OEM Villas
Private test drives, fantastic food, and friends
Monterey Car Week 2024 was more than just a celebration of automotive excellence; it was a journey through the finest luxury experiences the automotive world has to offer. For Grand Touring Automobiles’ guests, it was an unforgettable adventure filled with exclusive access, intimate gatherings, and the chance to experience the pinnacle of automotive craftsmanship.
At Monterey Car Week, Brand Houses are off-site luxury pop-ups where key automotive manufacturers host guests and executives for a more intimate experience than can be found on the lawns of Quail or Pebble Beach. Like a special event or unveiling hosted by Grand Touring Automobiles throughout the year at its Canadian locations throughout the year, these brand experiences deliver an exclusive showcase of the best of the brand’s lifestyle and vehicles.
Guests attending Monterey Car Week with Grand Touring Automobiles were free to pick and choose which brands to visit, and customers who found themselves besotted by a vehicle test drive were welcome to explore until they were ready to return via private transport. The schedule offered up to seven brand experiences in just one day.
Overlooking the 12th hole at Pebble Beach Golf Links, the Automobili Pininfarina House offered customers a chance to get a closer look at the bespoke B95 Gotham that had been shown the previous day at The Quail: A Motorsport Gathering. The open-topped two-seat Barchetta is a unique ‘one-of-one’ creation inspired by the luxury lifestyle of billionaire Bruce Wayne, the civilian persona of DC superhero Batman. The collaboration between Automobili Pininfarina and WBDGCP arrives as Warner Bros. Discovery celebrates 85 years of Batman in 2024.
Inside, cocktails and an Italian meal were served, while select customers were invited for a test drive. One member of the group found himself so enjoying the winding roads of the Central Coast that he spent hours on the road, accompanied by the brand’s lead driver, who encouraged him to put the hyper-luxury vehicle through its paces.
At Pebble Beach was Le Domaine De Bugatti, located at The Lodge. Although not strictly a brand "house,” the display’s high walls created an intimate space for a thoughtful tribute to the craftsmanship that lies at the heart of the Bugatti ethos. Highlighted was the Tourbillon’s bar carbon monocoque and chassis, as well as other Bugatti models and lifestyle products. Among them, lifestyle partners Champagne Carbon showcased its Tourbillon 15-liter bottle for the first time; Jacob & Co introduced its range of hand-crafted Bugatti timepieces, and the Little Car Company presented the Baby Bugatti II.
Little Car Company vehicles are available in Canada through Grand Touring Automobiles. Adored by collectors and car enthusiasts around the world, their junior cars pay tribute to the most coveted classic vehicles in automotive history. The Little Car Company launched in 2019 with a commission built to celebrate the French supercar company’s 110th anniversary and the two brands remain close.
In a Scandinavian modern home overlooking the Pacific Ocean from high in the hills was Koenigsegg House. Attended by a chef who provided passed appetizers and cocktails, the house was true Scandinavian style. On hand was Christian von Koenigsegg, who was delighted to reunite with a member of the Grand Touring Automobiles group who had made a visit to the spectacular Koenigsegg factory earlier this year.
Further down the road in the cliffs above Big Sur was Hennessey House, where guests were invited to meet and share a bite and a beverage with John Hennessey, the visionary founder behind the Texas-based hypercar manufacturer. During Monterey Car Week, Hennessey Special Vehicles unveiled the ‘Stealth Series’—a new, ultra-limited trio of its 1,817 bhp Venom F5 hypercar. Celebrating intricate, skilled craftmanship and the finest, most elaborate individualization options, just three models are to be built to the exclusive Stealth Series specification.
Back at the 18th hole of Pebble Beach Golf Links was Lamborghini House. The house provided a welcome respite from the crowds of the event, offering a generous appetizer spread and pasta made to order, along with drinks from the bar. The location afforded a terrace for fantastic people watching of the best-dressed Pebble Beach attendees, and sofas and shade from the California sunshine at the back by the pool.
The luxury marque Rolls-Royce took up residence at the Bernardus Lodge, hosting its dinners and events at the wine country retreat. Monterey Car Week saw the brand unveil an extremely exclusive Scintilla Private Collection edition of its ultraluxury Phantom, as well as its one-of-one Spectre Semaphore commission. North American CEO Adam Riddle, as well as company CEO Tufan Erginbilgic, were both on hand to greet guests, and customers were invited to either take test drives or ride in style in a chauffeur-driven Rolls Royce.
From the bespoke B95 Gotham at Automobili Pininfarina to the serene elegance of Lamborghini, each brand house offered something unique. And as the day wrapped up with an evening cocktail reception and seated dinner at Grasing’s, Carmel-by-the-Sea, it became clear that Monterey Car Week is not just about cars: it's about the people, the stories, and a shared passion for living grand.
