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Legends of the Autobahn meet in Monterey (pictures)

Part owners' meet and part exhibition, The Legends of the Autobahn concours is a showcase of classic and modern Bimmers, Benzes, and Audis.

Antuan Goodwin
Antuan Goodwin gained his automotive knowledge the old fashioned way, by turning wrenches in a driveway and picking up speeding tickets. From drivetrain tech and electrification to car audio installs and cabin tech, if it's on wheels, Antuan is knowledgeable.
Antuan Goodwin
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1 of 34 Wayne Cunningham/CNET

BMW Super Clean Class

Part owners' meet and part exhibition, The Legends of the Autobahn concours is a showcase of classic and modern Bimmers, Benzes, and Audis.

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2 of 34 Wayne Cunningham/CNET

BMW M1

Wide and low, the BMW M1 was one of the first cars to greet us at the entrance to the concours.

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3 of 34 Wayne Cunningham/CNET

BMW M1

The M1 features a mid-rear engine, rear-driven configuration that is fairly unusual among BMWs.

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4 of 34 Antuan Goodwin/CNET

1960 BMW 700 Coupe

Back in the 60s, however, BMW built another rear-engined coupe: the 700.

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5 of 34 Antuan Goodwin/CNET

1961 BMW 700 RS

The tubular framed 700 RS was a racing version of the 700 that output 69 horsepower -- more than double the coupe's 30hp!

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6 of 34 Wayne Cunningham/CNET

BMW 2002 ti

The BMW 2002 is a classic Bimmer that laid the foundation for what would become the modern 3 Series. Interestingly, it's much smaller than today's 2-Series coupe.

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7 of 34 Antuan Goodwin/CNET

BMW 2000 Touring

There were plenty of BMW 2000s and 2002s on hand at LotA. This 2000 Touring model that we spotted parked nearby featured a unique asymmetrical paint job.

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8 of 34 Wayne Cunningham/CNET

BMW 2800 CS

The 2800 CS was an enlarged variant of BMW's "Neue Klasse" of sedans and coupes which started production in 1968.

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9 of 34 Wayne Cunningham/CNET

BMW 3.0 CSL

The 3.0 CSL was a lightweight version of the 3.0 CS (the 2800's replacement) built to satisfy European racing homologation rules.

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10 of 34 Wayne Cunningham/CNET

1972 BMW Bavaria

After the "New Class" came the "New Six," a series of larger luxury sedans built to challenge Mercedes-Benz.

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11 of 34 Wayne Cunningham/CNET

BMW Z8 roadster

Penned by Henrik Fisker -- the guy behind the Fisker Karma -- the BMW Z8 is one of the most attractive roadsters in the brand's history.

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12 of 34 Antuan Goodwin/CNET

Five generations of M3

Five generations of BMW M3 parked in a row give a quick rundown of how the marque's styling has changed.

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13 of 34 Antuan Goodwin/CNET

2015 BMW M4 coupe

Its no surprise that among these Bimmerphiles that we'd spot a shiny new M4 parked nearby.

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14 of 34 Wayne Cunningham/CNET

Mercedes-Benz parking

Legends of the Autobahn started as a BMW enthusiasts' show, but quickly grew to include Mercedes-Benz and, most recently, Audi models.

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15 of 34 Antuan Goodwin/CNET

Mercedes-Benz 230S

Cars were typically grouped by make and again by model, as is the case with these W110 chassis Benz.

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16 of 34 Antuan Goodwin/CNET

1952 Mercedes-Benz 220 Cabriolet

Benz 220 sedans and cabriolets of this vintage were powered by an 80-horsepower straight-six.

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17 of 34 Antuan Goodwin/CNET

1957 Mercedes-Benz 220S Ponton

Coming later in the brand's history, the 220S Ponton featured an upgraded version of Merc's 2.2-liter engine, outputting 124 horsepower.

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18 of 34 Wayne Cunningham/CNET

1959 Mercedes-Benz 190 SL

The 190 SL was the less powerful compliment to the elusive and rare 300 SL.

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19 of 34 Wayne Cunningham/CNET

1954 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL

The "gull wing" 300 SL is one of the most legendary models in Mercedes-Benz' long history of road and race vehicles.

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20 of 34 Wayne Cunningham/CNET

Judges

The vehicles showcased are privately owned by enthusiasts and judged by experts in each brand's history.

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21 of 34 Wayne Cunningham/CNET

1954 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL

Judges grade each vehicle on how well they've been preserved, maintained, or restored.

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22 of 34 Wayne Cunningham/CNET

Mercedes-Benz RS 230SL

The Mercedes-Benz 230 SL was designed to slot in beneath the legendary 300 SL, bringing performance to a wider audience.

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23 of 34 Wayne Cunningham/CNET

Mercedes-Benz RS 230SL

In the US, the 230 was nicknamed the "Pagoda Top" because of its concave roof.

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24 of 34 Wayne Cunningham/CNET

1990 Audi Ur-Quattro Coupe

Audi is a relative newcomer to the Legends of the Autobahn concours. As a result, there weren't very many examples on hand. This 1990 Ur-Quattro was the oldest model showcased.

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25 of 34 Antuan Goodwin/CNET

1980s Blaupunkt Berlin

Peering into the various vehicles, we also take a look back at the history of car tech. This 1980 Blaupunkt radio had a two-part construction that relocated the controls to a easily reachable stalk-mounted pod.

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26 of 34 Antuan Goodwin/CNET

Enzmann 506

As is the case at most events happening around Monterey on this Pebble Beach weekend, some of the best gems can be found in the parking lots.

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27 of 34 Antuan Goodwin/CNET

Golf cart

Legends took place on the pristine green and fairway of a golf resort, so a few golf carts here and there are, well, par for the course.

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28 of 34 Wayne Cunningham/CNET

Porsche 911 3.2 Carrera

Porsche owners had their own event at a separate location, but we spotted a few interesting models at LotA.

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29 of 34 Antuan Goodwin/CNET

Porsche 944 Cabriolet

Typically snubbed for not being a 911, the Porsche 944 is one of the more interesting-looking models in that brand's history.

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30 of 34 Antuan Goodwin/CNET

Zelectric Bug

One of the more curious cars on prominent display is the Zelectric VW Beetle conversion.

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31 of 34 Antuan Goodwin/CNET

Zelectric Bug

In place of the chirping air-cooled engine, you'll find an electric motor.

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32 of 34 Antuan Goodwin/CNET

Zelectric Bug

Zelectric claims about a 100-mile range and a top speed of over 90 mph for this battery-powered bug.

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33 of 34 Antuan Goodwin/CNET

Maserati Gran Turismo

Parked far away from the Germans, a lone Maserati Gran Turismo broods and smolders.

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34 of 34 Wayne Cunningham/CNET

Legends of the Autobahn

Legends of the Autobahn was just one of dozens of concours, auctions, and showcases happening around the Monterey area during this year's Pebble Beach Concours Weekend.

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