Rodeo Drive Car Show. BMW. PAGANI…

RECAP: Cars and Superstars light up Rodeo Drive for Annual Father’s Day Car Show 

Last Sunday, Father’s Day, Rodeo Drive was literally transformed into a Road Show of the highest order, filled with spectators attending the 27th annual Rodeo Drive Concours d’Elegance. The atmosphere was electric, showcasing amazing supercars and classics that permeated throughout the entire Golden Triangle of Beverly Hills – even the parking lots were filled with automotive legends (but honestly, there’s nothing new about that in BH, where you’ll see just about everything and anything if you hang around for a few minutes). Although this year’s theme of the show was Rolls Royce, as evidenced by the Petersen Auto Museum’s 1925 Rolls Royce Phantom Round-Door parked in front of the lineup, there was rather a minimal presence of other Rolls models. The sheer variety of automobiles was truly a marvel itself- everything from Oldsmobile Rocket 88’s to Ferrari Enzos (pictured above), the iconic Mercedes-Benz 300SL “Gullwing,” a Pagani Zonda S, and even a Bugatti Chiron owned by YouTube star and real estate investor Manny Khoshbin all made appearances. No matter one’s automotive taste, there was something there for everyone. It was an event where both the cars and the people were dressed to impress. 

FORBIDDEN FRUIT: New BMW M3 Touring-the Hottest Bavarian Beast We Can’t Have 

It’s an enthusiast's dream come true. The perfect blend of performance expected from a BMW M3, with the practicality of a wagon body. It’s one of the most anticipated Bavarian machines in history, given it’s the very first M3 wagon ever built in-house. Although BMW made prototypes of an M3 wagon multiple times, they were never officially launched from the factory. Packing an inline-six pushing out 503 horsepower in the standard “Competition” trim, and all-wheel drive with a drift-mode built-in the new BMW M3 Touring is poised to take on the Mercedes-Benz C63 wagon and Audi RS4 Avant. You can now take your family to and from the racetrack, as well as on the racetrack, all in the same car. It’s a recipe for success that is sure to be a smashing sales hit. For those in the UK, catch the car’s public debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed from June 23-26. 

All that said: it’s a nightmare for the U.S. car enthusiast. That’s right. The New “G81” BMW M3 Touring will not be coming to the U.S. and people are devastated. Enthusiasts have pointed to models such as the Audi RS6 Avant to argue that performance wagons are becoming ever-more popular with the hope that automakers such as BMW would meet growing demand. However, this is not the first time that the U.S. market has been left out of enjoying some of the world’s best cars. It’s actually quite common simply because of more stringent automotive regulations, logistics issues, emissions, and overall costs. It’s going to be a painful 25 years for many before they can import one under existing regulations.   

ANOTHER ONE: Pagani Huayra Codalunga-A Special Edition Pagani But With A Twist  

Boutique hypercar makers such as Bugatti, McLaren, and Pagani have been mocked for the seemingly endless special editions of models that they release, far more than one could count. However, Pagani’s latest special edition, the gorgeous Huayra Codalunga, which means “long-tail” in Italian, is set to take “special” to a whole new level. Limited to just five units starting at a whopping $7.4 million, the new Codalunga is now Pagani’s most expensive edition of its aging Huayra, a car that was released back in 2011. Inspired by the long, low, sexy, and sleek design of 1960s endurance racing cars like those competing at LeMans, the tail of the car has been significantly stretched. These looks are backed up by an increase in power from the Mercedes AMG-sourced twin-turbo V12 increases to 840 horsepower from the original 730 horses. Although the interior (now over a decade old) of the Codalunga is virtually the same as any other Huayra, the exterior, especially the rear, shows a radical departure from the styling of the original Huayras. Each Codalunga is coach built to the desired specifications of each owner by Pagani’s Grandi Complicazioni team. This quite simply is one of the most beautiful cars to ever leave Pagani’s factory, as if the Huayra wasn’t beautiful enough already.

NEW KING IN TOWN: Bentley’s New Continental GT Mulliner Tops Continental Lineup

As if the Continental wasn’t already luxurious enough, Bentley’s new range-topping Continental takes “luxury” to a whole new level. The new Continental GT Mulliner is a first-class grand-tourer featuring luxury and detail at every turn. Featuring a standard V8 and optional 650 horsepower W12, the Continental can hit over 200 mph and take-off to 60 in the mid-three-second range when properly equipped. Bespoke is the name of the game with miles of stitches and leather, a vast palette of colors to choose from, and nearly 100 different wood trim combinations – there’s a mix for everyone. Carrying over numerous features from other Continental trims, it combines the best of Bentley all in one package: sportiness, speed, and limitless luxury. With features such as four-wheel steering, optional carbon-ceramic brakes, anti-roll systems for a smooth ride and stable cornering, and active air suspension, the Bentley is sure to impress inside, outside, and behind the wheel. To further distinguish itself from other Continental models, now including the GT, Azure, GTS, and GT Speed, all in coupe or convertible form, the Mulliner features a different front grille and fender vent design. It truly is everything you could ask for in a Bentley and far, far more. 

Can’t wait to see what next week has in store - stay tuned for more coverage on the exhilarating Goodwood Festival of Speed coming next Thursday on Andrew’s A-List: keeping you in the auto loop.

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