Racing has the Monaco F1 Grand Prix as its crown jewel and that similar mantle is held by Monterey Car Week, which has evolved from humble beginnings to become one of the preeminent automotive gatherings in the world. We take a closer look at this prestigious week-long showcase.
If you are just learning about it, Monterey Car week is a 10-day long celebration that consists of shows, races, auctions, car unveilings and more. The festivities conclude with the iconic fairways at Pebble Beach for the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. Events take place all over Monterey County on the scenic Pacific coastline just below San Francisco. Various locations are used including Laguna Seca Raceway and Pebble Beach Golf Links
Monterey Car Week has evolved from a quaint California concours into the car world’s crown jewel. What began in 1950 with the first Concours d’Elegance has grown into a world-renowned celebration of automotive excellence featuring classic car shows, luxury auctions and elite racing events. Each August, collectors, manufacturers and enthusiasts descend on the Monterey Peninsula for this week-long extravaganza, which showcases the pinnacle of automotive culture, featuring everything from vintage races and classic car shows to exclusive auctions and innovative expos. This mix of heritage events and new-car reveals makes Monterey Car Week the highlight of the automotive year.
Looking Back
The roots of Monterey Car Week lie in that first Pebble Beach contest of 1950. Over the decades dozens of new gatherings were added – from the Concorso Italiano and historic road rallies to concept-car showcases and multi-house auctions. Today, Monterey’s own tourism bureau dubs the week “a world-renowned celebration of automotive excellence”, and insiders often call it an annual pilgrimage “where history meets innovation”. In other words, by late summer Monterey becomes a microcosm of car culture, uniting historic classics and cutting-edge concepts.
In business terms, Monterey Car Week has become hugely consequential. Each year the five major classic-car auctions on-site combine to roughly $400 million in sales. For example, 2024’s auctions totaled about $392 million (with RM Sotheby’s alone reporting $161,2m). Even lesser-known classics can command staggering sums: last year a Ferrari 333 SP Evoluzione fetched $5,12m. These figures explain why Monterey’s auctions draw global attention – even as manufacturers also use the week for big debuts. Top brands now bring their flagship reveals and prototype previews to Monterey, knowing the gathered media and VIPs will amplify the news.
The Auto Show in the Digital Age
Monterey’s ascendance comes amid the decline of many traditional motor shows. For example, the Geneva International Motor Show announced in 2024 that it would be discontinued indefinitely. Organisers cited a “lack of interest shown by manufacturers in a difficult industry context” and prohibitive costs. Today, automakers can launch new models via livestreams or private events, and marketing dollars often favour digital campaigns.
With fewer global fairs on the calendar, Monterey’s exclusive format – invitation-only gatherings, concept displays and high-profile auctions – has only grown more attractive. Its blend of live experience and instant media coverage gives it an edge that simply isn’t possible at traditional shows. In the case of the luxury, ultra-luxury, hyper- and supercar brands, it gives company management direct access to potential owners, and vice versa. You could end up rubbing shoulders with company founders such as Horatio Pagani, Mate Rimac or Christian von Koenigsegg or even A-list Hollywood celebs.
Auction Icons: The Ferrari F40 LM and More
The Barrett-Jackson-style auctions at Monterey regularly feature ultra-rare cars (only 19 were made) such as this F40 LM. RM Sotheby’s has listed a Ferrari F40 LM by Michelotto – a track-prepared F40 with a 566 kW from its twin-turbocharged V8. The car is expected to fetch between $8,5–9,5m estimate. Vehicles of this rarity exemplify Monterey’s cachet to collectors. Indeed, last year Monterey auctions totaled nearly $392M in sales, as bidders snapped up the rarest Ferraris, coachbuilt classics and one-off exotics. In effect, the auction block is as much a draw as the concours field – each staged car is a headline.
Click here to read about our own Ferrari F40 driving experience.
Headline Reveals
The event has also become prime for launching of new vehicles. Automakers are lining up to showcase new models or special editions. Lamborghini’s headline reveal in 2024 was the Temerario. This year it was supposed to be the Fenomeno (yellow car pictured). However, images and info leaked early and spread like wildfire across the internet a day earlier than the Italian automaker planned. We published an article on the limited-edition supercar, which you can read by clicking here.
Aston Martin’s Valhalla made its North American debut at Monterey Car Week 2025. Aston Martin used Monterey to debut its first mid-engine road car. The Valhalla is Aston’s first plug-in hybrid supercar and first production vehicle with a mid-mounted engine. It blends Formula 1–derived aerodynamics with a bespoke V6 hybrid drivetrain. The production Valhalla was unveiled at The Quail and on Pebble Beach’s Concept Lawn as part of Aston’s 75th-anniversary festivities.
Monterey has become the place for car enthusiasts to be every August. The multitude of events, auctions, shows and unveilings make it unique in the world of motoring… now, we just gotta work out how to get there next year.