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Photos: Pebble Beach's concept cars

The latest sports cars from Lotus, Devon Motor Works, Mercedes-Benz, and companies you probably never heard of were on display with vintage autos at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance auto show near Monterey, Calif.

Stephen Shankland

Aug. 17, 2009 2:25 p.m. PT

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Infiniti Essence

PEBBLE BEACH, Calif.--The Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance is a great place to see a flawlessly restored 1934 Rolls-Royce Phantom II. But the event also features plenty of the latest cars, too.

Attendees en route to the classic car show's awards ceremony Sunday were funneled past a stable of concept cars from many manufacturers at the prestigious golf course near Monterey, Calif. The sixtieth red Ferrari in a single day can seem a bit ho-hum as it rolls past, but there's still plenty to catch a car enthusiast's eye among the concept cars. The models range from thought experiments to real products.

This shot shows the Infiniti Essence, a luxury concept with a 600-horsepower 3.6-liter engine hybridized with a battery. Its drivetrain and styling are expected to be incorporated into future Infiniti models. The car features custom-fitted Louis Vuitton luggage.

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Morgan Aero SuperSports

Morgan's Aero SuperSports, due to go into production in early 2010, employs a 4.8-litre 367-horsepower BMW V8 engine with a hardwood interior and an aluminum exterior.

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Bugatti Sang Bleu

The Bugatti Sang Bleu is a one-off version of the Veyron 16.4, a 1,001-horsepower machine that can accelerate to 100kmph in 2.5 seconds and decelerate back to a stop in 2.3 seconds. Its top speed is 407kmph.

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2010 Lotus Evora

The standout feature of the Lotus Evora, compared to many rivals at the Concours d'Elegance, is a back seat. The four-passenger car is due to go on sale in North America in early 2010. It reaches 60mph in 4.9 seconds and has a top speed of 162mph. Lotus' low-mass philosophy also helps boost highway fuel economy north of 30mpg.

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Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Stirling Moss

The windshield-free Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Stirling Moss has 5.5-liter, 650-horsepower V8 supercharged engine. It can accelerate to 60 mph in less than 3.5 seconds reache a top speed of 208 mph. The company plans to make only 75 of the machines.

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Lincoln C Concept

The Lincoln C Concept is no snarling supercar, but Ford Motor Company does call it "spirited." It features center-opening doors, a 1.6-liter, 180-horsepower engine, and fuel economy of 43 mpg in highway driving.

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Tramontana R Edition

Want something sporty and don't mind having your sole passenger sit behind you? Tramontana's Formula 1-esque model here sports a 720-horsepower V12 engine and a carbon fiber body.

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Fisker Automotive Karma Sunset

The Fisker Automotive Karma Sunset is a plug-in hybrid car set to arrive in showrooms in 2011. The California car company designed it to accelerate to 62mph in 6 seconds and reach a top speed of 125mph.

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Stile Bertone Mantide

The Stile Bertone Mantide is based on a 2009 Corvette ZR1.

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Jaguar XJ

The Jaguar XJ, with a 510-horsepower engine, is designed to be the carmaker's new top-end model.

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Audi R8 5.2 FSI Quattro

The Audi R8 5.2 FSI Quattro features a 525-horsepower V10 engine and can reach 60mph in 3.7 seconds. The car uses a 463-pound space frame made of aluminum and magnesium.

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Devon Motor Works Devon GTX

Devon Motor Works' Devon GTX is the California company's first car. It's set to go into production in early 2010 but made its world debut at the Concours d'Elegance.

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SMS Supercars 570

The SMS Supercars 570 is a modified, more powerful version of the Dodge Challenger.

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Spyker C8 Aileron Spyder

Spyker Cars' C8 Aileron Spyder is a convertible version of the Dutch company's second-generation sports car. The semi-automatic soft-top opens or closes in 20 seconds.

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Rolls-Royce Motor Cars 200EX

The Rolls-Royce 200EX, an experimental car, features center-opening doors, a prominent prow, and a V12 engine.

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Iconic Motors Concept

Iconic Motors showed off a chassis and this more finished idea. The concept features an 800-horsepower V8 and what the company calls VEEDIMS--Virtual Electrical Electronic Device Interface Management System--to transfer system data via a single cable and a wireless network.

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Porsche Panamera

The new Porsche Panamera adds a four-door option to the German sports car family.

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Tesla Motors Roadster Sport

Tesla Motors began delivering its Roadster Sport in July. The all-electric car can accelerate to 60mph in 3.7 seconds.

(Disclaimer: Stephen Shankland is married to a Tesla employee.)

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Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano

What would a display of high-end sports cars be without a red Ferrari? The 599 GTB Fiorano has a 6-liter, 511-horsepower V12 engine.

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BMW Isetta

Most BMWs in the vicinity of the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance were considerably roomier than this two-seater, three-wheeler Isetta 300 from about 50 years ago. But most also had a harder time finding room to park.