Every year in Monterey, fans of German brands gather together at Legends Of The Autobahn to celebrate some of the most iconic cars ever built. The yearly event which honors the German automakers took place at Nicklaus Club in Monterey, California, where hundreds of participants showcased their rare and beautiful cars on the equally stunning golf lawn.
The show itself is organized by three different clubs (the BMW Car Club of America, Mercedes-Benz Club of America, and Audi Club North America) each making their own classes and judging rules.
One of the main sponsors of the event is Michelin, a company known for its love for motorsports and sports cars. At the same event, the tire maker hands out a special award to one of the best BMWs present on the lawn. Michelin also setup their own BMW M exhibit where fans of the brand not only mingled with the Michelin Man, but also had the chance to see some unique cars.
For the second year in a row, BMWBLOG was the special juror appointed by Michelin to select the winning car. The rules were simple once again: find a car with a great story, with a purpose and equipped with Michelin tires. Price or horsepower were not a factor, which makes the final choice even harder.
Just like last year, the winner of the Michelin Award was an iconic BMW roadster. If the Z8 took the crown last year – and a set of Michelin tires – this year, it was the equally famous BMW 507 that goes home with the trophy.
But this is no ordinary 507. According to its owner, Ron Gilmartin, this is the sister car to the Elvis Presley’s 507, and with its own interesting story. Jack Castor owned two 507s – the Elvis car and another 507. They sat side-by-side in a barn. The second car was to be used as a guide for setting the Elvis car right when Jack Castor got around to restoring the car. Unfortunately, Castor never got around to it.
Both cars were sent to BMW Group Classic for restoration. While both cars were in Munich, the Elvis car’s title transferred to BMW.
Ron Gilmartin bought the other car, presumably from Jack Castor’s widow, who was with the car on Sunday at Pebble Beach. By the of the week, this freshly restored 507 was driven for all of 24 km. The Gilmartin car is Ash White, which has a bit of grey in it. The Elvis car is Feather White, which is more beige.
Gilmartin will receive a new set of tires from Michelin which hopefully will be put to great use on another fun-to-drive BMW.
