Five cars that steal the shows at Monterey Car Week

Californian car fest draws world’s motoring rich to big-money auctions and luxury car launches

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The BMW “Batmobile Spec” racecar is one of the five cars to impress at the Monterey Car Week. Photo: SCMP handout

Published: 8:19pm, 18 Aug 2017Updated: 11:28pm, 18 Aug 2017

Monterey Car Week has dominated the automotive world this week with big-money classic auctions, swish concours, exclusive new model launches, and lots of track and rally events, about three hours’ drive south of San Fransisco. As the festival closes on Monday, here are five cars that are revving imaginations and maybe throttling a few wallets in California, this weekend.

Arizona-based auction house Russo and Steele has offered about 250 collectibles.You can check the lots’ results online https://russoandsteele.com/auctions/ Lot #1138 could draw a large crowd at the Classic Car Club of Hong Kong’s next Chater Road Show, on October 29. This “race ready” 1972 BMW 3.0 CSL “Batmobile Spec” Racecar is from the collection of comedian Adam Carolla and was originally bought by Krefeld-based Dahmen-Tuning and converted to racing specifications, the auctioneer says.

Santa Monica-based auctioneer Gooding & Co presents a 3.3-litre V12 1966 Ferrari 275 GTB/C, which it describes as “one of the finest Ferrari Berlinettas in existence” and with an estimate of US$12 million to US$16 million. The auctioneer’s sales would have been held on Friday and Saturday, and with a live auction broadcast on www.goodingco.com.

Meanwhile Walworth, Wisconsin-based auctioneer Mecum would have expected to fetch at least US$1.9 million for a 1965 Ferrari 275 GTB Long Nose . Powered by a “sweet sounding” 3,286cc V12 engine with a five-speed manual transmission, the Long Nose is “an excellent representation of what collectors seek in a ‘60s-era Ferrari”, the auctioneer says.

The marque described the RLX is described as “the most sophisticated and best-performing Acura sedan ever. Photo: SCMP handout

Tyre maker Michelin is using Monterey Car Week to remind the car world of its collaborations with Koenigsegg, Ferrari, Ford, Mercedes-Benz and Porsche. It addressed several of the festival’s key events, first as the presenting sponsor forthe Exotics on Cannery Row event , and then with presences at niche meetings such as the Legends of Autobahn gathering for Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz car club enthusiasts.

At Monterey’s Porsche WERKS Reunion of 500 cars, Michelin presented well-treaded champion cars such as the 2002 996 GT2, in which Jeff Zwart won the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb.