Pebble Beach Car Week is one of those special, if-you-know, you know car events for car nuts from all over the world. Essentially, all lovers of vintage and antique cars make the trek to Central California once a year to paradise on earth for collectors and enthusiasts. There are rallies, manufacturer exhibitions, concept debuts, a Concours d’Elegance, and most importantly, auctions, where the real show-stoppers appear.
This year is no different, so we pulled together some can’t-miss highlights from the official auction house of the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance®, Gooding & Company. You can comb through their online catalogue here or even register to bid if you’re already sold on this offering.
Unique Italian Standouts
These cars aren’t all antiques – there are some very recent models destined to shine for their big Pebble Beach debut. One such car is the 2017 Lamborghini Aventador Superveloce LP 750-4. If you know Lambos, you know that “SV” are the magic letters – Superveloces are the most desirable models with more power, reduced weight, and jaw-dropping aerodynamics. This particular example is basically brand new, showing just under 1,000 miles at the time of cataloguing. It’s also one-of-one that’s finished in Verde Artemis over Ad Personam Nero Cosmus Alcantara with Rosso stitching. With the 6,498 CC V-12 engine, this variant has been further tuned by Lamborghini’s engineers which produced an additional 49 hp and brings its total to 740. We bet it’s ready for some fun.
There’s nothing more fabulous than a yellow Lamborghini or Giallo Fly if we’re being specific, which is why the 1998 Lamborghini Diablo SV is bound to be another big hit. It is one of only 346 SV examples built, with a special lightweight rear-wheel-drive model with increased power. It is largely unmodified with factory-standard specification throughout and benefits from a 2018 service totaling over $20,000 with recent attention. Almost a quarter century later, this SV still poses remarkable figures with its sub-four-second 0-60 mph run and top speed of 208 mph.
If you’re more of a Ferrari person, the 2007 Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano might be your pick. It’s basically the perfect ideal of a Ferrari with a highly-desirable manual gearbox, which is super rare for the 599 GTBs. It’s one of only 20 599 Fioranos that have been delivered to the US that are equipped with a six-speed manual transaxle and it displayed less than 10,500 miles at the time of cataloguing, as supported by service documents. It comes finished in striking Rosso Scuderia and matte black over Crema Poltrona Frau leather interiors, and boasts sleek carbon ceramic brakes and 20” Monolithic wheels. When you pair those specs with a 5,999 CC DOHC V-12 engine, it sounds pretty tempting, doesn’t it?
Honorable Mention Modern Cars
We simply couldn’t end this article without mentioning some other incredible cars. The 2023 Porsche 911 Dakar is so sick – it’s Porsche’s first-ever production off-road sports car with just 35 miles on it at the time of cataloguing. It also notably comes finished in the desirable Rallye Design package finish which pays homage to the trio of 911s that ran in the 1984 Paris-Dakar. It’s offered with books, manuals, the window sticker, and a roof rack. The 1992 Porsche 964 Carrera Cup USA is one of just 29 cup cars converted to street form by Andial – this one is finished in Grand Prix White over black partial leather and retains its matching-numbers engine, making it a highly-desirable iteration of a classic.
Getting stoked reading about Porsches? The 1998 Porsche 993 Turbo XLC is the final production model and is one of only 266 LHD examples built, coming factory equipped from new with a rare and desirable XLC/WLS 2 Turbo Power Kit – it marks the end of the air-cooled 911 era.
Maybe you fancy the 2018 Porsche 991 GT2 RS Clubsport, one of 200, in as-new condition with delivery mileage. It’s the ultimate, track-only 881 GT2 RS variant and is eligible for numerous sanctioned racing events. Time to start your engines!
If you’d like to feel like an English royal, the 2017 Aston Martin V12 Vantage S Roadster is the perfect pick. It’s one of 100 US specification V12 Vantage S models built with the seven-speed manual transaxle for 2017 and is completely pristine. It comes in striking Jet Black livery and Obsidian Black leather upholstery with yellow accents. In other words, it’s cool as hell.
American enthusiasts will love the 2006 Ford GT with just over 220 miles when catalogued. It’s finished in striking red with white racing stripes and is desirably equipped with all four factory options. It’s an evocation of the GT40 and an important modern classic, no less! Last but not least, the 1990 Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.5-16 Evolution II is number 106 of only 502 Evolution IIs ever built and is an attractive example of the iconic Mercedes-Benz DTM Homologation Special.
These cars are bound to get tons of attention at Pebble Beach on August 16th and 17th. In the meantime, you can learn more through the Gooding & Company online catalogue, contacting a specialist, or registering to bid if you’re ready to sign for these new-classic-cool cars already.
