Ultra-Rare 1990 MCA Centenaire Set for Auction

BICESTER, United Kingdom, Sept. 22, 2026 /CourierPR/ -- Broad Arrow Auctions, a leading global collector car auction house founded in 2021 by industry veterans, is set to offer an ultra-rare 1990 MCA Centenaire at its 2026 Zoute Concours Auction. This car, the first of just five supercars produced by the Monaco-based manufacturer, is a piece of French supercar history and is expected to attract significant attention from collectors.

Monte Carlo Automotive, founded in 1985 by former Formula 2 and CART driver Fulvio-Maria Ballabio, was a boutique Monaco manufacturer that brought together an extraordinary collection of Italian motorsport talent. Technical director Carlo Chiti, with ties to both Scuderia Ferrari and Autodelta, and former Alfa Romeo Sporting Director Perluigi Corbari, Formula 1 specialist Marcel Zunnino, and former Formula 1 driver and constructor Guglielmo Bellasi, led the operation.

Unveiled in 1990, the MCA Centenaire was the world's first road-going supercar with a carbon fibre chassis and the first supercar built in Monaco. It was named the Centenaire to coincide with the centenary of the Automobile Club de Monaco and was presented to Prince Albert II, whose support helped establish the Centenaire as the Principality's homegrown supercar.

The 1990 MCA Centenaire is the very first example produced and is thus the first road-going production car fitted with a carbon fibre chassis. This example was the sole Centenaire originally finished in Ivory White and was complemented by a stunning red leather interior, a combination crafted to represent the national colours of the Principality of Monaco. It is one of the original three examples that contains the robust 5.2-litre V12 from the Countach 5000 QV, producing 455 horsepower fed through a ZF six-speed manual transmission.

An accompanying letter by MCA representative Matteo Ramello confirms that this car was the original chassis, explaining that the car was the first example produced and was initially used for development, testing, and presentation purposes. Once these responsibilities were completed, the car was redesignated EL0002 and was held in Lamborghini's factory in Sant'Agata Bolognese for approximately ten years before it was gifted to company founder Fulvio Ballabio in the early 2000s.

Refinished in blue, circa 2007, the car was notably displayed at Rétromobile that year alongside the Lamborghini Pregunta concept, another unique collaboration famously offered by Broad Arrow at their inaugural 2025 Zoute Concours Auction and graciously offered by the very same seller. This example was acquired by the consignor in France in 2014. Approximately two years later, the Centenaire's bodywork was restored, whereupon it was refinished in correct Ivory White, with the car's red leather upholstery carefully preserved.

The 1990 MCA Centenaire is accompanied by a vast history file, including MCA correspondence and press documentation, period photos of the car in the Lamborghini factory and at Rétromobile, and even a copy of the contract between Automobili Lamborghini and Fulvio Ballabio for the supply of Lamborghini's engines.

Broad Arrow Auctions, driven by Hagerty (NYSE: HGTY), is a company built by drivers for drivers, protecting 2.8 million vehicles in the United States, Canada, and the UK. The auction house connects exceptional collector cars with enthusiasts worldwide through flagship events including The Broad Arrow Quail Auction, The Amelia Auction, The Porsche Auction, the Las Vegas Auction, and international auctions held in partnership with Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este, Zoute Grand Prix, and Auto Zürich.