Wanderlust

Tag: 2024 Monterey Car Week

  • 2025 BMW M5 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance #1 of 1 to be Live Auctioned for Charity by Gooding & Company During Monterey Car Week

    2025 BMW M5 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance #1 of 1 to be Live Auctioned for Charity by Gooding & Company During Monterey Car Week

    • One-of-one 2025 BMW M5 is a collaboration between BMW M, BMW Individual, and the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance®.
    • Unique interior and exterior finishes and details created exclusively for this special automobile.
    • The first 2025 BMW M5 delivered in North America (estimated delivery October 2024).
    • Proceeds from the sale will go to the Concours’ charitable partner, Pebble Beach Company Foundation.
    • The vehicle will be auctioned by Gooding & Company on Friday, August 16.

    [source: BMW AG]

    Woodcliff Lake, NJ – The all-new seve nth generation BMW M5 was revealed to the world earlier this month at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. And now, to celebrate the arrival of the 717-hp M Hybrid-powered super sedan in the US, BMW M and BMW Individual in collaboration with the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance® have created a one-of-a-kind special automobile that will be auctioned during Pebble Beach Automotive Week. The 2025 BMW M5 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance #1/1 will be the first 2025 M5 delivered in North America, and is distinguished by exclusive paint and upholstery colors, wheels, and bespoke interior details that make this M5 entirely unique.

    The 2025 BMW M5 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance #1/1 will be auctioned at no-reserve by Gooding & Company Friday, August 16. Proceeds from the sale will be donated to the Pebble Beach Company Foundation, a charity that supports literacy and education programs for disadvantaged young people in Monterey County.

    The only 2025 BMW M5 finished in BMW Individual Frozen Orange metallic.
    Taking inspiration from the spectacular orange hues of a Pebble Beach sunset, the BMW M5 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance #1/1 makes a strong first impression with its striking coat of BMW Individual Frozen Orange metallic (frozenorange; metallic matte; C41; BMW) paint. The stunning color was scheduled to be discontinued from BMW Plant Dingolfing prior to the start of M5 production, meaning the body of the Pebble Beach M5 had to be painted weeks in advance. This also ensured that no other 2025 M5 would be painted the same color.

    The paint is complimented by hand-painted orange accents on the staggered M Dual-Spoke Bicolor wheels, Style 951M, mounted on performance tires. The 20-inch front and 21-inch rear wheels surround massive M Carbon Ceramic brakes with calipers finished in Matte Gold.

    A dramatic interior package befitting such a distinctive vehicle.
    The tech-forward, driver-oriented interior has been appointed in a completely unique color scheme. The M Multi-Function seats are finished in Kyalami Orange and Silverstone Extended Merino leather – a combination created specifically for the #1/1 and unavailable on the standard production M5. The headrests of both front seats are emblazoned with the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance® logo, using an innovative new printing technology, just above the illuminated M5 badge.

    Carbon Fiber Silver Thread High Gloss trim with Dark Silver Accent spans the dashboard and is adorned with the 2024 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance® logo just to the right of the BMW Curved Display, with “#1/1” leaving no doubt about this M5’s individuality. The logo and #1/1 inscription are also present on the front doorsills.

    In total, the 2025 BMW M5 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance #1/1 is fitted with over $57,000 worth of bespoke options. Much of the finishing was done by hand at the M works in Garching, the spiritual home of the M5 where the first two generations were largely hand-built.

    Premium features and technology for the everyday drive.
    The 2025 BMW M5 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance #1/1 will spoil the winning bidder with a full complement of performance, luxury, and infotainment features.

    The Driving Assistance Professional Package permits the Lane Keeping Assistant with Side Collision Protection and Distance Control to be used when travelling at highway speeds. At lower speeds up to 40 mph, the Traffic Jam Assistant can provide attentive, unlimited hands-free driving to ease the strain of especially dense traffic situations on limited access highways.

    The Executive Package brings illumination to the kidney grille, a power rear sunshade and manual rear side window shades, front ventilated seats, and Parking Assistant Plus. The Carbon Package includes a CFRP roof panel, rear spoiler, and mirror caps. And M Drive Professional adds two additional, track-oriented driving modes – DYNAMIC and DYNAMIC PLUS – designed to ensure the combustion engine and electric motor are both active and the cooling system is conditioned for track driving.

    Finally, the M Driver’s Package raises the M5’s top speed to 190 mph and includes a 1-day high-performance driving class at a BMW Performance Center.

    It is estimated that delivery of the M5 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance #1/1 to the winning bidder will occur in late October 2024.  Gooding & Company’s auction listing can be viewed here. Interested parties can register to bid at www.goodingco.com/register.

    The 2025 BMW M5 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance #1/1 will be on display from 10:00 AM Wednesday, August 14, at Gooding & Company’s space at Pebble Beach Parc du Concours, located on the corner of Stevenson Drive and Portola Road in Pebble Beach.

    BMW Group in America
    BMW of North America, LLC has been present in the United States since 1975.  Rolls-Royce Motor Cars NA, LLC began distributing vehicles in 2003.  The BMW Group in the United States has grown to include marketing, sales, and financial service organizations for the BMW brand of motor vehicles, including motorcycles, the MINI brand, and Rolls-Royce Motor Cars; Designworks, a strategic design consultancy based in California; a technology office in Silicon Valley and various other operations throughout the country.  BMW Manufacturing Co., LLC in South Carolina is the BMW Group global center of competence for BMW X models and assembles the X3, X4, X5, X6 and X7 Sports Activity Vehicles as well as the BMW XM. The BMW Group sales organization is represented in the U.S. through networks of 349 BMW passenger car and BMW Sports Activity Vehicle centers,146 BMW motorcycle retailers, 104 MINI passenger car dealers, and 38 Rolls-Royce Motor Car dealers.  BMW (US) Holding Corp., the BMW Group’s sales headquarters for North America, is located in Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey.

  • Monterey Preview: 1960 Ferrari 400 Superamerica SWB Cabriolet for Auction with RM

    Monterey Preview: 1960 Ferrari 400 Superamerica SWB Cabriolet for Auction with RM

    Third of just Seven short-wheelbase Ferrari 400 Superamerica Cabriolets, there’s no doubt this fully restored specimen (chassis #: 1945 SA) will command a large price when it crosses RM Sothebys’ block at Monterey Car Week in August. And while it is exemplary of the car-as-art 1960s era at Ferrari, it’s this car’s unique factory correct green hue of Verde Bottiglia that grabs our attention the most.

    The color combination, Verde Bottiglia exterior with Rosso (red) leather is also fascinating. The pairing makes the car one of one, but even more interesting to us is how well the two colors work together. Green and red can be a mixed bag in how the two colors play off of each other, though they seem to work well here. Then again, what color combination wouldn’t work well on a 1960 Ferrari 400 Superamerica SWB Cabriolet by Pininfarina?

    Check out the full description from RM below the photo gallery, and direct link to this Lot’s listing page HERE.

    • The third of seven short-wheelbase 400 Superamerica Cabriolets
    • Fully restored to concours standards by US-based Ferrari specialists Classic Coach and Greg Jones
    • Well-maintained by Autofficina Omega in its current ownership
    • Ferrari Classiche Red Book certified; finished in its striking, factory-correct, one-off combination of Verde Bottiglia over Rosso
    • Formerly of the Oscar Davis Collection
    • Seldom shown since its most recent restoration; an exciting concours opportunity

    [source: RM Sotheby’s]

    Addendum: Please note that an import duty of 2.5% of the purchase price is payable on this lot if the buyer is a resident of the United States.

    Ferrari’s Superamerica models of the late 1950s and early 1960s were truly the last word in sporting excellence. Offering the very best money could buy in terms of luxury and performance, it is no surprise that these cars often found their way into the garages of heads of state, barons of industry, and other well-to-do individuals.

    Succeeding the 410 Superamerica, the 400 Superamerica offered numerous improvements over its predecessor. While the engine decreased in displacement from 5.0 liters to 4.0 liters, several other new features countered this. The 5.0-liter V-12 was a “long-block” Lampredi-designed unit, while the revised smaller engine was based on the Colombo single-overhead-camshaft powertrain that was first utilized in the 250 Europa GT. To increase the capacity from 3.0 liters, the bore was enlarged to 77 millimeters and the stroke was lengthened to 71 millimeters, providing a total capacity of 3,967 cubic centimeters. Furthermore, a twin-coil and distributor ignition system was used, along with triple Weber carburetors, granting the engine an improved 340 horsepower—but also an incredible 400 Nm (295 pound-feet) of torque from 2,000 rpm and a maximum torque or 450 Nm (331 pound-feet) at 6,000 rpm.

    As a result, these cars are considered today among the best-driving of 1960s Ferraris. Boasting 25% greater engine capacity than a 250 GT Berlinetta or California Spider, the 400 Superamerica produces far more horsepower and torque than either of its forebears. The 400 Superamerica was also fitted with an overdrive as standard—while no overdrive was available for the 250 GT models apart from the GTE—making it far more comfortable to drive over long distances. Finally, it is important to remember that the 400 Superamerica’s chassis and powertrain were so great that they provided the basis for the 330 LMB and 330 TRi racing cars, of which the 330 TRi LM won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1962.

    The 400 Superamerica production run can be divided into two groups, based on either long- or short-wheelbase chassis. The first batch of cars produced—which includes the car on offer here, chassis 1945 SA—boasted a 2,420-millimeter chassis, while the second batch boasts the longer 2,600-millimeter chassis. Of the short-wheelbase cars, just 25 examples were produced, with only seven bodied as cabriolets.

    THE THIRD OF SEVEN SHORT-WHEELBASE CABRIOLETS

    Chassis number 1945 SA was constructed in mid-1960 as the third of those seven short-wheelbase cabriolets, and it was built to left-hand-drive configuration with open headlamps. It was finished in a beautiful, one-off color combination of Verde Bottiglia (MM 16364) over Rosso (VM 3171). It was fitted from new with a set of three Weber 46 DCF carburetors, like on a 250 SWB “SEFAC Hot Rod,” and a pair of Bosch ignition distributors. The coachwork was completed by Pinin Farina in July of 1960 and was sold new to Helmut Horton, a German entrepreneur based in Croglio, Switzerland. In January of the following year, the car was registered in Milan under Horten Italiana S.r.l, and it remained in Italy for the following three years under Horton’s ownership.

    The Superamerica was officially exported out of Italy in spring of 1964 and was next known with a Mr. Warzits in Germany. By 1985, the car was acquired by Bernard Pfister of Geneva, Switzerland, now repainted white. Pfister repainted the car red in 1989 and it remained in Switzerland with him for the next few years, typically on display at Ferrari Suisse SA in Nyon.

    In June 1997, 1945 SA was listed for sale in Marseille, France and was purchased one month later by Scott Rosen of Bedford Hills, New York. Subsequently exported to the United States, the car remained in his ownership for two years before being purchased by the late noted sports car enthusiast Oscar Davis of Elizabeth, New Jersey.

    One year later, Davis sold the Superamerica to a Florida-based collector, yet the car would stay in northern New Jersey for the time being, as it was entrusted to Classic Coach for a full restoration. Founded in 1972 and well-known and regarded in Ferrari circles in the United States, Classic Coach was Ferrari’s first authorized bodywork repair facility in the US. Their owners would later open two authorized Ferrari dealerships in the US: Ferrari of Central Florida and Ferrari of Tampa Bay.

    It was decided that chassis 1945 SA would be returned to its original color combination of Verde Bottiglia over Rosso during this complete, frame-off restoration. No cost was spared to restore the Superamerica back to a spectacular standard. Following the completion of the restoration work, the car was shipped to noted Ferrari specialist Greg Jones of Stuart, Florida. Jones was entrusted with further dialing in the car mechanically, ensuring that every facet of the car worked perfectly. Receipts for the work completed by both Classic Coach and Greg Jones are in the car’s history file.

    Remaining with that owner until 2015, the car was sold via RM Sotheby’s to its current owner, a Monaco-based enthusiast—a discerning collector who happened to do business in the past with the first owner. With him, the car returned to Europe, and has been used and enjoyed as its manufacturer would have intended. Seen occasionally driving around the streets of Monaco, the car has been shown once at Elégance et Automobile à Monte-Carlo in 2019.

    Chassis 1945 SA was granted Ferrari Classiche certification in 2016, confirming that it retains its original body, chassis, transmission, and rear axle. Classiche documentation notes that the current engine, stamped 1945 SA, is a replacement engine that was installed by the Ferrari factory in November of 1963. With its current owner, the car has been very well maintained by Autofficina Omega of Corrado Patella, including further mechanical work to ensure it drives and performs as one would expect. Its most recent service work with them was the fitment of a new clutch in February 2020.

    Presenting in excellent condition throughout, this special 400 Superamerica SWB Cabriolet is sure to be welcomed with open arms at major concours events worldwide. Well-maintained and enjoyed with its current owner, it could easily be used on the road as a warm-weather weekend driver. Regardless of whether it is to be enjoyed on the open road or the concours lawn, it will certainly be a joy to own and will attract only the most favorable of compliments wherever it goes.

  • Monterey Preview: Ferrari 512 TR Spyder by Pininfarina for Auction by RM

    Monterey Preview: Ferrari 512 TR Spyder by Pininfarina for Auction by RM

    One car amidst the gaggle of Monterey Car Week auctions must certainly be this 1993 Ferrari 512 TR, one of just two Spyder conversions produced by Pininfarina in period for the royal family of Brunei. Finished in triple blue (Blue Cobalto paint, Blue Scar Connolly leather and blue soft top), the car marks a highly unique specification for an even more unique car.

    We’ll post the full description from RM Sotheby’s below, while you can find more photos, documentation, details on the sale and more over on RM Sotheby’s website.

    Monterey 2024: 1993 Ferrari 512 TR Spyder by Pininfarina

    • One of only two 512 TR conversions commissioned from Pininfarina by Ferrari, intended for the Royal Family of Brunei
    • The sole example finished in this stunning “triple blue” color combination
    • Powered by its matching-numbers 4.9-liter flat-12 engine and five-speed gearbox
    • Currently indicates fewer than 575 km (~360 miles) at time of cataloguing
    • Recently treated to $65,000 of cosmetic recommissioning by the eight-time Pebble Beach Concours-winning team at RM Auto Restoration; refinished in its original color and fitted with a new convertible top

    Addendum: Please note that an import duty of 2.5% of the purchase price is payable on this lot if the buyer is a resident of the United States.

    If asked to close your eyes and conjure the image of an 1980s Maranello model, your mind is likely to produce a visage of side-straked majesty in the form of a Ferrari Testarossa. It is a model intrinsically wedded to the decade of its introduction. Everyone from teenagers lusting over bedroom-wall posters, to captains of industry catching a glimpse of their reflection in glass-fronted offices—none could help fawning over this most Ferrari of Ferraris.

    Arguably Ferrari’s hit car of the 1980s, the Testarossa was approaching its sixth year of production in 1990, and Maranello’s design team sought to update the iconic model for the coming decade. Returning to numeric nomenclature, its successor was dubbed the Ferrari 512 TR, with “5” representing the cubic capacity of the engine, “12” the number of cylinders, and “TR” standing for Testarossa. The 512 TR shared many similarities with its predecessor, but it was expertly tweaked by Ferrari both in terms of styling and engineering.

    The marketing power of its 1980s dream machine had not diminished just because the decade rolled over, either. The initial design simply needed a few minor nips and tucks to keep it cutting edge. The most recognizable 512 TR addition was its front bumper, while other styling changes included a revised set of rear lights and new 18-inch alloy wheels. Numerous interior updates were needed to pass over the 1980s aesthetic baton to the 1990s, but the 512 TR’s most significant improvements were carried out upon its chassis and mechanicals.

    The new model’s chassis was revised to allow both engine and transmission to sit 30 millimeters lower, improving the car’s center of gravity. While the displacement of the 512 TR’s inherited flat-12-cylinder engine remained the same as the Testarossa’s at 4,943 cubic centimeters, its power had been increased—due to a higher compression ratio, revised porting and inlets, bigger valves, as well as new Bosch Motronic M2.7 management—to a highly respectable 428 brake horsepower.

    But perhaps the most warmly received of the 512 TR’s updates were those of its transmission—a prolonged complaint about the Testarossa—which was eased with a new single-plate clutch, sliding ball bearings, and better angle for the gearshift knob.

    Yet despite all the improvements fitted to the iconic Testarossa model, some of Ferrari’s most discerning clients still required something more exclusive than the standard 512 TR.

    ‘APERTA, DUE POSTI, PER I REALI’

    Given the right level of status—and the resources to back it up—Ferrari has always been willing to execute one-off coachbuilt commissions exclusively for its most important clients. This proud tradition goes back to the marque’s earliest days partnering with some of Italy’s finest carrozzerie and continues today with the Portfolio Coachbuilding Program at Ferrari’s Design Center. Behind doors which even the most astute of collectors may struggle to unlock, unique models considered too wild for mainstream manufacture are created; bespoke Ferrari projects straight from the imagination are brought to life.

    But soaring high above even this rarified stratum of Ferrari VIPs exists the legendary domain of Brunei’s Royal Family, who commissioned not one or two custom Ferrari chassis, but multiple series of coachbuilt Ferrari models throughout the 1980s and 1990s. This outstanding 512 TR Spyder offered here is an exemplary specimen from one such series intended for Ferrari’s so-called “First Family.”

    Throughout the 1980s and early 1990s, Alfred Tan, the proprietor of Singapore’s Hong Seh Motors, handled orders and delivery of Ferraris for the Brunei Royal Family as the marque’s sole distributorship in Southeast Asia. Tan communicated specific orders directly to Maranello, and from Maranello to Grugliasco, where Pininfarina’s Special Projects Team turned dream into reality. According to Paolo Garella, the former Pininfarina Special Projects Manager, Pininfarina began taking orders from Brunei directly starting in 1994, making the 512 TR Spyder the last model commissioned through Hong Seh Motors.

    Having previously completed a series of Testarossa Spyders for Brunei, a new 512 TR-based series seemed only a natural progression. Correspondence between Tan and Ferrari’s Maurizio Parlato (on file) confirms as much, and while Ferrari produced a scant 88 right-hand drive 512 TRs between 1992 and 1994, just two of them were forwarded to Pininfarina during the same period for conversion to the coachbuilt “aperta” design of an open-topped Spyder. To this end, Garella notes that the orders for these two 512 TR Spyders were indeed placed through Ferrari by Alfred Tan, and Ferrari then sent reinforced chassis to Pininfarina’s Special Projects team to finish the aperta conversion. Once the body conversion had been completed, these two special Spyder conversions were then shipped back to Ferrari in Maranello to fit the mechanical parts and interior tailoring.

    An accompanying Ferrari Certificate of Origin and Production Data sheet confirms that this 512 Spyder was delivered new to Hong Seh Motors during June 1993 and clothed in the bespoke “triple blue” color combination of Blu Cobalto over Blu Scuro Connolly leather with matching carpets and power-operated soft top. It is the only such 512 TR Spyder executed in this color combination.

    Interestingly, neither right-hand drive 512 TR Spyder was ever delivered to Brunei’s famous garages for unknown reasons, with this example retained by Alfred Tan in Singapore for his personal collection. In January 1997, Tan exhibited this 512 TR Spyder at Ferrari’s 50th Anniversary celebrations in Rome, and at that time the Scuderia Ferrari driver Gianni Morbidelli joined Tan’s son, Edward, in the car during their parade through the city.

    Rarely displayed elsewhere during Tan’s 30 years of ownership, in November 2023 this special Pininfarina Spyder was purchased by the consignor and immediately submitted to more than $65,000 of cosmetic recommissioning by RM Auto Restorations. Invoices on file illustrate more than 500 man-hours were spent to bring this barely enjoyed coachbuilt Ferrari back to a perfect presentation. Notable line items include a full refinishing in its original Blu Cobalto paint, new Blu Scuro carpets, and new Blu Scuro power-operated soft top.

    As presented today, this 512 TR Spyder indicates fewer than 575 kilometers (~360 miles) at cataloguing time. Chassis 97310 arguably presents the only opportunity to own a special limited-production aperta variant of the Ferrari 512 TR, with only two ordered by the Ferrari factory and this car’s sister chassis not currently available.

    Long owned and cared-for by the man who helped create such a rare beauty, this coachbuilt Blu Cobalto example would be the centerpiece of any aficionado’s collection, sure to draw attention wherever it goes, be it concours lawns or open roads.

  • Monterey Auction Preview: RM with Former White Collection 2023 911 Sport Classic

    Monterey Auction Preview: RM with Former White Collection 2023 911 Sport Classic

    One tailored build headed for auction during Monterey Car Week 2024 is this very unique 2023 Porsche 911 Sport Classic (VIN: WP0AG2A90PS252368) being sold without reserve by RM Sotheby’s. Sold via Porsche North Houston, you may not be all that surprised looking at the spec that this 992 was built for the White Collection.

    We’ve been unable to confirm the specific white, but the associated documents provided by RM do confirm the white that covers it is a Paint to Sample shade. It’s also worth noting that this car had plenty of Sonderwunsch factory commissioned modifications. These include many components color-matched white, and a striking red interior.

    Below the gallery is a the full description provided by RM Sotheby’s. Find more photos and information on the car HERE.

    EDITOR’S NOTE: We were unable to confirm this paint color during the writing of this story. If you know the color, please confirm it below in the comments or by direct messaging the author.

    • The most powerful Porsche Type 992 911 with a manual transmission
    • One of 1,250 examples produced
    • Delivered new to the White Collection 
    • Extensively personalized with over $150,000 of Sonderwunsch Factory Commissioning, for a total new price of $448,535
    • Presented in virtually as-new condition with fewer than 77 miles on the odometer at the time of cataloguing 

    With so many iconic cars and significant achievements throughout the past 75 years, Porsche rightfully celebrates the company’s heritage by offering its most dedicated followers limited-production models inspired by their most beloved and sought-after historical creations. Cars like the 911 R, the several generations of Speedsters, and the original Type 997 Sport Classic have all offered modern performance with a dash of vintage panache.

    The latest iteration of the Sport Classic, now based on the Type 992 platform, presents a “greatest hits” collection of the most established Porsche design features wrapped around one of the most potent and engaging drivetrains ever fitted to a 911. This limited-edition model is easily identified by the 2.7 RS-inspired duck tail spoiler and Fuchs-style wheels on all four corners. Keener observers will note the double-bubble carbon fiber roof, gold-color badging, and a Porsche shield featuring the early-style bright red element of the Württemberg crest. Twin stripes streak across the hood, roof, and tail, further alluding to the firm’s immense racing history. The interior is covered with plenty of leather, distinctive houndstooth cloth on the doors and seat inserts, and green-accented instrumentation for a 1960s atmosphere. Lastly, a badge on the dashboard notes the serial number of each Sport Classic.

    Utilizing the Turbo widebody and engine platform, the Sport Classic is the most powerful rear-wheel drive 911 of this generation so far. The twin-turbocharged 3.7-liter flat-six engine produces a whopping 542 horsepower, and while mildly detuned from its four-wheel drive brethren, this reduction has allowed for the option of a manual transmission (much to the delight of enthusiasts). The chassis is additionally fitted with carbon ceramic brakes, Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control, rear steering, Porsche Active Suspension Management, and a specially tuned exhaust as standard.

    On offer is serial number 0923 of the 1,250 Sport Classics offered worldwide. An immensely special machine already, this example stands above its siblings courtesy of over $150,000 worth of Sonderwunsch Factory Commissioning. As shown on the CXX option sheet on file, the exterior is finished almost entirely in White, from the front-end air intakes to the wheels and around to the lower rear valance. Only matte white stripes and black wheel center locks provide contrast to this snowy exterior treatment. Alternatively, the sanguine interior features leather across most visible surfaces in a display of supreme luxury and customization. The air vents, center tunnel, knee pads, front trunk, rear side panels, lower dashboard, inner door sill guards, and even the owner’s manual wallet are all finished in Can Can Red hides. Houndstooth joins the mix on the door cards, seat inserts, and trunk pouch. The summation of this custom tailoring has resulted in a truly exquisite example of such a special Porsche.

    Delivered new to the legendary White Collection, the 911 subsequently traded hands and today presents with fewer than 77 miles on the odometer at the time of cataloging. Thanks to this limited use, the car presents in virtually as-new condition and will undoubtedly be a highlight of any serious collection for decades to come.