PEBBLE BEACH, Calif.--The Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance is a great place to see a flawlessly restored 1934 Rolls-Royce Phantom II. But the event also features plenty of the latest cars, too.
Attendees en route to the classic car show's awards ceremony Sunday were funneled past a stable of concept cars from many manufacturers at the prestigious golf course near Monterey, Calif. The sixtieth red Ferrari in a single day can seem a bit ho-hum as it rolls past, but there's still plenty to catch a car enthusiast's eye among the concept cars. The models range from thought experiments to real products.
This shot shows the Infiniti Essence, a luxury concept with a 600-horsepower 3.6-liter engine hybridized with a battery. Its drivetrain and styling are expected to be incorporated into future Infiniti models. The car features custom-fitted Louis Vuitton luggage.
Morgan's Aero SuperSports, due to go into production in early 2010, employs a 4.8-litre 367-horsepower BMW V8 engine with a hardwood interior and an aluminum exterior.
The Bugatti Sang Bleu is a one-off version of the Veyron 16.4, a 1,001-horsepower machine that can accelerate to 100kmph in 2.5 seconds and decelerate back to a stop in 2.3 seconds. Its top speed is 407kmph.
The standout feature of the Lotus Evora, compared to many rivals at the Concours d'Elegance, is a back seat. The four-passenger car is due to go on sale in North America in early 2010. It reaches 60mph in 4.9 seconds and has a top speed of 162mph. Lotus' low-mass philosophy also helps boost highway fuel economy north of 30mpg.
The windshield-free Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Stirling Moss has 5.5-liter, 650-horsepower V8 supercharged engine. It can accelerate to 60 mph in less than 3.5 seconds reache a top speed of 208 mph. The company plans to make only 75 of the machines.
The Lincoln C Concept is no snarling supercar, but Ford Motor Company does call it "spirited." It features center-opening doors, a 1.6-liter, 180-horsepower engine, and fuel economy of 43 mpg in highway driving.
Want something sporty and don't mind having your sole passenger sit behind you? Tramontana's Formula 1-esque model here sports a 720-horsepower V12 engine and a carbon fiber body.
The Fisker Automotive Karma Sunset is a plug-in hybrid car set to arrive in showrooms in 2011. The California car company designed it to accelerate to 62mph in 6 seconds and reach a top speed of 125mph.
The Stile Bertone Mantide is based on a 2009 Corvette ZR1.
The Jaguar XJ, with a 510-horsepower engine, is designed to be the carmaker's new top-end model.
