PENSKE: HAT TRICK AT BAHAMAS SPEED WEEKS

PENSKE: HAT TRICK AT BAHAMAS SPEED WEEKS
An unprecedented reunion of Roger Penske’s three Bahamas Speed Weeks winners – Porsche 718 RS 61 Spyder, Corvette Grand Sport, below, and Chaparral 2 – will be celebrated at the Silver Anniversary Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance. As the calendar wound toward the final month of 1960 the entire road-racing universe looked to Bahamas Speed Weeks, a week long party, race meeting and celebration. It drew racers from all disciplines of motorsport, from NASCAR to go-karts; sports car champs to Indy 5...
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BILL MITCHELL’S BUICK CENTURY X

BILL MITCHELL’S BUICK CENTURY X
BILL MITCHELL’S BUICK CENTURY X, created at GM Styling, will make its international Concours debut in the Amelia Concours d’Elegance’s on March 8, 2020. Bill Mitchell was Harley Earl’s handpicked successor at GM Design and Styling. Their association seemed to go beyond the standard boss-employee dynamic. Many called it a father-son relationship. Mitchell was just 23 when Earl appointed him chief designer of Cadillac. His design of the ‘38 Cadillac 60 Special was a landmark. But Mitchell was a “B...
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2019 AMELIA ISLAND CONCOURS: SHOWTIME!

2019 AMELIA ISLAND CONCOURS: SHOWTIME!
After more than two decades, the unstoppable Bill Warner and his minion of magicians continue to outdo themselves year after year. Maureen & Mike Matune were on the show field representing CGC. And this is what it all comes down to: the Best in Show presentation. How the judges are able to distill a field of automotive jewelry into two choices is awe-inspiring. Taking home the Ritz-Carlton trophies this year were the ‘57 Ferrari 335 S of Cavallino Investments and the ‘35 Mercedes 540K Autob...
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HEACOCK INSURANCE: CARS & COFFEE AT AMELIA!

HEACOCK INSURANCE: CARS & COFFEE AT AMELIA!
When one of the premier Concours in the country also boasts a Cars & Coffee, you can expect Concours quality cars. That’s exactly what the Matunes found when covering Amelia. Normally each year we attend the Saturday morning seminar while at the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance (AICE), but this year we decided that was too much like school. So instead, we went to Cars & Coffee at the Concours sponsored by Heacock Insurance. We weren’t disappointed with our choice to play hooky! Let’...
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CORVETTE XP-897 GT: AMELIA ISLAND CONCOURS!

CORVETTE XP-897 GT: AMELIA ISLAND CONCOURS!
A Wankel Rotary powered mid-engine Corvette prototype will be featured in the Mid-Engine Sports Car Class at the 2019 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance. There will also be examples from DeTomaso, Ferrari and Lamborghini. The ‘73 Chevrolet Corvette XP-897 GT was one of two mid-engine Corvette prototypes designed by General Motors Design to promote the smooth and high revving Wankel Rotary engine. Dick Finegan, L-R, Kip Wasenko and Otto Soeding, designers at GM Design, above, with XP-897 GT. The ...
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2018 AMELIA ISLAND CONCOURS: THE BEST GETS BETTER!

2018 AMELIA ISLAND CONCOURS: THE BEST GETS BETTER!
Bill Warner and his team continue to raise the bar; the 23rd annual Concours d’Elegance does not disappoint…even when rain is in the forecast. In a world that appears dedicated to instant gratification, for anything to endure 23 years, let alone thrive and prosper, is unusual to say the least. But such is the case with the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance. For nearly a quarter century it has been treating aficionados to all forms of automotive wonderment in a beautiful setting. This year was n...
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2018 AMELIA ISLAND CONCOURS: FERRARI DAYTONA!

2018 AMELIA ISLAND CONCOURS: FERRARI DAYTONA!
It's been a half-century since Pininfarina created the timeless shape of the Ferrari 365 GTB/4. On March 11, 2018 that happy anniversary will be celebrated at the 23rd annual Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance with a special class of the rare and significant Ferrari 365 GTB/4 "Daytona". It was revenge, not Ferrari that gave the 365 GTB/4 its popular nickname. The name of America's first superspeedway clung to the big Italian GT after Ferrari prototypes avenged themselves on American soil followi...
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RAREST OF THE RARE: ‘57 CORVETTE SUPER SPORT!

One of the rarest factory-built Corvettes ever built can be seen for the first time in 60 years at the Amelia Island Concours next month. The ‘57 Corvette Super Sport prototype originally built for GM's famous Motorama shows of the 1950s will, after six decades hidden from view, break cover in a special exhibit at the 22nd annual Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance on March 12, 2017. After its auto show duties, it was sold to Ralph Poole of Albuquerque, NM. The current owner, John Baldwin purch...
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RARE SALEEN S7: SILVER STREAK!

Out of approximately 1,500 S7 Supercars built by Steve Saleen’s iconic company, just one was painted Speedlab Silver. If you’re a numbers guy, this 550-horsepower S7, is one of just eight built in 2004 and tops out at over 200 mph. Saleen’s S7 is a true road warrior, a racecar with license plates! They built just 30 that were powered by naturally aspirated, rather than the 750 horsepower twin-turbocharged, aluminum 7.0 Liter Ford engines. The Saleen S7 was originally designed in the UK for Sa...
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CAMARO: A HALF-CENTURY OF PERFORMANCE!

Golden oldie Gen I and Gen II Camaros showcase 50th anniversary celebration at  Amelia Island Concours. The first Camaro, Vin #10001, owned by GM, top & Dan McMichaels '73 Baldwin-Motion Phase III 454 Camaro, above, will be featured at Amelia Island Concours. GM brass wasn't enthusiastic about adding a sixth model to Chevrolet's 1967 model lineup . . . until they saw the prototype. It was a knockout. The new Chevy, code-named Panther, began to appear in the automotive business jo...
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