Monterey Magic
The annual Monterey Classic Car Weekend is heavily populated with wonderful vintage vehicles, some racing at Laguna Seca and others preening on manicured lawns. But the legendary car gathering also includes the unveiling of concept and production cars that were once the venue of major car shows. We’ve picked a few gems from the mid-August gathering and we’re sure you’ll find one or two you’d like to add to your collection.
Nilu 27
Sasha Selipanov designed both the Lamborghini Huracan and the Bugatti Chiron so when he produced his new Nilu27 hypercar, enthusiasts knew it would be special. Selipanov stayed with petrol for his creation with a unique 6.5-liter, 1,000HP V12 that revs to 12,000 RPM like a Formula One machine. You do your own shifting and don’t worry about the stereo to make music. Just 54 units are available and some guess the price at $2.8-million
Aspark Owl
Masanori Yoshida developed an engineering and research company for automakers and other clients and decided to create an electric hypercar. The result is the Aspark Owl, an EV packing 1,953 HP. That’s enough to thrust this 4,400-pound coupe to 60 MPH in 1.72-seconds on its way to 256 MPH. About $3-million will put one in your collection.
Rimac Nevera R
If there are a few electric hypercars lurking around, we’re bound to find one of Mate Rimac’s products. The lovely Rimac Nevera R, a 2,107 HP offering that’s been redesigned for even better cornering performance. Once a boutique startup, Rimac now develops new Bugatti models along with development work for other major automakers. Forty copies will be produced for $2.5-million each.
Karma Kaveya
If millions of dollars seem a bit steep for an astonishing automobile. Karma’s new Kaveya will thrill at the curb with ample aplomb for just over $200,000. For that outlay the 1,000 HP electric will zip its 5,300-pound girth to 60 in just 3-seconds with a 180 MPH top speed. The 120 kWh battery offers 250-miles of range and fast charging refills take just 45-minutes.
Mercedes Maybach SL Monogram
In somewhat normal sports car unveilings, Mercedes-Benz introduced a lovely new SL roadster in a Maybach Monogram series. This lovely red roadster with a black hood embossed with Maybach logos should demand a premium valet parking space at your next outing. And the 577 HP, 4.0-liter turbocharged V8 provides plenty of amusement for its expected $250,000 MSRP.
Cadillac’s Statement
Cadillac recently tossed its gauntlet down in the ultra-luxury category with its bespoke Celestiq sedan that’s coach-built at a special facility. In Monterey, they followed with a lovely Sollei Convertible that we hope they build along with an Opulent Velocity Concept, a two-plus-two hypercar that can thrill its occupants on a track in autonomous driving mode.