Move over New York, Monterey is now the place where the crème-de-la-crème of the automotive world go to see the latest fashions from the world’s most elite automakers.
Bloomberg reported there were more than 20 world premieres of expensive models for sale and concepts teasing what will be available in the coming years — and most of them will need to be charged.
Electrifying the classic car world
As at every auto show, electrification was on the menu at Monterey. The instant torque and absurd horsepower numbers soared higher this year, as Henrik Fisker displayed the 1,000-horsepower Fisker Rōnin supercar.
Carrying a price tag of $385,000, the electric convertible will be limited to 999 units produced. Fisker promises up to 600 miles of range, though that number has not been certified by the EPA. Fisker also said that production of the Ronin will begin in 2025.
Fisker was not the only flamboyant industrialist-designer on hand. Mate Rimac debuted a special “Time Attack” edition of his self-named company’s electric Rimac Nevera hypercar. With a sticker price of about $2.1 million, the Nevera boasts a 0 to 60 time of just 1.85 seconds on the way to a terminal velocity of 258 mph. The new model recently raised a host of speed records in testing. This car claims 1,813 horsepower and just 12 examples will be made.
Pininfarina was not to be outdone, however, and put forth the 1,877-hp B95 super-duper-car, a $4.8 million electric open-top model, and the “Edizione Nino Farina” of its existing $2.2 million Pininfarina Battista that Bloomberg reviewed in 2019.
Concepts aplenty
While they were in Monterey, Pininfarina also gave people a look at the PURA Vision, a concept SUV with rear-hinged “suicide” doors and seating for four. Pininfarina hasn’t released pricing, but you can bet it will be comparable to other seven-figure vehicles.
Infiniti brought the Infiniti QX Monograph Concept, with squared-off looks that recall the Range Rover and the Jeep Wagoneer. Infiniti calls the design “grand, yet graceful,” but in fact it’s pretty standard for recent SUV designs.
BMW brought the i5 M60 sedan and iX5 Hydrogen SUV to show that sedans still have a place in the world and that hydrogen can translate to the BMW SUV world. The i5 joins the i4 and i7 among BMW EVs that are delivered in the same exterior packaging as the brand’s popular sport sedans.
Mercedes-Benz had several premieres, including both gas-fueled and electric vehicles. The Mercedes-Benz Vision One-Eleven recently celebrated its world premiere in California. At Monterey, Mercedes-Benz presented this sports car concept that combines a highly dynamic design language with innovative, fully electric drive technology. The Vision One-Eleven has a supercar silhouette featuring the signature Mercedes-Benz “one-bow” design that underscores its 21st century style.
Technical highlights of the concept include two powerful, highly efficient axial-flux motors developed by YASA, a British electric motor specialist based in Oxford, England and a wholly owned subsidiary of Mercedes-Benz AG since July 2021. The Mercedes-Benz Vision One-Eleven continues the tradition of the legendary C 111 experimental vehicles from the 1960s and 1970s.
With an annual line-up like this, it seems well-established that Monterey is now the place for the ultra-rich to see the latest in prohibitively exclusive automobiles.