Each year, around the middle of August, the Monterey Peninsula transforms into the focal point of the automotive world.
Monterey Car Week offers an unparalleled opportunity to observe an extraordinary array of street-parked supercars, iconic race cars that have shaped automotive history, and stunning classic vehicles. This event represents the pinnacle of car spotting for the year, with rare and unique automobiles appearing at every turn.
The week is filled with numerous overlapping events, making it impossible to attend them all. However, we are fortunate to have a team of editors traveling to California for the celebrations, and we will provide you with as many updates as possible. Please visit us frequently for the latest information.
A 1934 Bugatti Type 59 Sports, showcased by Fritz Burkhard of The Pearl Collection, was awarded Best of Show at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. This marks the inaugural occasion that a preservation entry has received the highest honor. This year, 214 cars from 16 countries and 29 states pulled onto the competition field. The competition for the Best of Show award included several formidable entries, such as the 1948 Talbot-Lago T26 Grand Sport Saoutchik Fastback Coupé, showcased by Robert Kudela from Chropyně, Czech Republic; the 1934 Packard 1108 Twelve LeBaron Sport Phaeton, presented by Harry Yeaggy of Cincinnati, Ohio; and notably, the 1970 Lancia Stratos HF Zero Bertone Coupe, exhibited by Phillip Sarofim of Beverly Hills, California, as part of our groundbreaking exhibition of Wedge concepts and prototypes.
Mecum Auctions has announced that its Monterey event achieved sales exceeding $54 million, with a 1969 Ford GT40 Lightweight leading the sales at a remarkable $7,865,000. An extraordinary bidding war ensued for the world’s most valuable 1969 Dodge Hemi Daytona, which ultimately fetched a remarkable $3.36 million. The 2024 Mecum Monterey auction, at the Del Monte Golf Course in Monterey, also showcased impressive unveilings of various consignments that will be presented at upcoming Mecum auctions, including Steve McQueen’s Porsche 917K from the 1971 film “Le Mans.”
RM Sotheby’s three-day auction in Monterey achieved a remarkable total of $161,169,680 in sales, with the highest-selling item being the 1960 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider, which fetched $17,055,000.
The Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion, held annually, transforms a museum into a vibrant showcase featuring hundreds of historic and period-appropriate race and sports cars from nearly every era. These vehicles are not merely for display; they are actively raced by drivers in designated run groups, allowing them to be experienced at high speeds for the enjoyment of thousands of passionate spectators. Witness the rare cars being started, maintained, and driven in the manner for which they were originally designed.
Broad Arrow Auctions achieved a total of $71.5 million in sales during its third auction at the Monterey Jet Center, recording an impressive sales rate of 85%. The highest sale was the 1997 Porsche 911 GT1 Rennversion, which sold for $7,045,000.
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