2010 Marin Sonoma Concours photos

The second annual Marin Sonoma Concours was well attended (almost a bit too crowded) and had something for everyone.  My only disappointment was that there was only one French car, a Citroen 2CV Charleston.

Bentley Continental R.

Mercedes 450 SLC 5.0.  1 of 1,636.  It came with an aluminum engine, doors, trunk lid, and hood.

Audi ur-Quattro (for sale for $16,000) with Chrysler 300C and Lincoln in the background.  Every 35 to 42 year old male there was gawking at the Audi.

VW Wolfsburg 1.

VW Wolfsburg 2.

VW Wolfsburg 3.

Aston Martin Rapide.  This is the first one I've seen in the flesh.  It just looks like a stretched Aston Martin coupe.  The doors swing out and up at an angle.  Kinda odd.  Still very cool looking though.

Mercedes SLS AMG interior.  This is also the first time I've seen a real life SLS.  It is huge.  Talk about model bloat (vis-a-vis the original Gullwing).

I'm not a huge fan of pre-war American cars, but these hood ornaments are pieces of art by themselves.  This is a Pierce-Arrow.

Packard swan.

Cadillac.

Lincoln.

Another first for me-- a Bizzarrini.  

Corvette engine in the Bizzarrini.

Morgan Super Sports JAP.

Bugatti Type 39A.

Obligatory Bugatti shot.

2010 Moraga Community Faire car show

There were just two dozen cars on display but they were all fantastic.

This 1947 Bentley estate was a head scratcher.  I voted for this as my favorite.

One out of eight cars on display were Maseratis.  I like those odds.

This is the second Indy I have seen in my life.

Maserati Merak flying buttress

There are always interesting cars at car show parking lots.  It's like moths to a flame.  Here is a Qvale Mangusta.

VW Phaeton with Bentley badge

I saw a strange thing yesterday.  I was walking through a parking lot and heard a loud growl behind me.  A car was passing me.  With my peripheral vision, I saw and recognized the front of a Phaeton.  The engine was louder than usual so I assumed it had a W12 engine.  (I don't think I've ever heard the sound of a W12 before.)

But as it passed me, I did a double take of the car's rear end.  It still said Phaeton on the back.  But instead of a VW logo dead center, there was a Bentley logo.  It looked almost exactly like this Photoshopped picture I found on the net.

Was this just a nod to the fact that Bentley Continental Flying Spurs and Phaetons were made at the same factory (until 2006)?  Or did this Phaeton actually have the twin turbocharged W12 of the Bentley?

The 10-For-1 Car Collection

Imagine for a moment. You've got a great job and a wonderful (and practicality-minded) wife. This year, you've done really well at work. REALLY well. You say to yourself: Self, I need to treat myself to a nice car and tell the world-- I've arrived.

Of course, you want a new Bentley. And since you're buying a new one, you might as well opt for some 20" rims and a fancy pearlescent paint job. You plan on spending 135,000 pounds ($220,000 U.S.).

To which your wife says: Hell no. There is no way you are buying a new Bentley. It's not practical. It's ostentatious. It's just not right.

End of story? No. Chad (not his real name) is creative, stubborn, and a wee bit spiteful. He decided instead to buy ten used cars with an average price of 13,500 pounds each. That'll show her!

Chad's criteria are simple-- the cars have to be BLACK, fast, and desirable. This is what he ended up buying:

1995 Range Rover Vogue (former drug dealer car picked up cheap at a police auction)

1990 Jaguar XJS convertible

2005 Ford Mustang

1995 M3

1999 TVR Chimera

1982 Bentley Mulsanne Turbo

1989 Porsche 944 cabrio

1982 Porsche 911 SC with Targa top

1984 Mercedes 350SL

Up to this point, Chad had purchased nine cars. Their average price was less than 13,500. Only the 911 SC Targa went over the self-imposed 13,500 pound limit. So what was his last purchase?

1990 Aston Martin Virage

At the end of the day, Chad had 5,000 pounds left! Good job, Chad.

Thanks, AK, for the tip.

Photo credits: Mustang, Merc R107, Bentley, Aston, 944, 911, XJS, Chimera, Range Rover, M3.