Having just attended the 19th iteration of what I will refer to as a “car culture phenomenon,” I assure you that The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering, continues to grow and mature in directions even its founder Gordon McCall couldn’t foresee.
From an analytical point of view, this year’s success could be measured by a whopping 19 automobile manufacturers that chose to present new models at this year’s event. More than double the debuts of last year, one attendee I spoke with contributed this leap in growth to the Geneva Auto Show being cancelled this year. I beg to differ.
A crossroads of luxury lifestyle and the celebration of the automobile, The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering, continues to evolve far beyond beautiful faces, rolling jewelry, and gossip-hungry press. My father always thought a round of golf was the ultimate business mixer; four individuals wanting to escape life’s daily grind with their guards down about “talking shop.”
Whether one of the five culinary pavilions where strangers often share tables or waiting in line for caviar at the Road & Track refuge, it’s apparent that The Quail provides a platform for cross-pollination between a multitude of people “in the know.”
This year’s event celebrated three unique classes starting with the 50th Anniversary of the BMW “M” Division, founded in 1972. Predictably, “M” stands for motorsport, with the division’s first project being a racecar version of the 3.0 CSL model.
Later came the M1 in 1978, followed by the 1979 release of the M535i, a high-performance version of BMW’s popular 5 Series mid-size sedan.
Next was “70 Years of Jaguar and their Wins at Le Mans.” You may recall the 1950s was a golden era for British motorsport, with 5 of the 10 Le Mans 24 races won by Jaguar).
This class received the most attention due to both the nearby Pebble Beach Concours and Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion also celebrating the start of the Le Mans 24’s 100th anniversary.
Lastly, with a spoonful of whimsical on top was “All Things MINI.” BMC manufactured the British pop-culture icon of the 1960s through 1971. Many regard the Mini as the British version of the VW Bug, and who could argue with over 5 million sold?
Of course, traditional classes are always celebrated centerfield at The Quail and include the staples of motorsports:
- Pre-War Sports & Racing: Jaguar, MG, Alfa Romeo, etc.
- Post-War Sports: Ferrari, Mercedes, Corvette, etc.
- Post-War Racing: Jaguar, Porsche, Allard, etc.
- The Evolution of the Supercar: Lamborghini, Pagani, Bugatti, etc.
- The Great Ferraris: 250 GT, 250 GTO, 275, 375, etc.
- Sports and Racing Motorcycles: Vincent, Triumph, Honda, etc.
Porsche fans are ALWAYS satisfied at the Quail for several reasons. RUF Automobile from Germany displayed its new Bergmeister prototype, while Singer Vehicle Design’s display was packed, showcasing their “Turbo Study” inspired by the original 1975 930.
Guntherwerks of Southern California wowed everybody with both their Tornado and Exoskeleton commissions.
For those wanting to go a little faster, Hypercar manufacturer Pagani displayed an impressive collection of their ware, including 2 Huayra Rs, 3 Zonda Rs, 1 Zonda Revolución; 1 Imola, 1 Huayra BC Coupé, a Huayra BC Roadster, and the North American debut of the Huayra Tricolore.
Other notables included Czinger, who debuted the Longtail 21C V Max, and Gordan Murray Automotive, who unveiled the T.33 and T.50 supercar models.
While everyone has an opinion about how cars should be judged, I appreciate The Quail’s “modus operandi,” where entrants choose class winners in that class, and the Best of Show award is selected by all entrants.
This reduces stress for car owners as they are not forced to clean the bottom of their car with Q-tips worried about what the judges may find. Instead, their fee to enter includes two lawn chairs and lunch, thereby promoting enjoyment by all. This year’s winners included:
Rolex Circle of Champions “Best of Show”
- 1956 Jaguar D-Type
- William Pope – Arizona
Spirit of The Quail
- 1958 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Bertone Sprint Coupe
- Dick McClure – California
Hagerty Drivers Foundation & Preservation Award
- 1972 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona
- Stefano Natoli – California
Octane Choice
- 1959 Citroën Squall Prototype “The French BAT”
- Thomas Hale – Connecticut
Art Center College of Design
- 1963 Chevrolet Corvette
- Mike Vietro – California
50th Anniversary of the BMW M Division
- 1980 BMW M1
- Benjamin Clymer – New York
All Things MINI
- 1965 Austin Mini Cooper ‘S.’
- Eric Breslow – Nevada
70 Years of Jaguar and their Wins at Le Mans
- 1950 Jaguar XK 120 Alloy
- Mark Miller – California
Pre-War Sports & Racing Cars
- 1929 Rolls Royce
- The Hon. Sir Michael Kadoorie – Hong Kong
Post-War Sports 1945-1960
- 1956 Maserati A6G Zagato
- David Smith – Washington
Post-War Sports 1961-1975
- 1964 ATS 2500 GTS
- Stephen Bell – Colorado
Post-War Racing
- 1964 Alfa Romeo TZ
- David Eichenbaum – Florida
Evolution of the Supercar
- 1995 Bugatti EB110SS
- Allegra collection – Carlos DeQuesada – Connecticut
The Great Ferraris
- 1972 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona
- Mike Regalia – California
Sports and Racing Motorcycles
- 1972 Ducati 750 Imola Racer
- Moto Borgotaro – New York
Custom Coachwork
- 1934 Ford Model 40 Special Speedster
- Bruce Wanta – Washington
Car Park Concours de Quailegance
- 1967 Oilstainlab “Half11.”
- Iliya and Nikita Bridan – Canada
While each Car Week event on the Monterey Peninsula has its unique character, the overall experience at this year’s Quail continues to be unbeatable. Where else does your ticket include caviar, oysters, fine wines, and champagne?
With its great food, beautiful people, and a very astute selection of automobiles, the experience is world-class. Founder Gordon McCall once told me, “Cars are fun,” so it’s no wonder he left his judging duties at Pebble to create this great institution we can all look forward to every August.
Until next time…
2022 Quail Motorsports Gathering Photo Gallery
The Peninsula Classics “Best of the Best” for 2022 was awarded to this 1956 Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta Competizione, one of nine built. The beautiful V12-powered 250 GT was raced in the famous Mille Miglia five days after its delivery, along with a handful of hill-climb events. © 2022 Rex McAfee
Rolex ambassador, Jenson Button, takes a moment to pause on the lawns at The Quail Lodge and Golf Club. © 2022 Rolex / Tom O’Neal
Event founder Gordon McCall (right) takes a quick break before getting back to his organization duties. © 2022 Rex McAfee
Bugatti unveiled its W16 Mistral: the ultimate roadster. © 2022 Rolex / Tom O’Neal
Automobile dealer O’Gara Coach, established in 1976, displayed some amazing re-engineered tributes, including the Totem Automobili “GT Super” (far left) and the Kimera Automobili EVO37 in blue. © 2022 Rex McAfee
Incorporating numerous aerodynamic features, Gunther Werks’ “Project Tornado” was shown in all of its 700hp of glory. © 2022 Kahn Media
The Sports and Racing Motorcycles class included this 1929 Indian 101 Scout, and the more primitive 1917 Henderson Model G. © 2022 Rex McAfee
The Rolex Circle of Champions “Best of Show” was awarded to William Pope’s 1956 Jaguar D-Type, chosen for its attention to detail, workmanship, and extensive restoration. © 2022 Rex McAfee
Plenty of smiles for those checking out the debut of the Rolls Royce Phantom Series II. © 2022 Rex McAfee
Road & Track luminaires, die-hards, and enthusiasts enjoyed plenty of champaign and caviar at the R & T “HQ.” © 2022 Rex McAfee
Held on the lawns at The Quail Lodge and Golf Club, the automotive luxury lifestyle event continues to be a major component of Monterey Car Week. © 2022 Rex McAfee
On display at the very popular Koenigsegg booth was the Jesko, a model named after founder Christian von Koenigsegg’s father, Jesko. © 2022 Rex McAfee
The hood ornament on “La Bastioni” is always a fan favorite. © 2022 Rex McAfee
Recently launched Meyers Manx company brought this vintage display, including a VW microbus and traditional dune buggy. It also revealed its new all-electric Manx 2.0 vehicle styled by Freeman Thomas. © 2022 Rex McAfee
Ironically, Porsche’s “Dream in Colors” exhibit displayed the new 2023 911 GT3 RS in…white. © 2022 Rex McAfee
The gorgeous duo of a blue 1965 Ferrari 330 GT and a 1963 Ferrari Superamerica. © 2022 Rex McAfee
Singer Vehicle Design once again shocked the boutique air-cooled Porsche market with its latest “Turbo Study,” inspired by the original 1975 Porsche 930. © 2022 Rex McAfee
Designer of the McLaren M1 supercar, Gordon Murray has now established his own brand, Gordon Murray Automotive, and used The Quail to debut his new T.33 and T.50 supercars to North America. © 2022 Rex McAfee
The flawless and rare 1973 BMW E9 3.0CSL was part of the featured class “50th Anniversary of the BMW M Division.” © 2022 Rex McAfee
Megacar manufacturer Christian von Koenigsegg (left) discusses the reveal of the 20th-anniversary tribute of the original CC8S, the new CC850. © 2022 Rex McAfee
You can’t have a better spokesman for Gordon Murray Automotive than Dario Franchitti. © 2022 Rex McAfee
This Lamborghini Huracán EVO RWD Spyder drew attention, but I would like mine in gloss black please. © 2022 Rex McAfee
The Gordon Murray Automotive T.50 engine is a 65° 4 liter V12 that produces 663 PS @ 11,5000 RPM. © 2022 Rex McAfee
Take your pick from this beautiful trio rosso starting with the 1990 Testarossa, a 1987 Testarossa, or a 1984 308 GTS. © 2022 Rex McAfee
Based on an older Porsche 993 RUF BTR2, RUF unveiled the “Bergmeister” as a tribute to the original Porsche 909 Bergspyder built to conquer the 1968 European Hill Climb Championship. © 2022 Rex McAfee
Paying homage to the 24 Hours of Le Mans centenary celebrations, Bentley brought one of its retired Le Mans 24 racers. © 2022 Rex McAfee
The F1 display from the Juan Gonzalez Collection included this 1995 McLaren MP4-10, 1999 Ferrari F399, and 2009 McLaren MP4-24. © 2022 Rex McAfee
“King for a day” is the goal of how patrons are treated at The Quail. © 2022 Rex McAfee
A nice selection of Lamborghini LM 002s was present, paying homage to the groundbreaking off-road vehicle of years past. © 2022 Rex McAfee
This red 1950 Jag XK120 “Competition” and white 1959 XK150 “Fixed Head Coupe” were part of the featured class “70 Years of Jaguar and Their Wins At Le Mans”. © 2022 Rex McAfee
This 1989 Ferrari F40 is the perfect intercontinental missile for your next Ferrari Clienti track day event. © 2022 Rex McAfee
Early morning light captures this 1965 Cooper Mini S Mk 1, a 1967 Cooper Mini S Mk II, and a 1964 Morris Cooper S factory rally “tribute.” © 2022 Rex McAfee
The 2014 Daedalus Prototype was built to capture the essence of late 1950s European sports racers. © 2022 Rex McAfee
Inspired by the clean lines of 1960s sportscars, Gordon Murray Automotive’s T.33 made its North America debut at The Quail. © 2022 Rex McAfee
This 1966 Bizzarrini P538 certainly drew lots of attention in the Post-War Racing Cars class. © 2022 Rex McAfee
The “Evolution of the Supercar” class included these two Lamborghini Countach 5000 QVs. © 2022 Rex McAfee
Recently spotlighted in various Porsche magazines is the 1956 Porsche 356A, engineered explicitly for snow and ice exploits. © 2022 Rex McAfee
The 1966 Jaguar XJ13 replica was a stunning addition to the featured class “70 Years of Jaguar and their Wins at Le Mans.” © 2022 Rex McAfee
This 1967 Shelby American “King Cobra” was the last Shelby produced and, for various reasons, never competed. © 2022 Rex McAfee
The Post-War Sports class wouldn’t be complete without a Rudge-wheel equipped Mercedes Benz 300SL “Gullwing.” © 2022 Rex McAfee