MONTEREY CAR WEEK takes place in sunny California, along the Monterey Peninsula. Commonly known as Pebble Beach thanks to the central Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance event, it is an annual motor show and race event that attracts well-heeled car enthusiasts from around the world who come to see some of the rarest, most exclusive and expensive cars ever built.
This year’s event has just finished and here we present to you some of the coolest and most spectacular cars unveiled at this most glamorous motor show.
1. Volkswagen ID Buzz
First off, some exciting news announced at this year’s sunny event is that Volkswagen is going to put its all-electric ID Buzz Microbus concept into production – the vehicle will be available to buy in 2022.
The ID Buzz MPV has eight seats and space for surfboards and bikes. It is built on the all-electric Modular Electric Drive (MEB) platform so will have zero emissions. Apparently the production version will incorporate many design ideas from the concept model including variable seating, interactive connectivity and highly automated driving.
2. Aston Martin Vanquish Zagato Volante
The Vanquish Zagato Volante made its global debut at Pebble Beach. This model is strictly limited to 99 cars and if you were hoping to win the Lotto and buy one… well, you are too late, they have all been sold.
Aston Martin also announced that a Vanquish Zagato Speedster model will also be going into production with an even more limited run of just 28 models… and yup, all of these have been sold too!
However, do not despair: the Vanquish Zagato Shooting Brake was also announced with a limited run of 99 units and Aston hasn’t said that these are sold out. Yet.
These three new models join the 99 Vanquish Zagato Coupes meaning this Vanquish Zagato family will total just 325 cars worldwide.
All four cars are based on the Vanquish S, with each Zagato powered by a 600hp naturally-aspirated V12 engine making 630Nm of torque and mated to Aston’s Touchtronic III automatic transmission.
3. BMW Z4
BMW used the Concours d’Elegance event in Pebble Beach to preview its 2018 Z4 roadster. The car was billed as the ‘Concept Z4′ but the German car manufacturer itself pointed out that it shows how next year’s two-seater will look. And what a looker it is!
The car has a wide and low stance with powerfully flared wheel arches that give the car broad haunches, which are emphasised by the slim, L-shaped rear lights further enhancing the car’s sporting looks. The boot lid has a prominent spoiler and there are large air outlets in the rear apron and a carbon-fibre diffuser. It sits on 20-inch alloy wheels and is coated in ‘frozen’ Energetic Orange paintwork.
It is speculated that the roof will be a fabric design, unlike the folding hardtop design of its predecessor.
4. Infiniti Prototype 9
The stunning Infiniti Prototype 9 started off as a sketch inspired by the open-wheeled race cars of the 1940s as well as aircraft of that era, too. But it’s actually an electric car concept that contains the powertrain from the next-generation Nissan Leaf.
The vehicle’s bodywork is made from steel body panels wrapped around a steel ladder frame. The car is defined by its smooth, aerodynamic surfaces, long bonnet and short overhangs, an exposed cockpit, and open-wheeled layout. The 19-inch centre-locking wire-spoke wheels are even wrapped in period cross-ply competition tyres.
The cockpit is black leather with contrast red stitching, sewn and finished in such a way as to echo earlier single-seater racers. The steering wheel rotates around a fixed central hub that houses the instrument gauges and the hub itself is finished in turned aluminium, an effect found on aircraft throughout the first half of the 20th century.
5. McLaren 720S
This bespoke McLaren 720S by McLaren Special Operations is a once-off customer commission for entrepreneur, philanthropist and car enthusiast Michael Fux. The colour is ‘Fux Fuchsia’ and was created for Fux by Rolls-Royce and then redeveloped by MSO. The interior is finished in white leather which has body-coloured accents – the door appliqués and rear-view mirror are all in Fux Fuchsia too.
Michael Fux is renowned as a collector of highly desirable, rare cars and has previously commissioned a McLaren 12C in McLaren Orange, a 12C Spider in bespoke purple and a McLaren P1 in bespoke green.
6. Vision Mercedes-Maybach 6 Cabriolet Concept
Measuring almost six metres in length (hence the ’6′ in the name), the Vision Mercedes-Maybach 6 Cabriolet incorporates the classic proportions of art deco design with its extremely long bonnet, flowing lines and curvy body. It also refreshingly ignores all notions of practicality and the pod-like cars of the future.
It sits on top of stunning, large, 24-inch light-alloy wheels that feature a centre lock painted in rose gold – Mercedes-Benz’ colour for all its electric vehicle studies.
Yup, that’s right, this monstrous land yacht is an EV. Its drive system has an output of 750hp and a range of over 500km according to the NEDC and it can accelerate from 0-100km/h in under four seconds and on to a top speed of 250km/h.
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