Monterey Car Week 2023: The industry celebrates itself
Good news for the rich and beautiful: the automotive luxury segment remains stable. Nowhere can this be better observed than during "Car Week" on California's Monterey Peninsula. There, there is the "Quail" and the Concours d'Elegance at the famous Pebble Beach, flanked by many side events, auctions and historic races.
Not for the first time, a 1930s German car took the win at the Concours among this year's 216 entrants, this time a 1937 Mercedes-Benz 540 K Special Roadster. "This 540K balances power with sweeping lines and style, and its history is unique," praises Sandra Button, Concours director, of the vehicle once owned by the Shah of Afghanistan. Auction business was also buzzing. A 1962 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta, for example, fetched nearly nine and a half million dollars.
The parade of high-priced classics is not just an end in itself, however. It also serves as a backdrop for a number of new cars and concept cars, some of which are making their public debut here. Here are some of them:
Ford Mustang GTD
A Ford Mustang for $300,000? Actually, the American is the prototype of the affordable sports car - but from the regular Mustang here is also only the form left. Based on the GT3 race car, the GTD is powered by a roughly 800-hp supercharged 5.2-liter V8, and the lap time on the Nordschleife is said to be under 7 minutes. The model designation "GTD" refers to the corresponding IMSA "Grand Touring Daytona" class.
Infiniti QX Monograph
The stumbling Nissan luxury brand is showing the QX Monograph - a "provocative statement," according to its own presentation. The voluminous off-roader is likely to refer to the successor of the current QX80, but the Japanese are still keeping quiet about the technical specifications. Presumably, a powerful V8 is again under the hood.
Kia EV9
With the large electric SUV EV9, Kia shows probably the most affordable offer of the "Car Week", nevertheless it fits well here. After all, it represents the huge leap forward that the Koreans have made in recent years qua design and technology. Kia is present in Monterey for the second time.
Lamborghini Lanzador
It's been 15 years since Lamborghini presented a study of a spacious four-seater: the Estoque thrilled fans at the time, but didn't make it into production. The Lanzador now presented looks like a two-door Estoque on stilts - after all, the batteries from which the energy for up to 1000 kW (1360 hp) of power is drawn have to be accommodated somewhere. As befits a Lamborghini, the name comes from the bullfighting tradition.
Mercedes-AMG GT
The new AMG GT continues the tradition of its SLS-based predecessor, but technically follows the new SL. Like the latter, it is no longer a pure two-seater, but a 2+2. A 4.0-liter V8 provides propulsion.
Mercedes-AMG SL 63 Manufacture Big Sur
Only for America: a strictly limited special series of the new SL is intended to draw attention to the "Manufacture" program. The specially developed color goes by the name "orange flame," under the hood is the familiar 4.0-liter V8 in the "63" specification, and the top speed is 315 km/h.
Mercedes-Benz One-Eleven
The reinterpretation of the legendary C111 sports car prototype features a completely new type of electric drive that is as revolutionary as the Wankel engine was in its day. The color scheme and interior are inspired by the 1970s. There are no plans for series production.
Rolls-Royce La Rose Noire Droptail
Rolls-Royce builds the Droptail series for the considerable sum of more than 30 million euros. The "La Rose Noire" variant has now been presented in Pebble Beach. Under the hood is a classic V12, and the clock was designed by Audemars Piguet. This is in stark contrast to the sister model "Amethyste Droptail," which was unveiled just a few days later in Gstaad and features a watch by Vacheron Constantin.
Zenvo Aurora
The Danish supercar comes as a hybrid. At its heart is a quad-turbocharged V12 engine developed by Mahle that produces 1250 hp and can rev up to 9800 rpm. Three electric motors develop another 600 hp. Production is scheduled to start in 2025.
So much for our subjective, by no means exhaustive overview. Incidentally, the last word has not yet been spoken in terms of powertrains: A phalanx of electric sports cars, including the Koenigsegg Gemera or Pininfarina Barchetta, are juxtaposed with classically powered supercars like the Czinger 21C Blackbird and the Maserati MCXtrema. Tuning specialist Ruf has even come up with an interpretation of the Porsche 911 with a completely newly developed, classically air-cooled 3.6-liter six-cylinder boxer engine. The appropriate name: Ruf Tribute.
The automotive future looks glorious, at least in the top segment. But one concern is driving enthusiasts and investors in Monterey - namely, how the expensive electric and hybrid sports cars will cope with presumably long service lives in carefully protected garages and museums. You'll know in 10 or 20 years from the auction results. (aum/jm)
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