The world’s most exclusive auto show? The Quail is now a hotspot of high-end car launches

The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering is now one of the preeminent components of Monterey Car Week. Held since 2002 at the Quail Lodge & Golf Club in Carmel, a few miles from Monterey, the event is a strictly limited affair with just a few thousand tickets sold to a moneyed and highly motivated audience (the car park is a sight to behold).

As the event has grown in stature and status – current sponsors are Rolex and the Peninsula Hotel Group – it’s become a key launch ground for the big names in luxury and sporting automotive. There’s also a growing roster of restomod reveals, as specialist makers realise the power of getting their product in front of the upper echelons of a car-mad slice of society from a car-mad state.

2025 represented a new peak in product launches, with one-offs and new models from everyone from Lamborghini to Infiniti turning up on the golf club’s lawns and greens, alongside an impressive roster of classic road and race cars from the past century or so of motoring.

In the absence of the old circuit of global motor shows, The Quail provides the perfect place for car makers to get up close and personal with their buyers – everyone from Aston Martin to Morgan, Bentley to Cadillac, lined up alongside niche builders like Singer and Czinger, Meyers Manx and Pagani.

Here’s our selection of the most notable launches at the event.

Hennessey Venom F5 Revolution F

‘It sounds like America,’ said the man from Texas-based hypercar maker Hennessey as the new Venom F5 spluttered into life on the company’s stand, shortly after the covers had been pulled off. This one-off version of the F5 represents the capabilities of the company’s new dedicated ‘customer commission division’, Maverick.

In true Texan style, Hennessey describes the bespoke LF as a ‘symbol of individuality, innovation, and American pride,’ developing an extraordinary 2,031hp yet sending all that power through a manual gearbox. The Revolution F also gets a towering new rear wing and exposed Cocoa Brown carbon fibre bodywork along with River Sand Metallic paint. Not a car for shrinking violets.

HennesseySpecialVehicles.com, @HennesseySpecialVehicles.com

Touring Superleggera Veloce12 Barchetta

The successor to last year’s Touring Superleggera Veloce12, this new edition of 30 drops the top on the Ferrari-based revival to create a Barchetta. Ferrari never actually built a series drop-top version of the Ferrari 550 Maranello, although there was a limited edition Barchetta built in 2001 to celebrate 70 years of Pininfarina. As with the previous Veloce12, the new model gets bespoke bodywork, a reinforced chassis and an upgraded V12.

TouringSuperleggera.eu, @TouringSuperleggera

Cadillac Elevated Velocity concept

Cadillac's latest concept car continues GM's flagship marque's relentless march upmarket. Following on from the Sollei EV convertible, the company is venturing the other direction with the Elevated Velocity concept. This vision of a high riding SUV is pitched at well-heeled hikers and trail lovers, with a focus on off-road performance and the ability to switch into a cossetting autonomous mode.

A concept for now, but the recent Celestiq EV - also on show - demonstrates the skill and inventiveness of the company's current design team.

Cadillac.com, @Cadillac

RUF Automobile Rodeo

The first of many, many Porsche restomods on display at The Quail, RUF showed off Rodeo, its interpretation of the current vogue for off-road, rally-inspired 911s, triggered by Porsche’s own 911 Dakar. The Rodeo debuted last year at Monterey and now arrives in production ready form, sporting 610hp and all-wheel drive.

RUF-Automobile.de, @RUFsince1939

Meyers Manx x Tuthill LFG

The creators of the original beach buggy are back with a vengeance, working with UK-based Porsche specialists Tuthill to create the LFG - 'let's fucking go!'. This orange update of the beach buggy form factor uses Porsche parts and engines and will be made in an edition of 100. There's also the possibility of the car later in the year in the gruelling Baja 1000.

MeyersManx.com, @MeyersManx

Ringbrothers Octavia

We believe this is the first time a company has approached a restomod Aston Martin. The Ringbrothers Octavia started life as a 1971 Aston Martin DBS but has been given the full rebuilt treatment, turning the crisp edges of the original into a brutalist muscle car. Under the flared and fendered body is a Ford V8 putting out 805hp.

Despite being several inches wider and longer, the soul of the 70s original is still apparent. Yet whilst Aston Martin brought British reserve and refinement to American muscle car inspiration with the DBS, Ringbrothers have gone way off in the other direction.

Ringbrothers.com, @Ringbrothers

Corvette CX and CX.R Vision Gran Turismo Concepts

Corvette’s conceptual journey continues with the arrival of two new visions of future forms for America’s homegrown sports icon. The CX and CX.R Vision Gran Turismo were both on show at The Quail, with the latter set to make its virtual debut in the long-running video game series later in the year. The pair were created at the Chevrolet Performance Studio in Warren, Michigan, and point to a future design direction for the hallowed Corvette nameplate.

The signature feature of the CX is the forward-tilting canopy, a fighter jet-inspired ensemble that harks back to GM design’s long-running fascination with flight and aviation. The canopy opens up to a snug, red-trimmed cockpit, finished in a specially grippy ballistic textile that should keep driver and passenger snugly in place during cornering.

A yoke type steering wheel completes the picture. At less than 41” high, the CX is incredibly low-slung and aerodynamic. Whilst the CX.R VGT combines a biofuel-powered V8 with a hybrid drive system, the CX is pure electric, with a projected total of 2,000hp on tap.

Chevrolet.com, @Corvette

Gunther Werks GWX and F-26

Another 911 restomod specialist, Guntherworks brought two new models to the greens. First up is the metallic purple GWX, which sets itself apart from earlier models with a boosted engine and a pure carbon fibre body.

Also on display was the F-26, a modern interpretation of the rare and iconic racing 935 (and the subsequent 911 and 930 ‘slantnose’ road cars built in the 80s). Just 26 examples of the F-26 will be built by the Californian manufacturer.

GuntherWerks.com, @GuntherWerks

Ford Mustang GTD Liquid Carbon

Not to be outdone by conceptual debuts from Cadillac and Corvette, Ford chose Monterey Car Week to launch its most extreme iteration yet of the evergreen Mustang. The Mustang GTD Liquid Carbon was introduced at nearby Laguna Seca Raceway, a suitable venue to showcase a car with bodywork formed entirely from carbon fibre. The base Mustang is not a subtle car, but the GTD throws any remaining nuance right out of the window, with flared, bodywork and a colossal rear wing.

Ford.com, @FordMustang

Acura RSX Prototype

On a slightly more prosaic note, US-focused Honda sub-brand Acura revealed a conceptual version of its forthcoming RSX. Billed as the first all-electric car to bear the Acura name (indicating that Acura is just as behind as Honda itself when it comes to building EVs), the RSX will be a high-riding crossover with scalloped bodywork and a falling rear roofline. It’ll also be the car that introduces ASIMO OS to the world, Honda/Acura’s forthcoming connected car OS.

Acura.com, @Acura

Infiniti QX65 Monograph and QX80 Terrain Spec

Another company using The Quail as a place to showcase and preview future models was Infiniti, Nissan’s luxury sub-division. Leading the pack was the QX65 Monograph, a sleek coupe-style crossover that was resplendent in ‘Twilight’ metallic paint. It will bring back the spirit of the late lamented FX series car when the production arrives next year.

Also on show was the mighty QX80 Terrain Spec, an off-roading variant of the company’s giant 7-seater SUV. With the addition of all-terrain tyres, a roofbox, roof-mounted LED lights and ruggedised trim, the Terrain Spec is a concept for now but is aimed squarely at the west coast glamping set.

InfinitiUSA.com, @InfinitiUSA

Gordon Murray Special Vehicles

British boutique supercar builder Gordon Murray Automotive used The Quail as the springboard for the company’s new bespoke division. Thus far, this has resulted in two cars, both of which were revealed at the show. The GMSV S1 LM is practically a restomod vision of the car Murray is still most famous for, the McLaren F1.

Commissioned by a private client, the S1 LM is a road-going homage to the F1’s success on the track, it features several elements drawn straight from the 90s original, even though every body panel is new and unique. The central driving position, flanked by two passenger seats, also returns. A total of five will be built with first deliveries starting next year.

The Gordon Murray Special Vehicles division has also created the GMSV Le Mans GTR, 24 examples of which will be built over the next few years. This time, the inspiration came from the aerodynamically extended ‘longtail’ Le Mans cars from the 70s onwards. With a manual six-speed gearbox, V12 engine and full-width rear wing, the Le Mans GTR is road-going but race bred. All 24 are already spoken for.

GordonMurrayAutomotive.com, @GordonMurrayAutomotive.com

Bentley Ombre by Mulliner

Bentley’s Mulliner division exists to push customers towards feats of customisation of ever-increasing complexity. The new ‘Ombre by Mulliner’ finish, introduced at The Quail requires no less than 56 hours of hand painting to achieve, with a full body fade effect that is also reflected on the Continental GT Speed’s interior design elements.

BentleyMotors.com, @BentleyMotors

Rivian R1S Quad Pebble Beach Edition

Rivian’s stand at The Quail showcased the EV maker’s first ever bespoke commission. The unique R1S Quad Pebble Beach Edition is an indication of future directions for the Californian car maker, should it decide that carefully curated limited editions are one way to go for its flagship 1,000hp electric SUV.

The updates are all in the trim, with Bespoke Monterey Silver paint, along with Burnished Bronze and Laguna Beach Blue accents. There are also new custom 22” wheels, along with a hand-finished interior with exclusive colour and stitching. Rivian say the textures and fades were inspired by the colours of the Pacific Coast.

Rivian.com, @RivianOfficial

Bugatti Brouillard

Bugatti cemented its reputation as a big draw and the biggest player in the hypercar world with the launch of its Programme Solitaire, a customisation programme that culminates not just in new colours, materials and trim, but in a whole new body design. The first car from the programme is the Brouillard, named for one of Ettore Bugatti’s favourite horses. Paris is one of the key themes represented in this W16-powered coupe, featuring redesigned bodywork atop the Chiron mechanicals.

Bugatti.com, @Bugatti

Lamborghini Fenomeno

Perhaps not to be outdone, Lamborghini countered with the limited edition Fenomeno, a V12-hybrid cited as the ‘most powerful V12 ever’. The company hopes to build 29 examples of this newest example of its limited series models. Named, as per tradition, after a fighting bull, the Fenomeno also represents a new design manifesto for the brand, with a longer tail, more prominent side graphics and a more overtly futuristic look.

Lamborghini.com, @Lamborghini