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Living Life Large: Driving $2 million worth of cars in one week

Monterey Car Week has quickly become one of my favorite events of the year. There's something for everyone – classic car shows, modern concepts and new vehicle debuts, auctions, racing, and so much more. From a media perspective, there's also a chance to drive a ton of cars. Many automakers bring their latest wares out to Monterey for us to test during our limited free time, and it's a great opportunity to experience fantastic metal against a gorgeous backdrop. That's exactly what I did this year. Instead of flying into Monterey and being driven around, my journey started in Los Angeles and ended in Napa, and I managed to get behind the wheel of some $2 million worth of new cars. Some were old favorites, and many were new experiences. But looking back, this was one of the best weeks of driving I've had in years. Rather than try to come up with some common arc to tie these cars together, here are my notes on all the cars I tested in California earlier this month, presented in the order in which they were driven. 2016 Mazda CX-3 The CX-3 pictured here isn't the exact one I drove in California, but it's close. The only difference was color – my delivered-to-LAX tester wore Mazda's awesome new Ceramic hue (pictured below on the MX-5 Miata). I used the CX-3 to slum through crummy Los Angeles traffic for two hours on the way out to Santa Barbara, with a quick stop at In-N-Out Burger on the way for good measure. A lot nicer inside than I remember. Everyone praises Mazda for its excellence in engineering and design, but there's a lot to be said for the improvements in overall interior refinement. Quiet, comfortable, and well-equipped; the CX-3 made sitting on the 405 freeway a lot more pleasant. Not all that functional. I had a hard time fitting a week's worth of luggage for two people inside. The cargo area and rear passenger compartment were filled, with only enough room on top to see out the back window. A Honda HR-V would've swallowed all that luggage with plenty of room for more. So good to drive. Not surprising, since this wasn't my first time in the CX-3. I knew this CUV would be good on twisty roads, but on the highway it's really exceptional. Road and wind noise are minimal and the overall ride quality is a comfortable sort of sporty. This is definitely something I could drive every day – it's enjoyable during commuting and entertaining on more interesting roads.

Lamborghini downshifts toward record sales

Reuters reports that the Lamborghini Huracan is doing exactly what it was intended to do for the brand: increase sales. The company set yearly sales records up to and including the first full year of the global financial collapse, moving 2,430 units of the Murcielago and Gallardo in 2008. But even 1,144 combined horsepower couldn't keep that momentum going, and by 2010 that had dropped to 1,302 sales worldwide. Retail success returned with the markets and buyers who deemed it finally safe to be seen in a brand-new six-figure car. Last year, the company set a sales record of 2,530 units, a 19-percent increase over 2014. In an interview with Reuters, company CEO Stephan Winklemann said that Lamborghini should break that number this month. The momentum is coming from the US and Asia, specifically Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan. Sales in mainland China are "broadly flat," but that has to be considered success when other much less spendy carmakers are hurting something awful in the People's Republic, and luxury makers have returned their primary attentions to the US. Next year could be even better, with the Huracan Spyder going on sale in the spring. Two years after that, the brand plans to double its current sales with the arrival of its supersport crossover, which has a target of "about 3,000" per year. Related Video:

This Lamborghini could become the most expensive car ever sold on Bring a Trailer

The collector-car auction site Bring a Trailer has seen some wildly high sales results recently, including a 2000 Honda Civic Si for $50k, a 1997 Acura Integra Type R for $82k, and a '71 Datsun 240Z for $310k. Now, a 1968 Lamborghini Miura P400 up for auction right now could set a new high-water mark for the most expensive car ever to sell on the site. Any Miura is a blue-chip collectible, a seminal supercar that was designed by Marcello Gandini of Bertone and considered by many to be one of the most beautiful cars of all time. The transverse-oriented, mid-mounted, quad-cam V12 is fed by four Weber carburetors and was said to be capable of propelling the Miura to 170 mph. This one appears to be a compelling, restored example. As a P400, it is an early series car (the P400 S and SV followed). The audacious lime green paint is a color change from the original white and is paired with a blue interior that records show to be the original hue. The car has been shown at the Quail in 2016, has run the Pebble Beach Tour d'Elegance in 2018, and won an award at Concorso Italiano in 2016. Bidding at the time of writing is $800k with 10 days still to go. In order for this Lambo to ring the bell as the most expensive BaT sale ever, it will have to top the current champion, BaT's own 1956 Mercedes-Benz Gullwing that was the first car sold via the site's premium listings. A no-reserve sale, it brought $1,234,567. Yes, we see what the bidder did. Current Miura values would appear to give this P400 a shot dethroning that Gullwing. Hagerty assigns the 1968 Miura P400 a value of $1.1m in #1 condition. Recently, Gooding and Co. sold a 1969 Miura P400 S at Scottsdale in January for $1,242,500. A never-restored 1969 P400 S sold for nearly $1.6m at RM Sothebys London sale last fall, while a non-running 1968 P400 sold by RM earlier this month in Europe for $800,000. It looks like it will be a close call for this Miura to achieve top honors at BaT. But whatever it sells for, the new owner may want to send a professional car hauler rather than simply bringing a trailer. Although the most ballsy move would be to fly in and drive it home. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.