Vintage Automobiles at Pebble Beach 2011
Extensive car porn from the most prestigious annual automotive weekend
Pebble Beach is to vintage automobiles what the Superbowl is to football and Art Basel is to art fairs. The group of events, anchored by the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, include shows, auctions and races each presenting the most celebrated works of automotive design and engineering. Drawing collectors, racers and enthusiasts from all over the world, we felt it was about time to see what this weekend is all about.
Thousands of cars and tens of thousands of fans provide an incredible opportunity to see some of the most beautiful and most innovative examples of automobile design. Driving around town is a sensory overload, with whiplash-inducing head turns to see everything from an Ariel Atom 3 to a pristine 1957 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz convertible. It’s also an increasingly important event for auto manufacturers, many of whom introduce new cars, offer test drives of new models, and premier concept cars. Many of the events differentiate the years by hosting specific makes, models or celebrating anniversaries, and this year was no exception. We covered many of the activities and captured more than 2,500 images. Here are some of our favorites.
The Quail, a Motorsports Gathering, celebrated the 50th Anniversary of the Jaguar E-Type, Ferrari’s America and Superamerica models, Pre- and Post-War Racing Cars, Post-War Sports Cars, Super Cars, and Sports and Racing Motorcycles. The 1952 Glocker/Porsche Roadster was one of our favorites.
A highlight at The Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion at the Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca was seeing so many Jaguars on the track celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the E Type.
Getting up close with the beautiful cars at the auctions—from barnyard finds to impeccably restored rarities of all types—provides unlimited fantasies of ownership. Favorites from The RM and Gooding & Company auctions included a 1960 Ferrari 250 GT and a 1956 Volkswagen Karman-Ghia.
The Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, which takes place on the celebrated 18th fairway of the Pebble Beach Golf Links, is arguably the world’s most prestigious vintage automobile show. Each year 200 cars are selected to participate. This year’s focus included Stutz, Jaguar E-Types, Ferrari GTO, early Rolls-Royce Silver Ghosts and Italian Motorcycles. We were there as the cars were driven onto the fairway at sunrise—an opportunity to not only see these vintage beauties actually drive, but also a chance to see the incredible pride, passion and focus of their owners.
All photos by Josh Rubin. More after the jump.
