John Turkel: Auto Page: Concours 1999

Auto Pages: Car-Related Events

Concours 1999

Again a great time. This was my sixth Concours. I'm becoming more selective in what I spend my time ogling. Again, I spent the bulk of my time at the Concorso Italiano at the Quail Lodge. There's nothing else in the world like the wild, lovely Italian sports cars, new and old. Hearing the various Diablos and Countaches rev their engines was thrilling.

	This beautiful Porsche 550 Spyder is a stunning example of the occasional sports car design not from Italy, yet worthy of gobs of drool.
	The Ferrari 550 Maranello has very balanced, muscular proportions. It's also quite fast, as one would expect.
	The Ferrari F40 never fails to attract attention. Someday, I hope to have one of my own. Until then, I, too, gawk at the turbocharged 8-cylinder engine under the plexiglass . . .
	It's a rare pleasure to see even one Ferrari 288 GTO, but three? Overload!
	Seeing red? There were so many Ferraris on the lawn at Quail lodge that I joked it was the Red Sea.
	When juxtaposed to a Formula One race car, road cars that previously looked sleek suddenly took on a heavy, bloated appearance. This car was driven to victory by Michael Schumacher, I think in the 1996 season. It looks like it wants to eat something.
	Here is Ferrari's next offering, the 360 Modena. Completely redesigned, it has a totally new look, though it is still obviously a Ferrari. They are available with a second-generation (for the street) F1 shifting system, which seems like the only way to go. Yellow isn't the best color for the car. I'd still be happy to be seen in it.