The Most Mindblowing Classic Cars We Saw at Monterey Car Week

Each August, automotive heaven descends upon the quiet cities of Monterey, Pacific Grove, and Carmel-by-the-Sea, California. It’s Monterey Car Week: a series of events spanning things like The Quail, a Motorsports Gathering; the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion; and culminating at Sunday’s Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance. These are the best and coolest cars we saw there and at some of the side events such as Concours d'Lemons (a genius counter-programming celebration of craptastic, well, lemons), as picked by MotorTrend staff on the ground:

2005 Koenigsegg CCR | The Quail 

Koenigsegg Automotive and its mad Swedish scientist Christian von Koenigsegg were celebrating 30 years of doing some seriously Swedey speedy business at the Quail, and it had some of its most famous cars on hand for the anniversary, including the Agera RS that set the record for the world’s fastest production car at 277.9 mph. But it was this orange 2005 Koenigsegg CCR that caught our attention. It was reportedly the 16th ever car to leave the factory and was the first car imported to the U.S. market. The CCR wasn’t the first Koenigsegg (the CC prototype and CC8S preceded it), but the V-8-powered monster was the first to be produced in more than 10 units. It’s presently owned by Glenn Yuen of Alberta, Canada.—Mike Floyd

1967 Chevrolet Corvette | The Quail

There are rare Corvettes and there are cars like the 1967 Stingray you see here, which we found on the lawn at The Quail in the Post War Sports Car Class (1961–1975). Only 16 of these ‘Vettes were built with what's known as the RPO L89 option, one of the Holy Grail C2 Corvette packages featuring aluminum cylinder heads fitted to the L71 427 cu-in V-8. Conservatively rated at 435 horsepower, it was the ultimate performance expression of the C2 Stingray and is unquestionably one of the rarest production spec Corvettes ever produced.This particular car was also a California spec model and is reportedly one of only two of the L89 cars to be fitted with smog equipment. It was recently bought by noted Corvette collector and dealer Corvette Mike (we like Mikes) and is back in the Golden State where it belongs.—Mike Floyd

Acura Integra Type S HRC Prototype | The Quail

We’re big fans of the Integra Type S, which made it to the finalist round at the 2024 Performance Vehicle of the Year competition. One of the only downsides of the car is the fact that the Integra could use some more differentiation from its brother from the same mother, the Honda Civic Type R. That’s where the HRC Prototype, which made its world debut at The Quail, rolls up to the grid.

Several weight reduction efforts were employed, most notably removing the rear seats (new Recaros are fitted in front), that helped to shave 200 pounds of weight from the base Integra Type S. Those special seats, a sweet set of rims shod in Pirelli P Zero Trofeo R rubber, uprated Brembo brakes, a mongo rear wing, killer Indy Yellow Pearl paint, and more kit borrowed from the Integra DE5 race cars that compete in the SRO’s TC America series in the TCX class round out the prototype package. With the new Honda Racing Corporation tie up, the parts bin is open, and the possibilities are far greater to bring something like this car as well as potential off-the-shelf parts for folks who want to bolt on kit to their existing Integra Type S models. Let’s call it an Integra Type R, shall we?—Mike Floyd

1925 Morris MG 14/28 Bullnose Supersports | The Quail

In a world of ever more gigantic panoramic moon roofs, it was refreshing to see perhaps the tiniest moonroof we've ever seen (well, glass sunroof, we guess, as there was no sunshade). It was fitted to a 1925 Morris MG 14/28 Bullnose Supersports with "salonette" bodywork. One of only six such bodies made at the time and one of only eight surviving Bullnoses overall, it was quite the rarity among a circle celebrating 100 years of "Morris Garages," or MG. This one was fully restored about 10 years ago.—Frank Markus

Safari-Themed Porsche 928s | Concours d’Lemons

The new off-road Porsche 911 Dakar has clearly caused the Porschephile world to go Safari crazy. At The Quail, the Ruf Rodeo broke cover, and over at the Concours de Le'Mons, there were not one but two hiked-ride-height, all-terrain-tired, roof-basket-bedecked Porsche 928s vying for Worst-In-Show "honors." The one in the psychedelic livery was even offered for sale ($14,750—no low-balls, they know what they have!).—Frank Markus 

Golf Cart Carnival | Concours d’Lemons

Celebrate your inner child with this stretch-chassis golf-cart bedecked with carnival ride parts. The driver rides in the dodge-em car in the back, while up to four kiddos could ride in what appear to have been airplane gunnery pods, complete with rat-a-tat-tat machine guns in front.—Frank Markus

1963 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport | Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion

It’s hard to believe, but there was a time when General Motors had internally put the kibosh on any motorsports programs in the wake of multiple fatal crashes that had marred the racing world in the 1950s and early ’60s.

This 1963 Corvette Grand Sport was one of only a handful of Grand Sports built. The Grand Sport program was intended as a foil for the Shelby Cobras in endurance racing but was killed off by GM before it got off the ground. Serial number 004, this car was one of the lucky few that had been sold to a privateer team, and it was the first Grand Sport to compete on the track. The Grand Sports were eventually fitted with 377 cu-in aluminum V-8s, and the cars dominated the Cobras at Nassau Speed Week in 1963. It also raced at the 12 Hours of Sebring the next year. Look closely, and next to the car on the stand is Chevy’s brand new, 1,064 horsepower 2024 Corvette ZR1. Thankfully, GM reversed course and the Corvette is a major force in racing to this day.—Mike Floyd

1967 Alfa Romeo Fleron Tipo 33/2 | Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion

Alfa Romeo’s Tipo 33, while not the most successful race car it has ever produced, is easily one the most beautiful, and it did win more than its share of events during the car’s 10-year run. It's said to be the second oldest Tipo 33 in existence (five were constructed in 1966–’67).

This particular Alfa racer also has two added flourishes, the first being Fleron for the initial race it competed in, the Cote de Fleron Belgian hill climb. The second is its “Periscopica” nickname, for the distinctive periscope inlet used to direct airflow to its rear-mid mounted 2.0-liter V-8, which was mated to a six-speed manual transmission.—Mike Floyd

1988 Nissan GTB ZX-T | Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion

While the mighty Nissan GT-R and Nissan Z have carried the flag in America lately as Nissan’s performance models, it’s been a while since the brand has been known as a motorsports power. But from the 1970s into the 1990s, Datsun and later Nissan was one of the dominant forces on the sports car racing scene, thanks to cars like the GTB ZX-T. Also known as the ZX Turbo series of cars, they were built for Nissan by Electramotive Engineering and were powered by Nissan’s turbocharged VG30ET V-6 (also used by the 300ZX road car). It ran from 1985 to 1990 and competed with and beat cars like the mighty Porsche 962 in IMSA racing.This particular car was first built to compete in the 1988 IMSA season. Nicknamed Elvis—it was flat out dominant and record-breaking during the 1988 and 1989 IMSA campaigns, scoring 9 wins, along with 8 poles and 10 fastest laps in its debut season. It outdid itself in 1989, with 10 wins, 9 poles, and 7 fastest laps.—Mike Floyd

1965 Honda RA 272 | Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion

It’s borderline astonishing that just two years after Honda started building road going cars, it built the RA 272 and took on Formula One racing and stunned the world. Featuring a homegrown, Honda-built chassis and its force-of-nature 1.5-liter V-12 engine screaming to 13,000 rpm, the RA 272 was a formidable competitor from the moment it roared onto a F1 circuit.

It made history in its first season by scoring victory at the 1965 Mexican Grand Prix with American Richie Ginther at the wheel leading every lap of the race; it also marked the first time a Japanese automaker had ever won an F1 event. Since that time, over the past 60 years Honda-powered F1 cars have racked up 89 victories—not to mention countless other wins in multiple forms of motorsports on both two wheels and four. There’s a saying in Honda lore that’s been passed down since that time: “no racing, no Honda.” It’s an ethos that should continue to serve it well—regardless of the future of propulsion.—Mike Floyd

1987 Chevy Camaro IROC-Z “Pink Panther” | Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion

This IROC-Z-based Camaro has been out on the track racing since its debut in 1987. Built by Bob Keselowski of the NASCAR Keselowski family, the car was first known as the Anytime Pizza Camaro and was sponsored by Dupont.

As the story goes, the car’s driver, Craig Bennett, challenged Dupont to spray him a car in a bright color. So, pink it was, and it stands out even today, as it stopped us in our tracks. It was reportedly called "Pinkie" at first, and then morphed into its Pink Panther name. Bennett later scored the 1987 SCCA Rookie of the Year title in the car.—Mike Floyd

Two Rando Station Wagons | Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion

We have zero idea why these two amazing wagons, one a slammed Nash and the other a Mercury Grand Marquis complete with hilariously bad fake wood paneling, were in the paddock, but we were totally here for them. The stickers alone on the Mercury are worth a look.—Mike Floyd

1972 Datsun 240Z | Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion 

If you saw the vibey IMSA GTU Datsun 240Z lapping Laguna Seca, that was at the hands of Rob Fuller of San Jose’s Z Car Garage. The car belonged to race car driver Joel E. Anderson, who raced it in SCCA Super Production starting in 1980. Fuller and his shop restored it from 2010 to 2014 to compete in the 2014 Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion. The goal was to bring it back to its original cosmetic and mechanical condition, so maintaining small details like the period-spec braking bits and suspension components (while including modern safety hardware and tires as required by racing regulations) was priority. Anderson sadly passed away in 2021, but his legacy lives on in the striped Z.—Kristen Lee

1963 Chevrolet Corvette | Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion 

Especially sought after and prized in the Corvette world is the 1963 C2 split-window version. With design influences that stemmed from the Bugatti 57SC "Atlantique" coupe, Harley Earl's Oldsmobile Golden Rocket concept car, and the 1937 Adler Trumpf Rennlimousine, it is perhaps one of the most distinctive and iconic Corvettes ever designed. 

The red one in these photos has a 327 cubic-inch V-8 making 450 hp with a number-matching original block and transmission. This Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion marks its 18th time racing at Laguna Seca.—Kristen Lee

1981 BMW M1 | Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion 

Among the greatest BMWs ever built, the M1 is always near the top. This is the race-car version of it. From its 3.5-liter M88 I-6 engine comes 470 hp, and that’s wrapped up in a spaceframe chassis riding on a classic racing suspension. This year, the car was driven by Motorsport Network Global Editorial Director Travis Okulski. 

“Initially, when you look at an M1, you think it's going to be a really intimidating car,” Okulski told MotorTrend. “But it ends up being a lot friendlier than you think.” It drives like a modern old car, he said, and slides in a predictable way. The transmission gates are well-defined, too, so shifting is direct and straightforward. 

His words are backed up by Jason Harper, who drove the car for us in 2015. You can read Harper’s account here.—Kristen Lee

1952 Jaguar C-Type | Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion 

This brown Jaguar C-Type can count itself among Jenson Button’s personal collection—but even more impressive is when you find out it once belonged to Juan Manuel Fangio himself. Producing over 300 hp, the C-Type has undergone a full engine rebuild. “You’re not going to find a more powerful C-Type that’s within the regulations,” Button told MotorTrend. The seating position is so low that Button actually looks through the steering wheel in order to see. 

Before Button bought it, the car raced at the Le Mans Classic and Grand Prix de Monaco Historique. Racing is what the C-Type was built to do, so it’s good to see this one getting so much action still.—Kristen Lee

1960 Plymouth XNR Ghia | Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance

Imagine if Chrysler took on the Chevrolet Corvette with—a Plymouth? That was the original plan, and the XNR concept—named for designer Virgil Exner—showed how the brand then known for the thrifty Valiant planned to do it. The XNR, featured on the May, 1960 cover of MotorTrend, has a nifty asymmetrical design that culminates with the chromed intersection of the vertical fin and rear bumper. The passenger seat has a flip-up windscreen and is mounted 4 inches lower than the driver’s seat to accommodate a removable panel that covers it. Under the hood is a Slant Six engine with a four-barrel carburetor, and Virgil Exner is said to have personally driven the car over 140 mph. Plymouth never did get into the Corvette business, but it did produce a line of fire-breathing muscle cars known as the Plymouth Rapid Transit System. The XNR has had several owners in the Europe and Middle East, and today belongs to a collector in New York. It took 3rd place in Class V-2, Wedge-Shaped Concept Cars & Prototypes, Late.—Aaron Gold

2016 United Nude Lo-Res Car | Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance

This one is pretty interesting. 2016 United Nude Lo-Res car by Rem Koohaus, better known in architecture circles. It’s a study in “de-resolution” of the Lamborghini Countach. That’s where you pixelate something down to its essence, stripping away 3D resolution. This does run, with actuators lifting the bodywork for access. Apparently Koolhaus consulted with Musk on the Cybertruck, so there’s a cool origin-story angle for you…pun intended.—Frank Markus 

1971 Rolls-Royce Phantom VI Frua All-Weather Cabriolet | Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance

Work started on this one in 1971, and wasn’t completed until 1993(!), ten years after Pietro Frua’s death. This helps explain the presence of decidedly post-1970s micro-TV and electronics in the rear center console. It may have taken a couple decades to sort out the top design, which can be fully open, fully closed, or closed over the rear compartment with the chauffeur exposed (there is a retractable windscreen for rear compartment privacy and weather protection).—Frank Markus 

1973 Asso Di Picche Italdesign Coupe | Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance 

Behold the 1973 Asso Di Picche (Ace of Spades) Italdesign Coupe. Conceived as an Audi coupe based on the 80 to be built by Karmann, you’ll probably recognize a lot of the design cues that instead found their way onto the VW Scirocco that came out a year after this car’s 1973 Frankfurt show debut. One engineering marvel is the ability to lower the front door glass, which appears impossible to aim into the lower door. This was managed by retracting a portion of the interior door trim, so that the nearly planar glass could move inboard as it lowered. This is the first time the Asso di Picche has been shown in North America.—Frank Markus

1970 Lancia Stratos HF Zero Bertone Coupe | Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance

Without any doubt, peak wedge is represented by the 1970 Lancia Stratos HF Zero Bertone Coupe. Nearly every aspect of the car incorporates triangles. Carrozzeria Bertone was trying to woo some Lancia business, so this concept was built around Fulvia running gear. Entry into the car is via the top-hinged windshield, and the roofline stands just 33 inches tall. That’s 7 inches shorter than the Ford GT40, and 10 inches lower than the Pininfarina Modulo parked a few spaces away in this year's wedge class at Pebble. It cut quite a swathe running in the Tour d’Elegance on Thursday, amidst all the gigantic pre-war classics. While the Zero never made production, some cues found their way into the Lancia Stratos.—Frank Markus

1966 Cannara Roadster | Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance

This historically significant early wedge concept was designed and built by Ray Cannara, with a lot of help from Art Center mentor Strother MacMinn, who encouraged Cannara to incorporate subtle curves to avoid drawing the eye to any particular sharp features. The car was built by Cannara in St. Petersberg FL with a 283 GM Small Block (which has since been replaced by a 350). Would you believe that Cannara and his mother drove the car from Florida to Art Center in Pasadena CA—not once, but twice.—Frank Markus

1984 Honda HP-X Pininfarina Concept | Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance

Another entrant in the whimsical Wedge class at the 2024 Pebble Concours, this Honda-badged working prototype was designed and built by Pininfarina and marked the beginning of a collaboration between the Italian design house and the Japanese automaker (Pininfarina also had a hand in the styling of the first NSX at the time).

The remit for Pininfarina was to conceive a two-seat high performance car for Honda. At the time, wedgy Lamborghinis and Ferraris were symbols of Italian supercar style, so it’s not too surprising that Pininfarina went full wedge with the HP-X (reportedly, Formula One ground effects of the time also influenced the design). Looking for doors? You won’t find them; you must lift its canopy to get into it. Additionally, the geometric lines that wrap around the car lend it a spaceship type appeal.—Mike Floyd

This was also picked as a favorite by our very own Kristen Lee:

Everyone knows the original Honda/Acura NSX, but before that even happened, there was the concept that helped kickstart the whole project. It was called the HP-X for Honda Pininfarina eXperimental because, yes, Honda tapped the Pininfarina to conceptualize an all-new mid-ship sports car aimed for the Ferrari 328. 

That car did eventually become the NSX, but the HP-X Concept was out on the lawn at this year’s Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. If it looks like it has no doors, that’s because it doesn’t; instead, you get into the cabin by lifting the entire canopy (that one-piece Perspex windshield and transparent roof combination). The wedge shape looks like something out of an ‘80s fever dream, which is to say incredible.—Kristen Lee

1958 Land Rover Series II 88'' Royal Ceremonial | Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance

Of all the Landies that landed on the lawn at Pebble Beach as part of the special Land Rover and Range Rovers of Queen Elizabeth II class, this 1958 Series II left us hailing Britannia thanks to its rugged looks, knobby tires, sweet chrome hubcaps, and claret over dark blue leather color combination. One of this Series II’s signature features is its blue side lamps that were supposed to be turned on when one of the royals was on board.—Mike Floyd

1948 Talbot-Lago T26 GS Saoutchik Fastback Coupe | Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance

This striking looking Talbot-Lago was one of the finalists for the 2024 Best in Show award (it won the Postwar Touring class), no doubt thanks in part to its magnificent mint green sheen with brown accents that are believed to be this car’s original paint scheme. It came out to the world at the 1948 Paris Auto Salon and was later farmed out to the Saoutchik coachbuilding operation for customization including what is believed to be its paintwork. After touring around Europe, it made its way to America and spent time in the late Peter Mullin’s collection before returning to Europe with its present owner in 2017. It’s one of two Talbot-Lago GS coupes built with an elegant, low roof design. Elegant is a perfect word for this car, it just screams it from front to back.—Mike Floyd

1934 Bugatti Type 59 Sports | Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance Best in Show Winner

Preservation cars, which for the lack of a better term are highly original, unrestored cars (get your patina on), have been a class at the Pebble Beach Concours d’ Elegance for more than two decades, but the 2024 event marked the first time a preservation model has won the whole shooting match.

It’s easy to see why this Bugatti Type 59 was the first to finally get the nod given its provenance. A race car from the outset, it won the Belgian Grand Prix in 1934. Ettore Bugatti later reworked the car (it was the first Type 59 built), removing the supercharger from the engine and reshaping the car with motorbike style wings, a two-seat design, and side doors. It was later reclassified as a Type 57 and went back to its winning ways on the track. King Leopold III of Belgium eventually acquired the car, and had it repainted black with a yellow stripe as an homage to the Belgian flag. It has basically stayed as is since that time in all its unrestored glory (The Pearl Collection/Fritz Burkard from, Zug, Switzerland is its present owner). This Bugatti is so wonderfully preserved that it’s now the 2024 Best in Show winner.—Mike Floyd