Few global auto shows can compete with the quality of new car debuts during Monterey Car Week in Carmel, California. The annual multi-day festival of all things automotive — classic car concours, product launches, races, auctions, rallies and plenty of posturing — has replaced the traditional auto show as among the best places to be for car brands and enthusiasts alike.
This year, more than 20 automakers showed their best efforts to attract elite car buyers: There were electric crossover concepts with doors that open in reverse, and one-of-one supercars covered in gold and intricate hand-painted pictures of other cars. Elsewhere, 3D-printed hypercars and an SUV that runs on hydrogen attracted prospective clients.
And while the traditional status symbols of horsepower and torque still held sway (Exhibit A: The 1,877-hp Pininfarina B95, above), these days the best new cars are using technology, rather than brawn, to seduce buyers with promises of how they can improve their lives.