The organisers of the 55th Pebble Beach Concours d'Eleganza have announced the line-up of modern concept cars which will be appearing in a fortnight's time at this most highly prestigious of automotive events.

Four highly-regarded Italian concept sportscars top the list. Without doubt one of the highlights of the whole event will be the never-seen-before Spider version of the fabulous Alfa Romeo 8c Competizione concept. This car will be joined by the Giorgetto Giugiaro's designed Fiat Croma 8TTOV - a Maserati V8 engined car created as a fitting tribute the the late Gianni Agnelli - the Maserati Birdcage 75th - a futuristic concept supercar styled by Pininfarina and named in honour of their 75th anniversary, and finally, Lamborghini's unusual roofless Concept S, a concept recently cleared for limited production.

Joining these cars at Pebble Beach will be the Bentley Arnage Drophead Coupé, Bugatti Veyron 16.4, Chrysler Firepower, Dodge Nitro, Ford GT 'Heritage Livery', Ford Shelby GR-1, GM Saturn Sky, Jeep Hurricane, Lexus Future Design (LF-S), Lincoln Aviator, Maybach 57S , Rolls-Royce EWB Phamtom, Spyker and the Aston Martin Zagato Vanquish Roadster.

ALFA ROMEO 8C SPIDER

Derived from the Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione, the 8C Spider is purely and essentially a thoroughbred sports car in the traditional Alfa Romeo spirit; it offers sophisticated engineering, a sporty yet elegant shape, and strictly two-seat accommodation.

Created at the Centro Stile Alfa Romeo, the 8C Spider expresses all that is most precious in the company’s heritage. The low and aggressive front or the face of the car is characterised by the classical Alfa Romeo triptych - the central triangular “scudetto” flanked by horizontal “moustaches.” The lateral view of the car underscores its compactness and its classical mechanical layout, with longitudinally, front-mounted engine and rear-wheel-drive. The car is sure-footed on its prominent wheels, placed in the four corners. The “coda tronca” short tail with generous round taillights, typical for an Italian sports car, adds to the purposeful, dynamic image of the 8C Spider. The interior design reflects the same philosophy; the cockpit’s non-compromised ergonomics, style, and choice of materials concentrate on one goal only: the ultimate driving pleasure.

FIAT CROMA 8TTOV

The Croma 8TTOV prototype was developed by master Italian designer Giorgetto and Fabrizio Giugiaro to honour the late Giovanni Agnelli, who was an enthusiast of the 1985 Croma model, and presented at the 75th Geneva Salon on 1st March.

The Croma 8V is spacious and innovative and of stunningly high quality. The exterior design heralds the elegance of this high-performance car. The executive interior cradles passengers in an atmosphere of richness and refinement. The low-slung second row seating makes access easier for passengers, who do not have to climb up or down but can slide comfortably into their seats. This solution stems in part from experience gained in designing the Maserati Buran concept car, a compact, luxury saloon created in 2000.
 

LAMBORGHINI CONCEPT S

The House of the Raging Bull presented the Concept S - a fully operational prototype - at the Geneva Salon earlier this year. It is a concept sportscar that renews a great Lamborghini tradition, and only recently the Bologna-based marque revealed that it will enter strictly limited production. Created at the Centro Stile Lamborghini in Sant’Agata Bolognese by Luc Donckerwolke, the former Head of Lamborghini Design, the Concept S is his extreme interpretation of an open car. Using the Gallardo as a basis, Donckerwolke drew inspiration from the classic single-seater racing cars of the past to create this latest design study.

The classic single-seaters did not have a traditional windscreen but utilized the so-called “saute-vent” in order to direct air over the head of the driver - and so does the Concept S. The device divides the cabin into two distinct compartments, giving the car an aggressive and futuristic look and creating a space that acts as an additional air inlet for the powerful engine, which is positioned behind the seats. An electronically controlled, retractable central rearview mirror allows the driver to see what is happening behind the Concept S. Front and rear spoilers and a large rear diffuser optimize the aerodynamics of the car.

MASERATI BIRDCAGE 75TH

The Birdcage 75th, designed by Pininfarina to celebrate its 75th anniversary, builds on the tradition of extreme sports prototypes that highlighted the Italian renaissance of car design, from the fifties to the seventies. It was also presented in public for the first time at the Geneva Salon in March. A unique synthesis of exclusive design, sports DNA, and technological innovation, this concept car evokes a new future for Maserati, while simultaneously paying homage to the Trident’s history and strong brand characteristics.

A mere meter in height, the body of the Birdcage 75th draws upon two aerodynamic forms: a central teardrop-shaped cell encapsulates passengers and primary mechanical components, and this teardrop is suspended in a vast inverted wing form. The upper half of the central cell is transparent, so the driver has excellent visibility and the car’s Maserati engineering - from its pushrod suspension to its over-700-hp V12 engine - is on display. The nose of the car culminates in a large oval mouth, which is adorned by chrome trident and feeds air to the radiator and brake ducts. This mouth is flanked by horizontal lights designed in partnership with OSRAM Opto Semiconductors and featuring the world’s first homologated LED technology headlamps with OSTAR module. The rear of the vehicle is characterized by its deep diffuser and active aero panels, which raise and lower to maintain stability at any speed. The Birdcage also features Motorola Seamless Mobility technology.