John Turkel: Auto Page: Concorso 2000

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Concorso Italiano 2000

This time, we only attended the Concorso Italiano at Quail Lodge. All those Ferraris and Lamborghinis are too stunning to miss even once. This was my seventh Concours, though I didn't attend the usual main event, the Concours d'Elegance at Pebble Beach.

While visiting with a friend at his hotel in Monterey, we noticed the lot was full of Aston Martins. The club must've been lodging there. The Vantages and other models are very compelling cars. I'd love to have a Vantage Volante to cruise up to the wine country.

	Our first stop was outside the Concorso Italiano, where someone had generously parked a cool new BMW Z8 roadster, top down. The car is fantastic. Nearly all the details were like the show cars. The picture really doesn't do it justice.
	Tube frame, carbon fiber components, scissor doors, huge wheels and a Mercedes AMG engine . . . What's not to like? Pagani makes this, the Zonda, a new model for 2000.



	I was intrigued by all the Lamborghini Countaches with their scissor doors open in parallel.
	New tech juxtaposed with old style in front of the Cantina, near the Quail Lodge in Carmel Valley.
	What I didn't see, but wish I had: the Mercedes Vision SLR.
This gorgeous coupe is slated to be built in the new McLaren Cars factory in England. The TAG McLaren Group is a winning constructor of Formula One race cars with a longstanding relationship with Daimler-Benz. It's due in 2003. See an article on the subject.