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The AutoGuide News Blog is your source for breaking stories from the auto industry. Delivering news immediately, the AutoGuide Blog is constantly updated with the latest information, photos and video from manufacturers, auto shows, the aftermarket and professional racing.

15/12/2011 | By: Amy Tokic

Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance is celebrating 60 years of classic cars. This year event highlights the both prewar and postwar collector cars, and to mark this milestone, Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance is releasing “A Sixty Year Chronicle of Automotive Excellence.”

A must have for classic car enthusiasts, this encyclopedic reference will be a go-to guide, as it features a registry of all entries, entrants and judging results on record (entries are sorted by year, marquee and entrant). Spanning the history of this momentous event from its inception in 1950 to the results of 2010, this book is the definitive reference on Pebble Beach Concours history.

There are two different versions available: the Standard Edition and the Deluxe Edition. The Standard version comes with a cloth binding and stunning dust jacket, while the Deluxe Edition takes it up a notch with an embossed leather binding. Both editions come with a slipcase, ribbon marketers, and feature 700 historical photographs printed on 80 pound paper.

If you want to get one under the tree from Christmas, you can pick up the Standard Edition for $500 and the Deluxe Edition for $1,000. You can order them online at the Pebble Beach Concours online shop.

27/08/2011 | By: Colum Wood

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In case you missed last week’s coverage of the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, we’ve created a video hub for all of our coverage from the week’s festivities. It’s not just historic models either, with plenty of other events being held simultaneously in Monterey, CA that week; not to mention several new car unveilings.

Along with the exotics at Concorso Italiano, new vehicles revealed include the 2013 Lexus GS350, the Infiniti JX Concept, the Lotus Evora GTE Road Car Concept, Cadillac Ciel Concept and the first North American showing of the Aston Martin V12 Zagato.

GALLERY: 2011 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance

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Enjoy the videos after the jump and make sure to subscribe to AutoGuide YouTube channel here:

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25/08/2011 | By: Harry Lay

Lexus has just released a promo clip for the all-new 2013 GS350, highlighting the car’s power and agility. With details provided on the new suspension setup as well as the 306-hp 3.5-liter V6, there are also plenty of stunning visuals.

Recently unveiled at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, get full details on the new GS here.

GALLERY: 2013 GS350

2012 Lexus GS350 02.jpg2012 Lexus GS350 03.jpg2012 Lexus GS350 05.jpg2013 Lexus GS350 08.jpg2013 Lexus GS350 07.jpg2013 Lexus GS350 11.jpg

Check out the video after the jump!

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17/08/2011 | By: Harry Lay

With the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance kicking off tomorrow in Monterey, California, hundreds of collectible cars will be up for sale.

There will be at least five auctions slated for this week, put on by Bonhams, Gooding & Company, Mecum, RM and Russo and Steele. Collector car insurance company Hagerty has compiled the estimated net worth of every car being auctioned this week at a whopping $230 million. Some of the highlighted collector cars include a 1955 Ferrari 750 Monza expected to fetch around $3 million and a 1957 Ferrari 250 TR Prototype that may break the overall record price of a car sold at auction, selling for around $13 million. Two cars formally owned by Steve McQueen will also go under the hammer, including one of his motorcycles.

Stay tuned for updates on the auction!

[Source: Hagerty]

16/08/2011 | By: Harry Lay

The Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance is two days away, and Lotus is gearing up to unleash the Evora GTE Road Car Concept and the Exige Matte Black Final Edition.

The Evora GTE Road Car will be unveiled at the McCall’s Motorworks Revival event Wednesday night, on August 17 at the Monterey Jet Center. This Evora will produce 420-hp with a sequential AMT racing gearbox sending power to the wheels via ultra light forged alloy rims with center-lock hubs and Pirelli P-Zero Corsa tires. After the debut, the sports car will be shown within the Lotus exhibit on Peter Hay Hill from August 18-20, before being displayed on the Concept Car Lawn for the duration of the weekend.

The Exige Matte Black Final Edition which will only be sold in North America, will also premier within the Lotus exhibit on Peter Hay Hill on August 18-21. Lotus will only produce twenty-five Exige Matte Black Final Edition cars, as a farewell model to the lightweight sports car that sold for the last ten years. The Exige will feature a more powerful 257-hp engine, a stealthy black paint job and black Alacantara sport seats.

GALLERY: Lotus Evora GTE Road Car and Exige Matte Black Final Edition

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15/08/2011 | By: Harry Lay

Lexus is set to launch its next-gen GS at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance on August 18, and the vehicle will feature a much smaller engine. Reports from Thailand say that the new model will have an available smaller 2.5-liter V6 engine, along with bigger six cylinder engines. The smaller engine will mean the Japanese automaker can better compete with the BMW 5-Series and Mercedes-Benz’s E-Class.

For the last twenty years, the GS’s smallest engine was the 3.0-liter, but for efficiency reasons, it’s time for change. The engine choice allows Lexus to evade Thailand’s maximum excise tax of fifty percent for cars with more than 220-hp (GS300 has 229). The smaller Lexus IS already uses a 2.5-liter V6 so implementing the engine into the bigger GS will not be an issue. It has not been confirmed as to whether GS250 will be available in North America so we’ll have to keep our fingers crossed. With gas prices the way they are, the GS250 would be an attractive option if looking for a fuel efficient luxury car.

[Source: Paul Tan]

08/08/2011 | By: Nauman Farooq

Have you ever gone to an auto show and fell in love with a concept car? Yes, we have too, so no need to feel embarrassed.

However, if you have the means, you can possibly own two concept cars shown by Ford in the last decade. We are talking about the 2001 Ford Thunderbird Sports Roadster Concept and the 2004 Ford Shelby GR-1 Concept.

Both these vehicles will be presented by RM Auctions at their upcoming event held in Monterey, CA. on August 19th.

Proceeds from the sale will go towards the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, a charity Ford has supported over the years.

As for the cars, while the Thunderbird Sports Roadster concept is a functioning vehicle, the Shelby GR-1 is just a rolling platform. While the GR-1 cannot be driven, we think its still better than buying an ancient oil painting.

RM Auctions predicts the Thunderbird Sports Roadster concept will fetch between $125,000 – $175,000, while the beautiful Shelby GR-1 will get between $150,000 – $200,000.

This auction is part of the annual Pebble Beach Concours event which attracts the worlds rarest cars and also some of the world’s wealthiest people. It truly is an auto show like no other.

GALLERY: Shelby GR-1 Concept

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[Source: Art Daily]

05/08/2011 | By: Colum Wood

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Set to make its Pebble Beach debut alongside the facelifted FX, Infiniti has released the second-to-last teaser image of its JX three-row luxury crossover. While the clear shot of the back of the car does give a better idea of the styling (resembling the QX56 SUV), perhaps more importantly is functionality of the shape, with the boxy rear end a departure from the sloping rear of the FX and EX – both of which have been critiqued for a lack of cargo room.

Just one more photo will be posted on the brand’s Facebook page (www.facebook.com/Infiniti) before the official reveal on August 18th at Pebble Beach. And as an added incentive to send you to the page, Infiniti is running a contest to win a trip for two to the reveal at the Pebble Beach Concours.

After that unveiling the production model will debut at the LA Auto Show in November, with sales starting in the Spring of 2012.

GALLERY: Infiniti JX Concept

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21/07/2011 | By: Colum Wood

Infiniti JX Concept 03.jpg

Infiniti has just released the latest teaser photo of its upcoming 7-seater JX luxury crossover, giving any photoshop expert enough amo to render up a close likeness.

Set to be revealed, in concept form, at the 2011 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance on August 18, between now and that date, the Nissan luxury division will reveal four more teaser photos as a part of the “Power of 7″ marketing campaign. Each photo will be posted on the brand’s Facebook page (www.facebook.com/Infiniti). And as an added incentive to send you to the page, Infiniti is running a contest to win a trip for two to the reveal at the Pebble Beach Concours.

After that unveiling the production model will debut at the LA Auto Show in November, with sales starting in the Spring of 2012.

GALLERY: Infiniti JX Concept

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15/07/2011 | By: Huw Evans

 

He’s been dead since 1980, but the allure of Steve McQueen remains as strong as ever. A notorious car and motorcycle enthusiast, McQueen was responsible for putting some of the most memorable examples of auto culture on the silver screen, including the car chase in Bullet and 1971′s Le Mans, arguably the most realistic motor racing movie ever filmed.

Speaking of Le Mans, a 1970 Porsche 911 S, which was delivered to McQueen on the movie set while he was putting together his masterpiece, is now up for grabs at next month’s RM Auction, which takes place during the same weekend as the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in Monterey.

This classic 911, tucked away for three decades after McQueen sold it in 1971,  is  a genuine Euro spec car and reportedly in stunning original condition, with less than 20,000 km (12,500 miles) on the clock. Another former McQueen car will also be up for grabs, a 1953 Siata 208 S Spider, originally bought by the star in 1956.

Powered by an exotic 2-liter V-8 engine , the Siata eventually wound up back East and was discovered in North Carolina in 1983. It was subsequently restored and painted a custom Ruby Red (it was gray originally). Not too long ago,  in 2008, the engine received a major overhaul, the car as since covered less than 400 miles. The ultra rare 208 is being sold with a collection of memorabilia including original  ownership and workshop manuals, a collection of original spare parts and documentation showing the car was purchased by McQueen, along with FIA paperwork. As a fully functioning, running and driving car, eligible for historic racing events, yet still able to draw accolades at top shows, It’ll likely fetch top dollar.

RM’s Monterey auction runs from August 19-20 and will be hosted at the Portola Hotel and Spa. For more details on these and other cars slated to go under the hammer, click on the link below:

[Source: RM Auctions]