In the 21st century, the world of automobiles is buzzed with the sounds of some of the most astonishing supercars such as the likes of Ferrari, Lamborghini, Bugatti etc. that race down the tracks and highways at mind boggling speeds of more than 300 km/h to 400 km/h. However, as with every technological evolution, there is always the presence of progress from scratch. This is where the annual Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance comes into play. This highly prestigious auction event pays tribute to some of the most exotic vintage cars in existence and enables auto enthusiasts from across the globe to trace the genesis of automobile evolution that led to the development of stunning sport cars, super cars and luxury sedans. The Pebble Beach Auction is considered to be one of the foremost platforms for classic and vintage car auctions representing numerous coolest cars from the yester years.
Here at Elite Choice, we love the curves, interiors and the engineering behind these fabulous vintage cars as much as we love the stunning super cars of today. Hence, we have come up with a list of some of the main attractions that will be showcased at the 2011 Pebble Beach Auction and pay our own tribute to these magnificent pieces of the glorious automotive history.
1. Â 1957 Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa Prototype:
Auction House: Gooding & Company
Price: $15 Million to $20 Million
From the house of the iconic Italian automobile manufactures, comes the legendary 1957 Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa, the very first of its breed and this given the title of ‘Prototype’.  This remarkable piece of automotive history has been adequately preserved and is being presented with a race engine as well as spare parts. The 1957 Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa was powered by a SOHC V-12 Engine, providing an impressive output of 300 bhp, while carrying 4-speed manual gearbox. This magnificent vehicle is also hailed as one of the rare pieces attached to the  Scuderia Ferrari Team, while the new owner of the Testa Rosa will also be given extensive documentation in regards to the vehicles, along with comprehensive history composed by Ferrari historian, Marcel Massini.
2. Â 1931 Duesenberg Model J Long-Wheelbase Coupe:
Auction House: Gooding & Company
Price: Excess Of $4.5 Million
Hailed as the most elegant automobile in the U.S, the 1931 Duesenberg Model J Long-Wheelbase Coupe sports a jaw dropping design that exuberates class and elegance as defined in the 1930s. This Duesenberg model was essentially ordered in the form of a chassis from Duesenberg in year1929 by Captain Whittell and was then handed over to Walter M. Murphy Company for customization and completion. The all new Duesenberg Model J featured a long-wheelbase chassis that was some 11 inches longer and far more expensive than the conventional Model J and featured bespoke coachwork. The 1931 Duesenberg Model J Long-Wheelbase Coupe was powered by a an Inline 8-Cylinder DOHC engine that provided this marvelous vehicle with 265 hp with a 3 speed manual transmission. This magnificent vehicle comes with some of the most luxurious features of the time and had been carefully preserved in the The Whittell Duesenberg Collection for over twenty years. The 1931 Duesenberg Model J Long-Wheelbase Coupe registers just 12,500 miles and has gone through only five owners with excellent reputations when it comes to the preservation of vintage cars.
3. Â 1935 Mercedes-Benz 500 K Roadster:
Auction House: RM Auctions
Price: $5 Million
Premiered at the 1935 Berlin Motors Show, the 1935 Mercedes-Benz 500 K Roadster was a sports car designed and developed by Mercedes Benz in the year 1934 and soon became one of the bestselling models of the company. The 500 K Roadster was powered by an 8 cylinder supercharged overhead valve engine and came with a four-speed manual transmission. This legendary vehicle has been selected from Lyon Family Collection for the Pebble Beach Auction and represents the very supremacy of Mercedes Benz engineering and design of the 1930s. This remarkable vehicle boasted of some of the luxurious features of its time such as  safety glass, electric windshield wipers, hydraulic brakes and two spare wheels and tires. The 500 K Roadster carries a stunning coachwork. The vehicle on display was originally conceived with metallic green color and the interiors of the 500 K Roadster are upholstered in  tan leather and the vehicle has gone through rigorous inspection from experts from the Mercedes-Benz Classic Germany.
4. Â 1955 Ferrari 750 Monza Scaglietti Spider:
Auction House: RM Auctions
Price: $3.25 Million
From the house of RM Auctions, comes a masterpiece of Ferrari design and technology, the 1955 Ferrari 750 Monza Scaglietti Spider that made headlines in the 1950s and got heads rolling whenever it made an appearance. This gorgeous entry is the eight unit of just 35 750 Monza models ever manufactured and was initially introduced to the world at the 1955 Brussels Motor Show. The Ferrari 750 Monza Scaglietti Spider was powered by a four-cylinder DOHC engine that gave this magnificent vehicle up to 260 hp along with a five speed manual transmission. This exceptional piece of Ferrari engineering given to importer Jacques Swaters and was later seen at the U.S racing circuits, when the Ferrari 750 Monza Scaglietti Spider gave startling performance at the West Coast racing circuit. This remarkable vehicle sports a glorious racing career with 22 West Coast races and has been driven some of the most iconic racing legends, such as the likes of John von Neumann, Phil Hill, and Harrison Evans as well as the legendary Fred Astaire.
5. Â 1963 Shelby Cobra 289 Factory Team Car:
Auction House: Gooding & Company
Price: $2.8 Million
Designed and developed by one of the most celebrated racing teams, the Cobra Factory Team, the 1963 Shelby Cobra 289 Factory Team Car represents the very pinnacle of racing engineering and a drop dead gorgeous design. Up for auction at the Pebble Beach, this remarkable model is the original Factory-Team car and has been the winner of FIA, USRRC and SCCA Competition. The Cobra 289 was powered by a Ford high performance V8 engine that shelled out an astounding 400bhp along with its 4-speed Speed BorgWarner T-10 manual gearbox. To ensure maximum protection for the drivers at breakneck speeds, the Cobra 289 was fitted with 4-wheel disc brakes. The 1963 Shelby Cobra 289 Factory Team Car was first unveiled by Ford Motors in the year 1964 at the New York World Fair and since the year 1968, the car has been under the ownership of a single auto enthusiast, Thomas Long of Hemet, California. Mr. Hemet initiated a massive restoration process for the Cobra 289 that resulted in a red lacquer paintjob along with black interiors, while the vehicle still retains its original aluminum bodywork.
6. Â 1953 Ferrari 375 America Coupe:
Auction House: Gooding & Company
Price: $2.4 Million
This year’s Pebble Beach Auctions is sparkled with some of the most awe-inspiring stars of the yester years from the production lines of Ferrari and the newest entry is the 1953 Ferrari 375 America Coupe. Ferrari maintained the exclusivity of this gorgeously powerful vehicle by developing only twelve cars in the series and this particular vehicle is the last one of the three specially designed Vignale-Bodied 375 America Coupes. Powered by a SOHC V-12 engine, the 375 America Coupe produced an incredible 300 plus horsepower, while the car was given a fours speed manual gearbox. This magnificent vintage Ferrari features custom Italian coachwork and was first unveiled at the 1954 XXXVI Annual Torino Auto Show at Parco del Valentino. The current owner of this gorgeous 1953 Ferrari 375 America Coupe gave the vehicle an extensive renovation in the year 2007, which entailed a re-paint of the original body paint, along with a completely rebuilt gearbox, differential, steering box and shock absorbers. This incredible restoration process consumed some 5,000 hours, of which 3,000 hours were spent by the owner himself and the rest 2,000 hours were contributed by the contracting companies.
7. Â 1930 Bugatti Type 43 Supercharged Sports 2/4 Seater:
Auction House: Bonhams
Price: $1.5 Million
Carrying the chassis number, 43286, the gorgeous 1930 Bugatti Type 43 Supercharged Sports 2/4 Seater was introduced in the year 1927 and was announced to the public as a road car in looks, while carrying the attributes of a race car. The incredible Bugatti Type 43 was powered by a 2.3 liter eight cylinder supercharged engine that taken from a Type 35B grand prix car and gave the Type 43 a top speed of 100 mph. The vehicle’s current owners Lee Adams and Betsy Adams made extensive restoration to the car via Jim Stranberg of High Mountain Classics. The entire restoration effort was centered around the engineering and interiors of the Type 43. This remarkable  1930 Bugatti Type 43 Supercharged Sports 2/4 Seater also earned the ‘French Curves’ award at the  ‘The Elegance at Hershey’ Concours in June this year for its exceptional restoration.
8. Â 1935 Bugatti Type 57 “Grand Raid” Roadster:
Auction House: RM Auctions
Price: $1.3 Million
Another Bugatti to be showcased at the Pebble Beach Auction is the classic 1935 Bugatti Type 57 “Grand Raid” Roadster that originally discovered in France in the year 2000 and since then has been restored to its original beauty and glory. This magnificent piece of automobile history one of only two Bugatti Type 57 roadsters that carry the coachwork of Worblaufen in Switzerland and even claimed the 2005 Pebble Beach Award. This particular Bugatti Type 57 was purchased by M. Jules Aellen and was immediately impressed with the beauty of the car as it bagged the Grand Prix d’Honneur at the 2nd Swiss Automobile Concours d’Elegance in the year 1935. The Bugatti Type 57 was initially designed and developed by Jean Bugatti and the “Grand Raid” Roadster model was conceived as a prototype, laying the foundation for Bugatti Type 57S. The entire restoration process took some eighteen months to finish and at the end of the endeavor, the 1935 Bugatti Type 57 “Grand Raid” Roadster featured its original color.
9.  1925 Rolls-Royce New Phantom “Tiger Hunterâ€:
Auction House: Bonhams
Price: $1 Million
Designed and developed especially for an Indian Maharaja, the 1925 Rolls-Royce New Phantom “Tiger Hunter†is perhaps one of the most alluring and “dangerous†Rolls Royce Phantoms ever manufactured. This particular vehicle was conceived on the request of Maharaja Umed Singh II and the vehicle was custom designed to be used for Tiger hunting purposes. For this highly adventurous royal hobby, the Phantom “Tiger Hunter†was equipped with a large-caliber gun, as well as bird guns, rifles and shotguns mounted in the cabin and, at the rear. Furthermore, for taking out bigger and agile Royal Bengal Tigers, this magnificent vehicles was fitted with a  .450-caliber hand-cranked machine gun. The 1925 Rolls-Royce New Phantom “Tiger Hunter†was powered by an 8-litre, 6-cylinder engine that gave the vehicle a top speed of 88 mph and the car itself was based upon the fabulous 1925 Torpedo Tourer.
10. Â 1979 BMW M1 Pro-Car:
Auction House: Bonhams
Price: $600,000
Considered to be one of the foremost collectible BMW models ever built, the 1979 BMW M1 Pro-Car was a mid-engine BMW supercar that was pressed into production in the year 1979 and continued till the year 1991. During this period, only 556 units were built, wherein, BMW introduced some models as road cars, while the others were offered as race cars. The exquisite and exclusive paint job for the M1 Pro-Car was commissioned by the legendary racing driver, Peter Gregg and the work was carried out by  Frank Stella. The artwork carried out on the M1 Pro-Car is also special due to the fact that Mr. Stella had announced his work as a tribute to Ronnie Peterson, a friend of Peter Gregg who died a day after being involved in a car crash. This remarkable vehicles features a multi-tubular spaceframe chassis and is powered by a overhead cam 4 cylinder engine that gave the vehicle an astonishing 470 horsepower.
11. Â 1937 Duesenberg Model J ‘Throne Car’ Limousine Landaulet:
Auction House: Bonhams
Price: $600,000
Designed and developed by the luxury automobile manufacturer, Duesenberg, the 1937 Duesenberg Model J ‘Throne Car’ Limousine Landaulet was one of the few ultra-luxury limousines that the company produced and this specific model was custom tailored for preacher Reverend Major Jealous “Father” Divine of Harlem. The Model J ‘Throne Car’ Limousine Landaulet is considered to be the largest Duesenberg car ever manufactured and was powered by an eight cylinders, dual overhead camshafts engine providing this striking vehicle with 265 hp. The coachwork was this model was carried out by Bohman & Schwartz and only the best materials and techniques were employed in the production of the Limousine Landaulet. This magnificent vintage limousine was essentially commissioned by John Hunt and was presented as a gift to the Father Divine. The ‘Throne Car’ Limousine Landaulet was give some remarkably luxurious features of its time, including a driver intercom, hydraulically operated throne, star-studded headliner etc.
12. Â 1960 Maserati Tipo 61/60 “Birdcage”:
Auction House: Mecum Auctions
Price: Not Available
After an extensive rebuilding process, the world will once come face to face with one of the racing legends of all times in the form of the 1960 Maserati Tipo 61/60 Birdcage with chassis number 2459. This particular model crashed in the year 1962 and was declared un-repairable. However, the newly introduced Birdcage that will be showcased at the Pebble Beach Auction has been developed from scratch by gathering the original components and parts and the re-fabricated vehicle has even received the seal of approval from FIA in the month of September last year. The 1960 Maserati Tipo 61/60 Birdcage was considered to be one of the foremost sports cars and has been driven by numerous racing drivers such as the likes of Stirling Moss, Carroll Shelby, Dan Gurney, etc. This particular model was powered by a 2.0 liter DOHC inline four cylinder engine and the this classic vehicle was given a five-speed manual gearbox along with  four-wheel disc brakes. The entire restoration process has been taken care of by Steve Hart Racing in Norfolk, England.
13. Â 1972 Porsche 911 IMSA RSR:
Auction House: Russo & Steele
Price: Not Available
Driven by some of the most renowned legends of auto racing such as the likes of  Gary Auberlen and Bill Auberlen, the historic 1972 Porsche 911 IMSA RSR is all set to make a grand appearance at the prestigious 2011 Pebble Beach Auction. During the time line of 1979 to 1990, this magnificent race horse participated in some 44 championships organized by International Motorsports Association (IMSA). The Porsche 911 IMSA RSR is powered by a 3.4 liter endurance racing engine and comes with an original time period 915 gearbox. This magnificent vehicles was put under a restoration program, where along with Porsche, Gunnar Racing and Klupsport racing gave the vehicle some mild tunings and fabrication. The mechanics of the car were overhauled, while the exteriors of the Porsche 911 IMSA RSR were restored to their original state. However, much of the interior of the car was left untouched, with the exception of HANS type racing seats that have been added along with electrical upgrades. This classic Porsche race car features partial tubular frame, RSR coil-over suspension, brake bias adjustment, and full roll cage.
14. Â 1970 Porsche 911S (Steve McQueen):
Auction House: RM Auctions
Price: $1.35 Million
The man behind the immense success of the Hollywood blockbuster ‘Le Mans’ (1971) was the proud owner of this remarkably stunning 1970 Porsche 911S that was delivered to “The King of Cool†during the filming of Le Mans. The entire vehicles was designed and developed using the most high end specifications that Porsche could churn out for a street car and this vintage Porsche became the crown jewel of McQueen’s delightful car collection. This vast collection of exotic sports cars included the likes of Porsche 356 Speedster, Jaguar XK-SS, Ferrari 250 GT Lusso Berlinetta etc. The 1970 Porsche 911S also made a memorable debut in the movie Le Mans, being driven by Mr. McQueen himself and featured some of the most modern tools such as factory-installed air-conditioning, muffler apron, tinted glass, a Blaupunkt Frankfurt radio etc. The vehicle up for auction has been officially restored by Porsche, repainting the body, reupholstering the front seats and adding new shock absorbers, while the engine and the transmissions of this historically significant vintage car have been left untouched.
15. Â 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle SS 454 LS6 “Pilot Car”:
Auction House: Russo & Steele
Price: Not Available
Hailed as the very first or ‘Pilot Car’ manufactured by General Motors in the  LS6  editions, the 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle SS 454 LS6 “Pilot Car” is said to be one of the most powerful vehicle in GM’s inventory after the legendary Corvette models. The Chevelle SS 454 LS6 was known to generate an awesome 450 hp at 5600 RPMs and was said to be the most high-performance Chevelle introduced by Chevrolet. This vintage 454 LS6 is the very first of RPO LS6 cars, where in 4,475 models were later manufactured. This very first Chevelle SS 454 LS6 was delivered to a GM executive and carried the distinctive ‘Pilot Paint’. The new owners after the auction along with this vintage vehicle will also be presented with two build sheets, POP and entire owner history. In the year 2010, the Chevelle SS 454 LS6 underwent a restoration process conducted by MuscleCar Restoration & Design.
16.  Italian Vintage Auto Trilogy:
Auction House: Mecum Auctions
Price: Not Available
Tucked away in a farm barn for more than thirty years, three of the most gorgeous and high performance vintage cars are now up for auction at the Pebble Beach Auction event. The owner of these Italian sensations is said to be Luigi Chinetti, a former Italian racer, who opened a Ferrari showroom in the U.S after the Second World War and all three cars carry New Hampshire license plates. One of these vintage vehicles is a stunning 1974 Ferrari Dino 246 GTS that has clocked 2,910 miles, the second vehicle is a gorgeous 1977 Maserati Bora Coupe with only 978 miles on the counter, while the third auto classic is a breathtaking 1972 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona that has some 9,752 miles on the mileage counter. All three vintage cars are said to be in extremely good condition and will require only minor restorations to their interiors.
