Monterey Car Week 2026: Raising the Bar Once Again
Monterey Car Week 2026 once more attracted the world’s automotive enthusiasts to the shores of the Monterey Peninsula for the largest celebration of cars on the globe. From exclusive reveals to flowing champagne at opulent shows, racing, and multi-million-dollar auctions, Highline Autos was there to see it all, and we’re here to tell you all about it.
Broad Arrow Auctions
Rather than taking place at Motorlux, Broad Arrow partnered with The Quail at this year’s Car Week, and the results speak for themselves. The auction house reported $97.4 million in total sales with an 85 percent sell-through rate, making 2026 their highest-grossing Monterey Car Week to date. The auction was led by a 2003 Ferrari Enzo sold for $10,675,000, followed by a 2025 Bugatti W16 Mistral, which set a world-record price of $8,805,000, and a 1968 Lamborghini Miura P400 S sold for $4,075,000.
Rounding out the top ten results were the following:
2017 Ferrari F12tdf sold for $3,635,000
2011 Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport sold for a record-setting $3,305,000
Unmodified 1988 Porsche 959 Komfort sold for a record-setting $2,865,000
2023 Hennessey Venom F5 Revolution Coupe sold for a record-setting $2,837,500
2015 Ferrari 458 Speciale A sold for $2,425,000
Mecum Auctions
Mecum continued to impress, pulling ahead of Broad Arrow with $114 million in total sales and marking the auction house’s third $100 million+ auction this year. Mecum’s top three sales at Monterey Car Week 2026 were a 1996 Ferrari F50 sold for $14,575,000, a 2003 Ferrari Enzo sold for $12,100,000, and a 2004 Gemballa Mirage GT sold for $3,960,000. Its remaining champions in the top ten include:
2017 Ferrari F12tdf sold for $3,657,500
2014 McLaren P1 HDK sold for $3,575,000
2005 Porsche Carrera GT sold for $3,575,000
1933 Duesenberg Model J Disappearing-Top Convertible Coupe sold for $3,410,000
2023 Ferrari 812 Competizione sold for $3,355,000
2011 Ferrari 599 GTO sold for $3,300,000
2015 Ferrari 458 Speciale Aperta sold for $2,750,000
R.M. Sotheby’s
As impressive as the last two were, R.M. Sotheby’s had the highest total sales with a whopping $380 million, a 90% sell-through rate, and bidders hailing from 39 countries.
Perhaps the most popular sale was the first 2026 Ferrari Luce, which sold for $40 million in a charity auction, making it the most valuable new car ever sold at auction. Nick Mason’s 1996 McLaren F1 GTR “Pop Art,” the only F1 GTR with factory livery, sold for $34,655,000, setting records as the most valuable McLaren F1 and British car ever sold at auction. A 1963 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport, one of just five Corvette Grand Sports built and the first of only three Grand Sport coupes, sold for $18,705,000 and became the most valuable Corvette ever sold at auction. Similarly, Clark Gable’s 1935 Duesenberg Model JN Convertible Coupe showed that interest in pre-war cars is still strong, with a hammer price of $9,080,000. Ferraris, however, were the hottest ticket items for R.M., accounting for six of the top ten sales.
Bonhams
Bonhams also moved their home base for this year’s auction, hosting their lots at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca during the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion. With just under $12 million in total sales, Bonhams’s results were anchored by a bespoke 2024 Bugatti Chiron Super Sport that brought in $4,570,000. The example was one of just 80 produced, with over $450,000 in custom options and just 1,325 miles on its odometer.
Gooding Christie’s
Housed near the bustling Concours Village on the Pebble Beach grounds, Gooding Christie’s brought in $159 million in total sales with a 94% sell-through rate. Their top seller was a 1964 Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe, which set a new world record for American cars at a hammer price of $42.9 million. Chassis CSX2300 was one of only six examples to defeat Ferrari’s 250 GTO and a key participant in Shelby American’s Historic 1965 FIA GT Championship season.
After Shelby American’s factory program ended, CSX2300 continued racing successfully in Japan through 1968 before joining Carroll Shelby’s personal collection from 1975 to 1998, making it the only example ever owned by its creator.
Concorso Italiano
For the 41st year, Concorso Italiano brought a healthy helping of La Dolce Vita to the Monterey Peninsula. Nestled within the neatly trimmed grounds of the Bayonet Black Horse Golf Course, some of the world’s finest Italian creations gathered to be admired by guests from around the world. The cars, however, were only the beginning of the show, as they too were surrounded by a selection of Italian cuisine, live music, fashion, art, and the highest level of hospitality.
Some of this year’s highlights included a celebration of 60 Years of the Alfa Romeo Spider “Duetto”, as Concorso Italiano became the first stop of Pininfarina’s “Duetto Day” rally, an anniversary of Ducati’s 100th birthday, a curated display of the new 2026 Alfa Romeo Giulia sedan, Stelvio SUV, and Tonale compact SUV, a showing of the all-new Fiat Topolino, and Totem Automobili’s public unveiling of the new Totem GT Super “Litorale Brado.”
Exotics on Broadway
The self-proclaimed “people’s show,” EOB shut down four blocks between Del Monte and Fremont Blvd. to welcome more than 400 cars from 50+ manufacturers and over 40,000 spectators. General admission was still free, but this year saw the addition of the new “Del Monte Blvd. Section,” a ticketed area that hosted 40+ hypercars and vendor stands alongside a stage and VIP lounge for a more private and elevated experience.
Regardless of which option you sprung for, EOB remains the premier destination to see some of the world’s finest works of four-wheeled works of art up close and personal without dropping four figures on admission. At the end of the event, attendees can gather along the main thoroughfare to marvel as these machines elegantly file out in front of flashing cameras and clamoring fans, with many owners more than happy to swing the tach needle into the redline.
Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance
The Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance remains Car Week’s shining jewel, closing out seven days of opulence on the 18th fairway of the Pebble Beach Golf Links. This year, the show celebrated 75 years since its inception, hosting some utterly unbelievable classes meticulously placed on the green.
Some of the highlights this time around were the 60th Anniversary of the Lamborghini Miura, the largest gathering of Miuras in the model’s history, the Ken Miles specials R1 and R2, the event’s first Japanese Motorsport Class, four cars from the 1933 Chicago World’s Fair, the Sunbeam 1000 HP, which was the first car to travel at over 200 mph, and the Automobiles of Royal India class. This year’s Best of Show winner, which has become the collector car world’s most cherished title, was awarded to a Duesenberg SSJ originally owned by Clark Gable and shown by Harry Yeaggy of Cincinnati, Ohio.
Pebble Beach RetroAuto
Those looking to take home a stunning piece of automobilia were wise to make a pit stop at the RetroAuto showcase. Located within the free-to-enter Concours Village area, the building hosted a highly curated mix of rare collectibles and memorabilia as well as the latest luxury goods and technological tools. Everything from sparkling neon signs to automotive-inspired jewelry, art, housewares, and more was on display for purchase or simple window shopping. After all, why would you leave an event like Monterey Car Week empty-handed?
The Little Car Show
“Isn’t it cute?!” is a phrase you’ll likely hear more than a few times at The Little Car Show. This free-to-attend show gathers 125 mini, micro, steam, electric, and arcane vehicles with 1,800cc displacement or less on the streets of Pacific Grove for the public’s perusal. There’s no better place to discover cars and long-gone marques you’ve never heard of before they gather for a cruise along the city’s scenic waterfront and beaches. Some might even win an award, including the coveted and ironically named “Big Award.”
The Paddock
Concorso Italiano’s sister show takes things in the opposite direction, inviting a diverse array of vehicles “from the intriguingly quirky to the latest in innovation and mobility.” While the cars may have been different, the fun, laid-back atmosphere remains the same. Guests could similarly enjoy a fine selection of entertainment and dining options, complete with a VIP Club experience that offered a quiet respite from the hustle and bustle of the show grounds. The Paddock is a great way to experience everything that makes Concorso Italiano such a staple event, with an even greater selection of cars to dream about.
Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion
The Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion takes over WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca every year to create what they aptly call “a living museum on wheels.” Hundreds of historic race cars stretch their legs once again in the closest representation of a time machine we’ll ever get. This year’s featured class was icons of Japanese motorsport, celebrating every corner of motorsports that Japan has conquered, from INDYCAR, NASCAR, and Formula 1 to Formula E, endurance racing, sportscar competition, off-road, rally, motorcycle racing, and drifting.
Not only did this year’s Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion offer yet another way to experience the past in the present, but it further moved the needle towards more JDM representation at Car Week. It’s the quintessential way to see the cars that make Car Week special in their natural habitat and a fantastic way to interact with the legends that bring them out every year.