MARCH 11, 2020

(Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance photos)
A 1929 Duesenberg J-218 Town Limousine and 1973 Porsche 917/30 Can-Am Spyder were crowned this year’s Best in Show on March 8, 2020 at the 25th annual Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance. In celebration of the event's Silver Anniversary, the concours featured a special "homecoming" of alumni honorees. At the center of the celebration was famed racer, team owner and international businessman - "The Captain" - Roger Penske. The Duesenberg was once owned by Captain George Whittell Jr., heir to an impressive California gold rush and real estate fortune and the ultimate playboy of his day. Whittell Jr. famously liquidated his entire stock portfolio (approximately $50 Million at the time) just two weeks before the infamous stock market crash of 1929. A larger-than-life public figure in San Francisco society, Whittell engaged in numerous escapades with women, reckless street racing and outrageous public appearances. Whittell collaborated with Murphy Coachbuilders for a fleet of custom Duesenbergs. This distinctive Murphy bodied Town Limousine sports an aluminum roofline that allows the doors to be curved upward into the roof. This feature was carried forward into several future designs for Murphy. The most distinctive features of the J-218 were the angled windshield, surrounded by "clear vision" window pillars and the classic Art Deco paint scheme. The bare aluminum beltline was polished to a mirror finish to divide the black bottom from the white top. Chrome flashes such as the door hinges, tool and battery doors complete the look. Vent doors in the hood rather than louvers are also a special feature. 

The famous Penske Racing 1973 Porsche 917/30 Can-Am Spyder owned by Rob Kauffman of Charlotte, North Carolina, took home the Best in Show Concours de Sport Trophy. "It is to me the perfect racing car," said Indy 500, Can-Am and Trans Am Champion Mark Donohue of Porsche's all-conquering 1500HP 917/30. It powered him to six victories in eight races in 1973, and to the Can-Am Championship. After nearly a half century the magnificent Porsche 917/30 is still the most powerful circuit racing car ever made. While no one knows the car's ultimate top speed it easily achieved speeds of over 200 mph at circuits like Road America, Watkins Glen and Riverside. It set a closed course speed record of 221.16 mph at Talladega Superspeedway in a special one-off effort in 1975. Now 50 years later, that remains the fastest lap ever recorded on the steeply banked superspeedway in Alabama. “The 1929 Duesenberg J-218 Town Limousine and 1973 Porsche 917/10 Can-Am Spyder both embody the spirit of our awards,” said Bill Warner, Chairman and Founder of the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance. “The judges had a tough challenge in a field a cars that would win Best of Show at many other concours. I am pleased they did due diligence and continue to recognize the best and most extraordinary vehicles in existence, right here in Northeast Florida.

(RUF images)
RUF Automobile GmbH, the Pfaffenhausen, Germany-based manufacturer and creator of bespoke sports cars that combine performance and suitability for everyday use, has unveiled the first production RUF SCR and something completely different, the RUF Rodeo Concept. The RUF SCR features a 4.0L normally aspirated flat-six engine producing 510HP with 470 Nm of torque and it weighs-in at 1,250 kg. The engine is mated to a six-speed manual gearbox and the car’s spoiler generates high downforce, keeping the RUF SCR stable at its top speed of 199 mph. The RUF Rodeo Concept was inspired by the Rodeo Drive Concours d’Elegance and its founder – and friend of RUF – Bruce Meyer, as well as by Ralph Lauren and his 2011 Western Collection, and RUF enthusiast and collector Phillip Sarofim who has roots in Texas. The car features the same carbon fibre monocoque chassis as the CTR Anniversary and the SCR, but with a four-wheel drive system to tackle off-road use, larger all-terrain tires, longer-travel suspension and more. The Rodeo Concept can accommodate either a normally aspirated or turbo-charged RUF flat-six engine. “When we began building our own automobiles it was all for the thrill of the drive,” said Estonia Ruf, marketing director of RUF Automobile GmbH. “The Rodeo Concept combines that passion for cars with the love of western culture – an appreciation I found while studying in Oklahoma. This car is inspired by some of our favorite people and our love for the countryside.”

(Audi images)
Audi PR minions say that its new 2020 RS Q8 "combines the genes of a high-performance RS model with the practicality of an SUV and the dynamic design of an Audi coupe." The monster SUV has a bi-turbo 4.0-liter V8 with 591HP and 590 lb-ft of torque. The RS Q8 accelerates from 0-60 mph in 3.7 seconds and achieves a top track speed of 155 mph (or 190 mph when equipped with the RS ceramic brakes). Apropos of pretty much nothing, the RS Q8 is currently the fastest production SUV to lap the Nürburgring with an official time of 7 minutes and 42.2 seconds. How much? The MSRP is $113,000. The price excludes the $995 destination charge, taxes, title, other options and dealer charges. Dealer sets actual price. (So beware.)

Editor's Note: Wednesday, March 4, was GM EV Day, an event at GM's Design Dome at the Technical Center in Warren, Michigan, during which GM outlined in detail its path toward an all-electric future. GM showed several EVs from its four divisions, which will all be launching new EVs starting this year. GM showed the Hummer electric pickup and SUV, the Cadillac Lyriq electric crossover and the Cadillac Celestiq, a stunning EV flagship sedan. In addition to a new version of the Chevrolet Bolt EV, launching in late 2020, we also saw the Bolt EUV, which will launch in summer 2021 as a 2022 model. The Bolt EUV will be the first vehicle outside of the Cadillac brand to feature Super Cruise, the industry's first true hands-free driving technology for the highway. GM will expand Super Cruise to 22 vehicles by 2023, including 10 by next year. The heart of today's story is Ultium, GM's new modular EV architecture, which will be capable of 19 different battery and drive unit configurations, 400-volt and 800-volt packs with storage ranging from 50 kWh to 200 kWh, with the latter enabling a GM-estimated range of up to 400 miles or more on a full charge. This architecture will also enable front, rear and all-wheel drive configurations. -WG Editor-in-Chief's Note: GM brought its full EV story forward today in what was an outstanding presentation. The GM battery design/development/technical execution/manufacturing/performance strategy was particularly impressive. And I was wowed by the gutsy call to commit to building a dramatic Cadillac showpiece sedan - the stunning Celestiq. It not only demonstrates genuine design reach in the glorious Harley Earl-Bill Mitchell tradition, it's a statement of confidence that was not only unexpected, but emotionally compelling. The Celestiq is a showstopper and I absolutely loved it. One point of interest for the assembled media was that GM CEO Mary Barra said that these new GM EVs would be profitable from the get-go. That seemed to pique their interest, but I'm not sure it should be the focus for these next-generation machines. Given the pricing of EVs in general (as in high), I'm not sure I would have talked profitability if I were GM. Instead, I would recommend that they employ the initial Lexus sales strategy from way back when - even losing money if they have to - while pricing some of these vehicles aggressively in order to get as many of them into the hands of the people as they can. Overall, I thought GM demonstrated its technical expertise in a way that projects a new GM for a new era. -PMD

AE Song Lyrics of the Week:

Six o'clock already
I was just in the middle of a dream
I was kissin' Valentino
By a crystal blue Italian stream

But I can't be late
'Cause then I guess I just won't get paid
These are the days
When you wish your bed was already made

It's just another manic Monday
I wish it was Sunday
'Cause that's my funday
My I don't have to runday
It's just another manic Monday

Have to catch an early train
Got to be to work by nine
And if I had an airoplane
I still couldn't make it on time

'Cause it takes me so long
Just to figure out what I'm gonna wear
Blame it on the train
But the boss is already there

It's just another manic Monday
I wish it was Sunday
'Cause that's my funday
My I don't have to runday
It's just another manic Monday

All of the nights
Why did my lover have to pick
Last night to get down?
Doesn't it matter
That I have to feed the both of us
Employment's down

He tells me in his bedroom voice
"C'mon honey, let's go make some noise"
Time it goes so fast
(When you're having fun)

It's just another manic Monday
I wish it was Sunday
'Cause that's my funday
My I don't have to runday
It's just another manic Monday

I wish it was Sunday
'Cause that's my funday
It's just another manic Monday

"Manic Monday" - Performed by Bangles, written by Prince.* Watch it here. 

*Prince wrote this alliterative song under the name "Christopher" (the name of his character in his movie Under the Cherry Moon), and it became the Bangles first hit. The purple one discovered the group after coming across the video for one of their early singles, "Hero Takes a Fall," on MTV. He showed up at a Bangles gig in Los Angeles, then he put together a very special mixtape for the group - one with two original songs he had written and wanted them to record. In an interview with Susanna Hoffs of the Bangles, she explained: "I went and picked up a cassette. It had two songs on it and one of them was 'Manic Monday.' The other was called 'Jealous Girl.' I have to look up that cassette. I know I have it. It's in a box somewhere. The demo just had a girl singing it. I think he was offering us the track so we'd sing it the same way. But we wanted to do the whole thing from the ground up." The Bangles recorded "Manic Monday" with the appropriate trepidation that comes with a song written by a superstar. Hoffs recalls: "I remember going in and singing that song and being on the mike and it was kind of like red light fever. I knew it was a Prince song and I wanted to do a great job on it. I remember David (producer David Kahne) was really excited; you pick up on those vibes and it's just the best feeling in the world. Recording is so psychological, there's so much pressure, because there's a lot at stake and you want to make sure you do your very best to get it captured on tape. It was taped back then. We didn't have Pro Tools, so you were always in danger of destroying something that was good already. Prince came to our rehearsal after the record was done, and he was really thrilled with how it came out. I think he might have said something like, 'Oh, I was surprised you guys didn't use my track,' or something. But he was very happy with it." (Thank you to songfacts.com)