The Monterey Automotive Week plays host to historic, prestigious and iconic vehicles, some of which are almost 100 years old. There is ‘The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering’ which showcases the rich motorsport heritage around the world with iconic racing machines. And there is the ‘Concept Lawn’, which gathers futuristic and bespoke concept vehicles at one place.
Manufacturers like Bentley, Infinity, Spyker, Pagani, and Genesis marked their presence on the Lawn this year. Here are the top five concepts from the 2017 Pebble Beach Concours D'Elegance that are too good to miss.
BMW Z4 Concept:
The Z4 Concept is a new design study from BMW which will spawn the production Z4 Roadster next year. Truly futuristic, like all BMW concept cars, the Z4 Concept rocks a bold chromed kidney grille, smooth flowing exterior, large designer wheels and sharp LED lights. The cabin is well proportioned and driver-focused. Overall, the Z4 Concept is one gorgeous looking car.
Mercedes-Maybach Vision 6 Convertible Concept:
This is a convertible body style version based on the Vision 6 Concept which was unveiled by Mercedes-Maybach last year. The art-deco inspired Vision 6 Convertible is almost 20-feet long. It rides on massive 24-inch multi-spoke chrome wheels and has a smooth flowing silhouette. Mercedes claims that the tapering tail, the open top cabin, Nappa leather upholstery and a minimalistic cock-pit with a 360 degree lounge makes it look like a luxury yacht.
Infinity Prototype 9:
Infinity showcased a retro-style open-wheeled electric concept called the Prototype 9. It is the recreation of a 1930-1940s race car with old-school production techniques used to achieve its retro design. The Prototype 9 is styled like the quintessential ‘30s racer with its wire wheels, chrome grille, skinny tyres, tapering boat-tail and the enormously long hood. It even gets a proper leaf-spring suspension. Unfortunately, Infinity hasn’t said anything about building the Prototype 9.
Kode 0:
Ken Okuyama, the man behind the legendary Ferrari Enzo and P4/5, brought his latest creation to Pebble Beach. Christened as the Kode 0, the bespoke concept is the second car after the dramatic Kode57 Enji from last year. The design harks back to the Lamborghinis of yesteryears. It is based on the new Aventador. The ‘one motion’ design inspiration pays tribute to Marcello Gandini, who gave us iconic cars like the Lamborghini Countach, Lamborghini Miura, and Lancia Stratos Zero to name a few.
Volkswagen I.D. Buzz:
This is the second public appearance for the I.D. Buzz, which has been confirmed for production. It is also the second vehicle to be showcased under the VW group’s electric sub-brand. The Buzz is the modern incarnation of the iconic, hipster-friendly Microbus of the 1950-60s. The prototype is based on the new MED electric scalable platform. The cabin is an eight-seater with the batteries and motors placed under the floor. The Buzz prototype also boasts of autonomous driving credentials.
