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Aug 24, 2023

Monterey Car Week in California hosted a long list of debuts at the exclusive end of the car market

Monterey Car Week is the amalgamation of a series of classic and high-end car events in and around Monterey in California each August. Highlights include auctions of ultra-rare cars, the Rolex

Monterey Car Week is the amalgamation of a series of classic and high-end car events in and around Monterey in California each August. Highlights include auctions of ultra-rare cars, the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion at the Laguna Seca race circuit, ‘The Quail’ show and the prestigious Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance held on the last day of the week. This took place on Sunday – August 20 – culminating in the award of ‘Best of Show’ title to a Mercedes-Benz 540 K Special Roadster.

The high-performance, luxury and low-volume new car makers also use Monterey Car Week as a platform to showcase their latest models to an audience packed with ‘high-net-worth’ individuals. Here are some of the debutantes from 2023.

The introduction of an open-topped version of the new Aston Martin DB12 is of no surprise as the new Volante was developed in parallel with the hard-topped coupé already launched. The convertible mixes the aggressive new front end with a more elegant rear and retains the coupé’s 2+2 cabin with its modern digital infotainment system. The Volante also gets the same 670bhp twin-turbocharged V8 petrol engine and 202mph top speed.

While the DB12 Volante did debut in Pebble Beach, showgoers were as likely drawn to the one-of-110 Aston Martin Valour on display and the VR experience to allow would-be buyers of the Valhalla a closer look at the forthcoming supercar.

Emphasising its focus on global expansion for the company, Liverpool-based BAC (Briggs Automotive Company) chose the Monterey Car Week to host the unveiling of its next-generation Mono. As before, it’s a pared-back, single-seat sports car made in the UK and costing approximately £250,000.

Bentley launched its new flagship model in California, the Bentayga Extended Wheelbase Mulliner, and Mulliner was also tasked with creating a one-off based on the current Continental GT inspired by the very first Continental GT produced 20 years ago.

Neither of those cars could hold a candle to the amazing 85 per cent scale recreation of the 1929 4½-litre Supercharged – the famous ‘Blower Bentley’ – launched in Monterey by The Little Car Company as the Blower Jnr in First Edition specification. It’s powered by battery and road legal, with prices for the first 99 examples expected to be in the region of £90,000 plus local taxes.

In its own ‘Casa Ferrari’ enclosure, the Italian company unveiled a one-off based on the Ferrari 812 Competizione created by the Ferrari Styling Centre and its Tailor Made division. The main yellow paint colour – matte Giallo Tristrato – is complemented by design sketches in matte Nero DS Sketch (or ‘black’ in English) to draw attention to the car’s details and celebrate the design process. It will be auctioned at the Ferrari Gala to be held in New York on October 17.

Ford president and CEO, Jim Farley is very excited by his company’s ultimate Mustang road car, the new GTD: “This is our company, we’re throwing down the gauntlet and saying: ‘Come and get it.’ We’re comfortable putting everybody else on notice. I’ll take track time in a Mustang GTD against any other auto boss in their best road car.”

Developed alongside a new Mustang GT3 racer that’s set to compete at Le Mans next year, the GTD was produced without the rules of racing to shackle it and features advanced suspension and aerodynamics, alongside a 5.2-litre V8 engine making in the region of 800bhp.

Hennessy has been making a name for itself in terms of producing ludicrously fast and ludicrously expensive hypercars and it continued the theme for this year’s Monterey Car Week, where it launched the Venom F5 Revolution Roadster. It’s an open-topped version of last year’s F5 Revolution Coupé, a car designed for quick lap times rather than just straight-line speed. The Roadster uses that car’s 1,817bhp engine and advanced aerodynamics, and it costs in the region of £2.4m.

Lamborghini continued its 60th anniversary celebrations in California and used the event to display its new Lanzador concept. Taking the form of a sleek GT car with a raised ride height, the Lanzador also previews the Italian brand’s first fully-electric car, expected to hit the market in 2028. Lamborghini refers to the concept as an ‘ultra GT’ and it’s powered by a series of electric motors making over 1,300bhp.

The Lotus stand at The Quail allowed American buyers their first chance to see the electric Lotus Eletre SUV, while Jenson Button’s own personalised Lotus Evija was also on display. One of the stars of the whole event, however, was the Type 66, a new track-only car from Lotus that revives a project begun by Colin Chapman to investigate creating a Can-Am racer. Only 10 examples of the Type 66 will be sold, each costing over £1m.

While Mercedes-Benz Heritage proudly contributed to the restoration of the ‘Best of Show’ winning 540 K, the new-car side of the business was busy launching the second-generation Mercedes-AMG GT coupé. Visually, the new car has clearly evolved from the old – and fans will be happy to hear that the thumping great 4-litre V8 is retained – though it now can be had with rear seats and four-wheel drive.

Pininfarina will soon have a range of high-performance electric cars to sell, complementing the Battista. A special version of the Battista – the Edizione Nino Farina – was on hand in California, but all eyes were on the open-topped version, the B95 ‘barchetta’. Only 10 will be built, at a price of £3.75 million before taxes. Expected to be a little more affordable will be a production version of the Pininfarina Pura Vision show car, an electric SUV that its maker prefers to describe as an electric Luxury Utility Vehicle (e-LUV).

Just four examples of the Rolls-Royce Droptail will be produced and the first was unveiled in California as ‘La Rose Noire’ with unique paint inspired by the red-black appearance of the Black Baccara rose. The open-topped vehicle comes with a removeable carbon-fibre roof, sportier detailing and more compact proportions than all current Rolls-Royce models and a wealth of unique details confirming that the Droptails are not for the mere financial mortals of the world. For example, the 43mm Royal Oak Concept Split-Seconds Chronograph GMT Large Date timepiece made by Audemars Pugeut can be mounted to the dashboard or worn on the wrist, while the champagne in the storage area is a bespoke vintage to the car.

Danish supercar-maker, Zenvo revealed its newest and most powerful car yet in California. The new Aurora uses a 6.6-litre, quad-turbo V12 and an electric motor for 1,430bhp in its most basic ‘Agil’ form. There’s another variant, the Tur, with up to 1,830bhp and a claimed 280mph top speed. Just 50 examples of each will be made, starting from 2025.