A CELEBRATION OF AUTOMOTIVE ART & DESIGN

SATURDAY, AUGUST 24, 2019 / 12:00 P.M.–5:00 P.M.

August 2019

Writer // Janelle Morrison                 Photography // Anthony Ross Tyler

For 12 years, Artomobilia has continued to feature a distinct gathering of recognized artists, collector cars and automotive enthusiasts, showcased on the streets of the Carmel Arts & Design District. Featuring more than 400 enthusiast and collector cars on the streets of Carmel, the Artomobilia boasts one of the most eclectic gatherings of original, period-correct cars, including Super Car, Exotic, Sports Car, Classics, Racers, Historically Preserved, Indiana Built, Sedan/Coupe and more at its three key events: Shift, Fuelicious and Artomobilia. Each of the highlighted events also acts as a fundraising arm for specific area charities that the organizers of Artomobilia wholeheartedly support.

Artomobilia focuses on display and appreciation over competition, and although each of the automobiles is truly magnificent, this event is not just about cars; it’s about the art and automotive enthusiasts. This is the sixth year that Carmel Monthly has participated as a media sponsor and is proud to support the organizers and volunteers of this remarkable event weekend.

La Corsa Dei Tori “Running of the Bulls”

This year’s theme for Artomobilia, “La Corsa Dei Tori” or “Running of the Bulls,” celebrates Ferruccio Lamborghini and the cars that bear his name. This year’s attendees will have the incredible opportunity to see a storied array of exceptional performance cars whose reputation and styling have defined, and redefined, the category of Super Car for more than half a century.

Five remarkable examples of Lamborghini’s legacy were photographed in a rare opportunity that is featured on this month’s cover of Carmel Monthly.

As always, the exceptional work of Anthony Ross Tyler features an iconic visual timeline that highlights the best of Lamborghini ingenuity and design over the last 50 years.

Tyler, a longtime supporter of and regularly featured photographer at Artomobilia, shared what it was like to have in his possession for a few hours some of the finest Super Cars ever to grace the automotive world.

A Lamborghini Poster for the Ages

“The project started out like it normally does where John [Leonard] sends me an email and says, ‘Hey, man, we’ve got a project for this year’s Artomobilia,’” Tyler said. “This year, he sends me an image that he got off the internet—a graphic design, not a photograph—of the topline silhouettes of all five major Lamborghini body styles on top of each other. “He [Leonard] told me he wanted that but with my photos. I was like, ‘OK, cool,’ but I wanted to do something more, and so I wanted to shoot another version where we showed the details on the sides of the body styles as well.”

Tyler is renowned for his unique and extraordinary lighting techniques and composition. Fans of his artistry have come to expect a high level of attention to detail and a certain “mood” that only Tyler can create in the images that he produces. His incomparable work gives the automobile he is shooting a personality of its very own. Finding inspiration from his youth, Tyler revisited his favorite Lamborghini posters that adorned his walls as a typical red-blooded American boy.

“When I was between the ages of 9 and 11, I had posters of cars, and I remember the iconic ’80s poster of a black Lamborghini Countach and another of a white Lamborghini Countach—a profile with a checkerboard floor,” Tyler shared. “I had the black one on my wall that I loved forever. It was smoky with an industrial/concrete background, so I started thinking that I’d do a profile [of the Lamborghinis] and light them from the top, then make a poster out of it. So, I pitched it to John [Leonard] and told him that I’d make a poster out of all five profiles with an industrial-like environment, like something that I had on my wall when I was 9 years old, and he said, ‘Do it, man.’”

Tyler laid out his lighting and marked where the cars would each roll in, one by one, and shot each of the five featured Lamborghinis as though they were aligned and stacked perfectly on top of one another.

“My thought process throughout the project was, ‘How do I make something that feels like and had that vibe of the ’80s posters, but do it in a way that brings fine art photography and automotive photography together,”’ Tyler stated. “Ultimately, my goal was to make an image of all five Lamborghinis that I would want as a kid but was mature enough and artistic enough that it could sit in a fine art gallery.”

The 1969 Lamborghini Miura P400S (S)

Tim Mathile, owner of the 1969 Lamborghini Miura S featured on this month’s cover and official poster for Artomobilia, shared his story on how he came to appreciate cars as a youth and his decision to purchase the Miura S.

“A neighbor of mine had a ’69 Corvette Stingray 427, and his son and I were best friends,” Mathile said. “One day we were looking at the car, and his dad came out and said, ‘Hey, guys, you can see it better if you’re inside of it.’ So, of course we climbed inside, and since we were small enough, we both fit in the side seat, and his dad got in the front seat and started it up. I remember like it was yesterday, the smell of the octane and the noise of the 427 engine. I got the bug right there, that very moment.”

Fast forward to 2002, Mathile and his wife, Peg, had always wanted a sports car. After a nudge from fate, he placed a bid on the 1969 Lamborghini Miura S that had been seized and put up for auction.

“I placed the bid, and lo and behold, I won it,” Mathile said. “It came from Cincinnati, and it needed a lot of work because it had been neglected. So, I started tearing it apart with the intention that I would restore it myself. I got it all the way down to the bare metal and realized that as a guy with ADD, it probably wasn’t a good idea to try and put it back together again. So, I had it professionally restored.”

It took three years for Mathile’s Miura S to be fully restored, but once the restoration was completed, he took the car to Ault Park, where it captured the Espirit d’Sport—Best of Show—for the sports cars. It has since been featured in many other high-profile platforms, including on Jerry Seinfeld’s “Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee” with Chris Rock. Upon further research of that segment, it was discovered, as reported by New York Magazine, that the two award-winning comedians/actors were actually pulled over in Mathile’s Miura S while filming the segment. What a story to own in addition to the fine automobile itself.

Mathile has an impressive collection that he has grown over the years, but his true enthusiasm lies with the Lamborghini brand. “For me, it’s the design aspect of the Lamborghini and the fact that they’re more limited in numbers produced. This Miura S was one of 140 made.”

The 3.9 liter V-12 engine with its ability to top out at 163 mph and hit zero to 60 mph in 6.3 seconds is just another reason to love the 1969 Miura S.

“It’s not really comfortable driving long distances, and they don’t have a lot of luggage room,” Mathile quipped. “But I love the design of the Lamborghinis—they’re always cutting-edge.”

The 1994 Lamborghini Diablo SE

Celebrating 30 years since the release of the first model, Lamborghini produced only 150 of the 1994 Lamborghini Diablo SE. Owner Scott Hannan shared why he is a fan of this particular model.

“My [Diablo SE] is number two out of the production,” Hannan shared. “It’s white, and I believe there’s only two of the white [Diablo SE] from the special edition, so that’s truly uncommon. This was a demonstrator model for the U.S., so there’s only 25 in the country, which makes it a special car. What makes it special for me is that it is one of a very limited production.”

Compared to the Ferrari F40, the Lamborghini Diablo SE is faster with a V-12 520 hp engine that goes zero to 60 in 3.1 seconds, and according to Hannan, “It’s a pretty fast car. I haven’t driven many Ferraris, but the closest comparison [to the Diablo SE] is the F40. The Diablo SE is still pretty much a touring road car and weighs about 3,100 pounds, so it’s fairly heavy.”

For Hannan, a big part of his enthusiasm for Lamborghini is the driving experience itself.

“Even though [Lamborghini] tried to cut some of the weight in this model, it’s not like a Lotus that is lower in speed but is also low weight comparatively and handles more quickly than Lamborghini, but Lamborghini is a lot more fun [to drive], in my opinion. One of the most fun things for me is that it has such a short nose on it and such a large windshield that it looks like you’re driving while looking through with a picture window in front of you. You’re right on the ground, and everything’s coming at you pretty fast.”

When asked what advice he would share with car enthusiasts, particularly the younger enthusiasts, Hannan said, “I think cars, in general, whether it’s a Ford Focus, a Mustang, a Lamborghini or a Bugatti, you can find enjoyment in the car and in the mechanics behind it. Most of us grew up with ‘beater’ cars that we worked on, took apart and put back together, for the fun of it. If you’re lucky enough to be able to afford your ‘dream’ car, by all means get it because it’s fun to own, fun to drive and fun to just wash and wax them. To learn about cars and the mechanics behind them is an enjoyable lifelong endeavor.”

The 2018 Lamborghini Aventador

“The funny thing is, I never really considered myself to be a car guy,” Rick Shue said. “I didn’t really get the car bug until I hit the age of 50. Prior to that, my focus on cars—the four-door family sedan with lots of trunk space, good fuel economy that you can drive for 10 to 20 years.”

Shue said that time and age caught up with him, and when he turned 50, he decided it was time to live a little or a lot, depending on your perspective.

“I hit 50 and started thinking to myself that if I was going to do something in the way of [performance] cars, I’d better do it quickly because I’m going to look kind of funny when I’m in a wheelchair trying to get in and out of a sports car,” Shue half jested. “So, I threw caution to the wind and started buying cars that were fun to drive. It wasn’t too long after, I purchased my first Lamborghini, and it was an impulse purchase.”

Shue had been working his way up the Mercedes-Benz Roadster class when he had an epiphany; his current experiences weren’t sparking the excitement that he was looking for. He had always “settled” for nice but not top of the line.

“I was always focused on practical and sensible cars, and it took me a while to grow out of that,” Shue admitted. “My first Lamborghini was the 2006 Gallardo—the entry-level Lamborghini. It was more affordable and not as powerful, but I like bright colors, and it was a nice pearl-yellow. I’ve always thought that yellow looked good on Lamborghinis. I enjoyed it immensely.”

The newest addition to the Lamborghini legacy, the 2018 Lamborghini Aventador, is far from entry-level anything. It boasts a 6.5 liter V-12 729 hp engine and accelerates zero to 60 mph in a mind-blowing 3.0 seconds. The Aventador tops out at 217 mph in case of a last-minute beer run and you’re already late for a gathering at the in-laws.

“I’ve been really happy. It’s a great automobile to have and to enjoy,” Shue said. “I like the way it looks and feels. I climb into that thing, and it becomes an extension of my physical self. It’s very responsive and feels like a part of you rather than something you’re rattling around inside of.”

Shue’s advice to those debating on whether or not to buy top of the line is, “At some point, you have to value the amount of time that you have left versus the things that you want to do. There’s a time to be conservative—as a youth—and then you reach a time when you are allowed to go out, splurge and have some fun before you end up in your final set of wheels that you’re pushing with your hands.”

For a complete list of events and times of Shift, Fuelicious and Artomobilia, visit artomobiliaweekend.com.

For captions on all five Lambos:

•            (orange) 1969 Lamborghini Miura P400S—Tim Mathile, owner

•            (white) 1988 Lamborghini Countach QV—Brad Ward, owner

•            (white) 1994 Lamborghini Diablo SE—Scott Hannan, owner

•            (grey) 2002 Lamborghini Murciélago—Alex Kouklakis, owner

•            (yellow) 2018 Lamborghini Aventador — Rick Shue, owner