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Every August, the very best of the automotive world heads to a small peninsula in California, a place traditionally associated with John Steinbeck’s novels and Clint Eastwood’s short political stint, for the thrilling and extravagant showcase known as Monterey Car Week.

The informal festival may have started with the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, a classic car event held on the 18th hole of one of the world’s great golf courses, and that gathering still serves as its centrepiece. But over time, the spectacle has expanded into several days of parties and displays stretching from the corkscrew bends of Laguna Seca to the foggy coastline of 17 Mile Drive. At every traffic signal, the world’s most expensive traffic snarls appear; cars so rare you might expect to encounter them only once in a lifetime suddenly seem as common as yellow cabs in Manhattan.

And as enthusiasts have gathered, automakers have followed. These days, nearly every carmaker with a foothold in the luxury space, even if only loosely connected to it, has an official presence at MCW, as fans call the week. With the attention of the motoring world fixed on the area, many brands use the occasion to unveil new cars and concepts, which we in the press are, naturally, more than happy to bring to you.

So, without further delay, here are the new-car debuts from Monterey Car Week that you need to know about this year. And do check back through the week’s celebrations, because this piece will continue to be updated as more fresh metal makes its appearance.

GMSV S1

Gordon Murray’s newest creation salutes his legendary McLaren F1, though beneath the surface it carries all the contemporary engineering tricks and delights we have come to expect from his brands.

Land Rover Defender Dakar

The Defender Dakar takes the already formidable Octa and turns the intensity up yet another notch.

Lamborghini Revuelto SV

If the 1001-hp, PCOTY-winning Lamborghini Revuelto was not fast or extreme enough for you, perhaps its new 1050-hp sibling will be more to your taste.

Spyker C8 Preliator XXV Coupe

Spyker, the flamboyant Dutch supercar maker that first rose to prominence a couple of decades ago, is back, now armed with 800 horses of twin-turbo power.

Porsche Flachbau RS

A one-off road car based on the 991.2-generation 911 GT2 RS, created as a tribute to the iconic 935 “Moby Dick” racer? That is enough to set any enthusiast’s heart racing.

Brabus Bodo Cabriolet

The Aston Martin Vanquish-based Bodo drop-top joins its coupe sibling with an enormous 1000 horsepower on tap.

Gunther Werks GXR-EVO

The wildest machine yet to emerge from the Gunther Werks workshop comes with a straight-piped six-cylinder engine, a huge rear wing, and even its own dedicated simulator.

Cadillac V-One

Take a Le Mans polesitter, give it a more luxurious interior suited to a millionaire who wants a personal Cadillac race car for weekend driving, and the result is the V-One.

Ruf Ehra

The latest creation from Ruf honours the circuit where the legendary CTR Yellowbird reached 211 mph.

Aston Martin Valen

The newest limited-run model from Gaydon is the most powerful front-engined car you can buy, though you will need at least $2 million to get one.

Ferrari CZ26

Maranello’s latest one-off supercar reworks the SF90 Stradale into a berlinetta with an entirely fresh design language.

McLaren MCL 6GT

A modern tribute to Bruce McLaren’s original vision for a road-going sports car, the MCL 6GT combines a V-8 engine with a manual gearbox, making it the company’s first stick-shift model since the McLaren F1.

Czinger 21C Spyder

The already outrageous Czinger 21C becomes even more absurd by losing its roof while giving up barely any performance.

Lucid Gravity GT-S

Four-figure power returns to the Lucid Gravity line-up, as the GT-S revives the 1070-hp powertrain from the Dream Edition with which the SUV originally debuted.

Acura Nexera Vision Concept

This sleek coupe is not bound for production, but it does offer a look at the future direction of Acura design.

Koenigsegg CCGT1

The latest machine from Koenigsegg is the most track-focused ‘Egg so far, complete with a sequential shifter.

Porsche 911 Carrera S with MT Package

Porsche applies the 911 Carrera T formula of a six-speed manual gearbox to the more powerful Carrera S, though it is reserved exclusively for North American buyers.

Singer Vehicle Design and Louis Vuitton’s Unique Porsche 911s

The French luxury fashion house and the California-based reimaginer of Porsche 964s have collaborated on a pair of truly bespoke 911s. Have you ever seen a whale tail finished with wood trim?

Jaguar Type 01 Interior

Jaguar’s slow reveal of its brand-defining Type 01 electric gran turismo continues with our first look inside its minimalist cabin.

Marc Philipp Gemballa Marisen GT

Marc Philipp Gemballa, the other Gemballa, even though he is the founder’s son, and yes, it is a long story, has created a new supercar based on the 992-generation 911 Turbo S.

Eccentrica V12 Roadster

The Lamborghini Diablo roadster of the 1990s gets the restomod treatment from Eccentrica, and the outcome is especially delightful.

Bugatti Destrier

Take the track-only Bugatti Bolide and ask its maker to turn it into an absolutely gorgeous road car? If you have the money, why not?