In a world where inequality has taken way too many new forms because of ease of access to social media, a $30 million car flaunted at an automotive event feels kind of excessive, right? Right?!
Oh, come on, don't say that we need to dare and dream in order to achieve. And in this era of viral videos that make you a millionaire, the notion of hard work seems superfluous, isn't it? However, the people who made Monterey Car Week an icon of the automotive industry and one of the best events ever worked hard to ensure that so many companies have a venue to present their best-of-the-best.
They are the unsung heroes of this year's edition, which felt a lot more glamorous and successful than others. First up, Monterey is not just one venue on the Californian coast. Instead, it's a multitude of events laid out and layered across ten marvelous days this year – all culminating with the weekend of The Quail and Pebble Beach. But they weren't the only ones worth mentioning – aside from small venues like the Monterey Pre-Reunion, there were also the Automobilia Monterey Expo, Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion, Legends of the Autobahn, Exotics on Broadway, the Monterey Motorsports Festival, a treasure trove of auctions for collectors, plus many other Concours and Concorso venues.
Of course, in the end, The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering and the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance were the star attractions and the ones with the most new model introductions. By the way, everyone talked about what happened at Monterey. Still, very few people actually took the time to mention the winner of the main event - a Mercedes-Benz 540 K Special Roadster took home the prestigious 'Best of Show' award at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance 2023 on Sunday, August 20.
Frankly, if we are to compare this year's Monterey with a regular international car show, the California-based string of events would come on top without any discussion. They had everything, from mundane special editions like the Kia EV6 dressed in NACTOY stuff to commemorate its win in just 1,000 units all the way up to a huge string of exotics that culminated with La Rose Noire. But before getting into the stratosphere of the alleged $30 million first Droptail Coachbuild commission, let's talk about what was in between.
Monterey Car Week is undoubtedly one of the most glamorous gatherings of cars old and new in the motoring world, alongside the Goodwood Festival of Speed. There's no denying that – and there's nothing IAA Mobility 2023 or the Los Angeles Auto Show can do about that. Not anymore, at least, now that people have tasted the sense of freedom brought upon by such 'casual' events. And especially since all the highlights presented here would be well worth at least a couple of static, traditional car shows.
Anyway, let's get on with them. The car I would absolutely adore driving to the Monterey Car Week and in between events has to be the new Aston Martin DB12 Volante. It's a feisty V8-powered open-top that's marginally prettier than the Coupe version, and with the wind in your hair, a nice tweed jacket, and (ahem) a significant other besides you, it's close to making you feel like James Bond, 007.
Concurrently, if I had to drive something away from the events like I stole it, the Zenvo Aurora would be the car that would make an instant impression on everyone with its extraterrestrial looks and the hybridized quad-turbo 6.6-liter V12 powerplant able to churn out up to 1,850 horsepower. If I really wanted something gold, which I don't, then one of those Bugatti Chirons would do, for sure. But I don't like them too much, so let's skip a beat.
Prototypes were also on point, like the GMA T.50S (track-only version) or the Pininfarina Pura Vision concept, as well as unique treats like Ferrari's 812 or Jenson Button's Lotus Evija. Crazy introductions included the Pininfarina B95 – essentially a roofless, windowless Rimac Nevera, sorry, Pininfarina Battista. Oh, there was also the Hennessey Venom F5 Revolution Roadster or the Czinger 21C Blackbird edition! Oh, wait, but I have more – the new BAC Mono, the Maserati MCXtrema track toy, the incredible Lotus Type 66, the Lamborghini Lanzador Concept, or the all-new Mercedes-AMG GT!
Did I miss any of them, like the Ford Mustang GTD or Acura ZDX Type S? Probably, but there were so many novelties! By the way, I expressly mentioned the Acura ZDX Type S because that's the one series-production car I would take home from Monterey. It's got 500 horsepower, after all. Anyway, the time has come to indulge in a little excess and discuss the Rolls-Royce 'La Rose Noire' Droptail Coachbuild. If you were paying attention, Rolls now has Sweptail, Boat Tail, and Droptail commissions – all hovering in the area of around $30 million per car!
That's pretty astonishing, right? What's more surprising is that Rolls-Royce keeps pushing the envelope, making these commissions stand out even among themselves. And 'La Rose Noire,' the first of four unique Droptail Coachbuild models, was inspired by the romantic allure of the Black Baccara rose, incorporates two years' worth of hand-finishing and hand-placing 1,603 wood pieces, plus a new exterior paint process that needed 150 failed attempts before success!
Oh, and there's also a wearable Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept timepiece, a matching Champagne Chest with an exclusive vintage of Champagne de Lossy, and a removable hard top to make you wise in your choices of what journeys to take and how far away from home. That's all pretty darn crazy, right?
Aurel has aimed high all his life (literally, at 16 he was flying gliders all by himself) so in 2006 he switched careers and got hired as a writer at his favorite magazine. Since then, his work has been published both by print and online outlets, most recently right here, on autoevolution. Full profile
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