Auto indulgence: Pebble Beach concours

Pebble Beach was all about cash, grass, and gas last weekend. The golfers even gave up their carts and putters for a glass of red and a casual walk along the 18th fairway of Pebble Beach Golf Links to experience the elite of automotive design and culture.

For some perspective, Monaco has the F1 GP and Pebble Beach has the Concours d’Elegance. This central California coastal town located on a small peninsula south of Monterey and about 180 kilometres from San Francisco is a favourite playground for celebrities and the comfortably wealthy.

For a weekend around this time of year those fortunate few invite the many who buy on lay-away and drive a second-hand Chevy to share an appreciation for hand-formed curves and seven figure dosh on wheels. And they do a simply brilliant job hosting.

Most play out the weekend with one or two days spectating at nearby Laguna Seca for the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion, engulfed in an atmosphere of 100 octane and high rpm decibels. Sunday is normally a day of relaxation on the grass at Pebble Beach with the crowds sharing the sights of spectacular cars on the green under the sun.

The Concept Lawn at Pebble is used most days as a practice putting green, but this one weekend it was dotted with concept cars such as the shiny BMW Z4 Zagato Roadster on its global reveal, and the insane Hennessey Venom GT Spyder producing 1hp to accompany each of its 1244 kilograms. That’s right 1244hp and 321km/h (200mph) in 15.3 seconds. If that’s not reason to worry, wait a minute. Hennessey claims the first set of keys are already in the hands of Steven Tyler. You know, lead singer of Aerosmith – OMG!

A total of 19 concepts and limited production cars debuted at Pebble Beach; that’s more exposure of new sheet metal and carbon fibre skins than is planned for the Australian International Motor Show this year.

Evening entertainment centred on the auctions and staggering amounts of money. Zeros and commas were a repeating theme. No surprise when you really think about the financial security of classic cars as an investment, versus holding shares in Facebook. Owning the metal is wise especially if that metal is a race pedigree Ford GT40 (of which two at auction sold for a total of $15,950,000). Bigger money was bid for a 1960 Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizioni - $11,275,000.

Limited edition variants of Italian nameplates are the gold standard of classic car investing, even bright yellow ones such as the 1972 Lamborghini Miura P400 SV which hammered at $1,375,000 complete with original cloth seats and eight-track sound system.

Gooding & Company auction house anticipated a sell price in the $400,000 to $500,000 range for a totally original 1968 Toyota 2000GT. The bone white 2000GT with slightly crazed chrome is one of few factory left-hand drive cars. The real appeal is the 8850km on the odometer. It sold for $627,000 or 25 percent above high estimate. Does this signal a grand awakening and recognition of Japanese performance nameplates? Maybe but probably not unless next year a Prince Skyline GT-R or a Mazda Cosmo 110S tops a cool $100k.

Porsche fans were genuinely excited when a 1970 914-6 sold for $61,600 and inspired everyone in the US with an old Corvair in the garage. Celebrity and a good cause usually amplify bidding, well usually. But George Clooney offering his 2008 Tesla Roadster with the money going to charity didn’t draw the expected dollars. At $99,000, the bidding stopped short of expectation.

Four major automotive auctions and a couple of motorcycle auctions moved almost $150 million in metal. Yes, the nightlife at Pebble Beach can get expensive.

By mid-morning Sunday the sea fog that sets along the coast with a surreal cloud began to thin and several thousand admirers filled the 18th fairway for a closer look at a few hundred of the world’s more gorgeous, unique and fascinating automobiles.

The shapes of most are familiar within their era. For example, the Packards, Cadillacs, Cords and Chryslers from the 30s are always worth admiring and you can expect to see a wide array of hand-built Pinin Farina styled Ferraris in extreme detail. Of course, because 50 years ago Carroll Shelby created the first Shelby Cobra from the humble AC, a blend of both at Pebble Beach included a 1964 Daytona Coupe.

Everyone, even ladies in heels carrying small dogs, staggered to a stop and stared at the beautiful custom coachbuilt creations by Paris-based Jacques Saoutchik. The 1938 Hispano-Suiza “Xenia” is Saoutchik working in large dimensions to accentuate long arching lines and consistent radius curves. His designs have wonderful proportions and form. Including Xenia, Pebble Beach had 12 of Saoutchik’s cars on the grass, including a 1928 Mercedes-Benz Type S that took out the title of 'Best in Show'.

Cobras mixing with coachbuilt customs alongside Europe’s most sacred marques are the reasons why Pebble Beach is unique. No other automotive event in the world brings so many incredible cars together and places them in such an incredible setting. Add the sensation of Laguna Seca and we’re talking mecca of mechanica for a few days.

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