AutoMania:
It’s that time of year again! No, not the Daytona or the Indy 500 or even the Le Mans. It’s Auto Week in Monterey. It’s the mythical time in August when thousands of sparkling automobiles descend on the numerous auction platforms around the city to see just how good the public thinks the economy is.
Well, signs are a bit shaky. Last year the auction houses did not see quite the revenue they were hoping for. RM Sotheby's, Mecum, Bonhams, and Gooding Christie's, were expecting a big week, but the final tallies came up short.
Classic car insurer Hagerty which owns Broad Arrow Auctions, found that the auctions netted only $391.6 million, including post-auction sales. That was down 3% from the previous year and considerably below the $459 million estimate. Hagerty does not anticipate a rebound this year and looks to be about the same as last year.
There are still high dollar cars headed for the auction block if you are interested in a Ferrari 350 GTB Daytona or a GT 250 California Spider in the $8 -$10 million range, but most of us are not in that market. But there does seem to be a trend toward modern super cars from the mid 70’s and up. Now that might be something you could have in your garage.
But whatever your taste, Monterey car week, ending with the spectacular Pebble Beach Concours, is something every auto enthusiast needs to do at least once.
Submitted by Linda Young 8-14-25
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Is It For Real??
THIS JUST IN! For those of you who love racing movies, in the wake of the popularity of "F1", "Days of Thunder" is roaring back into conversation as a sequel! Yes, after 30 years it has been confirmed by original producer Jerry Bruckheimer that Tom Cruise is expected to return as Cole Trickle, but the plot details and cast remain under wraps. Director Joseph Kosinski hinted at a cinematic crossover between Days of Thunder and F1 the movie. In a GQ interview, he floated a collision of worlds with Tom Cruise’s Trickle facing off against Brad Pitt’s Sonny Hayes in a go-kart showdown, an idea sure to capture imaginations. With the buzz around F1 and Cruise on board for more racing drama, fans might see two legends battling it out in ways only big-budget Hollywood can deliver.