Monterey Classic Car Week preview, new Lotus and more auction stars ...

Tomorrow morning the 2011 edition of the annual Monterey Classic Car Week will kick off with the Concours on the Avenue in Carmel. It will be followed by a plethora of events and auctions that will keep us more than occupied for the full week. To give you an impression of what is in store for us and in the coming weeks for you, we have compiled a concise Preview of the week's most important events and auctions. As you have become used to over the last years, we will cover these in great detail and full reports will follow shortly after the weekend.
The focus of the events that are held on the Monterey Peninsula has not been just on classic cars for some years; in 2011 a variety of manufacturers will debut brand new models and show cars. Among them is Lotus, who will reveal the Evora GTE Road Car Concept at the McCall Motorworks Revival on Wednesday. The car is inspired by the Evora GTE that raced at Le Mans in June and features a 420 bhp version of its engine, mated to a sequential gearbox. If produced, the GTE Road Car will easily be the fastest machine in the British company's line-up.
Auctions are a key part of the week's events and this year the auctioneers have certainly gone all out to consign the most spectacular machinery. RM Auctions will offer a fantastic range of 500 K and 540 K Mercedes-Benz variants with this 540 K Spezial Roadster as the absolute highlight. Beautifully restored and boasting the most desirable specification, its hammer-price may very well break into the eight-figure territory. Another auction houses vying for big results is Gooding & Co., who will offer this Duesenberg 'Whittell' Coupe. Ordered new by Captain George Whittell Jr., it is exotic even by Duesenberg standards and cost a whopping $17,000 when new. Perhaps appealing more to the connoisseurs is this very rare Gobron-Brillie Skiff. A product of one of France's automotive pioneers, the lovely 1912 vintage machine features a very unusual opposing cylinder engine.

Enjoy the links:

[url="http://www.ultimatecarpage.com/event/290/2011-Monterey-Classic-Car-Week-Preview.html"]2011 Monterey Classic Car Week Preview - Report and Slideshow[/url]

[url="http://www.ultimatecarpage.com/car/4901/Duesenberg-J-Murphy--Whittell--Coupe.html"]1931 Duesenberg J Murphy 'Whittell' Coupe - Images, Specifications and Information[/url]

[url="http://www.ultimatecarpage.com/car/4894/Gobron-Brillie-12-CV-Rothschild-Skiff.html"]1912 Gobron-Brilli 12 CV Rothschild Skiff - Images, Specifications and Information[/url]

[url="http://www.ultimatecarpage.com/car/4902/Lotus-Evora-GTE-Road-Car-Concept.html"]2011 Lotus Evora GTE Road Car Concept - Images, Specifications and Information[/url]

[url="http://www.ultimatecarpage.com/car/1116/Mercedes-Benz-540-K-Spezial-Roadster.html"]1937 - 1939 Mercedes-Benz 540 K Spezial Roadster - Images, Specifications and Information[/url]