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2016 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance: It's all in the details

It's no secret that Pebble Beach is an ode to gorgeous, and mostly, classic cars. The car show may be a place for automakers to showcase extremely expensive cars to wealthy buyers, but it's also one of the go-to places for enthusiasts that love automobiles and culture. While it's easy to be overwhelmed by the overall beauty of a car, the real magic often needs closer inspection to be realized. Every car at Pebble Beach is a work of art, but the true beauty of the vehicles lies in the details. And Autoblog's photographer, Drew Phillips, managed to capture the details on some gorgeous cars. From the Lamborghini Miura's exquisite steering wheel to Rolls-Royce's Spirit of Ecstasy, it's all at Pebble Beach. We think the details on some of the cars are prettier than the cars themselves, but don't take our word for it. Check out the beautiful gallery above and enjoy the tiny bits and pieces behind some of the prettiest cars in the world. Related Video: Featured Gallery 2016 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance Details View 75 Photos Image Credit: Copyright 2016 Drew Phillips / Autoblog Misc. Auto Shows Aston Martin BMW Ferrari Lamborghini Rolls-Royce Pebble Beach

Aston Martin shares plunge to new low following half-year loss

LONDON — Shares in Aston Martin plunged 17% to a post-flotation low on Wednesday after the luxury British carmaker slumped to a half-year loss, the latest automotive firm to be hit by falling demand in Europe. Aston Martin, best known as James Bond's favorite marque, has been undergoing a turnaround plan since Chief Executive Andy Palmer took over in 2014, designed to renew and boost its model line-up and move into new segments. The plan led to an autumn 2018 stock market flotation. But its shares have since fallen by around three quarters from their 19 pounds float price to below 5 pounds, hit most recently by the group's weak performance in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, where half-year demand fell by nearly a fifth. The group posted a pretax loss of 78.8 million pounds in the six months through June from a 20.8 million pound profit in the first half of 2018. Its shares were down 17% at 4.71 pounds by 0748 GMT. "We are disappointed that our projections for wholesales have fallen short or our original targets, impacted by weakness in two of our key markets as well as continued macro-economic uncertainty," Palmer said. Overall wholesale demand grew by 6% in the first six months as the group posted strong increases in the Americas and Asia, but a decline in Britain and the rest of the continent prompted the carmaker to cut its full-year forecast. Aston has also been hit by expansion costs as it builds a new factory in Wales to make its first sport utility vehicle, and a lower average selling price. The company said that if it requires some additional financing it would pursue the funds from sources such as the debt markets. The global car industry has been hit by weakening demand in China and a drop in demand for diesel vehicles in Europe, as well as the cost of electrification. Nissan reported plunging profits last week and said it would undertake its biggest restructuring plan in a decade, axing nearly a tenth of its workforce. But 106-year old Aston also faces the risk of a disorderly Brexit disrupting its wholly British production, as delays at ports due to new bureaucracy could slow down the movement of vehicles and components. "We do not want a no-deal Brexit because of the disruption that causes to issues at the border," said Palmer.

Aston Martin V12 Vantage S Roadster in the metal in Monterey

Even surrounded by glamorous people and a plethora of extremely exotic vehicles on the lawn of the Quail, the Aston Martin V12 Vantage S Roadster sticks out as something just a little bit more special. Under the Monterey sun all of the carbon fiber on the hood and in the air dam pops out from the shining ruby red paint. The aggressive looks are deserved though, because the latest roadster might be one of the most impressive droptop GTs ever to come out of Aston Martin. Under that louvered bonnet is a tuned version of Aston's long-lived 6.0-liter V12 – it's 44 pounds lighter, too. Plus, this engine is mated to the brand's latest Sportshift III seven-speed sequential gearbox to rocket it to 60 miles per hour in 3.9 seconds and on to a top speed of 201 miles per hour. Features like adaptive dampers, two-stage ABS and carbon-ceramic brakes, make the new V12 Vantage Roadster an even more intriguing and capable package. Of course, this Vantage is a head-turner even without those 12 cylinders ready to make a very sweet noise at the press of the throttle. Check it out from all angles in the gallery.