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2016 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance: It's all in the details

It's no secret that Pebble Beach is an ode to gorgeous, and mostly, classic cars. The car show may be a place for automakers to showcase extremely expensive cars to wealthy buyers, but it's also one of the go-to places for enthusiasts that love automobiles and culture. While it's easy to be overwhelmed by the overall beauty of a car, the real magic often needs closer inspection to be realized. Every car at Pebble Beach is a work of art, but the true beauty of the vehicles lies in the details. And Autoblog's photographer, Drew Phillips, managed to capture the details on some gorgeous cars. From the Lamborghini Miura's exquisite steering wheel to Rolls-Royce's Spirit of Ecstasy, it's all at Pebble Beach. We think the details on some of the cars are prettier than the cars themselves, but don't take our word for it. Check out the beautiful gallery above and enjoy the tiny bits and pieces behind some of the prettiest cars in the world. Related Video: Featured Gallery 2016 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance Details View 75 Photos Image Credit: Copyright 2016 Drew Phillips / Autoblog Misc. Auto Shows Aston Martin BMW Ferrari Lamborghini Rolls-Royce Pebble Beach

Replica Aston Martin DB5 raises big money for UK charities at auction

Classic Aston Martins tend to sell infrequently and draw massive sums when they change hands. The DB5 and other James Bond-related Astons are even pricier. That made the recent Sixty Years of James Bond charity auction an exciting event to watch because Christie’s partnered with Aston Martin to move a few movie star cars. Daniel Craig used the car as James Bond in the film, No Time To Die, racing through the streets of a small town in Italy and eventually deploying machine guns. The car retained many upgrades from its time on the silver screen, including said machine guns, a dispenser for replica bombs and more. It also still wears the body damage it sustained in the film. The ChristieÂ’s auction raised GBP2,922,000 ($3,186,031 at todayÂ’s exchange rate) for several charities in the UK, including The PrinceÂ’s Trust, The Prince of WalesÂ’s Charitable Fund, and three other charities that support current and former members of the countryÂ’s Special Forces. Aston MartinÂ’s ties with the Bond franchise go back decades, and the companyÂ’s cars have featured prominently in several films.  The vehicles are typically either built from the ground up as stunt cars with tube frames and replica bodies or are heavily modified versions of genuine Aston Martins. Either way, movie cars are light years away from anything an everyday buyer can obtain. ChristieÂ’s auctioned off other Bond cars, memorabilia, and props. The list of autos included a 1981 Aston Martin V8 that starred in No Time To Die. It also had screen time with CraigÂ’s Bond behind the wheel, but the final bid landed at a much more modest GBP630,000 ($687,928). An Aston Martin DBS Superleggera 007 Edition also crossed the auction block. The car is one of just 25 examples built by Aston in conjunction with the carÂ’s appearance in No Time To Die. It raised GBP403,200 ($440,274) for the Royal Foundation of The Prince and Princess of Wales. Related video: Rinspeed | TRANSLOGIC

Aston Martin and Lotus each issue recalls

A pair of head-turning high performance cars are catching some attention off a different kind, in the form of safety recalls. Aston Martin and Lotus have issued recalls for the V12 Vantage Coupe and Evora, respectively.
Aston Martin's affects 169 examples of the 2009-2012 V12 Vantage Coupe. It concerns the tire-pressure monitoring system, and is less a malfunction than it is a compliance issue. The TPMS does not alert the driver until the front tire is more than 25 percent below the recommended cold tire pressure. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 138 states that the alarm must sound when tire pressure is "equal to or less than either the pressure 25 percent below" the recommended cold inflation pressure. To address the issue, Aston Martin will notify owners and reprogram the software, free of charge.
As for Lotus, 80 supercharged Evoras have been recalled, all built between February and September, 2011. The problem involves an engine-mounted oil feed pipe, which could rupture, causing loss of engine oil or a possible fire if the oil sprays onto a hot engine.