On August 13-15 RM Auctions is holding its annual Sports & Classics of Monterey auction in California, starring an historic 1952 Jaguar C-Type sports racer (above) that was driven to victory in 1952 by the legendary Phil Hill and is expected to fetch over $3 million. 26 Ferraris and several other rare and valuable autos will be part of the 200 vehicles crossing the auction block over the course of the three-day event. The beautiful and rare C-Type (a precursor of the modern-day XK we wrote about recently), designated XKC-007, was one of just 53 examples built and one of the first Jaguar C-Types delivered to the United States.

Shipped to New York in 1952, this example was immediately driven to Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, where it, along with XKC-009, made their competitive racing debuts as part of the company's North American sales effort for the model. It was at this meet that XKC-007 made Jaguar history when the eventual World Champion driver, Phil Hill – then just 25 – drove it to victory in the Sheldon Cup. Presented in period correct condition, it notably displays the signature of the great Phil Hill and retains its original, numbers matching engine.

The star amongst the stunning selection of 26 Ferraris is a 1953 166MM Spider Scaglietti estimated at $1.4 million - $1.8 million. The important car was given by Enzo Ferrari to his son Dino for a design project with Scaglietti. It is known as the first Scaglietti-bodied competition Ferrari and its attractive, rakish styling resulted in the prototype for the subsequent 750 Monza and 500 Mondial models. It was restored first in the 1960s and again prior to running the Mille Miglia Storica in 2005.

Few things manage to demonstrate the difference between cultures as art. Take for example this Bentley Continental GT, donated to the hand of Brazilian pop artist Romero Britto. It may look good to some, and to others an absolute atrocity. Yet Britto's credentials as a renowned artist are known the world over, his works hanging in galleries, museums and prestigious private collections all around the world.

This Bentley will be part of Britto's upcoming exhibit at the Automobil Forum Unter den Linden in Germany from July 10 to September 6, after which it will be auctioned off to benefit multiple sclerosis research and the social integration of the mentally disabled.

Ducati is using this weekend's Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in California as the backdrop to launch its new 848 Nicky Hayden Special Edition sportbike. The new machine, which will only be available here in the States, features the same 134-horsepower L-twin Evoluzione powerplant, wet-clutch and six-speed gearbox as the rest of the 848 line.

As the first of the 2010 848s introduced, the new Special Edition ushers in a revised LED dash cluster, optional 30mm mirror extensions for those with long-torsos and improved aluminum cam belt tensioner pulleys to go along with its new patriotic livery.

The 848 Nicky Hayden SE will carry a $14,495 sticker price – a reasonable $500 over the asking price for last year's 848 – and will hit Ducati dealerships in America on July 7th after being on display throughout the U.S. GP festivities starting on the 4th. Click past the break for the official press release.

Even in this slowing economy, Zondas have been trading well over list, some even doubling their value as wealthy customers scramble to get their hands on one. So you can hardly blame Pagani, the Italian exotic automaker responsible for these imminently desirable supercars, for wanting to get in on the action. In fact we're thankful for it, as Pagani has released another very exclusive edition of the Zonda.

Following on the heels of the fixed-roof Zonda Cinque, which went so fast that one customer commissioned his own when he couldn't get one, the Zonda Cinque Roadster offers the same extreme performance and super-exclusive stature with the added bonus of wind in your hair. Because the Zonda's carbon fiber body is already so rigid, Pagani didn't have to add much extra reinforcement, leaving the Zonda Cinque Roadster capable of reaching a follicle-tingling 217 miles per hour, passing 60 on the way in just 3.4 seconds. Nice work if you can get it, but with only five examples on offer and a £1.1 million ($1.8M) asking price, you'll have to act fast to get one. Like, Zonda fast.

If you're the type who wears threads from the likes of Von Dutch and Ed Hardy, you may recognize the name Christian Audigier. He's the French fashion designer behind these and other labels popular among Hollywood celebrities, stenciling tattoo-style designs on t-shirts and trucker hats for the Ashton Kutcher crowd. Unfortunately he's also penned his designs on the occasional motor vehicle, teaming up with Edo Competition for a special-edition Lamborghini Murcielago, which in turn bred an imitator in the Novitec/Unique Sportscars Ferrari F430 Calavera.

Apparently Audigier isn't quite done messing up otherwise beautiful Italian exotica, and has this time turned his attention to the Ducati Monster. Created in conjunction with motorbike customizers Rever Corsa, the Christian Audigier edition Ducati Monster 1100 comes decked out in airbrushed and vinyl-decal half-dragon tiger laid over a particularly garish red and gold paintjob. The whole thing screams wretched excess, but at $55,000, whoever buys one of these is probably looking for exactly that effect.

Lamborghinis are about as hard-core as sportscars can get, but hard as it may be to believe, even this exotic Italian automaker has been making concessions towards drivability and ease-of-use. All in the interest of faster lap times, of course, but some desire a more direct, bare-bones approach. And now Lamborghini has delivered just that with the limited-edition Valentino Balboni edition Gallardo.

Named after the company's legendary test driver, the Lamborghini Gallardo LP 550-2 Valentino Balboni does away with the all-wheel-drive system and e-gear clutchless transmission and replaces them with a classic rear-drive set-up and open-gate six-speed shifter. The removal of the heavy drivetrain saves significant weight off the car, delivering a more hard-core driving experience for the skilled enthusiast. The Balboni edition is visually distinguished by the white-and-gold stripe running up the hood, echoed inside with the white-trimmed interior, and the multi-spoke Scorpious wheels. Only 250 examples will be made, each individually signed and numbered, available in eight different colors and with a host of optional equipment. With prices starting below $220,000, it's actually less expensive than the $280k all-wheel-drive LP560-4, though we doubt that'll be the defining element for prospective buyers.

Looking for the ultimate Jaguar GT? The new XKR is one heck of a ride, but if you're still fixated on the previous-generation model and want something a little more exclusive, Arden may have something in store for a select few. The Jaguar tuning house released the AJ18 at the 1999 Frankfurt auto show nearly a full decade ago, and announced it would built only 13 examples. In a strange twist, however, ten years and a whole new model since, the company has announced it will built another five for a few lucky customers.

The AJ18 gives the previous-generation Jaguar XK a distinctly racing appearance but is fully legal for road use. Although the engine remains untouched, Arden has upgraded the brakes and suspension for a more aggressive package, complimented by a carbon-composite aerodynamics package and upgraded 20" competition wheels. It'll probably get its clock cleaned by the latest version straight out of the Jaguar factory, but you can't put a price on exclusivity.

Customers of extreme wealth have come to expect more from their purchases. Three-floor bedroom suite? Mobile home gym and spa? Helicopter pad and hangar? Submarine garage? Big as they are, there's only so much you can fit in a Rolls-Royce. So the revered British marque has teamed up with renowned shipyard Palmer Johnson on what could be the ultimate globe-trotting mega yacht the world has seen yet.

With 82 meters (267 ft) fore to aft and six decks of living space, the PJ World Yacht packs all the features we listed above and then some. It's even got an anti-piracy system – we're talking about real pirates, not copying DVDs here – and an environmentally-friendly diesel-electric propulsion system. At the moment, this Ice Class cruiser – enabled by Palmer Johnson's acquisition of Noway's Flekkefjord & Slipp shipyard – is just a concept, but at this level, all it takes is one wealthy customer to turn the idea into reality. And something tells us that customer already has a Rolls-Royce or two in the garage.

What may have been unfathomable less than a decade ago can quickly become reality in the present. So while the notion of Volkswagen producing a luxury sedan, much less one as streamlined and graceful as the CC (known overseas as the Passat CC), would have seemed entirely foreign before, some of the German automaker's latest products have emerged as award-winning designs. The svelte four-door coupe, introduced only recently, has already won the prestigious iF Product Design Award as well as the Australian International Design Award. Now Volkswagen can add the Red Dot Design Award to the list.

One of the most coveted design awards, the Red Dot prize has been bestowed annually since 1955 by the Design Zentrum Nordrhein Westfalen on the best designs in the world, and was accepted this year by Volkswagen designer Martin Kropp on behalf of his entire team.

Looking for another way to spend seven figures on a new exotic sportscar? Sadly, we're not either, but if we were, we'd be excited by the prospect of getting our hands on the GTbyCitroen. Oddly named, quirky styled, but unrivaled presence are what characterize the concept car that epitomizes art imitating life. Initially designed as a fantasy for the Gran Turismo video game series, Citroen put one real-life example on display at last year's Paris Auto Salon, where it garnered so much interest that the French automaker has reportedly decided to put it into production.

We initially reported on the prospect earlier this month, but rumor has it that Citroen has finally given it the green light. Only six examples are said to be in the pipeline at a very exclusive price of £1.1 million (or about $1.83 million in American terms). Interested parties will be able to see the solitary existing prototype drive up the hill at the Goodwood Festival of Speed under the auspices of the Earl of March in a couple of weeks, with a production version tipped to bow at the Frankfurt auto show this coming September.

All Zondas are equal, but some are more equal than others. That is to say, each supercar from exclusive automaker Pagani is an absolute jewel of exotic machinery, but even amidst this rarefied field, there are certain examples that stand out above the others. Like the one you see here, the Zonda PS.

Created as a one-of-a-kind example for discerning British client Peter Saywell, the Zonda PS is based on the penultimate Zonda F after the exclusive Zonda Cinque was all sold out and the Zonda R can only be driven on a race track. The Zonda PS is identifiable by its unique paint scheme and four-abreast tail pipes, and is said to be powered by a 650-horsepower version of the Zonda's Mercedes-AMG V12 engine driving through the sequential transmission developed for the Zonda's imminent successor.

Life is hard at the top, whether that precipice happens to be at the top of the overall sales chart or of a specific market niche, such as Lexus' position as the best-selling luxury automaker in the United States. Toyota's Japanese brand has held the top spot since the year 2000, with BMW perpetually trailing in second place. Could 2009 finally be the year that BMW breaks through to number one?

So far this year, BMW's 76,819 total sales in the States puts the German brand slightly ahead of Lexus, which has moved a total of 73,186 units so far in '09. Both brands are down somewhat from 2008, though BMW's 30.5-percent decline is not quite as severe as Lexus' 37.2-percent fall. Neither automaker is interested in boasting of its successes in this market, though BMW will gladly accept the extra market share. Speaking to Automotive News, Jan Ehlen, a spokesman for BMW of North America, said:

This year's emphasis is on maintaining our market share and even growing our share a bit. If this results in remaining in the top spot of the premium market, that would be a nice bonus.

[Source: Automotive News]

There is no arguing with the fact that Aston Martins are absolutely gorgeous machines. They are also absurdly fast. But if you live in a crowded city like Manhattan, London or Tokyo they are utterly impractical. Like most exotics they can be hard to see out of and who wants to risk getting entangled with a bus or delivery truck? The crew at Aston Martin are now working on the solution.

The Cygnet by Aston Martin is a urban car concept that would give Aston owners a more practical alternative for when they need to head into the city center. The Cygnet is based on Toyota's recently launched iQ micro-car. While Aston doesn't have any confirmed production plans for the Cygnet yet, it could be offered in the future as an accompaniment to "standard" Astons, much like a dinghy for a yacht.

If only we could afford a "standard" Aston Martin on a blogger budget.

[Source: Aston Martin]

February in Chicago would hardly seem like the appropriate backdrop for the debuting a new convertible but that's exactly where Lexus unveiled the new IS. Fortunately the conditions for the IS-C's on-sale date and first drives are somewhat more amenable to top down motoring. We recently had a chance to spend some time with the new IS convertible in both IS250 and IS350 forms.

Like the existing Lexus SC460, chief rival the Infiniti G37, and of course the BMW 3-series, the new IS C has a retractable hard-top that folds into the trunk. The IS is the second best selling model in the Lexus lineup and in the segment it competes in having a convertible seems a natural fit. Come along for the ride and find out if the IS convertible is for you.


Photos Copyright ©2009 Sam Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc.

Last week we reported that a third Bugatti Veyron Pur Sang, one of only five made and the world's most expensive production car, had been listed for sale via global online luxury marketplace JamesList. Now a fourth Pur Sang has surfaced for sale at Florida's exotic auto dealer Forza Collezione. The car on offer is said to be the first of the five Pur Sang's built and we're told the pricetag is $3.8 million. This means only one of the five Pur Sang's remains in private hands. The first was offered up in Abu Dhabi, and the next one surfaced a couple of weeks later in Frankfurt, Germany, where the car was originally unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show. The special edition supercar with exposed carbon fiber and aluminum bodywork sold out within 24 hours of its original announcement.