Condition, novelty or even a previous owner can make for a distinctive – and desirable – car.

EVERY CAR TELLS A STORY. Some may be grim – it’s hard, for example, not to look at a Chevrolet Vega or Chrysler Cordoba from the 1970s and be reminded of Detroit’s woes. Others speak of excess, such as the Duesenbergs of the 1930s afforded only by elites of the day, untroubled by the Great Depression.

Car Week brings thousands of interesting vehicles to the Monterey Peninsula, from the gleaming show cars at Concours d’Elegance to the exotics unveiled at The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering… or even the sorry hulks celebrated by Concours d’Lemons.

Here are four unique cars on auction during Car Week.

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1936 Cord Experimental Cabriolet

Bonhams

It’s likely Cord produced six “Experimental” versions before releasing the groundbreaking 1936 810. These were prototypes of different body styles of a car that was advanced for the time, with hidden headlights, a pre-selector transmission, independent front suspension and front-wheel drive.

“There are only two that survived,” Bonhams Vice President Eric Minoff says of the prototypes. “Both had fallen into disrepair in the post-war period.”

One – a limousine version – was used by the Cord family until 1940. It was restored but not brought to running condition and sold by Bonhams at Reno for $358,400. But the 1936 Cord Experimental Cabriolet with its one-off fully disappearing convertible top has never been on public display. It was restored in 2021 with shows such as Concours d’Elegance in mind. And Minoff points out that this prototype runs. It came with the supercharged drivetrain of the later 812 model.

The Cord was designed to follow the elegant Duesenberg Model J. But it was likely more advanced than the market – still ravaged by depression – was willing to bear. After 1937, the marque was gone.

“They were well ahead of their time,” Minoff points out. “It’s a bit of a what if.”

But it left quite a legacy.

“It would have little trouble getting a spot at Pebble Beach,” Minoff observes of the prototype. “I expect it to do really well. This is a sexy cabriolet.”

1973 Ferrari Dino 246 GTS

Gooding Christie’s

Sometime in 1973, Steve Winwood walked into Sytner of Mapperley, an automobile dealership with a selection of sportscars, and left in a new Ferrari Dino 246 GTS.

Yes, that Steve Winwood – Traffic, Blind Faith, charttoppers like “Higher Love,” a spot in the Rock and Hall of Fame. But the singer-songwriter was not a collector.

“This is a car he bought and used for a number of years,” says David Brynan, a senior specialist with Gooding Christie’s. “Here’s a car that has had a life.”

It’s an unusual Dino, with flared wheel arches, cast alloy wheels and Daytona-style seats. A mere 150 246 GTS models carried the styling features, with just five dedicated to the British market. For Winwood, it was a daily driver. And what makes the car even more uncommon, the Grammy-winning musician is the consignor.

“I can’t imagine another Dino with the original owner,” Brynan says.

Winwood did have the car restored. He also eventually bought a new ride, keeping the Dino for some weekend fun until committing it to auction.

Gooding Christie’s also has a 1972 246 GTS on offer, anticipating bidding up to $600,000. Winwood’s 1973, however, might reach $1 million or more.

The difference? Well, it’s a one-owner car. And, as Brynan explains, “Provenance is one of the key drivers of value.”

1996 McLaren F1 GTR

RM Sotheby’s

Any McLaren F1 is coveted, both by collectors and those wishing to push the limits of speed. That only nine 1996 GTRs were constructed makes them more desirable.

But RM Sotheby’s car has an intriguing story to tell. McLaren did not initially put it on the market, instead putting it in race trim for its factory drivers – JJ Lehto, David Brabham and the like. The car was so striking, the manufacturer also put it on the promotional circuit.

McLaren then converted for the road and sold to Nick Mason of Pink Floyd, an enthusiast with a highly curated collection. (He also drove it, once smacking a tire wall at the track in Chichester during an enthusiast’s meet.)

By the late 2000s, it had become a show car, but not an idle one. Journalists covering the hypercar craze were able to test it, one ending up in a wheatfield. Each time, the F1 GTR was treated to an expert restoration, money being no object.

In terms of money, Sotheby’s expects the car to bring $35 million at auction in Monterey.

2008 Tesla Roadster

Mecum Auctions

“It’s like the last 30 seconds of a basketball game,” says Dhar Patel of the auction experience from a consignor’s point of view.

The comparison is apt, especially for a car so rarely seen on the block, selling for no reserve. The 2008 Roadster was Tesla’s first model. Quick and agile, it remains a fun driver’s car with a bolt of torque that takes it from zero-to-60 in less than four seconds.

Patel is the second owner of the 2008 Tesla. He says the original owner, who purchased the car in New Mexico, was not aware of its limits and tucked it away in a garage (“He got tired of charging it”). The odometer reads 607 miles and, Patel adds, “The interior is like brand new.”

For Patel, the Roadster is a unique piece of automotive history. Tesla partnered with Lotus for design and development. “This is similar to what Carroll Shelby did with the AC Cobra,” he explains. “I always wanted one.”

Tesla produced some 600 2008-model Roadsters. They are rare enough that Gruber Motors in Phoenix is the only location for a comprehensive service. Over the past decade, just two 2008s have crossed the Mecum Auctions block, one gaveling at $159,900, the other for $220,000. Patel hopes the low mileage attracts enough bidding attention to reach the $200,000 mark.

“It’s going to take someone who sees the value of uniqueness,” he says. “It needs to be shown off.”