Our 10 Favorite Rides from Mecum Monterey 2021
From the finest of the fine to the rarest of the rare, Mecum’s Monterey auction has it all, including our 10 favorites that crossed the red carpet.
Monterey Car Week (which we all know is actually Monterey Car MONTH) is here! That means donning our finest clothes, getting in our fancy rides, and rolling up to California’s central coast to see and experience all Monterey has to offer. Millions of dollars of cars, all in one setting filled with racing, car shows and the scent of money in the salty Pacific air.
Of course, the scent of money leads to all of the auction houses in attendance, where the finest, rarest and hottest machines cross the block in the hopes of landing in a new home. This includes Mecum Auctions, who are hosting a daytime affair August 12 through 14. As expected, plenty of high-dollar and exotic rides will be given the red-carpet treatment, including our 10 favorites.
No. 10: 1989 Porsche 962
Once upon a time, Group C and IMSA GTP dominated the endurance scene. Today, this Porsche 962 is ready to hit the vintage circuit once more. Originally a show car for the Bayside Racing team of Dominic Dobson and Bruce Leven, the prototype finally received an 930 Turbo 3.3-liter engine in the Nineties, allowing it to score fourth place at the ’96 IMSA GTP Reunion at Sebring. The 962 is currently eligible to compete in SVRA’s Group 11 category.
No. 9: 1956 Mercedes-Benz 190SL Roadster
Here we have a ’56 Mercedes-Benz 190SL Roadster, looking like it just came off the showroom. That’s all due to the body-off restoration it received, allowing this silver stunner to shine in the sun. The 190SL, based off of the 180 sedan, set the tone for the SL Class long after the last of its kind left Stuttgart in 1963.
No. 8: 2005 Saleen S7 Twin Turbo
After Steve Saleen made his mark upon Mustangs, it was time for him to carve out a new path with his own supercar. Thus, the S7. This one is one of only 14 built in 2005 with a pair of turbos bolted onto the 7.0-liter aluminum V8, knocking out 750 horses and a zero to 60 time of 2.8 seconds, an impressive set of numbers even today.
No. 7: 2004 Ford Shelby Cobra Concept
Ford was on a retro kick back at the Turn of the Millennium, including this Shelby Cobra concept from 2004. Originally dubbed “Project Daisy,” Carroll Shelby said this project was one of the things he wanted to while still on this earth. It wound up driven by Ice Cube in XXX: State of the Union, then Jay Leno took it for a spin on his show. Alas, no new Cobras would come of the project due to the Great Recession, but there’s still Daisy.
No. 6: 2015 Porsche 918 Spyder Weissach
One of 918 built, this Porsche 918 Spyder includes the Weissach Package, designed to shed even more weight on this Metallic White beauty. The 4.6-liter V8 with hybrid power and a seven-speed PDK send the whole thing up to a top speed of 217 mph, bringing the Le Mans 24 experience to your senses.
No. 5: 2017 Lamborghini Centenario Roadster
One of only 20 built around the world, this Lamborghini Centenario Roadster is also just one of nine brought into the U.S. The naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12 drops 759 ponies onto the road, propelling the two occupants to 60 in 2.8 seconds up to a top speed of 217 mph. The V12 has just 863 miles on it, so there’s plenty of life left to spice someone’s up.
No. 4: 2017 Ford GT ’66 Heritage Edition
Rocking looks in honor of the P/1046 GT40 driven by Bruce McLaren and Chris Amon in the ’66 Le Mans 24, this Ford GT ’66 Heritage Edition sails to a top speed of 216 with its twin-turbo 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6. Only 200 miles on this rocking tribute thus far; perhaps a trip to Le Mans is in order in the future?
No. 3: 1965 Shelby GT350R
Campaigned by Charlie Kemp, this ’65 Shelby GT350R took home 17 consecutive wins between 1968 and 1969, and even dropped a 184-mph record for 289 Shelby V8s on the high banks of Daytona. This one is just one of 34 R models built in the ’65 model year, and was restored to its original, as-delivered condition in November 2020.
No. 2: 2015 McLaren P1 GTR
Meet the 26th of 35 McLaren P1 GTRs ever built. This one packs a twin-turbo 3.8-liter V8 with 986 horses, all ready to take P1 on the podium at whatever track it sets its sights upon. Only 120 miles on this Carbon Black/Orange beauty thus far, perhaps with a few top spots among them.
No. 1: 2022 Acura NSX Type S No. 1
For 2022, Acura will send its NSX out with a bang, in the form of the NSX Type S. In fact, all 350 of the NSX models Acura will build in 2022 will be of the Type S, 300 of which will be sold in the U.S. Or, rather, 299, as the very first NSX Type S will go to Monterey for no reserve, and for a good cause: to benefit STEAM education via kits produced by the Center of Science and Industry.
Photos: Mecum Auction
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