Festivals of Speed Combines Elegance & Horsepower at the Mission Inn Resort & Club

The Festivals of Speed expanded its event circuit in March 2011 to include a Motorsports Gathering & Luxury Lifestyle Display at the Mission Inn Resort & Club in Howey-in-the-Hills. This inaugural showing included exotic and vintage vehicles that drew aficionados and enthusiasts from across Florida, Lake County, and the surrounding areas.

Festivals of Speed events have successful annual operations in St. Petersburg, Florida at the Four Diamond Renaissance Vinoy Hotel & Resort, in Orlando at the Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes, and at the Epic Hotel in Downtown Miami.  Bringing together this ever changing display of the world’s most exotic vintage and contemporary automobiles, motorcycles, aircraft and watercraft at the award-winning Mission Inn Resort & Club was the first of many expansions Festivals of Speed has planned.  

This unique new event weekend featured luxury receptions, and a one of a kind automotive gathering.  Attendees had a rare opportunity to appreciate automotive masterpieces of design and engineering in a setting that is both festive and elegant.   Featured at this prestigious event among other unique vehicles was a beautifully restored 1957 Ferrari 410 Superamerica that captured the coveted Festivals of Speed Best of Show trophy, a Jaguar XK 150 currently noted as the most decorated Jaguar in the US, Ferrari 599 GTO, 1957 Ferrari 500 TRC, an exquisite 1936 Packard Duel Cowl Phaeton Super 12, and the famous 1973 Ferrari Dino 246 GTS that claimed first prize in the original Cannonball run. The Ferrari 410 that took Best of Show previously owned by the Shah of Iran. It took three years to build and was personally overseen by Enzo Ferrari himself.

On Sunday, March 6th these prized vehicles were all set for display on the plush fairway of the Mission Inn Resort & Club’s Championship Golf Course that has been revered as one of Florida’s finest. Guests and participants enjoyed exclusive culinary offerings, fine wines, smooth jazz, fashion, ‘VIP’ cafes, awards presentations, cigar smokes, scotch tastings and much more. 

McLaren MP4-12C, Lexus LFA and the Bugatti Sang Bleu Headline the Festivals of Speed. See Complete Photo Gallery

Once again the Festivals of Speed delivered some of the most rare and sought after luxury and exotic cars all in one spectular venue. The Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Gran Lakes provided the backdrop for the 5th Annual Festivals of Speed which included 1 of only 2 Lexus LFA’s in North America, the just released McLaren MP4-12c and the show stopping design of the Bugatti Sang Bleu.

The grounds of the Ritz-Carlton were covered with other notables such as 1965 Lamborghini 350 GT, 1957 Ferrari 500 TRC (1 of only 19 made), 1956 Club De Mer and a 2010 Tesla Roadster Sport. Custom cars from Ultimate Audio showed that any car can be taken to another level. Needless to say there was something for everyone.

Festivals of Speed has become the Luxury Automotive Lifestyle event and if you missed the Orlando stop, don’t worry. Festivals of Speed, Miami is November 14th. Visit www.festivalsofspeed.com to get your tickets now.

FESTIVALS OF SPEED TO DISPLAY THE MOST SIGNIFICANT VEHICLE COLLECTION IN COMPANY HISTORY

Festivals of Speed, the premier luxury lifestyle and automotive event production company in Florida, is returning to The Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes on Sunday, October 10 with The Fifth Annual Festivals of Speed Orlando presented by Fields Motorsports. The Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children will once again be the beneficiary. The weekend will feature three days of rare and exotic vehicles, fine foods, top shelf spirits, luxury products and services, fashion shows and more. At the many events, attendees will come face to face with vintage and contemporary exotic cars, motorcycles, boats and aircraft.

The Festivals of Speed Orlando will commence on Friday, October 8^th with a Jetport Reception at the Orlando International Airport.  The event will feature a preview of the some of the most noteworthy vehicles to appear over the weekend as well as a display of aircraft and powerboats. The setting is a lavishly decorated aircraft hangar complete with smooth themed food stations, open bar, smooth jazz, fine art, exclusive watch displays, elegant jewelry, luxury products & services as well as live and silent auctions benefitting the Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children. This event kicks off Festivals of Speed annually and is an unmatched experience for anyone who has never attended. 

A special addition to this year’s weekend is the Festivals of Speed Golf Classic at The Ritz-Carlton Orlando Grande Lakes Golf Club to benefit Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children on Saturday, October 9^th.  The course was designed by two-time British Open Champion Greg Norman, and provides golfers with a challenging test of skill and an experience not typically found in Florida.  Joe Sabatini, Founder and President of The Festivals of Speed stated “We are proud to partner with the Ritz-Carlton Orlando Grande Lakes Golf Club this year for the inaugural Festivals of Speed Golf Classic.  This addition to the weekend will add even more entertainment for our long time collectors and guests and deliver a new demographic of affluent attendees in the loyal golf enthusiast. For our Sponsors, the Festivals of Speed is all about networking, so the addition of a golf tournament is a clear fit.”

Saturday evening, the festivities continue on to Primo at the JW Marriott Grande Lakes adjacent to the Ritz-Carlton for the annual Wine Connoisseur’s Dinner. Primo is led by James Beard Foundation award winning Chef Melissa Kelly. The Wine Connoisseur’s Dinner Saturday has become an immensely popular and highly anticipated staple to the Orlando Festivals of Speed weekend.  Primo will be closed to all but guests of the Festivals of Speed who will experience a four course plated meal of the organic contemporary Italian cuisine that Primo is known for. Each plate will be paired with a fine wine by sommeliers from top vineyards and wineries.  After dinner, guests will enjoy complementary cigars and fine cognac on the terrace that overlooks the unique and plush foliage of the beautiful Grande Lakes property. To further enhance the evening, guests will be able to see an exclusive preview of the exotic vehicles as they enter the lawns of the Ritz-Carlton and JW Marriott in anticipation of the main event on Sunday. 

 The weekend concludes on Sunday October 10th, with the Motorsports Collection Display of over 250 cars, motorcycles and watercraft. Guests can enjoy The Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes property’s splendor and amenities, while eyeing some of the rarest vintage and contemporary vehicle designs. In addition to the world class vehicles on display which will include Bugatti, Ferrari, Rolls-Royce, Aston Martin, BMW, Mercedes, and more, attendees will encounter fine wines, exciting culinary offerings, robust cigars and smooth jazz in the beautiful landscape, as well as luxury lifestyle displays featuring fine jewelry and timepieces. At the end of the day, the event will conclude with an exciting awards ceremony presenting premier car collectors with coveted trophies designed and produced by Tiffany & Co.  To make the return of this world class weekend even more inviting, Sabatini has announced that the automotive collection he is putting together for the Fifth Annual Festivals of Speed Orlando is going to be the most significant display in Festivals of Speed history. Just one of the notable vehicles he has confirmed is the rare Bugatti Sang Bleu. Bugatti unveiled the Sang Bleu, an exclusive one-off Grand Sport, honoring the marques precious heritage at the Pebble Beach Concours d’elegance last August. To top off all of the anticipation, famed Lamborghini test driver Valentino Balboni will be in attendance all throughout the weekend. This event gets larger and more exciting every year, and promises to be a weekend that the automotive and luxury enthusiast will not soon forget.

 About Festivals of Speed

Headquartered in Eustis, Florida, Festivals of Speed was founded as the ultimate luxury showcase for discerning enthusiasts with a passion for all forms of transportation. With a series of extremely special events scheduled throughout the year, Festivals of Speed joins the very best in automotive, aircraft, marine and motorcycle transportation with the finest culinary, wine, spirits, and fashion for the ultimate luxury experience. For more information, please visit www.festivalsofspeed.com. 352-385-9450.

Festivals of Speed 2009 Ritz-Carlton brings the Rolls Royce Ghost & Ferrari FXX to the East Coast

The Festivals of Speed took place this past weekend at the Ritz-Carlton Orlando at Grande Lakes. It was a magnificent showcase of some of the most rare and exotic automobiles in the world.

Some of the headline autos on display included the 2002 Ferrari world champion formula 1, Aston Martin DBR9 GT Race Car, Ferrari FXX, 1954 Ferrari 375MM, Mosler MT 900S and the east coast debut of the 2010 Rolls Royce Ghost.

The Festivals of Speed next stop will be in Miami on November 15th.

Rare Bugatti’s to Appear at Festivals of Speed

The FESTIVALS OF SPEED sponsored by Luxury Auto Direct Magazine is proud to continue the 100th Anniversary celebration of Bugatti. On October 25th at the Ritz-Carlton in Orlando, Florida some of the most rare Bugatti’s will be on display. This will be the first time ever the Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport, Bugatti Veyron Sang Noir, Bugatti Veyron Sang Bleu, Bugatti Veyron Pur Sang & the Bugatti Veyron will all be displayed simultaniously at one location.

Along with over 100 other rare and exotic automobiles, this truly will be a FESTIVALS OF SPEED. For more information visit www.festivalsofspeed.com

Below are more photos and information on some of these rare Bugatti’s.

The Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport Sang Bleu has ventured into new areas. Instead of applying two paint colors or paint and material to highlight the two tone design, the Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport Sang Bleu exclusively concentrates on materials – carbon fiber and aluminum – an innovative combination never realized before. This unique approach opens a new dimension of « Art – Form – Technique », the company’s core values.

The color combination is blue carbon fiber with polished aluminum. The visual carbon fiber is tinted in royal blue to emphasize the refined volumes and surfaces of the Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport. The rear air scoops are tinted in the same night-blue – offering a dramatic view from above – and thus fluidly integrate into the overall design philosophy of this unique model.

The Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport Sang Bleu is the latest in a line of centenary Bugatti models which have won worldwide acclaim in 2009. This unique car stands – like the others – for the commitment of the Bugatti of today to carry the values and the philosophy of Ettore Bugatti, the founder of this unique marque, into a successful future.

The Bugatti Veyron Sang Noir is a special edition, created for the true automotive connoisseur. While its entirely black exterior may initially appear subdued, upon closer inspection it becomes clear that a select number of visual accents make this special Bugatti Veyron just as vividly colored as its brighter counterparts.

Similar to its thoroughbred predecessor, the Type 57S Atlantic, the Bugatti Veyron Sang Noir exposes a raptor-like DNA that is reflected throughout the entire model history of the marque.

Even the hand-stitched, all-leather interior of the Bugatti Veyron Sang Noir plays on the theme of a ‘harmony of extremes’. The light and confident Tangerine is offset by a black-piano lacquer finished center console; both available exclusively to this edition. This striking and unparalleled harmony between luxury and sportiness is complemented by alloy-colored details in the form of the chromed Bugatti grill and door-mirrors, as well as polished wheel surfaces and roof-rails. All-black front lights, air intakes, filler caps and door-handles naturally heighten the stunning effect of the racing-blue brake calipers.

The B-pillars have been cross-stiffened using a carbon fibre support, and a central carbon plate has been positioned beneath the transmission tunnel to ensure the vehicle suffers from less torsional flexing than any other roadster.The doors of the new Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport are made of carbon fiber, and house an integrated longitudinal beam.In the event of an accident, this transfers the load from the A to the B-pillar, thereby dissipating impact energy. Furthermore, the two redesigned air intakes for the 16-cylinder mid-engine now feature 10-centimeter wide carbon-fiber elements to offer protection should the car roll.

Along with moisture-resistant, back-stitched leather, a range of new equipment features has been added to the interior, including a reversing camera with 2.7-inch monitor in the rear-view-mirror, and the “Puccini” sound system with digital signal processor.

When the roof is closed, the Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport can reach 252.91 mph, while speeds of up to 223.70 mph are possible with roof off. Should it rain, an innovative folding roof stored in the luggage compartment can be opened up like an umbrella at any time. When this folding roof is in place, the car can travel at up to 80.78 mph.

Another American Supercar, the 2010 Devon GTX

The 2010 Devon GTX debuted at the Pebble Beach Concours 10 days ago but has got little coverage on the blog circuit. So here it is……A true American Supercar. Devon Motorworks says they plan to build 36 cars beginning first quarter 2010 with a price tag of $500,000. I hope this car hits the show circuit for the upcoming east coast shows such as the Festivals Of Speed and the Amelia Island Concours. Below is the Devon Motorworks press release and additional photos.

August 15, 2009 (Pebble Beach, CA) Conceived by a visionary industrial artist, brought to life by some of the worlds leading automotive engineers and designers, and proven on some of the most demanding race tracks in America, the all-new 2010 Devon GTX stands ready to stake claim as the next great American supercar.

The 2010 Devon GTX was introduced today on the famed judging stand at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. The limited edition supercar is the first product from Los Angeles-based industrial design house Devon Motorworks (devonmotorworks.com). It will go on sale in the first quarter of 2010.

We are so proud to utilize the hallowed Concours stand as the venue to premiere the first offering from our studio, said Devon Motorworks founder and CEO Scott Devon. Each year this event serves as a living homage to the great automobiles of our past, many of which served as our inspiration for the Devon GTX. By being mindful of classic design, and blending our own view of modern transportation, its our sincere hope that we will earn a permanent spot in the landscape of automotive history. The Devon GTX is on one hand a race-inspired performance car, offering a 650-horsepower engine and a complimentary transmission and induction/exhaust system that will make it the most powerful naturally aspirated production powertrain system on the market today. On the other hand, the vehicles muscular shape represents a new expression of modern industrial design, blending both classic and futuristic cues to warn of the awesome power that exists within its shape.

We set out to design a vehicle that was quintessentially American, both in its shape and in its performance, Devon said. Standing still, the Devon GTX tells a story of power, handling and beauty. Its classical, yet futuristic design promises an incredible experience. Once under power, the GTX lives up to its promise every heart-pounding second you’re behind the wheel.

The design was led by Devon and noted automotive designer Daniel Paulin. Their approach to the vehicle was to boldly blend power, tactility and aesthetics into one singular form.

The vehicles aircraft-quality carbon fiber body sits atop large lattice-structure center-lock wheels. The interior design reflects the companys progressive design philosophy and features carbon-fiber-reinforced racing seats, dual-grained leather surfacing throughout the cockpit and tasteful chrome appointments. Refinement, quality and uniqueness are conveyed in the cars up and forward articulating doors, distinctive body two-tone wheel surrounds, minimal front/rear overhangs, and dual center rear exit chrome exhaust ports.

Beneath the skin of the Devon GTX is an 8.4-liter (510 cubic inches) V-10 engine that produces 650 horsepower (484.7 kW) at 6100 rpm. The V-10 engine is mated with a track-proven six-speed manual transmission. While the Devon GTX has yet to hit an American road, it has made its mark on two of Americas most demanding road courses. In validation testing earlier this year, the vehicle set production car lap records at both Willow Springs Raceway and Mazda Raceway at Laguna Seca.

It was not a specific goal to set track records at that stage of validation, but the car outperformed even our aggressive goals, said Devon Motorworks validation and testing leader Justin Bell, a former 24 Hours of Le Mans champion. We are looking forward to additional testing, where Im certain the GTX will eclipse any time weve set to date.

Devon, Paulin and Bell are just part of an international team of performance and design veterans that make up the Devon Motorworks team.

Former Ford executive engineer Andy Benedict leads the product development team, while manufacturing and assembly is headed by Clive Hawkins, founder of ARIA Group. Aerodynamic testing is supervised by Dr. Joseph Katz of San Diego State University while marketing is led by automotive veteran Jerry Deeney. They are supported by a hand-picked team of experts that will design, engineer, manufacturer and present vehicles on a coach-built basis to a select and discerning customer base. We have assembled an international team of highly qualified experts who have set out on an uncommon task. But with an American can-do attitude, our goal of creating an American supercar has been realized, said Devon.

Devon Motorworks will produce 36 cars per year at its manufacturing facility in southern California. On sale beginning in the first quarter of 2010, the cars will be sold for $500,000. An optional Racing Package will be available for $25,000. The vehicles will be sold and serviced directly through Devon Motorworks. Interested customers are encouraged to visit devonmotorworks.com/about/preorder to learn more about ordering the first Devon GTX.

Each of our customers will have individual needs that we will cater to, Devon said. Our philosophy is to blend their tastes with our exacting standards and in the spirit of bespoke craftsmanship, create a car that is both identifiably a Devon GTX yet singular to our customers specifications. We want to make sure we have a direct relationship with our customers.

Devon Motorworks is an industrial design company based in southern California. All of its design products have a common purpose of providing sculptural power with recognizable beauty. Devon Motorworks design language is classical, yet futuristic, with exquisite shapes in the modern mold. For more information, go to devonmotorworks.com.