EUR 100 Million in sales and 30.000 visitors - Top Marques Monaco 2010 hits indeed the Lucky Seven

There are only a few exclusive events and motorshows worldwide where the wealthiest people of our planet feel like 'home' and try to stay as long as they can. One of those few events is the Top Marques Monaco show, where the creme de la creme of the jet-set society meet and mingle.

So, when Smart Air parked its plane on the esplanade of the Grimaldi Forum, little did anyone know that it was a presage of things to come.

Top Marques Monaco was definitely operating under another dimension, attested by the fact that all the exhibitors were already in place before the the Icelandic cloud explosion hit the headlines; The only live supercar show In the world was on the road to making headlines of its own.

The 7th edition of Top Marques Monaco proved to be exactly what we had forecasted: a veritable
triumph. A four-day festival of the most prestigious automobiles on the planet, plus art, yachts, planes, collectors and exclusive timepieces, fabulous jewellery, and products from the luxury industries.

Four days filled with marvelous surprises, stupefying chic and classic beauty.
'Seven' ... The Pythagoreans call it the perfect number: 4 + 3, the square and the triangle.
So, let us start with 'The Square'

On Day One, the internationally renowned couturier, KENZO Takada opened Top Marques Monaco under a
beautiful blue sky. Greeted by Top Marques Monaco Chairman, Lawrie Lewis, and the Lloyds
International Private Banking Managing Director, Piero Grandi, and Mr Franck M?¼ller, the talented
watch entrepreneur, KENZO exuded a fragrance of Zen and harmony throughout his tour of the
various stands.

His laughter translated his delight at what he saw, as exhibitors and media melted at the twinkle in his eyes and the gorgeous smile on his face. Having retired in 1999, everyone was under the hypnotic spell of his charm and awed by his presence.

KENZO loved to touch everything with his hands as well as with his eyes; after all, one cannot deny that he does have a magic touch. After all was said and done, KENZO praised Top Marques Monaco for its diversity, quality and the breathtaking beauty of the show.
However frequently In and out of the cars or on and off the impressive motorbikes, one could not discern
his favorites; the consummate artist reveled in it all.

In the afternoon, Top Marques Monaco welcomed James Bond, alias Sir Roger Moore, who gave exhibitors and medias alike the suave 007 approach. Captivated eyes followed the debonair agent from stand to stand, his alarming smile, keeping everyone in tow.

Sir Roger Moore is a frequent visitor and friend of Top Marques Monaco and lends it his support in a style and manner which rivals none. You can imagine the surprise of the Design by Dante whose team (all dressed to kill as 007 agents) came face to face with the real McCoy.

An emotional moment transpired when Sir Roger Moore, reminiscing on his Bond days, got a glimpse of the Aston Martin Rapide; this gorgeous 4-door masterpiece has undergone many a change since the days of his DB5, especially the wristwatch that actually opens the car.

On Day 2, everyone had news of The Cloud from Iceland which spread its tentacles all over northern Europe. As word of airports closing here and there came through, it was obvious that the situation was highly compromised for the many visitors, Medias and the Sovereign Prince of the Principality who were at a standstill as to how to get to Monaco.

The new Prime Minister of Monaco, Mr. Michel Roger, a great car enthusiast, admired what he saw under the roof of the Grimaldi Forum. There was definitely no cloud over Top Marques Monaco…

Visitors came from around the Coast for the Rolex Masters Tennis Open and the MIPTV in Cannes, as well as other events throughout the area; they streamed through the doors to view the Top.

The Test Drive Pits filled the Avenue Princesse Grace with noises it had never heard since last year. The Marussia’s 1 and 2 pivoted around the Grand Prix circuit of Monte-Carlo, with Wiesmann’s, V-MAX motorbikes and other smashing supercars close on their tails.
Inside the Salle Ravel, the visitors marveled at Eco chic translated by the NLV QUANT, silver magnificence in luxurious splendor; and the Pagani Tricolore; ultimate perfection.

Friday evening, seven (that number again) of the fantastic supercars lined up in front of the Hotel de Paris, stopping all traffic with their winning looks.

The Monaco Tourist Authority (DTC) sponsored a chic soir?©e in the opulent Salle Empire for Top Marques Monaco sponsors and exhibitors. The Place du Casino brightened up as cars rarely or never seen took their places in the impressive square. Monte-Carlo by night continued thereafter down at the celebrated Black Legend Terrasse of the Salle Empire, Hotel de Paris

Day 3 started early for us on Saturday morning, when a phone call informed us that His Serene Highness had successfully returned from London where he had opened the "Grace Kelly: Style Icon" exhibition at the
Victoria and Albert Museum.

HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco has continually supported Top Marques Monaco since its beginnings. KENZO returned to the show to meet Him, surrounded by the directors of Top Marques Watches, Steven Saltzman and M?©d?©ric Del Monaco.

Glow Magazine on the Giugiaro stand presented to HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco a rare book of maps depicting Mediterranean ports published in 1764 (Recueil de plusieurs Ports...de la Mer M?©diterran?©e) by navigator J. Ayrouard.

The Chinese presence at Top Marques Monaco 2010 was very remarkable. The President and members of the marketing team of The Hurun Report (“Nobody knows China’s rich better�) descended on the car show with one of their listed clients.

One of our official media partners this year, The Hurun Report annually prints the longest list of the
wealthiest Chinese in the world.

The client, having visited the Casino twice, was now ready for the business of purchasing cars. Not even desiring to stop off in Monaco (his plans included Paris and Bologna), The Hurun Report persuaded him to come take a look at the finest display of luxury automobiles and top performing sportscars on planet Earth. After what they saw, the management and marketing team of The Hurun Report stated that next year they would come back with more of their listed clients.


Day 4 had a different taste than the previous days, namely The 6 to 6 Experience supercar club rally from Spain to Monte-Carlo, which meant 75 supercar owners driving down Avenue Princesse Grace to the ultimate car show.

Affluent aficionados of supercars, these guys wanted to see if Top Marques Monaco was all that they had heard it was. China and Spain weren’t the only visitors who came from afar. On behalf of HH Sheikh Ahmed
Bin Rashed Al Maktourn, Mohammed Al Kamali and Dr. Sulaiman Al Fahim, both members of a senior delegation from the UAE National Olympic Committee from Dubai, explored the fascinating Top Marques Monaco automobiles, receiving the royal treatment from Ferrari.

I am sure that these two gentlemen will spread the word back in the UAE, and that next year in Monaco as well as at the Abu Dhabi edition of Top Marques Monaco the wealthy Arab clients will play in important role when they arrive with all their friends and family members.

And now we come to the 'The Triangle'.

Three elements account for the success of Top Marques Monaco. TMM's objective has always been to bring the manufacturers to the clients, and the clients to the manufacturers. This year was no exception, as those who create and build were provided the stage to show their craftsmanship to the worldwide HNWIs and affluent clients that live in and around the French and Italian Riviera.

This year, 44% of the stands were new, and they have practically all rebooked requesting more
space. The leads and contacts made at Top Marques Monaco went beyond their expectations.

Surprisingly enough, the Russians headed 5 stands in the Salle Ravel; young, dynamic creators who have entered the scene and have begun to make a significant mark in the industry.

Excellent reviews flowed from all exhibitors who are already booking their spaces for 2011. This is evident proof that the B2B (business-to-business) platform of Top Marques Monaco gets the results the manufacturers are seeking.

Extremely positive sales figures grossing nearly Eur 100 Million showed that luxury is still skirting the crisis. Sales from Pagani, Maserati, Porsche, Fisker (massive number of sales), Lazareth bio-fuel motorbikes, Rebeillon watches, Van Dutch boats, Ruf, and Garia (the electric luxury golf kart) were indeed very noteworthy.

Faberg?©, brought by Pavel Bobylev from Prague impressed many visitors, as well as the fine of
refined jewellery by La Piramide, Sabbadini and Stardust. Exclusive bags by Aznom also made a
great impact.

Marussia – the first supercar from Russia - was the most popular car in the test-drives Pits; the
Radical from UK Garage blew your head off; while the orange monster, the Savage, truly gave
people something to look at as it careened down Avenue Princesse Grace; while down on the
Port, several boats awaited the lucky potential buyers who love the sea.

With the closure of airports all over northern Europe, the foreboding thought that the volcanic
explosion would diminish the number of visitors to Top Marques Monaco turned out to be an
exercise of cerebral futility.

30,000 people crowded the aisles of the Grimaldi Forum, enthralled and excited about what their eyes saw. Celebrities like KENZO, Sir Roger Moore were joined by others like Flavio Briatore who announced his return to F1; AS Monaco’s St?©phane Ruffier, moto champ Loris Capirossi; F1’s Giovanno Lavaggi, Jordan Laws, pop music DJ/mixer; and a myriad of other stars (footballers from Nice, several F1 drivers who were not in Shanghai)

On Sunday, Tennis fans finally had a break until the two Spaniards would battle it out to see who
would be champ of the hard turf at the Rolex Masters Tennis Open. From the looks of the
entrance at 10h25, Top Marques Monaco was in for its own cloud of visitors.

Queen of the Riviera, with over 700 years of history behind her, the Princely Family has
endeavored to make the Principality of Monaco a place where history, science, sports, culture,
art and humanitarian interests play a prominent role. And when it comes to cars, you have to
look far and wide to find another city that is more endowed with the automobile heritage that
Monaco has.

It thus comes as no surprise that Top Marques Monaco, the only live supercar show in the world, makes its home in this privileged site on the Mediterranean.

Top Marques Abu Dhabi will take place from 19th -22nd January 2011, while Top Marques Monaco will be taking place from the 14th-17th April 2011.

Do not miss it! We surely will not.

MS