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Living Life Large: Driving $2 million worth of cars in one week

Monterey Car Week has quickly become one of my favorite events of the year. There's something for everyone – classic car shows, modern concepts and new vehicle debuts, auctions, racing, and so much more. From a media perspective, there's also a chance to drive a ton of cars. Many automakers bring their latest wares out to Monterey for us to test during our limited free time, and it's a great opportunity to experience fantastic metal against a gorgeous backdrop. That's exactly what I did this year. Instead of flying into Monterey and being driven around, my journey started in Los Angeles and ended in Napa, and I managed to get behind the wheel of some $2 million worth of new cars. Some were old favorites, and many were new experiences. But looking back, this was one of the best weeks of driving I've had in years. Rather than try to come up with some common arc to tie these cars together, here are my notes on all the cars I tested in California earlier this month, presented in the order in which they were driven. 2016 Mazda CX-3 The CX-3 pictured here isn't the exact one I drove in California, but it's close. The only difference was color – my delivered-to-LAX tester wore Mazda's awesome new Ceramic hue (pictured below on the MX-5 Miata). I used the CX-3 to slum through crummy Los Angeles traffic for two hours on the way out to Santa Barbara, with a quick stop at In-N-Out Burger on the way for good measure. A lot nicer inside than I remember. Everyone praises Mazda for its excellence in engineering and design, but there's a lot to be said for the improvements in overall interior refinement. Quiet, comfortable, and well-equipped; the CX-3 made sitting on the 405 freeway a lot more pleasant. Not all that functional. I had a hard time fitting a week's worth of luggage for two people inside. The cargo area and rear passenger compartment were filled, with only enough room on top to see out the back window. A Honda HR-V would've swallowed all that luggage with plenty of room for more. So good to drive. Not surprising, since this wasn't my first time in the CX-3. I knew this CUV would be good on twisty roads, but on the highway it's really exceptional. Road and wind noise are minimal and the overall ride quality is a comfortable sort of sporty. This is definitely something I could drive every day – it's enjoyable during commuting and entertaining on more interesting roads.

1933 Duesenberg tops Mecum Auctions' Monterey results at $3,850,000

Mecum Auctions had three Duesenbergs on offer at the Monterey Car Week's auction event, and the most valuable of the three was the achingly beautiful, one-of-one Bohman and Schwartz-built Model J Disappearing-Top Roadster in white over red, for $3,850,000. Duesenberg reportedly utilized as many as 32 coachbuilders to build custom Model Js, and this one with Hollywood history is unique thanks to its bodywork. In comparison, a 1929 Murphy-bodied Model J Convertible Sedan brought in "just" $1,155,000. The second highest price in Mecum results was achieved by a practically undriven, 307-mile 2014 Ferrari LaFerrari. The Rosso Corsa example slotted in neatly compared to its $3,000,000 to $3,300,000 estimate, finishing at $3,190,000. Another LaFerrari, a yellow one with 419 miles, remained unsold at $3,200,000. Number three is also a Ferrari, an Enzo at that. The 3,150-mile 2003 Enzo, in red over red, finished at $2,860,000. After a string of street cars, the fourth highest Mecum auction price was achieved by the 1989 Daytona 24 Hours, 1989 Palm Beach Grand Prix and 1989 Porsche Cup USA winning Porsche 962. The list of drivers with stints behind the Busby Racing 962's wheel is impressive reading: Derek Bell, John Andretti, Mauro Baldi, Jochen Mass and Brian Redman just to mention a few. Chassis 962-108 had the honor of claiming the 50 th win for a 962 in international competition, at Daytona 24 Hours, and that victory was also Derek Bell's final 24-hour endurance win. As Mecum notes, Bell has called this 962 as his favorite Group C Porsche. It has been in collector hands since 1989, and the selling price reached $2,200,000. The fifth car is a very significant Lamborghini Miura: an unrestored original with its factory coat of red, it is the second Miura P400S model built, and the earliest known S survivor. It has just 28,613 miles on its odometer, and it still wears the Pirelli Cinturatos it was given at the factory. Among all Miuras, this 1969 car is certainly a unicorn, and as a result it sold for $1,155,000. The rest of the top 10 sellers from the Mecum auction follow: 1929 Duesenberg Model J Murphy Convertible Sedan, $1,155,000 2012 Dallara DW12 Honda Indy Car, $1,127,500 2017 Ferrari F12tdf Coupe, $1,045,000 1936 Auburn 852 Supercharged Speedster, $1,017,500 1973 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona Coupe, $825,000 Related Video: Featured Gallery Mecum Auctions Monterey 2018 View 10 Photos News Source: Mecum AuctionsImage Credit: Mecum Auctions Misc.

Lamborghini Urus recalled due to a fire risk

The Lamborghini Urus is being recalled due to a potential fire risk. Documents submitted on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s website say the defect is due to the “integrity of the quick connector of the fuel line located in the engine compartment.” The connector may become compromised, which could result in fuel leakage. Of course, where there is fuel leakage, there is also the risk of a fire starting in the engine bay. How does this quick connector become compromised, you ask? Lamborghini provides this as an explanation: “In rare instances high engine compartment temperatures subject the quick connectors to temperatures above the design operating specification limit. These elevated temperatures can lead to the quick connect material softening which could potentially result in a fuel leak.” If you happen to own a Urus, the first sign of an issue will be a fuel odor in the engine compartment. Lamborghini said it became aware of the issue after Porsche AG identified it in 2019, and itÂ’s been tracking field vehicles ever since. In July this year, Lamborghini said it started to receive complaints from customers, which prompted a second investigation done by Lamborghini. There are a total of 2,831 Urus being recalled, spanning model years 2019-2020. All of those vehicles will need to go to the dealer for a newly designed fuel line quick connector. Lamborghini says the labor time is only one hour, so you wonÂ’t be without your Urus for long. All work will be taken care of free of charge. Owners should expect a notification on or before December 18 if their car is affected. Related video: Featured Gallery 2020 Lamborghini Urus View 39 Photos Recalls Lamborghini Safety Crossover Luxury Performance