AUTONEWS

MCA Centenaire heading to auction

Monaco likely boasts more supercars per square meter than anywhere else, yet this tiny billionaire's haven produces no cars of its own. However, in 1990, a startup company unveiled something intended to revolutionize the supercar world. In a way, it did, yet the car vanished without a trace while a rival claimed the glory.

The car in question is the Centenaire, of which MCA (Monte Carlo Automotive) produced only five units between 1990 and 1992. The company was founded by former Formula 2 and CART driver Fulvio-Maria Ballabio, with the help of an impressive lineup of Formula 1 and motorsport legends.

Lamborghini also played a role, supplying the 455-hp, 5.2L V12 engines from the Countach 5000 QV. As with the Lamborghini, power was sent to the rear wheels via a manual transmission. However, it is the chassis that makes the Centenaire special—and the reason the model deserves far more recognition than it currently receives.

Specifically, this was the first production supercar to feature a carbon-fiber monocoque. McLaren pioneered this technology in its Formula 1 cars in 1981 and later applied the same concept to its revolutionary F1 road car in 1994. Yet, MCA beat McLaren to the punch by four years and Jaguar’s XJR-15 model by several months. Other supercars, such as the Ferrari F40, already featured certain components made from composite materials, but before the MCA, no one had built a complete carbon-fiber chassis.

However, being first isn't always an advantage. The year 1990 proved to be a poor time to introduce new technologies—at least for MCA. Reports indicate that several factors contributed to the Centenaire's failure, including the pricing of supercars in the late 1980s and high production costs. There are even claims that Chrysler, Lamborghini's new owner, disliked the idea of ​​supplying engines to a rival supercar manufacturer that might steal the spotlight from the then-brand-new Diablo.

The initial plan was to sell 100 units, but the first phase failed to reach even double-digit sales figures. Attempts to revive the project during the 1990s met with no greater success. An attempt to compete in the 24 Hours of Le Mans also came to nothing, even though two cars had reportedly reached speeds of 354 km/h during testing.

As they are extremely rare, Centenaire units rarely appear on the market; however, one of the five cars produced is being prepared for Broad Arrow's Zoute Concours Auction in Belgium, scheduled for October 9. The auction listing notes that this specific vehicle was the first chassis produced and was used for everything from testing to promotional presentations. After completing its role, the car was kept by Lamborghini, and years later, it was gifted to Ballabi, the founder of MCA.

At one point, the car was painted blue, but its subsequent owner had it fully restored in 2016, returning it to its original Ivory finish, which further accentuates the red leather interior. Broad Arrow estimates the car could sell for between €900,000 and €1.2 million. That sounds like a huge sum for a car many have likely never heard of—one that isn't even the most beautiful supercar of the 1990s. On the other hand, one could argue it is a small price to pay for the car that laid the foundation for the generations of hypercars that followed.