After the famous Concours d’Elegance and the accompanying events were canceled last year, the automotive elite met again on the Monterey Peninsula this year. But the pandemic still cast its shadow this year: The ongoing travel restrictions prevented many foreign guests from arriving, and a number of Americans also canceled. Anyone who made their way to the Pacific shores, however, was offered a lot.
Mercedes-Benz, for example, used the event to celebrate the history of the SL – shortly before the debut of the successor, which was first developed under AMG aegis. The absolute highlight was the free-style of a Mercedes-Benz 540K Autobahnkurier from 1938 as the winner of the Pebble Beach Classic Parade. But the manufacturers also use the meeting as a backdrop for the debut of new models or vehicle studies. We have summarized the most important of them:
Aston Martin Valkyrie Spider
The British luxury brand showed an open version of the Valkyrie super sports car. Numerous elements are derived directly from Formula 1 and a 6.5-liter V12, which reaches a maximum speed of over 11,000 tours, provides propulsion. All 85 copies are already sold out.
Audi Skysphere Concept
As the first of three studies with a new design language, the Audi Skysphere Concept is intended to provide an outlook on an electric and autonomous future. The two-seater luxury-class coupé is generously glazed and, as a special highlight, has a variable wheelbase. There are no chances for series production in this form, but you will find many elements in future series vehicles.
Bentley Flying Spur Mulliner
The Mulliner branch at Bentley is responsible for particularly expensive and exquisite derivatives. Now comes the variant of the four-door Flying Spur, which – like the basic model – is available with three engines: a hybridized 2.9-liter V6, which despite a total output of 400 kW / 544 hp only achieves a top speed of 285 km / h; a 4.0-liter V8 with a top speed of 404 kW / 550 PS at 318 km / h – and a 6.0-liter W12 with 467 kW / 635 PS. This unit, originally also intended for the Audi A8, drives it to a sensational 333 km / h.
Bugatti bolide
At first it was just a prototype, now Bugatti has confirmed a small series: The bolide is to be built 40 times. In order to elicit its maximum output of 1360 kW / 1850 hp from its 8.0-liter W16, it must be filled with 110-octane fuel. Then a Vmax of over 500 km / h is possible.
Genesis Gran Turismo models
The Hyundai luxury brand Genesis is making a name for itself with the G70 GR4 GT, which is intended to refer to the brand’s upcoming motorsport activities. At the same time, the Koreans are using virtual reality to present three further concepts for future sports models. All types were developed together with the Gran Turismo video series.
Honda NSX Type-S
Honda announces the final 350 copies of the NSX supercar, sold in the US under the Acura brand. The output of the hybridized 3.5-liter V6 increases to 609 hp (448 kW). All-wheel drive and the nine-speed gearbox have been recalibrated, and the weight can be reduced with an optional lightweight package. The ultimate Honda is no longer coming to Europe.
Lamborghini Countach LPI 800-4
Opinions differ when it comes to whether the Miura or the Countach should be regarded as the ultimate Lamborghini. 15 years after the retro-futuristic Miura Concept, the Italians are now presenting a new edition of the Countach, next to which the original looks downright delicate. The new Countach is based on the Avantador derivative Sián FKP 37 and has a 6.5-liter V12 with supercap hybridization. The total output is 602 kW / 819 PS. It will only be built in 112 units.
Lincoln Anniversary and Aviator Shinola
The luxury brand in the Ford group, Lincoln, is showing an elegant sports car called Anniversary, which is based on a project by the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California. And by the way, the Dearborn company is also showing a study that was realized together with the design manufacturer Shinola on the basis of the Lincoln Aviator SUV.
Pininfarina Battista
The electric super sports car from the Italian design forge with its new headquarters in Munich is shown to the public in all its glory for the first time. The extreme output of 1397 kW / 1900 PS and 2300 Nm maximum torque should ensure appropriate driving values: under 2 seconds for the sprint to 100 km / h, under 6 seconds for 200 km / h, under 12 seconds for 300 km / h.
aum / Jens Meiners