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Monterey Car Week, Only a Month Away!

A Preview to Monterey Car Week

Words by Mitchell Weitzman

It’s that time again. Next month (can you believe we’re in July already?), the Monterey Peninsula will once again play host to one of the largest car gatherings in the world. It’s time for Monterey Car Week. For those that have not been that are even remotely interested in cars, it  really is something beyond your wildest imagination. Every street corner hosts a legion of all your favorites exotics from the world over, be it Ferrari, Lamborghini, McLaren, Porsche, or our beloved BMWs, they’re all there. Then there are the shows.

So I’ve spliced together some articles from last year’s events as a preview for what is to come August 22-26 in CARmel.

Pebble Beach

Even in its 68th year, the annual Concours D’elegance, hosted at the spectacular Lodge at Pebble Beach across the 18th fairway, does not need a prescription to keep going strong. Just when you think the show could be dying out with the changing times, it keeps growing and growing. At the 2017 edition, the crowd was one of the all-time largest in the storied history of this event. This trend looks certain to continue into 2018.

Niki Lauda Ferrari’s. Photo by Daniel Blodgett

What is Pebble Beach Concours? It’s become one of the most renowned classic car shows in not just the United States, but in the entire world. It is a celebration of the automobile, not a eulogy to the past or excessive nostalgia. The prestige carried here is truly world-class. One will struggle to find a better, more exotic, and diverse selection of classics anywhere in the world. And then there’s the atmosphere. Ambience is an understatement. Everywhere in sight are automotive celebrities with their entourage in tow. Nearly all attendee’s are dressed to impress. It’s a bit like the Kentucky Derby. There’s a sense of specialness from just being in the vicinity, a priceless accord of extravagance. Most importantly, you are part of it all.

Every year at Pebble Beach Concours a brand is featured. 2017 celebrated none other than the Prancing Horse from Maranello: Ferrari. Hard to believe, but Ferrari has been a carmaker for 70 years already. Ferrari brought a mammoth display of 70 cars to commemorate plus those that were in the show itself. When Ferrari brings 70 cars of the richest heritage halfway around the world, that’s when you know that this is a serious car event.

Pebble Beach congregation. Photo by Daniel Blodgett

2018 will celebrate French manufacturer Citroen. While not sold in America for nearly half a century, their classic DS was a benchmark for luxury and comfort in the 1950s with a hydro-pneumatic suspension system. Classic Citroen’s remain an increasingly elegant proposition, showcasing the absolute best in not only French engineering and design, but in the world.

The Concept car lawn in front the Lodge each year brings the best in future automobiles, from the next great BMW’s, to the latest from Aston Martin. The Pebble Beach Concours D’elegance is an experience not to be missed.  Concours represents an escape to a day that you never want to end. The 2018 edition takes place Sunday, August 26th, 2018.

The Quail

The Quail, a Motorsports Gathering has been an event during Monterey Car Week since 2003, hosted at the eponymous Quail Lodge and Golf Course. This might lack the established pedigree and formality of the Pebble Beach Concours, but it makes up for it in so many ways and, in my humble opinion, even surpasses Pebble. Put it this way: I didn’t want to leave. The Quail is not just about the cars, but everything. It’s a royal tournament and everyone wants to be there. For car people, this is Cinderella’s royal ball.

Bottom’s up! Photo by Mitchell Weitzman

Let’s see, who was there representing the automobile aristocracy: Sir Jackie Stewart, Jay Leno, Horacio Pagani, Christian von Koenigsegg, John Hennessey, Bruno SENNA, Gil de Ferran, Dario Franchitti, Marino Franchitti, and Magnus Walker. Michael Strahan was walking about as well as boxer Amir Khan and likely many others who were more incognito. I mean, where else would you expect to see and bump into such automotive and racing elite? Maybe Monte Carlo.

Inside the Quail on the beautiful, lush fairway, you’ll find several (I think I counted five?) large tents sporadically about. Your entry includes whatever variety of food you desire and as much as you want. Food from the Far East, to Italian treats, to the seafood, including caviar and oysters.

3.0CSL. Proper stuff. Photo by Mitchell Weitzman

Oh, and there’s also drinks, the booze: Wine, champagne, cocktails, you name it. And they weren’t mixing with the bottom-shelf specials from Bevmo either. Though it is wise to control one’s self in such an environment, but seeing champagne flutes in ever other person’s hand is enticing.

Huayra. Photo by Mitchell Weitzman

This is what makes the Quail so special: even if you’re a Nobody there, it makes you feel special.

Concorso Italiano

Lamborghini Centenario. Photo by Daniel Blodgett

Oh, so you like Italian cars? Then this is your place. Get prepared for a sea of rosso. Ferrari there, Ferrari over there, Ferrari right in front of me. Ferrar everywhere. This is heaven for fans of La Scuderia. A barrage of Lamborghini’s and Alfa Romeo’s join too, but the almost crimson tide can’t be beat. The car corral plays host to many interesting machines, too. Last year there was an absolutely astonishing M1 parked on display as well as a Z8 and several newer M4’s.

Magnum PI must be here somewhere. Photo by Daniel Blodgett

Monterey Historic Races

Besides the usual car shows that engulf the Monterey Peninsula, there is one jewel that seems to grow in popularity each year: The Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion. What is it? Historic racing at its very finest. All the famous racing cars you read about or see pictures and videos of head to Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca to prove they’re not just museum pieces. Sure, some do cruise in their prized collectibles, but some truly are there to race.

It looks good. Sounds even better. Photo by Mitchell Weitzman

BMW is built upon its storied racing heritage, so of course a legion of Bavarian bombers take to the Corkscrew. We’re talking 2002’s, CSLs, and M1 Procars. These are simply the best of the best. Seeing them in person, to be brutally frank, is SO much better than a YouTube video. Compressed audio and even HD can’t come close to capturing the magic of one of these beasts. Here in person, the sound alone of the screaming ‘sixes raises hairs all over.

Circa $50,000,000 being thrashed on track. Photo by Daniel Blodgett

Almost as good as the racing itself is the paddock. Here, no special passes are needed to wander through the garages and racing cars while they’re being prepped. It’s a brilliant chance to see all the legendary cars up close. Owners and drivers are of the utmost friendly nature too. Vendors are out in full-force too with racing memorabilia and apparel. I even bumped into sportscar superstar Marino Franchitti and his wife Holly, a racer of vintage cars herself, at the Nicolas Hunziker tent.

Mazda 767b. THAT sound. Photo by Mitchell Weitzman

The best part, though, is the price. While events like the Concours D’elegance, Italiano, and Quail run hundreds of dollars, the Historic’s are only double-digits. How’s that for bang for your buck?

Is this 2017, or 1975? Photo by Daniel Blodgett

Other Sights

Singer 911. Photo by Mitchell Weitzman

The greatest part about Monterey Car Week though is, even if the prices for tickets seem to high, one can still go and have a great time. Why is that? People from all over flock to Monterey and Carmel for this one week. Each street and parking lot becomes a car show of its own, as every Lamborghini and Ferrari passes by. It is an atmosphere and ambience like little else this side of Monaco. If you like cars any small decent amount, trust me, you’ll be in heaven.

Favorite restaurants include: Baja Cantina for the supreme car and racing themed venue, Vesuvio in Carmel, and the Forge in the Forest. The Spanish Bay Inn, also down the historic 17 Mile Drive, is a great place to spot hypercars as well as Cannery Row. If it’s your first time at Monterey Car Week, it won’t be your last.

DIY

How to Film Your BMW

If you’ve gotten your hands on a BMW that is in good condition, or one that you’ve restored to a good condition, you don’t want to keep all that beautiful German engineering to yourself. Filming your car is a great way to showcase your BMW, especially if you don’t have the time or the money to travel to car shows across the country. If you want to film your BMW, where should you start? Here are a few ideas, tips and tricks to help get you started.

Choose Your Angle

How do you want to shoot your car — from the inside as the driver or from the outside as a spectator? Depending on what you’re doing, the answer could be both, so you need to take both angles into account.

Are you planning on photoshopping or editing your video after you film it? If so, you need a camera that has digital capabilities so that you can upload the unfinished video to your computer for editing or finishing. This is useful if you’re shooting both inside and outside your car because it allows you to splice the video together into a finished product digitally.

Once you’ve figured out your angle, it’s time to start thinking about equipment.

Choose Your Weapon

Step two is to pick your weapon of choice. For professional — or professional-esque — videos, you’re going to need a camera, a microphone and some mounting equipment to hold your camera steady while you’re driving or filming from the outside.

A good roll bar mount for a GoPro, or other cameras can capture some fantastic images of the road as you drive, or your competitors if you take your BMW to the track. You can use these inside or outside the car, depending on where your roll bars go.

GoPro cameras are often the camera of choice for this sort of filming, but they’re expensive. You can create a decent video with a high-quality camera on a cell phone if you can hold it steady enough. If not, consider investing in a tripod.

Choose Your Location

Finally, choose your shooting location. Choose a place where no one will disturb you — unless you want to include the local color in your video. Think about your lighting — do you want to showcase your car in direct sunlight, indirect sunlight or even on a cloudy day.

Figure out what you want to do with your filming. Are you showcasing your car or showing off what it can do? That will determine the kind of location you choose for your shoot. You can shoot nearly anywhere as long as you have permission. If you’re interested in shooting on private property, ask the property owner. Chances are they’ll say yes, but it’s always better to ask permission first.

Show off Your Baby

Filming your BMW is a great way to show off your automotive baby, as long as you do it right. No one wants to see a grainy, low-resolution video of your car, whether you’re driving a BMW, a Mustang or a beat-up old Honda. Invest in a good camera and learn how to use it and you’ll make fantastic videos as long as you own your car.

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The New X2. What Exactly is it?

So it’s been out now for a few months, you might even have seen one out on the road. You know the one, looks like an X1 but shrunken in a science lab, or that it even looks like a lifted wagon/estate. Whatever that new BMW with the roundel neatly placed on the c-pillar looks like to you, that’s the new BMW X2.

What is it? A new crossover SUV that slots in-between the X1 and the X3.  Allegedly, it’s the more sporting version of an X1, in the same vein that an X4 is related to the X3. Remember the days when BMW had just the X5 and then  the X3? By next year, they’ll have, wait for it: X1 X2 X3 X4 X5 X6 and X7. Some might call it heresy. Whatever you want to make of it, there’s no denying it; this is a good looking car. Great looking, in fact, especially in that pupil-popping blue or orange. Heck, I even like that weird, slightly yellow-but-at-the-same-time-green color.

X2 courtesy of BMW of Roseville

Imagine an X1 that got pinched in the front and rear, shortening the overhangs, but with a nice tapering to both ends. The M Sport X adds visual drama with extra gills and openings and adornments of metal trim pieces. There are some pretty tasty wheels on option too. Inside, the design theme from the  X3 and 5-series carries over, bringing a very nice update to the interior compared to, say, a current 3-series. Materials are top notch, as is the tech inside, with the newest iDrive.

On the road, the BMW X2 feels definitely related to the X1. Makes sense, they really are the same car underneath. Except, it’s not all X1. Steering response is slightly sharper as is the subsequent response from the chassis itself. The perception that this is a sporting car is not awash, but that’s the key word. This is not a sports car, but it is a sporting car, with sports intentions. For the likely buyer, that is more than enough. Engine response resembles that of a naturally aspirated engine much better than most turbocharged engines. Mid-range power is what it lives for. Not rapid, but capable.

As far as crossovers go, this is easily what I think is one of the best looking on the market. The drive is deeply satisfying with a surprising edge to the steering and handling, while remaining comfortable. However, and this is a big but; it’s expensive. Fully loaded with the right color and that M Sport X package will run $50,000. That’s a lot for what is a small car. Which reminds me to point out that the back seat is not the most comfortable. Shrinking it down has had an adverse effect on space, most the rear seat a cargo area. Visibility is hurt too, not helped by the rising beltline in the rear.

I’d call it a lifestyle car, but lifestyle cars do not drive this well. Compromise is present, so it is something you must consider when taking in the price and cargo space (or lack thereof) into thought. You could have a loaded X1 M Sport for far less, with tons more room, too and drives mostly similar. One thing is for sure, your eyes will undoubtedly follow the X2 more closely. Or when someone goes down the road in the X2 you nearly bought. An accessory, a grocery-getter, an adventurer, or a sports-crossover, call it what you want, but it’s an X2.

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