Monaco and South of France Motors - A Recent Visit

[mrbounce]

Most of these are retro but there are a couple of newer ones because they're nice. Monaco is a strange place. It seems that a lot of the people there are living in a rather expensive bubble and don't really know what reality is like. Don't get me wrong - it's a fabulous place, but it seems very detached. Not sure I would go back, but if you fancy a visit and you're in the South of France, it's only a few Euros on the train. 

In addition to the glamorous motors in Casino Square and dotted around the circuit area, there are also a number of smaller, more city-type cars, which makes a refreshing change. I did actually see Charles Leclerc driving around in his white Ferrari 812 (with 16 on the side) but I was not quick enough to catch him with the camera. Then he did it again a bit later. I'll get him one day... 

Amazing resto-mod Renault Dauphine in Beaulieu-Sur-Mer. This sounded rorty as hell, and had beautifully banded wheels (pinstriped!) which looked like they came from a 70s Renault 5. 



The quite frankly ridiculously expensive ($2.3 million) Ferrari SP3. This gets a pass here. It sounded fabulous.



Fiat Topolino at the Lowes Hairpin (looked like they were giving it a bit of welly too!)



Mini in Monaco! Great clubby estate in Snapdragon yellow by the looks of it.



Intergrowler - does this pass for a "City Car"?



Fiat Panda! Excellent - you can't get more back to basics than this!



Another Mini! This time a 90s Mayfair by the looks of things



This Ferrari 308 GTS back in Beaulieu-Sur- Mer. The old boy driving it really struggled - he couldn't manoeuvre it well at all, nearly hitting 2 cars and a pedestrian. Tom Selleck he was not... The car sounded and looked amazing though.







A couple of pics from the Casino Square area (sorry, modern content - apologies!) I think the valets here have a fantastic job. 





Go on then, here's the harbour...



... the Swimming Pool...



Sainte-Devote



And finally, some idiot at Lowes Hairpin.



An enjoyable way to spend the weekend!

[Jonny69]

I stayed in Menton when I was there racing in 2017, which is a couple of stops away on the train to the west of Monaco. Menton is quite a chilled place and choc full of sunburned old cars with skin cancer! I know I was in Monaco for F1 week, so everything was skewed from normal, but I have to say I quite enjoyed it there and I'd recommend it even though the race is the dullest one of the season. The atmosphere is amazing.

[vader]

I have driven my Stag around Monaco. Took photos of it parked outside the Hotel de Paris. I must dig them out.

[mrbounce]

Jan 31, 2024 21:25:06 GMT vader said:

I have driven my Stag around Monaco. Took photos of it parked outside the Hotel de Paris. I must dig them out.

Please do. Bet it got some attention?

[jamesd1972]

Looks like you had fun. I think the small quirky cars often carry more style than just another shouty supercar.
Clubby estate has a posh bumper that I've never seen before and 12" late mini city wheels. Wheels probably pared with discs just like I did on mine. Doubt if there are many cars with the interior space to exterior size ratio of a mini estate.
James

[mrbounce]

Feb 1, 2024 9:48:00 GMT jamesd1972 said:

Looks like you had fun. I think the small quirky cars often carry more style than just another shouty supercar.
Clubby estate has a posh bumper that I've never seen before and 12" late mini city wheels. Wheels probably pared with discs just like I did on mine. Doubt if there are many cars with the interior space to exterior size ratio of a mini estate.
James

Looks like that "posh bumper" is different overriders and a custom bar on the lower section. Looks nicely done. I wonder if it's got a hotter engine to go with its disc brakes?

[vader]

Feb 1, 2024 9:09:55 GMT mrbounce said:

Jan 31, 2024 21:25:06 GMT vader said:

I have driven my Stag around Monaco. Took photos of it parked outside the Hotel de Paris. I must dig them out.

Please do. Bet it got some attention?

It did, it’s over 1000 miles to Monaco from where we live, drove all that way, taking photos of the stag by the hotel when a coupe walked up to me and the bloke said “I used to work for BL mate” yup, drove all that way and bumped into Brummies 

[mrbounce]

Feb 1, 2024 14:33:17 GMT vader said:

Feb 1, 2024 9:09:55 GMT mrbounce said:

Please do. Bet it got some attention?

It did, it’s over 1000 miles to Monaco from where we live, drove all that way, taking photos of the stag by the hotel when a coupe walked up to me and the bloke said “I used to work for BL mate” yup, drove all that way and bumped into Brummies 

Brilliant! 

[turbobanana]

I love it. Been a couple of times by car, with my (no longer owned) Saab 900 Monte Carlo Convertible. In essence I took it to the place it was named after. Pics from before the digital age (2000) unfortunately.



Point of order: the 308 you describe and show is actually a 208 turbo, the Italian market smaller-engined version more friendly towards Italian tax rules at the time. The NACA ducts on the sills are the giveaway.

[mrbounce]

Feb 2, 2024 13:10:45 GMT turbobanana said:

I love it. Been a couple of times by car, with my (no longer owned) Saab 900 Monte Carlo Convertible. In essence I took it to the place it was named after. Pics from before the digital age (2000) unfortunately.



Point of order: the 308 you describe and show is actually a 208 turbo, the Italian market smaller-engined version more friendly towards Italian tax rules at the time. The NACA ducts on the sills are the giveaway.

Wow. Didn't think I would ever see one in the wild! Turbo or not, the old boy was a terrible driver!! 

[horrido]

I look on a French car website quite often to see what's cool and for sale and almost without fail, all the good stuff is down in that corner of the country. I suppose its money and good climate that means it all ends up there. Which is a nuisance as its a 10 hour drive away.