10 Most Insane Car Debuts
Every year, the entire automotive industry’s attention turns to Monterey Car Week. And not just for the auction action or Concours judging, but also because Car Week has in recent years transformed into a weeklong fête of hypercar, supercar, and stunningly expensive restomod debuts.
This year’s spate of newly revealed makes and models certainly didn’t disappoint, ranging from improvements to the quickest EV in the known universe to insectoid Italian superstars and, of course, custom Porsches galore. Picking out 10 of the most insane inevitably requires judgment that can border on personal bias, of course, yet just about everyone should agree that the following list of absolutely insane cars simply defies rational comprehension, in what’s becoming classic Monterey Car Week fashion.
Most Insane Cars at Monterey at a GlanceMost Insane Cars at Monterey Car Week 2024Kalmar 9X9
Danish mad scientist Jan Kalmar only builds one-of-one cars based on Porsches, all of which require inordinate development costs and, therefore, stratospheric pricetags. But the Kalmar 9X9 that arrived at The Quail might take the cake, legitimately setting the stage for a new era of hyper-restomods with retro styling that nonetheless maximizes absolute performance at, and beyond, the limits of rationality. Based on a 993-generation 911 but utilizing a spaceframe chassis more than the original body, the 9X9 puts out 930 horsepower from a turbocharged 3.8-liter flat-six, with a modern PDK gearbox and all-wheel-drive to harness so much grunt. Kalmar predicts a Nurburging lap time of seven minutes flat, thanks in part to almost 3,200 pounds of downforce at a top speed electronically limited to exactly one more than the historical 959.
Rimac Nevera R
Mate Rimac first took the electric car industry by storm with his world-beating E30 BMW, and then established a new era of EV performance with the Nevera hypercar. But sales somehow slacked lower than expectations, leading Rimac to this year unveil the Nevera R. Much more than just a restyle, the R’s exterior improves aero to match an upgraded powertrain with new battery chemistry and four new motors that now total 2,107 horsepower combined. The results? A 0-60 run clocks in juts 1.74 seconds and an EV that runs a quarter mile in just 8.23 seconds. Top speed on the road will be 217 miles per hour thanks to Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires, though with Rimac supervision, the R can hit 256 mph. And in addition to being the world’s best sprinter, the Nevera R is also the world’s fastest charging EV, too.
Eccentrica V12
Dark purple is unarguably the greatest color for angular supercars, though capturing the metallic flake of Eccentrica’s Lamborghini Diablo-based V12 restomod requires almost perfect lighting conditions. Founder Emanuel Colombini recalls how raw the first Diablos felt, and wanted to update one of the most imposing designs with modern performance. The barking-mad V12’s V12 engine itself therefore received new valves, camshafts, and electric throttle bodies with a full exhaust to amplify the sound of 550 horsepower and 442 lb-ft of torque. A custom six-speed manual with shorter gear ratios nonetheless allows a top speed of 208 miles per hour—for a 1990s legend with production limited to just 19 units.
Pagani Utopia
Pagani’s status at the very cusp of hypercar design undoubted, now a Roadster version of the latest and great Utopia. Still powered by a Mercedes-AMG V12 with a pair of turbos bolted on, the Utopia Raodster employs more than 40 different composite materials, apparently including Carbo-Titanium HP62-G2 and Carbo-Triax HP62 (just Google them) to help the open-top version weigh the same as the coupe. Just consider that the steering wheel starts out as a single 94.8-pound block of metal that is milled for 28 hours down to just 3.53 pounds. And of course, all the glittering exposed mechanical details only look better with the rooftop removed.
Bugatti Tourbillon
Bugatti invited media to preview the Chiron’s successor earlier this year, but arrived in Monterey prepared to unveil the Tourbillon to the general public’s scrutiny for the first time. Instead of a quad-turbocharged W12, the newest generation of Bugatti’s specific vision for ultra-luxury sports a naturally aspirated V16 capable of revving to 9,000 RPM and paired with a hybrid system that can pump out a combined 1,800 horsepower. A newly streamlined exterior hints at the technological prowess beneath the skin, but the intricate bejeweled dash stole the show as fans of the brand at The Quail fawned over the stunning design in person.
Pininfarina B59 Gotham
Pininfarina took a swing straight out of left field this year, partnering with Warner Bros to unveil the a new Batman-themed hypercar. Designed as if Bruce Wayne himself specced a series of EVs in four different ways, the B95 Gotham kicks off a four-car series celebrating 85 hyears since the comic book originally appeared. The others, to be revealed at a later date, will be the Battista Gotham, B95 Dark Knight, and Battista Dark Knight. Pininfarina boasts that the cars, with a shared chassis based on Rimac’s Nevera, are the most powerful cars ever produced in Italy with 1,900 horsepower on tap. Batman logos abound, just don’t ask if they come in fully black.
Ruf Rodeo
The uninitiated Porsche enthusiast might look at Ruf’s new Rodeo and think of Porsche’s own 992-generation 911 Dakar. More knowledgeable fans of Stuttgart engineering might recall the 959’s Dakar rally racing success, or even the 953 before it. But Ruf’s own story includes the legendary Pikes Peak hillclimb before the road to the summit was fully paved, and this new model takes that Western dirt track spirit to the extreme. Built around an in-house carbon-fiber monocoque, the Rodeo’s 3.6-liter twin-turbo flat-six sends 610 horsepower to all four wheels through a six-speed manual transaxle. Pushrod suspension, carbon-ceramic brakes, and an interior upholstery scheme that harkens to Ralph Lauren ranching rounds out this new king of the safari-style 911.
Lamborghini Temerario
Lamborghini’s final hybrid model before the brand starts focusing on full electrification took center stage at The Quail, with a screaming twin-turbo V8 capable of revving to 10,000 RPM and working in concert with a trio of electric motors. The goal isn’t saving the environment or maximizing all-electric range, though, instead Lambo hopes the Temerario can set a new standard for straightline acceleration and handling thanks to advanced programming of torque vectoring software. Meanwhile, the smoothed over look almost dials back the angularity of previous models, to let the power and performance do more of the talking.
Touring Superleggera Veloce12
Legacy Italian coachbuilder Carrozzeria Touring Superleggera chose this year at Monterey to unveil a new vision for the company’s future under CEO Markus Tellenbach. Rather than focusing on one-off customs, the Veloce12 will be limited to 30 cars based on the Ferrari 550 Maranello. The V12’s output steps up marginally by 25 horsepower, but the focus for this design firm centered around building an iconic grand tourer as if Ferrari could have used modern technology and materials in the 1990s. Carbon-fiber for body panels, billet aluminum trim, and sumptuous leather for upholstery and accessories certainly enhances everything that made the Maranello a standout decades ago. The Veloce12 looks promising, but needs further development, so arriving at The Quail with a clear vision in place should help customers to better comprehend the overall concept.
Maserati MC20 GT2 Stradale
As Maserati continues to feel renewed business pressure to perform in sheer sales terms, the company decided to unveil a higher-performance variant of the MC20 supercar at Monterey this year. The new MC20 GT2 Stradale bumps output from the spectacular Nettuno V6 up to 640 horsepower, with weight savings and drive modes dedicated to track performance. Given the MC20’s already questionable—read: highly enjoyable—traction control programming that allows for wide slip angles and aggressive drifting, cutting over 120 pounds from the curb weight while upping power sounds only more fun. Downforce, meanwhile, ratchets up to 1,102 pounds at 173 miles an hour, on the way to a higher over 200 miles per hour.
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