An Exciting Day At The Quail – A Motorsports Gathering

The Quail – A Motorsports Gathering is a different sort of concours.  It is an upscale affair, like an afternoon garden party with automobiles and food as the featured guests.  Held on the beautiful grounds of The Quail Lodge in Carmel, California, the setting makes splendid back drop for glorious cars.  It is far enough into the valley where by 10:00 a.m. there is bright streaming sunshine, translation in in female fashion-speak; one can dress for this event, not hide the great outfit under wraps. The Quail honored the 100th Anniversary of Maserati like other events around the Peninsula during the week.  Unofficially it could have been called Maserati Week.

Unlike other concours, The Quail gives equal time to the new and the old.  The perimeter is lined with various manufacturers showcasing their newest models in vibrant colors.  The field began to hush as Lamborghini Huracán LP 620-2 Super Trofeo was unveiled, a Huracan for racing.  Bugatti represented en-masse with all six of the Veyron Legends Editions which commemorate individuals with a crucial role in Bugatti history.

•  Jean-Pierre Wimille
•  Jean Bugatti
• Meo Costantini
• Rembrandt Bugatti
• Black Bess
• Ettore Bugatti

Pagani, Porsche and Ferrari each had a sample of their latest supercar or sportscar offering. Land Rover, BMW and Audi offered some of their more spirited daily drivers. Ten classes of motoring pleasure from vintage cars and motorcycles to racing dynamos and hot supercars parked centerfield for all to mingle with.

Did you know Maserati made a motorcycle?  A full size 2006 Ford GT and the Mini-Me version received lots of attention. Automotive Restorer and TV personality Wayne Carini sat down with Nick Mason, well known car guy and drummer of Pink Floyd, and Neal Schon, legendary musician and co-founder of Journey to talk automotive war stories.

Sprinkled between the manufactures on the perimeter were bountiful feasts themed by cuisine where anyone could sit down at cloth covered tables and dine on an array of foods prepared by select local restaurants.  No pedestrian show food here, upscale eats only.  Ooh-la-la there was even a caviar booth!  As part of the price of admission, the food, wine and sparkly Louis Roederer champagne flowed endlessly.

All in, it was a fabulous day at The Quail, exhaustive but fun and full of automotive eye-candy.