World-class cars, jets thrill guests at Motorlux 2023

Motorlux, one of the many draws of Monterey Car Week, was again a hit with fans gathered at Monterey Jet Center on Wednesday. (Aaron Bowles – Special to the Sentinel)

MONTEREY — Multimillion-dollar jets, rare and unique automobiles, local farm-to-table dining experiences, high-end cocktail, wine, and champagne stations, and a world-class car auction enthralled guests to the commencement party of Monterey Car Week, Motorlux at the Monterey Jet Center.

Now in its sophomore year, Motorlux was formerly known as McCall Motorworks Revival until Hagerty purchased the rights from the influential Monterey automotive expert Gordon McCall after 30 successful years.

Hagerty has gained an impressive reputation in the industry, first through its vintage automobile insurance agency, then through a highly influential magazine and media business, and now an impressive catalog of automotive events and concourses including the California Mille, the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance, the Detroit Concours d’Elegance, and the Greenwich Concours d’Elegance.

“Motorlux is an immersive experience, celebrating the finest in both the automotive and culinary worlds. For many who attend, it’s also a moment to create lasting memories year over year,” said Peter Fink, vice president of events and experiences at Hagerty. “It’s a chance to connect with like-minded enthusiasts who share a passion for luxury automobiles, aviation, and exceptional gastronomy. We’re honored to host the event and celebrate together with the car community.”

The biggest stars of the night were the automobiles. More than 200 cars were thoughtfully arranged throughout the facility. This year, four distinctly themed areas were highlighted: Tokyo Night Market (Japanese tuner icons), Legends of Baja (offroad race cars and trucks), Cars of the Millie (cars from the era of the famous French race Mille Miglia 1927-57), and RADwood (80s-90s legends)

The Broad Arrow Group Auction, known as the Radius Auction moving forward, previewed an impressive 169 cars that were available to bidders the following Thursday and Friday. The lots available ranged from a 1904 Cadillac Model M Coupe to a brand-new 2023 Maserati MC20. Last year 82 of 93 cars offered were sold totaling more than $55 million, including a 1957 Ferrari 250 GT LWB Berlinetta Scaglietti “Tour de France” that sold for an auction high $5.5 million.

Event sponsor Mobil 1 displayed the 2023 Cadillac V-Series.R, fresh off a third place podium finish at the 100th 24 Hours of Le Mans this year. Pirelli wowed attendees with a Red Bull Racing F1 car welcoming guests at the entrance. Other sponsors included Bollinger Motors, Gateway Bronco, Jaguar Land Rover Classic, J.P. Morgan Private Bank, Kindred Motorworks, LUCID, McLaren, and RUF Automobile. McLaren, LUCID, RUF Automobile, Bollinger Motors, Jaguar Land Rover Classic, Kindred Motorworks, and J.P. Morgan Private Bank.

RUF Automobile premiered two new models at Motorlux this year: the CTR3 Evo and R Spyder. Founded first as a service garage in 1939 in Pfaffenhausen, Germany by Alois Ruf Sr, they expanded into bus design and in 1977 debuted a tuned Porsche 911 with a 3.3L stroke motor. Over the years RUF has built and heavily modified Porsches until more recently developing the chassis and powertrains in-house for certain models.

The CTR3 Evo sports a Kevlar-composite body and is the most powerful car they have built to date, sporting a mid-engine, twin-turbo flat-6 motor that produces 800 horsepower. The R Spyder is a completely roofless designed Porsche 911 powered by a naturally aspirated 4.0-liter flat-6 making 515 horsepower all sent to the rear wheels through a 6-speed manual transmission.

Placed amongst the cars on the runway were several impressive planes. HondaJet exhibited an Elite II and Pilatus had a PC-24 Jet and PC-12 NGX Turboprop plane present. Airbus Corporate Jets intended to bring their brand new $80 million ACJ TwoTwenty private jet to the show, but logistical issues hindered their plans, and they could not make it on time.

Inside the Club Motorlux hangar, a tasting menu was prepared by award winning Chef Claus Georis of Maligne in Seaside. A Michelin Star-trained chef, Claus has worked at famed restaurants across Europe in Paris, Norway, and Belgium. He returned to the U.S. to work under Dominique Crenn, the only woman in the country with a three-star Michelin rating at her San Francisco restaurant, Atelier Crenn. He opened Maligne in June 2022.

Local celebrity chef Todd Fisher was onsite again this year and provided a variety of delectable bites, including wagyu beef over truffles, barbecued suckling pig, and a charcuterie station. Known nationally for his time hosting Food Network’s “United States of Bacon,” Fisher founded the Meatery butcher shop in Seaside and recently transformed the Valley Hills Deli in Carmel Valley into the Bear + Flag Roadside BBQ eatery and wine shop.

San Juan Batista-based Earthbound Farms had a tasty fruit and cheese pairing from their Carmel Valley Farm Stand, located just down the road from their original 2.5-acre farm. Monterey beer legends Alvarado Street Brewing had samples of many varieties. French champagne Moet and Carmel vineyard Bernardus were some of the other libations enjoyed by guests.

Per tradition, the CHP 11-99 Foundation and Navy Post Graduate School Foundation were the two main charitable organizations benefiting from the event. The CHP featured another car raffle, this year a brand new 2024 Mustang Dark Horse, a new-generation 5.0L V8, performance-based Mustang. As their last car model being offered after shifting entirely to trucks, SUVs, and crossovers, Ford promises it will be the best Mustang to date.