Tag Archives: Monterey Car Week

News

BMW Steals the Spotlight at Legends of the Autobahn with the New M2 CS

Legends of the Autobahn has always been a highlight of Monterey Car Week—a gathering where unicorn-spec BMWs suddenly seem as common as coffee shops in Munich. Every August, the brand rolls out its most intriguing toys for enthusiasts to drool over. This year, all eyes were on BMW’s latest crown jewel: the M2 CS, a compact coupe turned fire-breathing track weapon.

The example BMW brought to Pebble Beach wasn’t just any M2 CS. Draped in Individual Velvet Blue metallic, a color exclusive to the model’s launch, it shimmered under the California sun like a perfectly tailored suit. Bronze-painted forged wheels—19-inch fronts, 20-inch rears—anchor the look, housing red calipers and sticky Pirelli rubber (275s up front, 285s out back). The stance is purposeful, the attitude unmistakably M.

Step inside, and the changes are less about luxury and more about discipline. BMW has shaved grams wherever possible: the center armrest is gone, a carbon-fiber console replaces plastic, and optional bucket seats—borrowed from the M3 and M4—plant driver and passenger firmly in place. Carbon fiber weaves its way across the cabin, while Alcantara wraps the steering wheel. Red “CS” accents serve as constant reminders that this isn’t your neighbor’s M2.

Of course, the real fireworks are under the hood. BMW’s twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter S55 straight-six churns out 523 horsepower and 479 pound-feet of torque. That’s 50 more ponies than the standard M2 and even a step above the M3 and M4 Competition. Rear-wheel drive and a manual gearbox keep the formula pure, while a CFRP roof, ducktail spoiler, and CS-specific grille push it further into cult-classic territory. The result? The most hardcore, most powerful rear-drive M car on sale today.

BMW didn’t stop with the M2 CS. Onlookers also caught a Sepia Brown metallic M5 Touring, along with a parade of vintage M cars that kept the purists grinning. But even surrounded by legends, the CS managed to stand out as a future classic in the making.

Until BMW builds an M2 CSL, the M2 CS remains the undisputed king of the 2 Series lineup—and judging by the reception in Monterey, it’s already earned its spot among BMW’s modern greats.

Source: BMWBlog

News

Aston Martin Marks 75 Years in the Americas with Monterey Takeover and Thrillseeker Collection

Aston Martin is heading to Monterey Car Week 2025 with a celebration befitting its 75th anniversary in the Americas. The British marque has promised one of the most commanding presences on the peninsula this August, anchored by the global debut of the Thrillseeker Collection—a trio of bespoke open-top sports cars—and the long-awaited production reveal of the Valhalla, Aston’s first mid-engined series-production supercar.

The Thrillseeker Collection: Dawn to Dusk in Metal

The star attraction at The Quail: A Motorsports Gathering will be the Thrillseeker Collection, a limited run of just nine bespoke convertibles from Q by Aston Martin, the brand’s personalization division. Each car in the trio is finished in a hue inspired by the shifting light over California’s Carmel Bay.

  • Vantage Roadster in Mako Blue mirrors the cool tones of dawn skies and fog rolling off the Pacific.
  • DB12 Volante in Seychelles Blue channels the bright energy of midday sun.
  • Vanquish Volante in Ultramarine Black embodies the mystery and drama of twilight.

Bronze accents unify the trio—wheels, side strakes, and a center dial all echoing the amber hues of the coastal sun—paired with a bespoke luggage set to underline the GT ethos. Each Thrillseeker has already been spoken for, with deliveries set to begin in Q4 2025.

Valhalla: From Concept to Carbon Reality

While the Thrillseekers will be eye candy for collectors, the headline reveal is the Valhalla. First teased as a concept in 2019, the production version makes its U.S. debut at both The Quail and the Pebble Beach Concept Car Lawn.

The Valhalla is not just another Aston: it’s the company’s first series-production mid-engined supercar, first plug-in hybrid, and the first to offer dedicated EV range capability. Its development has been heavily informed by Aston Martin Performance Technologies and the brand’s Formula 1 program, meaning lightweight construction, aerodynamics born from motorsport, and powertrain sophistication that signals a new era for Gaydon.

The House of Aston Martin

Beyond the show lawn, Aston Martin is building a full Monterey ecosystem. At The House of Aston Martin, a private villa adjacent to Pebble Beach’s Spyglass Hill Golf Course, invited guests will engage in specification sessions for upcoming models, sip Glenfiddich as part of a new brand partnership, and mingle with Aston executives. The villa will host displays of the Thrillseeker Collection, the Valhalla, and the refreshed DBX S and Vantage S, marking the revival of the “S” performance badge.

Guests will also be treated to drive experiences out of Carmel Valley’s Bernardus Lodge, with the brand’s current portfolio—from the DBX707 super-SUV to the DB12 Super Tourer and flagship Vanquish V12—available to sample on California’s most engaging canyon and coastal roads.

Culmination at Pebble Beach

The celebrations culminate on the Sunday stage of the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, where Aston Martin will host VIPs from the crack-of-dawn “Dawn Patrol” through Best in Show. The brand positions this as a once-in-a-lifetime vantage point at the world’s most revered Concours.

A Word from Gaydon

“Monterey Car Week is the perfect backdrop to celebrate Aston Martin’s 75th anniversary in the Americas,” said Jolyon Nash, Chief Commercial Officer. “From bespoke creations such as the stunning Thrillseeker Collection, to the array of new sports cars and derivatives on display, alongside the much-anticipated Valhalla, this week exemplifies our commitment to craftsmanship, performance, and prestige.”

With nine sold-out convertibles, a first-of-its-kind supercar, and a fortified presence across the peninsula, Aston Martin isn’t just celebrating its past in Monterey—it’s signaling its future.

Source: Aston Martin

CONCEPT CARS

Lexus LFR: The LFA’s Spiritual Successor or the LC500’s Angrier Cousin?

Well, this was unexpected. You go to The Quail expecting to be fed canapés and watch a billionaire try to reverse a McLaren Speedtail into a hedge, and Lexus turns up with something that looks like it escaped from Gran Turismo 8. They’re calling it the Sport Concept—which sounds like what a PowerPoint file would be named before marketing gets involved—but we all know what’s really going on here. This is the first proper glimpse of what we’ve been whispering about for ages: the Lexus LFR.

And, my word, it’s gorgeous. Imagine an LFA and an LC500 got stuck in a wind tunnel together, were left overnight, and in the morning you found this thing sitting there with a smug grin.

Lexus is keeping its cards closer to its chest than a poker player at the world championships, but here’s what we do know. It’s a front-engine, rear-drive, twin-turbo V8 job with what’s likely a rear transaxle—because the engine’s pushed so far back it’s practically trying to escape into the firewall. There’s a Toyota twin too, but that one won’t be coming to the US. Shame. Oh, and it’s going to form the bones for Toyota’s next GT3 race car, which means under all that concept flash, this thing is serious.

The details are delicious: exhaust pipes hiding under the rear wing like some secret weapons system, giant rear vents that could have been lifted from the LFA’s design sketchbook, and big side intakes that might feed cooling air to brakes, the gearbox, or possibly the afterburners. On the rear brake light, there are four tiny fans—no one’s saying what they do, but it’s the sort of thing that makes car nerds rub their hands like Victorian villains.

Of course, it’s still very much a concept car. There’s no interior—just blacked-out windows—and even the Bridgestone logos were shaved off the tyres, presumably so we’d focus on the bodywork rather than start price-matching rubber. But Lexus’s promise that the production car will look “a lot like this” is enough to have us making the sort of noise you normally reserve for spotting a wild Ferrari F40 in traffic.

Fun fact: Toyota and Lexus actually benchmarked the AMG GT R when developing it, because it’s one of the best front-engine, rear transaxle sports cars in recent memory. This explains the proportions, the long bonnet, and the confident stance. It’s also a cheeky nod that Lexus isn’t aiming for “good for a Lexus” anymore—they’re aiming for world class.

The last time Lexus gave us a truly uncompromising sports car, it was called the LFA. It had a screaming V10, cost as much as a country estate, and was instantly one of the best cars on Earth. Now, this? This looks like they might be ready to do it again—but with turbos, race-car DNA, and just enough attitude to make the Germans sweat.

Brace yourselves. The LFR might just be coming. And it’s not here to play nice.

Source: Lexus; Photo: Brian Silvestro / Motor1