The Quail, a Motorsports Gathering pays tribute to rally cars

The magnificent, the exquisite, the outrageous, the beautiful. The Quail, a Motorsports Gathering, unites everything Monterey Car Week stands for in one location. Here is an overview.

The Quail, a Motorsports Gathering is in all probability the world’s most prestigious car event. All the luxury car makers, the boutique brands, the top classic car brokers, they all want to connect with potential clients at the Quail event, one of the highlights of Monterey Car Week. Singer, Kalmar Automotive, Pininfarina, Ruf,…

Outrageous

Alongside the presentation of new sports cars and restomods – one more outrageous than the other – there is also the Concours hosed by the Peninsula Hotels. The Quail golf club opens its grounds to a selection of classic cars, race cars and supercars.

Audi Sport Quattro

One of the selected themes this year saw The Quail bring a salute to world rally cars. Ranging from wild Group B cars such as the Peugeot 205 T16 or the Lancia Delta S4, including later Group A Fords and WRC Subarus, without forgetting early participants in the world rally championship – founded in 1973 – such as the Lancia Fulvia HF. In the end, it was the 1985 Audi S1E2 Group B, entered by Stephen Rimmer, that was awarded class victory among the rally cars.

Fifty years of the Laguna Seca circuit was another of the celebrations.

Delahaye

Ultimately, the Best of Show award went to Sam and Emily Mann’s 1937 Delahaye Type 135. It was originally a Type 145 race car, with a 240-hp twelve-cylinder engine. According to Delahaye historian André Vaucourt, Ecurie Bleue driver René Dreyfus used this chassis to beat the Mercedes Silver Arrows in the Pau Grand Prix in France, 1938. The chassis was later rebodied to become a road car.

Shelby’s MG

Aaron Shelby – grandson of Carroll – won the Spirit of The Quail Trophy with the 1949 MG TC his grandfather used as his first race car. With 100 years of MG also on the agenda, Phil Hill’s MG TC was also on display.

Viper GTS-R

Other competition cars taking awards were Brian Ross’ 1952 Ferrari 340 Mexico (The Great Ferraris) and Michael Dacre’s 1925 Morris MG 14/28 Bullnose Supersports. Bernard Kress’ Bugatti Type 57 was best pre-war Sports and Racing Car, and the 2001 ‘PlayStation’ Chrysler Viper GTS-R Florent Moulin entered, got best post-war Racing Car.