The name’s Bond…..James Bond!

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Supercars and luxury toys

It’s a world of jaw-dropping supercars and captivating luxury gadgets, where the wealthy mingle with the curious, and multi-million euro cheques are signed amid the revving of V8 engines. It is Top Marques Monaco and it is celebrating a 10-year milestone this April.

Top Marques will feature six new car releases

So what is planned for such an important anniversary of the most exclusive car show in the world? Well, the Principality will play host to no less than six new car launches this year. It is an unprecedented honour and one Steven Saltzman, Top Marques Director, is particularly proud of given that the companies could have chosen to launch their cars in Geneva one month earlier.

In addition, AugustaWestland will be launching its official James Bond helicopter – a VIP 007 version worth three million euros. “The inside is designed by Karl Lagerfeld and it’s all tricked out to be a special edition,” reveals Saltzman. “When you get in you automatically hear the James Bond theme song and it has a special design that is only available on this model.”

Interested parties will have the opportunity to be Bond for a short while thanks to a fly before you buy philosophy. In fact, the show’s motto: ‘See it, drive it, buy it’ applies to most luxury products on show. A section of the port will be privatised and up to 40 cars on show in a pit area that simply oozes speed, action and pure class. “It’s the fourth year we’ve been doing this and it’s just perfect because you get to try the car on a Formula 1 closed circuit,” adds the director.

Is it an effective tool in convincing people to instantly sign on the dotted line? “We estimate that there were about 200 million euros worth of sales last year, so the cars are there to buy, it’s a selling show,” says Saltzman.

If you’re not in the market for a supercar, there’s a 3D racecar simulator that can also give you some cheap thrills. But the show isn’t just about cars. There’s everything from a 302-carat diamond to motorised surfboards and limited edition watches – luxury gadgets, Saltzman calls them, to keep one person entertained while the other is transfixed by cars.

According to the organisers, between 30,000 and 35,000 people visit Top Marques every year, and 2,500 of those individuals are very wealthy. “They come with their cheque books,” says Saltzman, “and 60 per cent come from this area or within three hours drive.”

The 10th edition will take place on 18th to 21st April in the award-winning Grimaldi Forum. 

Credit: Cassandra Tanti for the Riviera Times
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