We report from the world’s most moneyed automotive event, Monterey Car Week 2026

Each year, Monterey Car Week culminates in the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance event, held on the Pacific-side greens of this ultra-exclusive northern Californian golf club. Alongside multiple new reveals and iconic classics, the event’s 75th edition saw the hammer fall on three-quarters of a billion dollars’ worth of historic metal, a new record.

The 2026 edition of Monterey Car Week wrapped up on August 16th after ten days of reveal events peppered across the picturesque Californian peninsula against a backdrop of the lavish and loving display of hundreds of classic cars. The week centres around the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, the world’s largest automotive affair also turned heads with its record-breaking auction sales, courtesy of sales by RM Sotheby’s, Gooding Christie’s, Bonhams and Broad Arrow.

In all, sales totalled $755.6 million (£558.7 million), with modern cars occupying over half of the handshakes. Eleven cars saw buyers for $10 million (£7.4 million) or more while the highest price tag was a 1964 Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe which sold for $42.905 million (£31.758 million). Designed by Pete Brock, the vehicle was produced only in six editions, including this auctioned chassis CSX2300 which was once owned by Carroll Shelby himself.

There was also the remarkable sight of the first-ever Ferrari Luce selling for no less than $40m through RM Sotheby’s, a result notable for many reasons, not least for being the highest ever price realised for a brand-new car (let alone becoming the most expensive EV ever sold). The buyer is reputedly a serial offender at the art of transforming cars into big-ticket auction records; the Luce lucre was effectively handed, less commission, straight into the coffers of Ferrari’s charitable arm.

The concentration of the world’s top car designers, brands, collectors, and aficionados on this breezy, historic West Coast grounds lent itself – unsurprisingly - to a social affair centred around buzzing displays, test rides, and after-hours gatherings. Just like other niche industries such as art, watch, and furniture, luxury automotive sector also thrives on desire, innovation, and the oomph effect.

One of the premium events of the week is The Quail, a high-end car show with a big sticker ticket price and a host of niche and premium brands jostling to show their wares to their target demographic. Across the packed itinerary, standouts included Cadillac’s main event, Curated by Cadillac ESCALADE IQ, which celebrated the all-electric flagship SUV for a customised experience. The concierge-led program allows customers to craft their very own vehicles through a generous option palette which reaches up to a million permutations, including 106 colours.

According to the brand’s executive design director Dominic Najafi, ‘the real twist’ in their broad offering is the addition of a new Santorini Blue pipping. ‘You normally wouldn’t see such colouring in piping in combination with tan and grey interiors,’ he told Wallpaper*. Najafi sees this accent as part of their emphasis on ‘expressing American luxury,’ and added: ‘We are not just copying rituals from Europe – we are creating a distinctive American experience.’

The Detroit-born 124-year-old manufacturer’s other offering was V-One, a new medley concept of their signature V-series with a single-seat competitive spirit innate to race cars. The hardware specific to racing is alchemised with a human touch that focuses on driver comfort and confidence. ‘If it doesn’t make the car go faster, we don’t put it in,’ said Sean O’Shea, Propulsion Manager of Cadillac’s LMDh series, about the concentrated tight design vision.

O'Shea added that the interior team uses similar materials in such a specific vehicle but translates their understanding of ‘luxury into a pure performance environment.’ Najafi also noted that the main design challenge was to represent the impression of the night in the car’s outfit. Rather than simply choosing a black finish, the team created a nocturnal effect with paintwork which yields flakes of blue when the sun hits the grey surface.

Lamborghini, on the other hand, joined the spectacle with Revuelto SV, a lineage that the Bolognese luxury car maker started 55 years ago. In this upgrade, a lightweight body and optimised aerodynamics result in a vehicle that can speed up to 345 kilometres per hour, which makes this version of Super Veloce the fastest Lamborghini car produced in Sant’Agata Bolognese. Black accents and a redesigned fierce SV logo on both sides convey a sharp statement of luxury.

Among the world debuts was RUF’s new performance car, Ehra, named as a nod to Phil Hill’s victory at the Ehra-Lessien proving ground in 1987. Given the vehicle’s historic homage, a nostalgic form outfits a 650-horsepower engineering in a bold hue of grey; inside, titanium pedals and hand-stitched light brown flag pattern and matte carbon trim accompany lollipop seats in a light brown hue which provides a dramatic but comforting completeness.

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The Audi Nuvolari made its US debut at The Quail after first appearing at Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc during the Monaco Grand Prix in June. The first modern supercar to come out under the vision of the German car manufacturer’s chief creative officer Massimo Frascella, the hyper halo car will be produced in an edition of 499.

The hybrid vehicle speaks with its futuristic, almost mysterious, body dressed in a moody titanium skin. The ability to reach 349 kilometres per hour is matched with a design and experience-forward philosophy which is evident in a low mid-engine body and a seamless appearance. The car later went on to the prestigious Concept Lawn at Pebble Beach, where it was seen alongside other recent design studies like the Vision BMW Alpina, the Bugatti Destrier and the Aston Martin Valen.

The main event was soundtracked by growling engines and echoing conversations and perfumed by the unmistakable tang of oil, petrol and faded leather. The Concours d’Elegance competition is scattered across the ocean-side golf course, with 218 cars representing an impressive slice of automotive history.

This year, Best in Show went to a 1935 Duesenberg SSJ Special Speedster originally owned by Clark Gable and presented by one Harry Yeaggy of Cincinnati, Ohio. A classic piece of inter-war design, it brought the event’s timeless sense of American luxury into sharp focus.

WhatsUpMonterey.com, Cadillac.com, @Cadillac / RUF-Automobile.de, @RUFsince1939 / Audi.com, @AudiUSA