Monterey Car Week 2025 was a feast for the senses and a celebration of automotive artistry, drawing collectors, enthusiasts, and industry insiders from around the globe to California’s scenic coast. While the event is always packed with high-octane unveilings and multimillion-dollar auctions, this year’s gathering proved especially memorable, not just for the headline-grabbing sales but also for the craftsmanship and nostalgia that permeated the festivities.
Among the parade of modern marvels and historic icons, two cars in particular stole the spotlight—each for very different reasons. On one hand, there was the Veloce12 Barchetta from the Italian coachbuilder Touring Superleggera, a hand-built homage to classic design and analog driving. On the other, a rare Ferrari F40 LM, one of just 19 ever crafted by Michelotto, captivated the auction crowd and set the pulses of collectors racing.
According to Autoblog, the Veloce12 Barchetta was perhaps the most beautiful car to emerge from this year’s event. Based on the Ferrari 550 Maranello, a model that ended production over two decades ago, the Barchetta is a modern reinterpretation that manages to blend heritage with cutting-edge craftsmanship. The car’s low, sweeping hood and muscular fenders pay tribute to the original, while new square-shaped headlights and a sculpted hood scoop offer a contemporary twist. The rear end, with its classic round taillights and quad tailpipes, evokes nostalgia for Ferrari’s golden era.
But it’s what lies beneath the surface that truly sets the Veloce12 Barchetta apart. Under the hood sits a naturally aspirated 65-degree V12 engine—no turbos, no hybrid trickery—producing 478 horsepower and 419 lb-ft of torque. While those figures may not eclipse the output of Ferrari’s latest supercars, the experience is pure and unfiltered. The engine is paired with a six-speed gated manual transmission, a combination Ferrari itself no longer offers. “This is a forward-looking homage to Touring Superleggera heritage, rooted in elegance and design integrity,” said Matteo Gentile, the company’s Head of Design, as quoted by Autoblog.
The performance numbers are impressive but not outrageous: 0-62 mph in 4.4 seconds and a claimed top speed of around 180 mph. The chassis has been stiffened for better handling, and the car features Brembo brakes and a Supersprint exhaust for a throaty soundtrack. Inside, the Barchetta is a temple to analog simplicity—no touchscreens, just classic dials, elegant buttons, and a gated shifter that invites drivers to savor every gear change. The two-tone leather interior and detailed rollover bars behind the seats add a touch of luxury to the open-air experience.
Exclusivity is the name of the game here. While Touring Superleggera hasn’t disclosed exact pricing, the coupe version of the Veloce12 is known to cost over $750,000, not including the donor Ferrari 550. For the Barchetta, expect to hand over close to $1 million for one of the very few examples that will ever be produced. In a world where technology dominates the supercar conversation, the Veloce12 Barchetta stands out as a love letter to driving purists—a rare chance to experience performance and beauty in their most elemental forms.
Yet, for all the Barchetta’s charm and craftsmanship, it was a different kind of Ferrari that made headlines at the auction block. As reported in Italian media and confirmed by event organizers, a Ferrari F40 LM—chassis number 14—was presented for bidding during Monterey Car Week. The F40 LM is no ordinary F40. Conceived by Michelotto for international racing, only 19 of these machines were ever produced, making them among the most coveted Ferraris on the planet.
This particular F40 LM is a marvel of engineering and motorsport pedigree. Its body, crafted from carbon fiber and Kevlar, houses a 2.9-liter biturbo V8 engine in GTC configuration, delivering a staggering 760 horsepower. Every detail of the car speaks to its racing intent: enlarged intercoolers for optimal engine performance, an upgraded braking system, adjustable and stiffened suspension, and an advanced aerodynamic package featuring a front splitter and an adjustable rear wing. The result is a car that combines the raw brutality of a racing prototype with the timeless elegance penned by Pininfarina.
What truly sets this F40 LM apart, though, is its provenance. It holds a Ferrari Classiche certification, awarded in 2009, which attests to the matching numbers of its chassis, engine, gearbox, and bodywork. The car comes with meticulously preserved documentation, offering collectors absolute confidence in its authenticity and history. This level of pedigree isn’t just a point of pride—it’s a guarantee for anyone seeking an unadulterated piece of Ferrari’s racing legacy.
The auction drama was palpable. Pre-sale estimates for the F40 LM ranged between $8.5 million and $9.5 million, but spirited bidding quickly pushed the price north of expectations. When the gavel finally fell, the car had fetched over $11 million, making it the third highest-selling car of the week. Only a 2022 Ferrari Daytona SP3 Coupé, which sold for a record $26 million, and a Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Competizione Alloy Spider, which commanded $25.3 million, surpassed it in value.
Monterey Car Week isn’t just about numbers, though. It’s about the stories behind the machines, the painstaking restoration, and the passion that fuels both builders and buyers. Whether it’s the hand-built artistry of the Veloce12 Barchetta or the racing pedigree of the F40 LM, these cars represent more than just investments—they’re living, breathing symbols of automotive culture.
As the sun set over Monterey, collectors and fans alike left with memories of roaring engines, gleaming bodywork, and the unmistakable feeling that they’d witnessed something truly special. In a world racing toward the future, Monterey Car Week 2025 reminded everyone of the enduring allure of craftsmanship, heritage, and the simple joy of driving.
