, the 2013 Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion features some of the marque’s most storied releases–don’t miss three of only five Corvette Grand Sports constructed under the direction of Zora Arkus-Duntov, widely considered the father of the Corvette. Autograph sessions, historic exhibitions and 16 classes of vintage racing at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca round out this three-day, family-friendly gathering that draws Ferrari, Jaguar, McLaren, Aston Martin, Talbot Lago and other famed automotive brands.
SATURDAY, AUGUST 17
The Barnyard Ferrari Event
www.thebarnyard.com or 831/624-8886
The Ferrari Owners Club partners with the Barnyard Shopping Village to put on this annual celebration of spectacular sports cars. Held among the center’s signature gardens from 4 to 7pm, the event features auto displays as well as cuisine, wine and live music. Proceeds benefit the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.
SUNDAY, AUGUST 18
Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance
www.pebblebeachconcours.net or 831/622-1700
Ten days of local car events lead up to the 63rd Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, one of the world’s most prestigious automotive gatherings. The field opens to spectators at 10:30am, and award presentations take place from 1:30 to 5pm. This year, the spotlight shines on Lincoln, a marque that became synonymous with luxury under Edsel Ford’s direction, along with the coachwork of Carrosserie Vanvooren, rare autos by Simplex, 50 years of Lamborghini and the Porsche 911, the Aston Martin centennial and more.
Three decades after artists formed the Automotive Fine Arts Society, members will again share their work on the Concours grounds during Sunday’s event. Nearby, the RetroAuto pavilion brings together autothemed posters, books, photography, memorabilia and accessories on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
On Saturday and Sunday evenings, Gooding & Company’s 10th anniversary Pebble Beach Auctions feature several significant consignments, including a 1948 Alfa Romeo 6C Competizione 2500 from the noteworthy “Sleeping Beauties” collection—one of only two factory-made sports cars developed for the 1948 racing season.