Monterey Car Week is one of the most anticipated times on the automotive calendar. Enthusiasts, collectors, and manufacturers alike buzz with excitement at this time of year, with reveals, auctions, events, and a general spectacle of automotive excellence in unprecedented concentration, all at the same time and in the same place in coastal California. The stunning location, striking cars, and spectacular sales make for a once-in-a-lifetime event.
With some of the rarest, most exclusive, or otherwise the most superlative cars in the world gathering to be admired and sold at Monterey, these 6, all going to auction at RM Sotheby’s Monterey Car Week sale, all telling diverse stories of automotive history, performance, exclusivity, and excellent design. Keep reading to find out more about these incredible cars, and get a small taste of the incomparable splendor that is Monterey Car Week.
1957 Land Rover Series I
Now split into the three brands: Range Rover, Defender, and Discovery, Land Rover built an impressive reputation by being one of the first names in the entire world attached to vehicles with practically infallible off-road capability. The Series I is one of the earliest models in that long history, and its legacy includes many stories of people using it to do things that automobiles could previously never do. This specific Series I was ordered by the legendary Canadian “Rover Boys” who drove it around the world. Rediscovered in 2014 and restored to its 1957 spec, it still retains its original body.
2020 Ferrari 488 Pista Piloti
As it is, the Ferrari 488 Pista is a special car. It takes the already-excellent 488 GTB and ekes out further performance potential and track-focused ability. However, the 488 Pista “Piloti” is even more rare and special. Given a special livery with racing-inspired touches, the Piloti model was offered exclusively to Ferrari’s client racing drivers, and this specific example features Tailor Made options that contribute to a total MSRP of $546,581.
1958 Porsche 356 Speedster
The Porsche 356 was the historic manufacturer’s original model, and the Speedster version offered a thrilling open-top driving experience. This iconic example was beautifully restored and is being offered for sale for the first time in over 50 years since it was last sold in 1972. Offered with a range of accessories including a 1950s Pan Am leather luggage set, it’s a time capsule that celebrates the glory of a golden age in the automotive world and the world around it.
2018 Aston Martin Vanquish Zagato Volante
Aston Martin’s partnership with avant-garde Italian design house Zagato is iconic and long-standing, spanning a number of decades and eras in Aston Martin’s history. However, the 2018 Vanquish Zagato Volante is one of the greatest creations to come out of it. Revealed at a past Monterey Car Week itself, the stunningly-designed roadster is number 80 of 99 produced, of which approximately 12 were delivered to the United States. The green paintwork is both classically-inspired and futuristically iridescent, and over $70,000 of options in the configuration make it a collector’s dream.
1965 Ferrari 330 GT 2+2 Series I ‘Interim’ by Pininfarina
Ferrari’s grand touring cars are simply incomparable. Their classic designs, stunning proportions, and timeless characters inside and out make them a tried and true favorite among collectors all over the world, and this 1965 Ferrari 330 GT is no exception. Its exterior design comes courtesy of Pininfarina, which of course is known for many of Ferrari’s most recognizable creations. It’s believed to be one of only 124 like it, which are Series I “Interim” cars that had earlier design elements mixed with newer features. The car has roof damage, sustained from the infamous “barn collapse” in which the roof collapsed of the building it was kept in during Hurricane Charley in 2004.
1949 Jaguar XK 120
Jaguar is known for having made some of the world’s most iconic, beautiful, powerful, and luxurious cars, and holds an important place in automotive history, especially in the 20th century. The XK 120 is one of the most iconic, and this example boasts vibrant red paintwork. It was restored in 1990 and beautifully maintained since then. This stunning car, as well as the rest of these amazing pieces of automotive history and more will be featured at RM Sotheby’s Monterey sale, one of the most important reasons why Monterey Car Week is one of the most important times of the year for the car world.