Tour d’Elegance returns to Highway 1 route

Drivers from some 150 rare cars from all over the world met up in Pebble Beach Thursday morning, ready for a scenic cruise down to Big Sur. It’s Tour d’Elegance, a Car Week staple.

“We are driving a 1966 Aston Martin, DB6,” said Gordon Logan, from Georgetown, Texas.

Trevor Tomkins drove his 1949 Bentley from Seattle.

“Four-and-a-half liter tour with a vanadium-plus body. It’s very special,” Tomkins said.

The tour had to stay on the Peninsula last year because of the Soberanes Fire.

But now, it’s back to the original 30-mile route, over Bixby Bridge to the Ripplewood Resort, before cars head back to Carmel.

Participants got extra points toward Sunday’s showdown, where cars and motorcycles are judged for their history, looks and how they are built.

Ben Ericson got his first taste of Car Week in 2009. He’s judged shows in India, Switzerland and Germany. Here’s what he looks for in a competition.

“Originality, always originality. Because the car is original, one time,” Ericson said.

Peter Boyle said his Labaron is one of two in the world.

“If you were buy the car in ’28, it would have cost you about $20,000 in that money, that time, which would be 300,000 in today’s dollars,” Boyle said.

But how much does his car cost now?

“It’s priceless,” Boyle said.

Tony Vassallo had a very rough idea.

“If you added up the net worth of all the people here, you could probably have them donate it and balance the national debt,” Vassallo said.

Cars from the tour and some 50 more will be at the final big show of Car Week. Concours d’Elegance is scheduled for Sunday. Organizers said the total of cars tops a half-billion dollars.