The past month was certainly eventful for the car scene in Melbourne, prompting us to celebrate it by outlining the highlights from the spotting world and discussing the major events - not least of which were Ferrari's 70th Anniversary celebrations and the annual Motorclassica. New ArrivalsLet's start with some of the newest supercars seen roaming Melbourne's streets and laneways.
Noteworthy PostsThe following are just three highlights from the nearly 50 spots we posted for the month of October:
new modelsMercedes-AMG GT R A host of brand new models surfaced on our roads in October. First off, the Mercedes-AMG GT R. This is such a huge release, we dedicated a whole blog post to it. If you haven't read it yet, get on it! So far in Melbourne we've counted three in green, and one in white. The first was actually delivered in September, but it was this month we really started to notice them. There is a matte grey one on its way which we are hoping to see in November. Porsche 911 991.2 GT3 Another car that's beginning to surface in Melbourne is the new series-991.2 Porsche 911 GT3. The GT3 now has a 4.0L engine leaving some series 1 GT3 RS owners somewhat miffed thanks to its $100k cheaper price tag. Lamborghini Huracán Performante This one just snuck in on the last day of the month! There's been a demonstrator Performante in Melbourne for some time now, but this spot on the Monash Freeway confirms customer deliveries will soon commence. P.S. ever seen a tow truck with heritage style plates? Classic CornerThough somewhat harder for us to obtain, photos of classic cars are always met with welcoming reception on our page. Having already mentioned the 1967 Lamborghini, this month we'll focus on two gorgeous Aston Martins; the DB2 and the DB6. The DB2 was produced from 1950 to 1953 replacing the 2-Litre Sports, now known as the DB1. Only 411 were built. Produced between 1965 and 1971, the DB6 has production numbers approaching 1,800. Spot of the Month
General NewsIn general news, the talk of the car world in Melbourne during October was certainly the Ferrari National Rally. This year it coincided with the 70th Anniversary of Ferrari, meaning that there was some serious machinery on show. Early Tuesday morning, the rally convened at Albert Park for a send off - crowds (and a Channel 7 News helicopter) turned out to witness the spectacle that was about 100 Ferraris, to the flavour of Rosso Corsa, Giallo Modena, Nero, Blu, and a spot of Green to top it off. Highlights of course included a couple of 458 Speciales and Apertas, a 360 Challenge Stradale, a host of 488s, and of course, the ultimate talking point was a LaFerrari Aperta. The Aperta is owned by Ferrari itself, and is doing the press-rounds all over the Asia-Pacific region this year to celebrate its launch. From Albert Park, the convoy travelled in magnificent weather to Cruden Farm, to participate in the concorso competition. Throughout the remainder of the week, the participants travelled all over Victoria, following a pre-prepared route that had taken months of planning to ensure that it travelled to the best motoring spots in Victoria and the Mornington Peninsula. A track day down at Phillip Island was an obvious inclusion, which saw even a 458 GT3 car have a run with the road cars. The convoy finished its epic tour at Motorclassica on Saturday, parking up outside the Royal Exhibition Building around the main fountain, forming a spectacular Italian sunflower of sorts. On the Sunday the group painted Lygon Street red with the east end closed for a display of the supercars, which had come from all corners of Australia. The LaFerrari Aperta remained inside the Exhibition Building for Motorclassica, but in its place was a lovely Ferrari 812 Superfast. Check out the absolutely first class gallery of photos shot by MCS follower, Nathan Stirling, below:
Alongside the several Aventadors, Huracáns, and Gallardos, we were also lucky enough to witness a Verde Ithaca Huracan Performante, as well as a blue Diablo SV. Lamborghini customers each paid $6,000 to be part of the tour, while two cars were flown from New Zealand specifically for the event with a freight cost of $15,000 each. We're lucky to have another breathtaking gallery of photos below, this time provided by MCS follower and talented professional photographer, Joel Strickland. A team of videographers captured the events that transpired, and put together the footage in the video below which was posted to the international Lamborghini YouTube channel. How could we not mention that the annual Motorclassica was held in October, too? It really has been an action-packed month for car enthusiasts.
A new section to MC this year was the 'Australian' section, featuring a vast array of Holdens and Fords, all with unique motorsports or historical significance. Of particular note was the 1-of-1 Holden Efijy (above), a 2005 prototype car that bears a strong resemblance to something straight out of the 1950s; it's a great shame that they only made the one! A Holden Sandman van was another fan favourite, perfect for those hot Summer days down at the beach. Outside the main building, fans were treated to an array of club displays over the weekend, including the ever-popular Mercedes Club with the 300SL Gullwing that appears annually, Porsche 356 Club, BMW Club, Citroën Club, and several others. Unbelievably, there was a Ferrari F40LM and a Silver Ferrari Enzo as part of the Lorbek Club Sandwhich display, making a total of two Enzos for the show. It is certainly going to be a tall order topping this year's Motorclassica next year, however the advisory board never seems to disappoint. We can't wait until next October to see what gems they've dug up. What to expect in November One thing we're almost guaranteed to start seeing more of is the McLaren 720S. Although two demonstrators have been spotted quite a bit, we're yet to see a single customer car in Melbourne. This is despite an Adelaide 720S making its first visit to the Melbourne service center this month. We know one is due any day now.
Also keep your eyes peeled for that gorgeous black Lamborghini Huracan Performante we mentioned on the road, as more will no doubt begin to roll in. We're looking forward to posting more of the new Porsche 911 GT3's, so you know where to send your spots (hint: it's right here). The last car we'll mention here is the Mercedes-AMG GT C Roadster. To date, we have been sent just two. One back in early August which we understand to be a head office car, and the second this month which we've yet to post as we are tracking down a higher resolution photo of it.
Comments
|