2018 Rév Auto Exhibition Proves Superb with Supercars Through the Ages [Video]
Summer car gatherings and concours have become de rigueur throughout the Golden State, but many are either overcrowded affairs or overly rarified. On June 3, however, one clearly pulled away from the competition: the Rév Auto exhibition at the Sherwood Country Club in Lake Sherwood, Calif.
Rév Auto, founded in 2012, was cohosted this year by Nick Lemieux and racer Derek Hill and featured a diverse assemblage of roughly 60 automobiles—united by their exclusivity and exquisite condition—from some of the country’s finest collections. Despite the dizzying dollar value represented and the club’s aristocratic ambiance, the four-wheel fete was surprisingly laid-back.
“For as young as we are as an event, I think we accomplished showing the kind of relaxed yet entertaining presentation we were going for,” says Hill. “It’s all about evolving, so we’re already planning our next year’s show.”
The event carried a safari theme complemented by a few exotic animals (including a giraffe) and an assortment of classic Land Rovers and other adventure vehicles. The epicenter of the entire presentation, however, was the “Evolution of the Supercar” display, which featured state-of-the art automobiles through the decades, from a 1913 Mercer 35-J Raceabout (with 56 hp and a top speed of about 70 mph) to a 2015 Porsche 918 (with 887 hp and a top speed of 217 mph). Within that range were rarities such as the Mullin Automotive Museum’s 1994 Bugatti EB110 Super Sport (of which a mere 31 were made), Ray Scherr’s 1938 Alfa Romeo 8C Corto Touring Spider (once owned by the Maharajah of Indore and now estimated at roughly $40 million), and the Petersen Museum’s 1956 Jaguar XKSS (once owned by actor Steve McQueen and now estimated at approximately $30 million).
Nearly every example that was entered played an important part in automotive history, such as the 1973 Porsche 911 2.7 RS brought by renowned collector Bruce Meyer. “It was the genesis of the Porsche supercar. They had to make 500 of these to homologate the 911 for racing,” says Meyer. “After this came the RSR, the 934.5, and then the 935 which ultimately won overall at Le Mans. So it’s kind of like the foundation for Porsche racing.”
For Meyer, Rév Auto is about more than cars. “I would call this more of a lifestyle event where you get great hospitality and lovely, lovely people,” he says. “It’s a bit of a people show, and it’s such an extraordinary location. David Murdock, who built Sherwood, just checked every box when he put this place together.”
Meyer’s sentiment seemed to be shared by other participants. “The quality and variety of cars, the venue—it’s amazing,” says automotive consultant Jeffrey Meier while standing next to his unrestored and pristine 1969 Lamborghini Miura S. “I’ve done every one of the shows—Pebble Beach, everything—and this is just as good or better than any of them. It seriously is.”
The 2018 Rév Auto was sponsored by Engel & V?lkers, O’Gara Coach Westlake, Four Seasons Hotel Westlake Village, and Galpin Aston Martin. Nearly 400 automotive enthusiasts paid the $150 price of admission, with a portion of the proceeds being donated to various charities. A date for the 2019 edition has yet to be determined.
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