The Cars Of Monterey Car Week 2022

When you fly into Monterey for Car Week, the first thing you experience is a somewhat shoddy and outdated airport. You'll quickly toss that imagery aside, though, because the rest of what you experience at Car Week is almost a dream.

This was my first time attending Car Week. Never had I seen so many classic and exotic vehicles in one place. I grew up near Detroit, where we have the Woodward Dream Cruise. But those cars are typically made-in-America relics — muscle cars, hot rods, tributes to the manufacturers of the Midwest.

It's nothing compared to the Monterey Peninsula, which, for one long weekend, is swimming in every exotic car you can name, along with exquisite examples of the rarest, most sought-after vintage machines in the world. I nabbed a quite a few photos from my time in Monterey. These are some of my favorites.

Lalita Chemello

This Ferrari is a special one — driven by Carroll Shelby in 1956 and 1957 to 8 wins and 10 podium finishes, the most victories Shelby ever notched in a single vehicle. It wears an inscription from Shelby on the fuel tank: "Mr. Ferrari told me that this was the best Ferrari he ever built."

The car sold at Sotheby's auction for just over $22 million.

Speaking of Ferraris, this 328 wasn't even a part of the show. It was parked in one of The Quail's shuttle lots, along with Porsches, Lamborghinis and a long row of Ferraris. Even the parking lots look like car shows at Monterey Car Week.

I could write a lot on the design of this gorgeous supercar, but that's not what drew me this particular car as it sat in a circle of concept vehicles. No, it was the paint color, a special three-tone blend of white, blue and grey. It's absolutely stunning in person. The MC20 makes 621 hp, has a claimed 0-60 time of 2.9 seconds, and tops out at 202 mph; the Cielo is the open-top version of Maserati's new mid-engine sports car.

There's always time to appreciate a Lancia.

The legend that is Ayrton Senna left this earth nearly three decades ago, but you can still feel the impact of his racing career standing next to his cars. This number 12 Lotus 99T Camel Honda was the car that gave Senna his first Monaco win, in 1987, and his second win in Detroit that same year.

This car would lead Ferrari to a Constructor's World Championship for the first time in 16 years — a streak that extended until 2004. Four of those would coincide with a Drivers' World Championship win as well.

Yes, that is an Alfa Romeo truck. But that's not how this vehicle came off the assembly line. According to the catalog provided at The Quail, the 6C 2500 sport coupe was converted into a truck as a "support car for cycling races throughout Italy." The description also notes the car was made mountain-road-ready. I do have to say, that note makes this odd truck even more intriguing.

Lalita Chemello

Owning a Cadillac was an American status symbol of wealth for many decades, and when you look at this 1941 Caddy, you understand why.

From the art deco styling to the velvety carpeting, this thing exudes class. And don't forget the seats, which still had a substantial amount of bounce to help create that coveted, smooth Cadillac ride.

This seriously beautiful car was built for racing. The RM Sotheby's auction description explains the collaboration between Abarth and Simca that led to this gorgeous, tiny car's creation. It's powered by a rear-mounted 1,288-cc engine with a four-speed gearbox.

The Dino doesn't get the appreciation it deserves. Same with some other Ferraris, and I've made my point clear on that.

This little number, the Porsche 962C Longtail, is a looker, especially with that long tail. While the number 1 car struggled through the 1985 season, it would go on to take the pole at Le Mans in 1986. If you look over the car's 1985-1988 race finishes, out of 29 races, the 962C nabbed 4 top-three finishes, 11 top-10 finishes and 9 DNFs.

The reveal left Bentley's Mulliner Batur literally in the dark, so this was one of the few nice shots I was able to get. I'm especially drawn to the headlights, with their winged eyeliner effect.

Every car show could use more Acty. Two is even better. And check out the overlanding setup on the 1997 Honda Acty on the left. I would drive that on every adventure.

It's so small and so yellow, you just want to love and drive this little piece of sunshine.

Avions Voisin as a company may not have survived much past World War II, but its design and engineering were certainly ahead of its time. This C 25 Aerodyne has an electric retractable roof that shames modern-day panoramic sunroofs, and a gorgeous silhouette defined by a single curve that shapes the full roof.

Why someone would do this to a Smart is beyond me. But there it is. In the parking lot. Existing.

Major Speed Racer vibes here. We all know how much writer Andy Kalmowitz loves the movie.

This poor man likely spent more time pedaling this motorized bicycle than he did motoring. It didn't help that it was damp and cold as the Concours d'Elegance show field entered and found their parking spaces. But he continued to persevere.