Top Marques Monaco, one of the world’s most exclusive car shows, has just wrapped up, and this year, the monumental event was bigger than ever before.
Marking its 20th anniversary in 2025, Top Marques Monaco saw over 120 incredible cars on display at Monaco’s Grimaldi Forum between May 7-11. Dating back to 2004, the first rendition of Top Marques Monaco saw 44 exhibitors and was underpinned by the unique concept of “See it, drive it, buy it.”
Two decades later, Top Marques is an entirely different beast. The gradual inclusion of super boats, watches and classic cars means that today, the name Top Marques has grown to represent far more than just cars. It highlights luxury as a whole.
This year, the prestige arrived at even greater heights, with 10 worldwide launches and three Monaco first presentations. And while the buzz of the week, which saw over 30,000 visitors grace the halls of the Grimaldi Forum, is now beginning to settle. The 20th iteration of Top Marques was undoubtedly its greatest display yet, with all attendees filled with a real sense of joie de vivre.
Here are some of the highlights that absolutely should not be missed.
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Elite Traveler Took Over the Terrace
While this year’s show saw numerous records broken, it was also the first time Elite Traveler has had a presence at the event. As official media partner, Elite Traveler helped add a sense of fun and competition to Top Marques by building a pétanque piste on the Grimaldi Forum’s outdoor terrace. Here, attendees stopped to take a look at the magazine, entered a competition exclusive to Top Marques in which the winner received two complimentary nights at Milan’s Palazzo Cordusio Gran Meliá and tried their hand at a game of pétanque.
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Laffite LM1 “Monaco Edition”
If you’re on the hunt for raw power and good looks, the Laffite LM1 “Monaco Edition” is a great place to start. At Top Marques Monaco 2025, the Turin-based manufacturer, founded by Bruno Laffite displayed its premium V8 mild hybrid 1,000+ hp racing car, the Laffite LM1, with an all-new Monaco-themed livery.
Two LM1s feature the red and white livery inspired by the Monegasque flag, with part of the proceeds generated from the sale donated to the Princess Charlène Foundation.
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Saoutchik Legacy
Gracing the floors of Grimaldi Forum in style, the all-new Saoutchik Legacy was revealed publicly for the first time during Top Marques Monaco 2025. A reincarnation of a French coachbuilder that folded back in 1955, Saoutchik is inspired by the classics.
Moving forward, the brand intends to create vehicles at a very low volume for highly demanding clients. Their cars will possess plenty of historic value, with nods to coachbuilt vehicles of the 1920s, ’30s, ’40s and ’50s. Owners will be able to tweak and customize to their heart’s content, this is the haute couture of the automotive world.
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Brabus
Following the news that German tuner Brabus is set to build a private island in Abu Dhabi, the brand arrived at Top Marques and showcased the Brabus Big Boy, a 39ft rolling apartment worth 1.2 million euros, in addition to an entirely new, unseen vehicle called the Brabus X2.
As a regular attendee of Top Marques, Brabus understood how to put on a bit of a show. Last year, the brand displayed a host of different vehicles like the Brabus Rocket 1000 and the Brabus 1300R Masterpiece edition. This year saw the arrival of the Brabus XL 800, a vehicle based on the Mercedes-AMG G 63. Brabus Marine was also out in full force, displaying the impressive Brabus Shadow 300 Cross top in white.
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Klassen
The cars didn’t steal all the limelight at Top Marques Monaco, Klassen a German brand loved by celebrities, displayed a fully customized luxury van that took the concept of a chauffeur vehicle to the next level.
Once a world dominated by Rolls-Royce, today celebrities and dignitaries are turning towards customized luxury vans due to the extra space they offer. In the past Klassen vehicles have even received the seal of approval from Prince Albert of Monaco. After one look at the impressively large TV screen in the back of the van displayed at Top Marques 2025, it’s easy to see why.
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Aston Martin Vanquish Volante
Perhaps one of the stars of the show, the iconic British Marque, Aston Martin, displayed its latest roadster, the Vanquish Volante, publicly for the first time. Given this car looks set to become ‘the fastest and most powerful [roadster] in the world’, it was certainly not one to miss.
Featuring a 5.2-liter twin-turbo V12 engine producing over 800 horsepower, the Vanquish Volante is proof that big engine monsters aren’t quite dead yet.
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Classic Cars
Aside from the exciting new releases, since 2022 and the introduction of the Classic Car hall, Top Marques Monaco has also become a haven for older motors. In the true ethos of Top Marques, 95% of these are up for sale, so it’s the perfect spot if you’re itching to buy a classic vehicle.
There are far too many to list, however, Boutsen Classic Cars showed off a 1983 Porsche 956 Group C, driven by Thierry Boutsen; a 1964 Iso Grifo AC3 Bizzarrini, prepared for racing; and A 1977 Alpine A110, one of the very last produced.
