It's Monterey week again. Five days to be precise, but in that time all the world's high-rolling car collectors and dealers will converge on the Pacific peninsular synonymous with high octane and even higher auction prices.
Held around the Monterey Peninsula, Carmel Bay and the Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, the event really starts on Wednesday (16th August) and finishes on Sunday (20th) with the world famous Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. There’s also the Concorso Italiano (Friday 18th) and the ‘Rolex Monterey Historic Races Presented by Toyota’ from Friday to Sunday at the Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca racetrack, 60 or so miles inland from Monterey itself. Of course a massive part of the economy and vibrancy of the event is the auction scene, and the European blue-chip houses Bonhams and Christie’s have a presence at Monterey, with entries they hope will rival established North American players RM, Gooding & Co,, Kruse, and Russo & Steele.
Prices for the really 'big' cars have been soaring recently and some entrie showing $200,000+ increases from 2005. Can the growth continue at this rate? Is it sustainable in today's economic climate?
There are two ways to find out - either make the trip to Monterey or check Classic Driver in the days following the auctions, we're sure to have all the results.
THE SCHEDULE -
Blackhawk Collection Exposition Sale,Peter Hay Golf Course, Pebble Beach
Wednesday 16th - Sunday 20th August
We explained this away last time as "Not really an auction but an ‘Exposition Sale’. That is to say it’s a free exhibition, and you can buy all the exhibits!" and there’s no reason to change this description. Over 85 cars will be ‘exhibited’ this year, including two Porsche 911 RSs and this 1956 Bentley S1 Continental Park Ward Drophead.
Please click HERE to see a full list of cars likely to be present.
For more information, visit www.blackhawkcollection.com.
Christie’s Sale at Monterey Jet Center
Thursday 17th August
We have an extensive preview of this sale elsewhere on Classic Driver, suffice it to say Christie’s are the first to go, and seasoned observers will be looking for a pricing trend to be set early in the week. There’s the fantastic all-Porsche Collection, as well as the wonderful 1952 Ferrari 225 with Coachwork by Vignale and Pebble Beach candidate 1928 Mercedes-Benz 26/120/180 Typ S Torpedo Roadster, Coachwork By Saoutchik, estimated at a sizeable $3.000.000 - 4.000.000 .
Please click HERE to see a full Motor Cars lotlist.
Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance - Annual Tour d'Elegance
Thursday 17th August
Concours weekend kicks off with the Ninth annual Tour d'Elegance, Thursday, August 17, 2006 beginning at 8:30 a.m. Cars competing in Sunday's event are invited to participate in the 60-mile tour that weaves through the forests of cypress trees and Monterey pines, crossing the beautiful mountains and valleys, along the Big Sur coastline and visiting Carmel-by-the-Sea.
For more information, visit www.pebblebeachconcours.net.
Bonhams & Butterfields Sale at Quail Lodge, Carmel
Friday 18th August
Bonhams' Monterey week sale will include a selection of cars from a Private Collection. It’s a mix of elegant ‘Grand Routiers’ of the late pre- and early post-war period together with some more modern devastating racing machinery like this 1972-3 Porsche 917/10-015 estimated at $450,000 - 550,000...
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Concorso Italiano, Monterey
Friday 18th August
'"A celebration of Italian style," Concorso Italiano embraces all cultural elements of Italian style, such as music, cuisine, fashion and travel tourism' - so says the publicity material and for anyone interested in Italian cars then the Bayonet Black Horse Golf Course, Monterey Bay is the place to be on the Friday of Monterey week.
The event pulls in some big-time sponsors (Girard-Perregaux, Lamborghini and Bridgestone to name but three), and this year's themes include 100 Years of the Targa Florio and 35 years of the De Tomaso Pantera.
For more information, visit www.concorso.com.
The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering, Quail Lodge, Carmel Valley
Friday 18th August
The Quail Gathering brings together top collectors with manufacturers (in 2005 Bentley were allowing well-heeled buyers to try their latest cars) and luxury lifestyle brands all in the setting of the exclusive Quail Lodge luxury hotel, golf course and spa. Of course Bonhams & Butterfields will be conducting an auction on the same day.
For more information, visit www.quaillodge.com/.
Kruse Auction, Concorso Italiano, Monterey
Friday 18th August
Kruse will be selling around 50 mid-to-low-range classics at the Concorso Italiano venue.
For more information, visit www.kruseinternational.com .
Monterey Historic Races Presented by Toyota, Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca
Friday 18th - Sunday 20th August
Cooper will be the featured marque at the 33rd Rolex Monterey Historic Automobile Races, held at the Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. As part of its tradition of showcasing and preserving motorsports history, the event will also present Historic IMSA, and TransAm cars as well as a select group of Historic Formula 1 single-seaters. In total, more than 400 vintage racecars, representing a wide range of marques, will compete in a series of challenging and highly competitive races.
Friday is for practice, while Saturday and Sunday will see un-timed 'warm-ups' in the morning and racing after lunch. As always, if you like rare home-grown sports cars like Shelby Cobras and Mustangs, Corvettes and GT40s - the Monterey Historics are for you.
For more information, visit www.montereyhistoric.com.
RM Auctions, Monterey
Friday 18th - Saturday 19th August
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They’ve upped the pre-sale auction estimate gross figure from $40,000,000 last year to $50,000,000 in 2006. One of the cars RM expect to contribute towards this massive total is the 1964 Shelby Cobra 289...
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Russo and Steele Auction, Monterey
Friday 18th - Saturday 19th August
When the opening lot is a Volkswagen 'Thing', you know you are in for an interesting auction that includes some American muscle raw in tooth and claw as well as a surprising number of European collectables like the 1973 Jaguar XKE, $90,000.00 - $100,000.00, or the 1956 Mercedez Benz 300 SL Gullwing at $275,000.00 - $325,000.00.
But, deep down, Russo & Steele will be majoring on the high-capacity stump-pullers of the '60s and '70s and the catalogue features all the 'Judges', 'Chevelles' and 'Roadrunners' you could possibly want. Tremendous stuff and a nice antidote to yet another 1950s' Ferrari.
 1963 Ford Galaxie 427 - $65,000.00 - $75,000.00 |
 1969 Lamborghini Miura - $175,000.00 - $200,000.00 |
Please click HERE to see a provisional lotlist.
For more information, visit www.russoandsteele.com .
Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance
Sunday 20th August
For the 2006 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, featured marques include the French manufacturers Voisin and Delahaye, and "Cars that Raced in the Del Monte Forest" (cars that participated in the Pebble Beach Road Races from 1950 to 1956). The Concours will reduce its show field to an elite group of 175 cars - down from 225 last year - creating room for spectators to carefully appraise each eye-catching vehicle in an unhurried fashion.
The Best of Show prize in 2005 went to a 1937 Delage D8-120 S Pourtout Aéro Coupé.
For more information, visit www.pebblebeachconcours.net.
The Pebble Beach Auction, presented by Gooding & Co.
Sunday 20th August
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Now into its third year of running, Gooding & Co.’s sale will bring the curtain down on this year’s Monterey events. In a catalogue that includes several desirable Ferraris, you cannot get much better than this 1958 Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta ‘Tour de France’...
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Text: Steve Wakefield
Main Photos: Tim Scott of Fluid Images
Other Photos: The Auction Houses
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