Maybe he will be there…

Million Dollar Cars Star at 8th Annual Concours on Rodeo

Million dollar cars are the stars at 8th Annual Concours on Rodeo in Beverly Hills
June 15, 2005

Motor Trend, June 2005

More than $100 million worth of the world's most exquisite automobiles will highlight the 8th Annual Concours on Rodeo, appearing on the 200, 300, and 400 blocks of Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, considered by many to be one of the world's most famous streets. In a confluence of elegance and style, the event features nearly 100 of the world's most valuable and elegant autos, many which can be seen by the public for the first time on Father's Day, Sunday, June 19.

Vehicles including vintage sports cars, exotics, high-performance supercars, race cars, and coach-built classics will form a spectacular backdrop for the exclusive boutiques of the renowned shopping district. The cars will be judged by a celebrity panel of VIPs, renowned hobbyists, and entertainers as they enhance the excitement and ambiance of Rodeo Drive.

"Our plan for this year's Concours on Rodeo is to emphasize 'The Glitz on Rodeo'," says Paul Feller, president and CEO of Pro Sports & Entertainment, Inc. "We've not only invited a huge host of celebrities to bring their vehicles or act as judges - people like Judd Nelson, Wayne Gretsky, Laurence Fishburne, Nicolas Cage, Jay Leno, and Chad McQueen - but we've also developed special promotions with many of the individual boutiques that line Rodeo."

One of the stars of this year's event is a fully customized Street Racer Herbie from Herbie Fully Loaded to premiere on June 22. This Herbie was driven by Lindsay Lohan and used to film many of the street racing scenes for the movie.

Also highlighted will be a $3.5-million 1957 Maserati 450S (above), owned and exhibited by Charles Bronson, a noted car collector whose vehicles have made headlines throughout the collecting world. The exquisite Maserati, nicknamed the "Monster of Modena" because of the cacophony created by its 4.5-liter engine, was driven in three Sports Car World Championship races. The legendary Stirling Moss drove it in the 1957 Mille Miglia, and then he shared the driving duties with five-time F1 Champion Juan Manuel Fangio at the famed 14-mile Nurburgring circuit before the car went to the grid at the 1957 LeMans 24 Hours.

"When we present this car at Concours on Rodeo, it will mark the first time that the car has been shown at a judged concours event," says Bronson. "When the European rules changed in 1958 to allow only 3.0-liter engines, this car was shipped to the U.S., where it continued to race, driven by another automotive legend, Carroll Shelby, who drove it in four races, posting a victory at the 1958 Palm Springs GP."

The award-winning Maserati will share the spotlight with another impressive marque - a 1936 4.25-liter Bentley Derby. This elegant coach-built classic, only the second Bentley-badged model to be built at the Rolls-Royce factory in Derby, England, is considered one of the most attractive Bentley models ever produced.

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