Anyone participating in the Goldfinger Rally to Monterey on Thursday? It starts at The Commons in Calabasas and leaves at 9:00AM. I am going to try to make the run (it is free). There is a lunch stop at Avila Beach.

https://www.facebook.com/events/1004463446265200/

 

I might, if I am feeling very adventurous, meet the Rally at Avila to try to get some video footage....but that means driving from Monterey to Avila Beach, then back...

 

Weather's been great so far,hit up the Carmel show yesterday and the Little Car Show in PG today...them's some weird small cars alright!

 

OK, which one of you bought it?
Most expensive car collection sells for $67 million

 

That was me. When u spend that much they give you VIP parking all by yourself :-P grass is so nice at Quail. So much for the drought! Lol

 

I'd never drive my F-Type down the fairway!!! Didn't you see the other post about getting hit by a golf ball?

 

Only thing hitting me today would be a Ferrari, Lamborghini or other ridiculously expensive car :-)

 

Holy hell that's a great picture...that lawn looks fantastic!

Spent all day at the PG Rally and that was cool,so many nice people outside their homes in both PG and Pebble Beach cheering everyone on...and most with adult beverages!

 

I was actually looking for you as I drove by PG today...looks like the rally was done because I saw a bunch of cars parked?

 

They stage them starting at 1pm on the streets 2 wide and then the rally begins about 5pm...was a blast!

 

I did the 2016 F-Type R drive yesterday. I am glad to have rear-wheel drive fun factor. The test drive person said that Firesand color will no longer be offered as of 2017 model year.

Visited Concours d'lemons, Concorso Italiano, Casa d'Ferrari private event, and lookey loo around RM auction today. Tomorrow hang out in Carmel and then go to Gooding Auction in the evening.

 

A tip if you go to the Gooding auction: don’t bother washing your car before you go. They have you park in dusty dirty lot #5 and it is easy to bottom out your car if you aren’t careful. I am sure the Ferrari and Lambo guys I followed in were pretty upset as they scraped the bottom of their cars. There was someone who parked a Rolls Royce convertible and left the top down. I can guarantee the interior was completely covered in dust when they left. Not sure if it is always like this or if it is due to the drought. It is nothing like the green grass parking spot Shift got above.

 

I went to the Pebble Beach Lodge this morning, slipped into the Gooding & Co auction and then on to the Quail Lodge in Carmel for the Jaguar/Land Rover Drive. Awesome weather and a great day! This has become an annual must do trip for me and I highly recommend it to any car lover who has not gone before…amazing cars everywhere! You could have a ball just sitting in a lawn chair on Hwy 1 or 17 mile drive to car watch! The only F-Types I saw where mine and the Jaguar Drive cars, although I know some of the guys here on this forum were there this week. Lots of Ferraris, Lambos, McLarens and everything you can imagine everywhere.

I got to drive an F-Type R AWD convertible (BRG/camel...nice!) and took a Range Rover Sport on the off-road trails at the Quail Lodge. The R convertible was awesome as I knew it would be. The instructor was cool and let me push it pretty hard as traffic would allow, since he knew I was already familiar with the car. There is a tunnel along the drive that allows you to hear the awesome full effect of the R's exhaust system. I got a lesson in 550hp when yielding between two cars without much room. I let the first car pass, gunned the accelerator to slip in front of the car behind it and nearly overtook the first car before backing off. It’s quick!

Not looking to pick a fight on these issues, but my immediate observation with the AWD R over my V6S was the electric steering felt a little lighter and vague, but it was not bad. I could feel the extra weight of the V8 in front and could not tell I was driving an AWD. The Jaguar instructor shared my opinion on these topics. The V8 has more instant on power and perhaps a smoother delivery off the line, but both the V6 & V8 are excellent in their own ways. I really liked the R but I am in no way disappointed with the performance of my V6S. Might have to look hard at the R if I end up with another F-Type for my next car.

The Range Rover instructor was also excellent and let me take a much longer course than normal. It is unbelievable what that thing can do in areas where you would think only a tank or bulldozer could go. My fear was hitting a tree in a $100k vehicle since clearances on the course were literally inches. My wife loved the RR Sport and so did I…could be her next vehicle.

Porsche had their drive event next to Jaguar and I did not participate this year. Porsche’s are no doubt fantastic cars, but simply listening to them, they cannot beat the sound and raw theatrics of the Jags in my opinion! No one seemed to notice the Porsches, but everyone reacted whenever someone started an F-Type and pulled away for their drive.

Kudos to Jaguar/Land Rover for putting on a very professional, informative and hands-on event. Everyone I spoke too representing the brand was excellent and very accommodating. My drive in an F-Type last year is what swayed me from buying another BMW a month later.

On the way home, my wife and I stopped at the Jaguar/Land Rover dealer in Monterey to see what they had in stock. We also looked at the new Volvo XC90 which was pretty impressive. They have stepped up their game and the user friendly iPad-like infotainment screen is really nice. If anyone from JLR is reading this...hint, hint, hint!

I thought I would post some photos for those of you unable to attend. The white Range Rover is the new SVR and the blue sedan is the Lincoln Continental Concept. Never been a Lincoln fan but this car looked pretty cool in person and should be a hit if the production model is the same. Now I have to figure out how to do the Rolls Royce and McLaren drives next year.

 

Anybody recognize this guy? This is Harry Metcalfe, founder of EVO magazine. Now is doing work with Jaguar Land Rover. Here's my Car Week 2015 story: I'm unloading some stuff from my car...my literal next room neighbor is hanging outside...British guy...start chatting about the F-Type....tells me he has a Project 7. Shows me some pictures from the factory. He's done some customization with the paint job (lipstick like front grill, etc.). but interestingly enough he said Jaguar wouldn't let him paint the leaper in the back. Apparently Jaguar told him it can't be touched, it's off limits. Well, now we know why the black pack doesn't black out those badges! Apparently it's built/completed, just waiting for it to get delivered. I told him, "wow, thought they weren't built yet!" He then confesses, "I do some work for Jaguar....I founded EVO magazine." I'm like wait, you now look familiar, I've seen your videos! He talks a little bit about Jaguar's need for the "SVR" division like AMG and M.

 

Yes, I recognize him...very cool!

 

Parking at Gooding Auction and Pebble Concours was different this year. All cars parked on the side of the road overlooking the ocean on 17 mile drive and we were bussed into the show. A bit annoyed by the situation, but events were fun.

 

For you Shift!



All the yellow bits are AWD...








Had a great time all wknd long,while attending the Hagerty party in Pebble Beach on Thursday night I was forced to park in the dreaded lot 5 in the Jaguar,had I known it was going to be a dirt lot,I would have driven my F-250 pickup...man what a mess!

Stopped by the Jaguar display at Laguna yesterday and snapped these for you guys...last year was a Red R and this year a grey AWD cutaway model.

Roberto Guerrero and Davy Jones were there again just as cool as a cucumber while I was sweating my **** off...it was waay too hot for Monterey!

Enjoy guys...Roberto told me the base V6 is all you need and the model he prefers over all the others for it's balance.

 

Glad you didn’t have to park in the dust bowl lot which was awful. Too much to see in one day so we plan to spend 2 or 3 days there next year. Will definitely attend the Gooding auction. I watched it live on their web site and they had some amazing cars.

 

Thanks for the Project 7 photos, I would have loved to see it in person. The amount of things to see and do in the entire area mind blowing. My black F-Type looked like 50 year old barn find after leaving lot 5.

 

I bet Jay...I was in the roadster much of the time because the weather was just too nice not to. No way to do it all,just hone in on 1 day event and a night time auction after a fine meal because there's no way you can even half the stuff...unless you own a 'chopper,lol!