If you missed this year’s action-packed Monterey Car Week, you now have a second chance to view and admire three of the Show Stoppers again. The Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles has just unveiled three headline-making supercars from the event, which will be on display for a limited period: Alfa Romeo’s brand-new 33 Stradale, the original Koenigsegg CC Prototype, and Gordon Murray’s S1 LM.
Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale
For those unaware, the modern-day Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale, limited to 33 units worldwide. Some of these examples were destined to be EVs, but thankfully, all 33 examples ended up as gasoline-powered models, more specifically, a 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 that packs 620 horsepower and can do 207 mph.
But what makes the story interesting is Alfa’s attempt to capture the spirit of the Tipo 1967 33 Stradale, which is arguably one of the most beautiful cars ever made. If you’re wondering how it stacks up against competitors, think of it as Alfa’s answer to Ferrari’s Icona series or Lamborghini’s Invencible.
Koenigsegg CC Prototype
The next exhibit is something far rarer: the Koenigsegg CC Prototype. Built in 1996, this one-off laid the foundation for the Swedish hypercar brand that we know today. Its 4.7-liter supercharged V8 puts out 655 horsepower, which is still a significant figure today, but mighty impressive for the time. For some context, the Mighty McLaren F1 from the era, produces anywhere between 618 and 627 horsepower. It would become the fastest car in the world (240.1 mph) in 1998 with Andy Wallce at the wheel.
Koenigsegg tested the CC Prototype, up in Sweden, then shipped it to the Paris Motor Show, where it surprised the established bunch. Christian Von Koenigsegg himself was particularly ecstatic to see it at the Quail this year. If you’re a fan of the Scandinavian automaker, this example will allow you to closely view some early features that would become signature Koënigsegg design details. This car is essentially the blueprint that launched a hypercar empire.
Gordon Murray S1 LM
Since we brought up the McLaren F1, the third exhibit is about Gordon Murray’s modern-day tribute to it, S1 LM. Designed as a track-ready homage to the McLaren F1 GTR, it features a naturally aspirated race-bred 4.3-liter V12 with 690 horsepower, and leans into the lightweight philosophy that Murray pioneered back in the day.
Unlike the more civilized T.50, the S1 LM is a raw interpretation meant for purists. Only five will exist, all sold to a single buyer. If you’ve followed Murray’s work closely over the decades, you know this project is so much more than nostalgia and more about refinement after decades of lessons learned. We have a special feature in the works on the S1 LM touching on its highlights.
But in the meantime, if you’re in the L.A. area, you should take the time out to check out these automotive heavyweights in person, while you still can, because the Petersen display isn’t permanent. Tickets are available at petersen.org/tickets.
Source: Petersen Automotive Museum