One of the most exclusive events on the Pebble Beach Car Week calendar took on a more down to earth feel this year as a number of Shelby GT350 Mustangs made the trip from Laguna Seca to Quail Lodge, escorted by the California Highway Patrol. The white and blue-striped muscle cars made an interesting distraction from the many high-end classics on show, which included a beautifully liveried – and refreshingly not resale red – Ferrari 250GTO.
They were joined by a host of 246GTs and a similarly blue 500 Mondial.
The Porsche offering was also strong, with a number of 356s in varying states of repair lined up opposite the latest Bugatti Veyron, which drew less attention than the classics.
The latest BMW CSL Hommage was also on show, with the original car taking pride of place at the centre of the golf course.
A big year for Ferrari was marked by a collection of more modern examples, including a stunning F50 – a hit with the younger members of the crowd.
Not all the cars on display were so easily recognisable, with a smattering of one-offs adding something different from the rows of identical classics. A particular highlight was the 1957 Arnold Special, which was created by a 20-year-old enthusiast in British Columbia over a period of four years. The stunning yet functional aluminium bodywork hid a Triumph TR3 engine, which was put through its paces at Laguna Seca in the days following the event.
