Events

McLaren W1 First Drive: Ferocious Hypercar Transcends the Track

You know things are getting serious when McLaren rolls-out the ‘1’ suffix. The origin story is, of course, the very first road car McLaren ever built, the F1. Designed by visionary Formula 1 aerodynamicist and engineer Gordon Murray, it arrived in 1992 and rendered all other supercars obsolete. The tiny, lightweight F1 embraced carbon-fibre material technology, adopted a radical centre seat driving position with two passengers set back and either side and was powered by a 6.1-litre V12 engine from BMW that might as well have been passed down directly from the Gods. Game-changer? That doesn’t even come close to describing its impact, even if at the time sales didn’t come easy… The P1 was very different. Rather than a unique side project from the Formula 1 team, it was instead a statement piece for McLaren Automotive, a new road car division still in its infancy. It arrived in 2013 and was a wild-eyed showstopper. It traded the long-legged gait and supple suspension of the F1 for a weaponized hybrid system capable of delivering 903bhp and huge blue flames from its drainpipe exhaust. In Race mode, it lowered by 2-inches and its massive concave rear wing extended into the sky. The P1 was all about aerodynamic downforce, crazed acceleration and a snorting, angry soundtrack that mixed venomous twin-turbocharged V8 with the manic whirr of electric motors. Not so much a car as a force of nature. And now there’s this: The W1. It’s a true successor to the P1 with a similar brief and, on the face of it, it evolves rather than radically reinvents McLaren’s vision for the ultimate hypercar. This is not a criticism. How could it be when the result is this dramatic and has such staggering, other-worldly potential? The W1 has 1258bhp delivered to the rear wheels. It’s capable of 0-124 mph in 5.8-seconds, the quarter mile in 9.6-seconds at 167 mph and produces 2205lbs of downforce at 174 mph. The active aerodynamics – particularly a rear wing that extends way out beyond the rear of the car – are pure performance art and deliver massive aerodynamic efficiency. The result, aside from looking extremely cool, is that the W1 is McLaren’s fastest road car around a racetrack. Ever. Their benchmark circuit is the breath-taking Handling Track at the Nardo proving ground in southern Italy, where the W1 beats their previous benchmark, the flyweight McLaren Senna, by three seconds per lap. Or “a lifetime” as they call it in racing. Maybe two lifetimes! Core to the W1’s performance is the new ‘Aerocell’ carbon fibre tub. With integrated seats and a raised footwell to allow for inboard pushrod-operated front suspension – which in turn gives air a clean path to the huge underbody diffuser – it’s light, stiff, space efficient and has been instrumental in McLaren realising a full ground-effect concept. Just like last year’s F1 cars, which were the fastest ever made. There is also an active front wing and the aforementioned complex rear wing dubbed ‘Active Long Tail’. All of which is very admirable. But the ‘anhedral’ or gullwing doors and the fantastically shirnked-wrapped feel to the minimalist, highly-focussed interior are a pretty good side effect. The W1 feels special. Those fixed seats are perhaps a shade more upright than expected, and the driving position is less obviously racecar than, for example, the Aston Martin Valhalla or Ferrari F80. However, once you’ve adjusted the pedals (they move on a slider) and the delicate, slim-rimmed and alcantara-trimmed steering wheel, there’s an overwhelming sense of purpose. The cabin is so tightly tailored and imparts a sense of lightness and agility before you so much as start the all-new 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 engine, which makes 916bhp all on its own and revs to 9200rpm. Reach up to a roof-mounted control panel to find the starter button. Maybe this fighter plane trope is a little corny, but somehow you feel thrilled rather than manipulated. The W1 has a sense of humour as well as all that motorsport-derived sophistication. There’s a short delay, but when the engine does fire it’s instant – as the high-powered hybrid system negates the need for an old-school starter motor. A sharp flare of revs tells you that this engine is hyper-responsive and angry. On some deep level your brain and body have been sent all the signals required to prepare for something new and intense. Ahead of us, an empty Mugello racetrack, so press and hold the blue button next to the red starter to select Race mode. The centre display graphic shows the W1’s transformation in real time as it lowers by 37mm at the front and 17mm at the rear whilst simultaneously undocking all that active aero goodness. Race mode is not road legal and is geo-locked. You can show your friends and neighbours the aero dance, but it won’t allow you to select a gear to actually drive unless you’re at a circuit. Incidentally, the rocker switches either side of the display binnacle allow further options now: Toggle up the Handling control on the left for Race+ (for F1-spec super smooth tracks) or stick to Race for gnarlier ones. On the right toggle select ‘GP’ for sustained performance over a stint or ‘Sprint’ to unleash all 1258bhp for a time attack. There’s also a DRS and Boost function on the steering wheel. But I guarantee you won’t have the mental capacity to use them… Exit the pitlane, pin the throttle and W1 takes maybe a millisecond or two to gather its might (the gearing stretches to around 60mph in first, nearly 100mph in second, primarily to aid traction), but then lunges at the first turn with incredible ferocity. It instantly feels light, almost like inertia is no longer a thing. McLaren really does prize lightweight engineering, and at 3084lbs (dry) the W1 has a 278lbs advantage over the Ferrari F80. Plus, Ferrari uses figures for cars fitted with every single carbon fibre option. In reality, the gap is probably wider still. The impression of agility and stunning control continues as the track is unravelled at startling pace. The electric motor mounted to the side of the new 8-speed dual-clutch transmission is good for 342bhp and 324lb ft and it boosts any low rev lethargy the new flat-plane crank V8 might have (spoiler alert: It doesn’t appear to have any), so the W1 just feels massively, almost impossibly powerful at any revs. Even so, there’s real reward for wringing it out to 9200rpm and the power curve feels superheated but organic, too. In Race mode the steering – still hydraulically powered – has less assistance and it is noticeably heavier than other McLarens. However, that resistance is welcome as it gives you something to push against and imparts so much information about the front grip level. New Pirelli Trofeo RS tyres with a bigger front footprint than P1 or Senna really help. The front-end feels incredibly secure and the rear-axle follows with perfectly-aligned precision. The whole car feels super-stiff, completely locked into the surface and inspires confidence, but there’s an inherent agility and adjustability that means you’re quickly confident to push at its limits and really impose yourself on the chassis. It’s such a complex car but the driving experience is intuitive, and the driver feels a key contributor rather than just amazed (or terrified) observer, holding on for dear life. Every dynamic ingredient really is shockingly effective and yet has a subtlety and lightness of touch. From that delicious steering to the incredible brakes, the W1 just feels so mission-focussed, so hooked-up. Only the new 8-speed gearbox is a slightly disappointment. It’s fast and punchy, but after the scintillating energy of the Ferrari F80 ’box it feels competent rather than inspired. Other quibbles – it’s okay to quibble when the starting price is $2.1-million before tax and destination charge. Well, that new twin-turbocharged V8 sounds tightly wound and aggressive but if you have a P1 tucked in the garage you’ll miss the snorting, Darth Vader-style soundscape and all the drama that goes with it. Ferrari does this better, too. The F80 sounds deathly dull from the outside but is a riot of turbochargers, electric motors and all sorts of mechanical fury within the cockpit. Even so, the W1 is wildly entertaining on track, and the rear-drive configuration makes it more of a challenge and more satisfying than the F80 when chasing lap times or just sliding around for fun. In the Ferrari, you must second-guess what the front e-axle might do, whereas in the W1 it’s all on you. There are plenty of tools to help, including the ingenious Variable Drift Control, but somehow the W1 is more heroic. Or at least fools you into feeling more heroic – which is surely the point! On the road? Nimble, loaded with feel and sublime response. The ride is noticeably tougher than, say, a 750S but the control is ramped-up too, and with a bit more speed the whole car finds a delicious rhythm. Sport mode for the drivetrain brings some nice turbo whooshes and chirps, but the noise remains high-quality rather than extreme excitement. It is perhaps the one area the W1 feels just a little too tame. Of course, there’s nothing tame about the raw performance… which is genuinely shocking and literally hurts your neck muscles after a few hours. How McLaren has given the W1 such immense traction through just two driven wheels is beyond me. So, is it worthy of that ‘1’? I think so. Perhaps we won’t be talking about $25-million auction results for the W1 in 30 years from now, as we are for the F1. Perhaps it doesn’t quite have the amazing presence and jaw-dropping star quality of the simply gorgeous P1. But it is such an intense experience and the way it marries stunning track performance with delicate poise and entertainment on normal roads is something akin to magic. Maybe not ‘the one’ but definitely a searing, outrageous addition to McLaren’s fiercest family line. Just 399 W1’s will be built and they’re all sold. I’m not surprised at all. View All McLarens For Sale Images: McLaren Automotive

By Jordan Aquistapace – August 31, 2026

Santa Lucia Preserve Concours & Cocktails Brings Car Week Together

By the middle of Monterey Car Week, it can most certainly feel like you’re constantly checking the clock and looking at the next place you need to be. There are cars everywhere, events happening from morning until well after dark, and more than enough reasons to keep moving. That’s part of the fun, of course, but every once in a while, an event comes along where you can actually slow down and really enjoy the moment. The Santa Lucia Preserve Concours & Cocktails was one of those evenings this year.Set within the Santa Lucia Preserve just outside Carmel, the invitation-only event brought together more than 600 people for an evening of cars, cocktails, food, and conversation. Hosted by Luxury Rally Club, it had a noticeably different feel from some of the larger events taking place throughout Monterey Car Week. There was still plenty to see, but nothing seemed rushed or unintentional. Guests wandered between the cars, grabbed a drink, enjoyed an incredible culinary experience, and settled into conversations that seemed to last a little longer than usual during a week when everyone is constantly on the move.For duPont REGISTRY Group, it was also a chance to step away from the usual pace of the week and spend some time with many of the collectors, enthusiasts, and industry friends we see throughout the year. We were there alongside a diverse group of automotive and luxury brands, and that variety was one of the more interesting parts of the evening. BRABUS, Porsche Classic Club, Karma Automotive, GMC, Rivian, EarthRoamer, Velocity Restorations, Vintage Modern, Fari Cars, Dione Motorcars, and others brought everything from performance-focused builds to off-road and adventure-oriented vehicles.The setting certainly helped add to the beauty of the evening. Rather than being surrounded by pavement, buildings, and the crowds you find at some of Monterey’s better-known venues, the Preserve offered plenty of open space and a backdrop of California countryside. As the sun began to disappear, the cars took on a different character under the evening light, while guests moved between the displays and the various food and beverage stations. It was easy to forget, at least for a little while, just how busy the rest of Monterey Car Week was. GALLERY-EMBED Naturally, the cars were only part of the evening. Food was a major component, with delicious dishes from The Pocket Carmel, Passionfish, Tsarnicoulai, and Quoign Pastries, among others. There was also a surprisingly deep selection of wine and spirits spread throughout the event. Flowers Winery, Peter Michael Winery, Realm Cellars, Heitz Cellar, Robert Craig Winery, Champagne Philipponnat, and several other wineries were represented, while The GlenDronach, WhistlePig, Bushwood Spirits, LALO Spirits, Grey Goose, and Patrón rounded out the spirits selection. Having a drink in hand while talking through a car you had just walked around felt pretty appropriate throughout the night.One of the things everyone enjoyed most was how naturally the automotive side of the evening mixed with everything else. Airshare and Seanet Yachts brought aviation and yachting into the conversation, while The Motorcoach Store and EarthRoamer added another dimension to the idea of luxury travel. Elsewhere, you could find everything from custom hats and clothing to event design and décor. It made the evening a gathering of people who simply happen to share an appreciation for cars and the lifestyle that surrounds them.That was probably the biggest takeaway from the night. Monterey Car Week has no shortage of spectacular cars to see, but the events that stick with you aren't always the ones with the biggest crowds or the most valuable car on the lawn. Sometimes it's the atmosphere, the people you happen to run into, or a conversation that lasts longer than expected. The Preserve Concours & Cocktails had plenty of those moments.As the night went on, the Al James Band provided the soundtrack, the drinks kept moving, and the crowd gradually settled into the evening. There was no real sense that anyone needed to rush off to the next event. After several days of bouncing between concours fields, rallies, auctions, launches, and parties, that slower pace was a welcome change.For duPont REGISTRY, being part of it also meant getting to spend time with the people who make this community so incredible. We spend plenty of time talking about cars, but being around them with the people who collect, drive, build, sell, and appreciate them is really what Monterey Car Week is all about. By the time the evening came to an end, it was clear that the Santa Lucia Preserve Concours & Cocktails had brought together all the right ingredients for a memorable night. Great cars filled the property, the food and drinks kept everyone around, and the conversations continued well into the evening.

By Edward Jones – August 31, 2026

Monterey Motorsports Festival 2026: A Loud And Exciting Takeover of the Fairgrounds

Monterey Car Week has a rhythm to it. Early mornings on damp grass, judges with clipboards, lawn chairs, nice suits or dresses, and coffee. The Monterey Motorsports Festival is not that, and thank goodness for it. On Saturday, August 15, the event swallowed the entire Monterey County Fairgrounds and turned it into something loud, young, and genuinely fun. Most importantly, something different. You could hear it before you saw it. Cars arrived revving, popping, and generally showing off, and nobody in line seemed to mind. That set the tone for the whole night. Every corner of the fairgrounds had something parked in it, and the crowd moved between displays from the afternoon until the music started. The variety was the best part. Supercars sat within walking distance of JDM heroes, and neither felt out of place. The Lotec Sirius even made an appearance. For me, one of the most interesting automotive attendees was a car built from the ground up by a young engineer who goes by DeSimone, which is exactly the kind of thing that gets lost at more buttoned-up shows and exactly the kind of thing this crowd stops to talk about. Personally, I genuinely enjoyed my chat with the creator and can't wait to see what he builds next. And it was that chat that made me really fall in love with the event. This car was placed around a group of others in an area only accessible by walking through an entryway, like an area waiting to be discovered, as if I was playing a video game. Once there, I realized the entirety of the event was built like this and had so much for me to find. So, from there I went off and walked the grounds to see all the incredible cars on display around every corner. If you have spent any time in one of those open-world driving games where the whole map is a festival and every car is welcome, you already know the feeling. Except this one had real noise, real cars, and real people. It should be noted there was most definitely zero racing to be had. Once the sun went down, the main stage took over with an impressive music lineup for a giant crowd. David J opened at 7:00, Dreya V followed at 7:45, me n ü came on at 8:45, and Sidequest closed the night at 9:45. By that point, the fairgrounds had stopped being a car show entirely and become an automotive festival unlike any other. Paolo Manca, Founder & CEO of the event, says: “With 450 cars on display, we increased tremendously versus 2025 when the cars were 300. Our 6,000 visitors could enjoy a real car-party where supercars and music mingle for an unstoppable experience.” duPont REGISTRY came in as a partner of the festival, and the arrival was hard to miss. The team arrived at the fairgrounds in five supercars, which were part of a giant 50-car parade, and parked directly in front of the stage, which meant that for the rest of the day, every piece of programming had a proper backdrop. This fourfold partnership, MMF-dPR-Concorso-Pininfarina, holds the signature of Raffaello Porro, MMF’s communication advisor and ambassador in Europe. He also introduced Alberto Scuro, president of FIVA and ASI, alongside Massimo Carnelos, General Counsel of Italy in San Francisco, for their opening remarks. On the Peyton Stage, Basem Wasef ran the show as emcee. Wasef contributes to duPont REGISTRY magazine and knows how to keep an audience with him, which matters when you are competing with exhaust notes fifty feet away. He welcomed a long list of guests over the course of the day, among them duPont REGISTRY Editor-in-Chief Charles Bradley. Bradley presented the 2026 Editor's Choice Award to Luca Betti, the former rally driver who founded Kimera Automobili, for the Kimera K39. The car made its public debut at the festival, which made the timing about as good as it gets. Betti's background matters here. Kimera is not a design house doing a styling exercise; it is a shop run by someone who spent his career competing, and the cars reflect that. Handing the award to him with the K39 sitting there in front of the stage on its first day out in public was one of those moments where the programming and the metal lined up perfectly. Later on, Wasef hosted a roundtable that pulled together Cristina Cheever, Chief Marketing Officer of duPont REGISTRY Group, Charles Bradley, Editor-in-Chief of duPont REGISTRY, and Eric Curran, President of Sales at duPont REGISTRY Select. Four people who look at this industry from very different angles, talking in front of an audience that had spent the day surrounded by the cars in question. More intimate was the conversation between Charles Bradley and Harald and Fredrik Skjoldt, father and son, the first president of the Lamborghini Club Norway and good friend of Arnold Schwarzenegger, the second a former skijoring champion, both successful businessmen with a deep passion for collectible cars. It is a good format for an event like this. No slides, no script, just a conversation about where the market is going and what people are actually buying, delivered to a crowd that ranged from lifelong collectors to people who had never been to Car Week before. Plenty of Monterey Car Week events are excellent at what they do, and they all typically follow a similar vibe. The Monterey Motorsports Festival went the other direction. It felt like a true automotive festival meant for all. With music, food, noise, and a fairground teeming with excitement, Monterey Motorsports Festival is exactly what MCW needs: a breath of electrifying air. We want to thank Raffaello Porro for bringing this opportunity to duPont REGISTRY Group and making the introduction that led to the partnership. He recognized the fit early, and he was right about it. Expanding our experiential presence has been a priority for us, and that means meeting enthusiasts and collectors where they actually gather rather than reaching them only through a screen. A festival built around open access and a genuinely mixed field is exactly the kind of environment we have been looking for.

By Edward Jones – August 26, 2026

Concorso Italiano 2026 In Review

There is a moment at Concorso Italiano, usually somewhere around mid-morning, when the fairways at Bayonet Black Horse stop looking like a golf course and start looking like the world's best-organized Italian traffic jam. Hundreds of cars. Red, mostly, but not entirely. Ferrari Field runs one way down the slope, Alfa Field the other, and by the time you have walked past Maserati, Lamborghini, De Tomaso, FIAT and Lancia, Iso and Bizzarrini, the motorcycles, Special Coachworks and Global Exotics, you have covered more ground than you planned and seen less of it than you wanted. The 41st edition went big. More than 600 cars came through Concorso, with another 340 at The Paddock Monterey, and roughly 11,000 tickets distributed across the two days. That is a lot of people looking at a lot of Italian metal, and the layout held up. The Group showed up in force. Cristina Cheever, CMO of duPont REGISTRY Group, Charles Bradley, Editor-in-Chief, Eric Curran, President of Sales at duPont REGISTRY Select, and Antoine Tessier, CEO of duPont REGISTRY Group, all took the stage across the day, and the display just inside the gate carried five cars available for sale. One of the stage segments had nothing to do with a trophy. Charles sat down with Jeff Mason of the Piston Foundation for an on-stage conversation about the skilled trades problem facing this hobby, which is not an abstract worry. Restoration shops are aging out faster than they are being replaced. Piston Foundation puts scholarship money behind students learning the work, and those students were on the field all day. They also picked their own winner; more on that shortly. GALLERY-EMBED Then came the Chairman's Award, presented by duPont REGISTRY and reserved for a field of past Best of Show winners going up against one another. Antoine and Charles were on stage alongside current chairman Tanya Kosta and former chairmen Tom McDowell and Jack Wadsworth to hand it to a 1949 Ferrari 166MM Touring Barchetta owned by David and Carol Seielstad of Princeville, Hawaii. A 166MM is a small car that carries an enormous amount of history, and this one looked exactly as it should. GALLERY-EMBED The Chairman's Club is where the day slows down. Steak and lobster, a hosted bar, delicious sides, seating with a clean view of the stage, and a signature cocktail called the duPont Drop that did quite well for itself over the course of the afternoon. duPont REGISTRY sponsors the space, and it filled up with the people looking to relax in luxury. The stage schedule read like a list of birthdays. Sixty years of the Lamborghini Miura, with Valentino Balboni presenting his namesake award. Sixty for the Maserati Ghibli, the De Tomaso Mangusta, the FIAT 124 Spider and the 850 Sport Spider. Eighty for Vespa. A hundred for Ducati and for Carrozzeria Touring Superleggera. A hundred and twenty for Lancia. Add a hundred years of the Maserati trident, thirty years of the Ferrari 550 Maranello, and Ged Farnaby on the 330 GTC and GTS, and the morning was basically a rolling history lesson with the cars sitting right there in front of you. The 1959 Maserati 3500 GT Bertone owned by Jim Utaski of Skillman, New Jersey, took top honors, presented by Gary Bobileff and Alberto Scuro with ASI and FIVA. It also won its marque class outright. A Bertone-bodied 3500 GT is a rarer thing than the coachwork-agnostic crowd sometimes realizes, and this one earned the walk. The 2026 Winners Best in Show - 1959 Maserati 3500 GT Bertone, Jim Utaski, Skillman, New Jersey Chairman's Award presented by The duPont REGISTRY Group - 1949 Ferrari 166MM Touring Barchetta, David and Carol Seielstad, Princeville, Hawaii Concorso Italiano Duetto Award - 1969 Alfa Romeo 1750 Spider Veloce, Ingo Schmoldt, Oakland, California ASI Award - 1956 Alfa Romeo 1900 Primavera Coupe by Boano, Greg Haskin, Atascadero, California Valentino Balboni Award - 2013 Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4, Donald Anderson, San Diego, California La Bella Macchina Award - Donald Osborne Doug Magnon Award - Adolfo Orsi Meguiar's Best Finish Award - 1963 Ferrari 250 GT Lusso, Mark Robinson, Haleiwa, Hawaii Piston Foundation New Generation Award - 1967 Ferrari 275 GTB/4, Tom Mingle, Oakland, California Marque First Place Winners Alfa Romeo: 1953 1900 CS Touring, Larry and Maureen Delorefice, Pinole, CaliforniaIso/Bizzarrini: 1966 Bizzarrini 5300 GT Strada, Phil White, Redwood City, CaliforniaDe Tomaso: 1972 Pantera, Forest Goodhart, Watsonville, CaliforniaFerrari: 1966 330 GTC, Francois Henley, Saratoga, CaliforniaFIAT/Abarth: 2002 FIAT Multipla, Robert Calisi, Etobicoke, Ontario, CanadaLamborghini: 2013 Gallardo LP560-4, Donald Anderson, San Diego, CaliforniaLancia: 1966 Flaminia Super Sport, Paul Tullius, Chico, CaliforniaMaserati: 1959 3500 GT Bertone, Jim Utaski, Skillman, New JerseyMotorcycles: 1968 Ducati 350 Mark 3 Desmo, Joaquín Vodanovich, Palos Verdes, CaliforniaSpecial Coachworks: 1967 Apollo GT Coupe, Denny Paul, Carmel, California When the awards wrapped, duPont REGISTRY led a rally off the property and over to the Monterey Motorsports Festival, which is exactly how a car show should end. Not with a parking lot slowly emptying, but with a run out the gate. Proceeds from the week supported the Piston Foundation, All-In Monterey and the Mid Coast Fire Brigade. Between the students walking the field, the fire truck parked in the middle of it, and 600-plus cars that got driven here rather than trailered into a museum, that feels about right. GALLERY-EMBED

By duPont REGISTRY – August 22, 2026

Luxury Rally Club Rally to Car Week 2026 Recap

Most people treat getting to Monterey as logistics. You book the flight into San Jose, you arrange the transporter, you sit in the shuttle, and the actual Car Week starts when you walk onto the first lawn. Luxury Rally Club looked at that and decided the four days before Car Week were being wasted. The Rally to Car Week started on a Sunday evening in Torrance and finished Wednesday afternoon in Monterey. Roughly 300 miles as the crow flies, considerably more the way LRC routed it, and not one of those miles was filler. Day 1, Sunday, August 9: A Hangar in Torrance Zamperini Field, six to nine in the evening. No driving, no schedule pressure, just the group in a hangar getting to know each other before anyone turned a key. That sounds like a small thing, but it isn't. Rallies live or die on whether people are comfortable with each other by the second morning, and the ones that skip the introduction usually spend the first full day sorting themselves out at fuel stops. Starting with a night that has no departure time attached to it is the right call. Day 2, Monday August 10: Los Angeles to Pismo Beach Monday morning began at Concours Collection Storage on Arizona Place, which is a fitting place for a rally to gather. Registration and luggage drop opened at 8:30, breakfast ran until 10:15, drivers' meeting immediately after, wheels turning at 10:30. The luggage part deserves a mention, because it explains a lot about how LRC thinks. Bags went onto the LRC Comfort Bus, not into anybody's cabin. If you have ever tried to pack for four days of Car Week in a car that was designed around two seats and an engine, you know exactly how much that changes the experience. You drive the car the way it was meant to be driven and your suitcase meets you at the hotel. From there, it was north to Santa Ynez, lunch at SY Kitchen at 1:15, and back out at 2:45 for the run to Pismo Beach. Check in at The Cliffs Hotel and Spa at five, aperitivo at Dolphin Bay Resort at 6:30, sunset dinner at seven, and a nightcap on the Cliffs lawn by the firepits at 9:30. A long day, but paced so that the last three hours of it were spent sitting still with a drink and a view. GALLERY-EMBED Day 3, Tuesday, August 11: Morro Bay, Paso Robles, and Relaxation Tuesday is where the itinerary gets clever. Two nights at The Cliffs meant nobody packed a bag on Tuesday morning, and the day became a loop rather than a transit stage. Drivers meeting at 9:15, out at 9:30, coffee and pastries in Morro Bay at 10:15. Then inland to Paso Robles and lunch at DAOU Vineyards and Estate at 12:30, up on Hidden Mountain Road, which is worth the climb before you even get to the food. Back on the road at 2:30, back at the hotel by 3:45 with the afternoon free. The evening stayed on property. Aperitivo on the Cliffs oceanfront lawn at 6:30, Car Week Eve dinner at seven, and a nightcap back at the Comfort Bus at ten. Nobody had to drive anywhere. GALLERY-EMBED Day 4, Wednesday August 12: Pismo Beach to Monterey Wednesday morning was a clean exit. Breakfast and check-out at 8:15, bags to the Comfort Bus, drivers meeting at 9:15, rolling by 9:30. The final leg ran up to Pasadera for lunch at TPC Monterey from one until 2:30, then accommodations check-in at four. Which means the group arrived in Monterey having eaten, having driven a properly good road, and having spent four days with the people they were about to spend the rest of the week with. Compare that to landing at an airport on Wednesday night and trying to find your bearings on Thursday morning. GALLERY-EMBED The temptation with an event like this is to fill every hour. LRC didn't. Look at the schedule again and count the gaps: a free afternoon in Pismo, a nightcap with no end time, a breakfast on your own. The structure is there when you need it and absent when you don't. The other thing the itinerary gets right is the driving itself. Santa Ynez, the coast up to Pismo, the run inland to Paso Robles, then Highway 1 country into Monterey. These are roads people build trips around, and LRC built a trip around them rather than treating them as the distance between two hotels. Luxury Rally Club is part of duPont REGISTRY Group, and this is the kind of event that explains why. Car Week is a collection of lawns and auctions and parties that mostly ask you to look at cars. The Rally to Car Week asks you to drive one first. By Wednesday afternoon, everyone in the group had already had their week.

By Rétromobile New York – August 21, 2026

Rétromobile New York Makes Appearance at Pebble Beach

As part of Monterey Car Week, Rétromobile New York was proud to join the automotive community at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, marking the 75th anniversary of one of the world’s most prestigious celebrations of automotive history and excellence. Throughout the event, visitors had the opportunity to discover the spirit of Rétromobile New York and learn more about its inaugural edition, while enjoying a special display featuring an American automotive icon: a 1963 Shelby 289 AC Cobra. Guests were also invited to pick up an exclusive Rétromobile New York postcard, created especially for the occasion and featuring a limited-time offer for the upcoming New York edition. GALLERY-EMBED The activation provided a unique opportunity to connect with collectors, enthusiasts, and members of the international automotive community during a milestone edition of one of the world’s most renowned automotive events. We extend our sincere thanks to everyone who visited us at Pebble Beach and helped make our time at Monterey Car Week a memorable one. To mark the occasion, we invite you to take advantage of 25% off General Admission tickets using promo code RETRONY2026. This limited-time offer is available through August 31, 2026. Stay tuned for more Rétromobile New York activations as we count down to this November! Buy Tickets Visit Website

By duPont REGISTRY – August 10, 2026

duPont REGISTRY heads to The Quail with Luxury Rally Club, BRABUS, and the BODO

There are a handful of days during Monterey Car Week that everyone circles in advance, and Friday belongs to The Quail. Now in its 23rd year, The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering fills the greens at Quail Lodge & Golf Club with a few hundred of the most significant cars and motorcycles anyone will see all year, plus a dozen or more world debuts from manufacturers who save their best announcements for exactly this lawn. duPont REGISTRY will be at The Quail on Friday, August 14, alongside Luxury Rally Club, with an activation sponsored by BRABUS. In attendance will also be the BRABUS BODO, the car on the cover of our August 2026 issue. If you have been following the group this summer, the pairing makes sense. duPont REGISTRY Group announced a strategic investment in Luxury Rally Club in July, bringing Trevor Johnson's operation into an ecosystem that already includes Canossa Events, Cavallino, Supercar Owners Circle, Petrolicious, Elferspot, and Rétromobile New York. LRC has spent years building a reputation for Monterey programming that runs on relationships rather than volume, from the Preserve Concours & Cocktails on Thursday to the quieter gatherings that never make a schedule. Come find us, say hello, and spend some time with the car. BRABUS built its name on Mercedes, on quiet-looking sedans with absurd numbers hiding under the hood, and the BODO is the company stepping out from behind that reputation entirely. It is a coachbuilt 2+2 grand tourer, over five meters long, wearing a carbon fiber body laid up in pre-preg and wrapped around the aluminum monocoque of an Aston Martin Vanquish. The profile is the part that gets you. Low, long, dropping away at the tail into something close to a boat tail, with a pop-up spoiler and active aero doing the work that a fixed wing would have ruined. The face is all BRABUS, with matrix LED headlights flanking a grille carrying thirteen vertical slats and a pair of RAM-AIR ducts feeding the engine. That engine is a hand-built 5.2-liter twin-turbo V12 making 1,000 horsepower and 885 lb-ft of torque. BRABUS quotes 3.0 seconds to 62 mph, 186 mph in 23.9 seconds, and a top speed limited to 223 mph. The numbers are impressive on paper and slightly beside the point in person, because what the BODO is really selling is the idea that a company can still build a front-engine V12 GT from scratch in 2026 and mean it. Bodo Buschmann founded BRABUS in Bottrop in 1977 and spent decades wanting to build a car that answered to nobody else's model range. His son Constantin, now running the company, finished the job. Production is capped at 77 cars, one for each year since the founding, each one specified individually by its buyer, with pricing starting north of a million euros before VAT. The BODO made its public debut at FuoriConcorso on Lake Como in May, and seeing one in the United States is going to stay a rare thing for a while. The Quail runs from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Friday, August 14, at Quail Lodge & Golf Club in Carmel Valley. Featured classes this year cover the 100th anniversary of Route 66, the Lamborghini Diablo, the legacy of Japanese GTs, and the Ferrari F40, and Broad Arrow is running a two-day auction on the property on the 13th and 14th. Tickets have been gone for months, so if you have one, you already know what you have. Arrive early. The field opens at nine, and the hours before the crowd builds around midday are the ones worth having. Come find the duPont REGISTRY and Luxury Rally Club activation, spend a few minutes with the BODO, and introduce yourself.

By duPont REGISTRY – August 03, 2026

Concorso Italiano Celebrates 41 Years With Most Ambitious Event Yet

Forty-one years in, the field spread across the fairways at Bayonet Black Horse still does the thing no reboot or rebrand can fake. It makes you stop walking and stare. This year Concorso Italiano adds something the regulars have not seen before, and it goes beyond the cars. We will get to that. First, the field itself, because it is still the reason everyone drives up the coast. Walk the grass, and you get the full sweep of Italian design in one afternoon. Alfa Romeo and Ferrari anchor it, the way they always have. Lamborghini and Maserati bring the theater. Then come the marques that reward the people who really know their stuff: Lancia, De Tomaso, Bizzarrini, Iso, Abarth, and FIAT, sitting shoulder to shoulder with prewar rarities and cars that rolled off the line last year. As far as standout Italian models/cars go, there will also be the Ferrari Enzo, Totem “LITORALE BRADO” and much more. That range is the point. You can stand in front of a hand-built coupe from the 1950s, turn around, and be looking at a modern supercar, and both belong. Global Exotics returns too, the corner of the field reserved for the standout machines, and this year it brings real occasions: a reimagined Porsche from the 1950s called the TraumWagen, and the US debut of the Donkervoort P24 RS. Here is the part longtime attendees will notice. The 2026 edition carries the official patronage of the Automotoclub Storico Italiano, with ASI and FIVA President Alberto Scuro offering remarks, and Italy's presence goes right to the top. Massimo Carnelos, Consul General of Italy in San Francisco, and Davide Corriero, Deputy Consul General, will join the celebration, a reminder that Concorso has become a real bridge between Italy's automotive heritage and the collectors who gather for it each August. The honorees match the occasion. Donald Osborne receives the La Bella Macchina Award, presented by former Chairman Tom McDowell and past recipient Monica Zanetti, known as Lady F40 and the first woman to work as a mechanic and coachbuilder for Ferrari, traveling in from Italy for it. Adolfo Orsi receives the Doug Magnon Award, handed over by Andrea Soriani, General Manager of Maserati North America, who will also sit as a guest judge for the marque. And Valentino Balboni, Lamborghini's legendary chief test driver, returns to present his namesake award, this year a handcrafted trophy made by an Italian artist to mark the 60th anniversary of the Miura. Ask anyone who has been coming for twenty or thirty years why they still make the trip, and the cars are rarely the first thing they mention. They talk about the people. The friend they only see on this one Saturday each August. The restorer they have watched grow from a kid with a project to a craftsman with a waiting list. That is the quiet thing Concorso has always gotten right, and it is worth protecting as the show grows. The 2026 program leans into it. The Rev Institute joins the show with archival pieces on display, a reminder that preserving these stories matters as much as showing the cars off. The field carries real restoration weight too, with cars brought back over ten years or more of patient work. One is a 1959 Maserati 3500 GT Bertone returned to original specification in partnership with Adolfo Orsi and his archival records, a car that has already earned Best of Show at the 2024 Audrain Newport Concours d'Elegance and a Grand Sport Trophy at the 2025 Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance. And the day stays family-friendly, with a fire truck on hand from local nonprofit partner Mid Coast Fire Brigade and the Festa Italia Queen's Court adding to the atmosphere, the kind of thing that hooks the next generation the way a lot of today's regulars first got started. On the judging side, the marque classes are decided by a field of judges whose experience runs deep, more than 250 years of it between them, with two women joining this year to judge Ferrari and the FIAT, Abarth, and Lancia group. Class winners are the cars in contention for Best in Show, so the top prize is earned on the field rather than handed out. The Chairman's Award raises the bar again. To even compete for it this year, a car has to have already taken Best in Show in a previous year, which turns it into past champions against past champions. Around those headline honors sit the specialty awards. Meguiar's Best Finish returns, and three additions stand out this year: the Duetto Award presented by Pininfarina CEO, Paolo Dellacha; the ASI Trophy for the best-preserved postwar Italian car, and the Piston Foundation Next Generation Award, chosen by students as part of a new partnership aimed at supporting the next wave of talent in the industry. There is real weight behind every ribbon that gets handed out. There is a way to do the day in more comfort, too. VIP tickets come with a complimentary drink and gourmet dining, a gift bag from the show's sponsors, a commemorative 2026 Event Book and poster, and access to the VIP lounge. Above that sits the Chairman's Club, limited in number and sponsored by duPont REGISTRY, which adds a cigar lounge, private indoor and outdoor seating with stage views, a premium hosted bar, and breakfast followed by an authentic Italian lunch. It is also where the day's special guests, celebrities, and industry leaders spend their time, so a Chairman's Club ticket puts you in the room with them. Concorso Italiano runs Saturday, August 15, 2026, from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM at Bayonet Black Horse Golf Course in Seaside, with Monterey Bay as the backdrop. It is one of the anchor events of Monterey Car Week, and it pairs neatly with an evening at the Monterey Motorsports Festival just up the road, so you can turn one Saturday into a full day-to-night run. Purchase Tickets

By duPont REGISTRY – July 31, 2026

Rétromobile New York Reveals Sixth Wave of Exhibitors for Inaugural Edition

Rétromobile New York keeps adding to its exhibitor list. With the show's Javits Center debut set for November 19-22, 2026, organizers have confirmed a sixth wave of names, building on a lineup that already runs deep. For an inaugural edition, the momentum has been hard to miss. View The First Wave View The Second Wave View The Third Wave View The Fourth Wave View The Fifth Wave This sixth wave keeps that spread going. Joe Macari arrives from London running both ends of the business, selling performance and classic cars and race-prepping the finest of them in its own Classic Workshop. Girardo & Co. shares that reverence for provenance, treating a classic as a set of experiences rather than a sum of parts. Historic Sportscar Racing brings the sound of it, North America's premier vintage series since 1977 and now home to the Classic 24 at Daytona and the Classic 12 at Sebring. Then the support network fills in. SparesUSA.net keeps the exotics running with OEM parts for Ferrari, McLaren, Maserati, Lamborghini, and Bentley, while Brian James Trailers handles getting them there on laser-cut, robot-welded builds backed by a five-year warranty. The artists show up too. Hubert Poirot-Bourdain of Atelier H.P.B. draws endurance racing in bold outline and vivid color from his studio in Le Mans, and Paul McLine shapes the world's most iconic cars into handcrafted sculpture between Dubai and Paris. Partners DIETL and Hagerty round things out with fine art logistics and collector insurance. For a first-year show, this kind of reach is no small thing. Buy Tickets SparesUSA.net At SparesUSA.net, we specialize in providing high-quality automotive spare parts for some of the world’s most iconic luxury and performance brands, Ferrari, McLaren, Maserati, Lamborghini, and Bentley. With years of expertise and a passion for precision, we offer a wide range of OEM parts, ensuring your prized vehicle runs at its best. We understand that maintaining these prestigious cars requires the right parts, and our inventory is carefully curated to meet the highest standards of quality and performance.From hard-to-find engine components to essential body parts, suspension parts, or electrical systems, SparesUSA.net is your trusted source for all your automotive needs. Our commitment to customer satisfaction extends beyond just supplying parts — we offer fast, reliable shipping worldwide to ensure that no matter where you are, you have access to the best in automotive parts. With a focus on excellence, authenticity, and exceptional customer service, SparesUSA.net is proud to serve car enthusiasts, collectors, and professionals around the globe.Let us help you keep your luxury vehicle performing at the highest level. Atelier H.P.B. Hubert Poirot-Bourdain is a French artist, trained in Paris and New York, who lives and works in Le Mans. Passionate about sailing and endurance motorsport, he develops a cross-disciplinary practice spanning painting and drawing. His work appears across multiple platforms, including posters, publishing, press, and luxury hospitality projects. His drawing style, defined by bold black outlines enhanced with vivid colors, seeks to narrate each subject through a poetic lens. The discovery of the 24 Hours of Le Mans at the age of six remains a formative experience. The June light, the announcer’s voice, the smell of pine trees, the sponsor logos, and the silhouettes of racing cars fading into the night continue to shape his visual imagination. This influence remains at the core of his work today. Brian James Trailers Brian James Trailers have a justifiable reputation for design and build quality. The use of lasers to cut steel and robot welding ensure that the highest levels of precision can be achieved. We are innovators in our sector, with more than 45 years of trailer design and manufacture behind us, including unique and ‘market-first’ innovations such as our ‘Click & Clamp’ system that ensures easy configuration and super quiet towing on our tipper and flat-bed trailers. The quality, reputation and desirability of Brian James Trailers has ensured that our trailers have strong residual value. As well as working hard, our trailers hold their value for many years. All our trailers come with a 5 year warranty on all BJT manufactured parts including the chassis, giving you the confidence that our trailers are of the highest quality; the reason why they are chosen by professional users around the world. Our international network of dealers is chosen for their high levels of customer service and aftermarket support combined with excellent product availability which means you can find a trailer that is right for you with minimum delay. Joe Macari Joe Macari operates from London, United Kingdom and specialises in the sale and acquisition of performance and classic cars. The Joe Macari group of companies also consists of a Classic Workshop, where some of the finest road and race cars are restored, serviced, and race-prepared to the highest standards. Historic Sportscar Racing Historic Sportscar Racing (HSR) is North America’s premier vintage and historic racing series, celebrating the cars, sights, and sounds that define motorsport’s golden eras. Founded in 1977 with its inaugural event—the Walter Mitty Challenge at Road Atlanta—HSR has evolved into a vibrant community where legendary race cars return to the track and motorsport history comes alive. Now operating under the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA), HSR stages seven major events annually at world-renowned venues, including Daytona International Speedway, Sebring International Raceway, Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta, and Watkins Glen International. Among the most anticipated events on the calendar are the HSR Classic 24 Hour at Daytona and the HSR Classic 12 Hour at Sebring, both presented by Mission Foods. These endurance events have become hallmarks of the historic racing scene, blending authentic competition with immersive fan experiences. More than just a race weekend, HSR events are living museums in motion—where fans, drivers, and teams unite around a shared passion for rich motorsport legacy. Each event features packed grids that span over seven decades of racing history, offering a unique chance to get up close with iconic prototypes, GT cars, and the enthusiasts who keep them running to this day. Girardo & Co. At Girardo & Co., we understand that classic cars represent so much more than the sum of their parts. Life is formed of experiences. And as experiences go, there’s little that can beat the fun, escapism and romance of driving a piece of motoring history, especially in these unprecedented times. We champion these beliefs in everything we do. Paul McLine PAUL McLINE is a luxury art brand specializing in handcrafted automotive sculptures. Inspired by the world’s most iconic cars, each piece combines minimalist design, architectural precision, and exceptional craftsmanship. Based between Dubai and Paris, PAUL McLINE creates exclusive collector's artworks for automotive enthusiasts, collectors, and luxury brands worldwide. DIETL (Art Shipping Partner) DIETL is a trusted global leader in fine art logistics. We support museums, galleries, auction houses, and collectors in moving work that shapes culture across cities, countries, and continents. Whether a single artwork or an international exhibition, we bring care, clarity, and calm to every move. Hagerty (Insurance Partner) With 40+ years of expertise, Hagerty is trusted by 2.7 million collectors and saves drivers 25% on average. Every policy includes Guaranteed Value®, which pays what your car is worth, not a depreciated estimate.*

By Edward Jones – July 30, 2026

Monterey Motorsports Festival 2026: One Night. One Culture. All Cars.

Car Week can feel like a members-only sport. Auctions you watch from behind a rope, lawns you need a laminate to walk on. The Monterey Motorsports Festival is the night that flips that. It runs Saturday, August 15, 2026, from 5 pm to 11 pm at the Monterey County Fairgrounds and Event Center, and it bills itself as the largest open-to-public event on the Saturday evening of Car Week. No allocation, no waitlist. You buy a ticket, and you're in. The billing is "One Night, One Culture, All Cars," and that's the actual point. This is not a concours where a docent shoos you off the grass. It's six hours built around cars, with music, food, and a fairground lit up for the occasion. The Cars Start with the range, because that's the whole idea. Rare builds and iconic machines share the grounds with custom culture, a JDM section, Mecum's classics and muscle cars, and an off-road corner anchored by the Russell Baja 911 and the street-legal Scarbo Hyper Truck. One night, all cars, and they mean it. Kimera Automobili is the 2026 featured marque, and it's using the night to pull the covers off the K-39 Stradale and its race counterpart, with founder Luca Betti presenting live. If the name doesn't land right away, the back catalog will. Kimera is the small Italian outfit that turned the Lancia 037 into the EVO37, a Group B homage. Having them headline the reveals sets the tone. Totem Automobili keeps the reveals rolling, with founder Riccardo Quaggio taking the stage to unveil new work from the Italian electric-restomod brand. On the guest side, Lamborghini legend Valentino Balboni is back for 2026, and NASCAR's Jesse Iwuji joins him. More reveals are coming that the organizers haven't announced yet, which is half the fun of getting there early. The cars don't just sit there, either. A hypercar and supercar parade rolls in from Concorso Italiano with duPont REGISTRY cars in the mix; there's a 60-year salute to the Pininfarina Alfa Romeo Duetto, and revving shows run through the night. duPont REGISTRY is a partner this year, with editor-in-chief Charles Bradley presenting the Main Stage programming, and a curated display of collector cars alongside the reveals. Bradley will also be presenting duPont REGISTRY's Editor's Choice Award to one of the deserving cars on display at the event. duPont REGISTRY will also have a very special vehicle on display, so be sure to stop by and see the surprise for yourself. The Sounds Two stages, Arena and Main Stage, carry the night once the sun drops, and the festival is calling it the largest concert of the week. The 2026 lineup runs four acts: David J opens at 7:00, Dreya V at 7:45, me n ü at 8:45, and Sidequest closes it out at 9:45. Most car shows treat music as filler, but Monterey Motorsports Festival built a bill you'd actually show up early for. The Food and Fun There are more than a dozen food vendors, outdoor bars at both the main stage and the arena, and a vendor village worth an hour on its own, with pop-ups like a custom hat bar and permanent jewelry. The Family Fun Zone is expanded for 2026, with racing simulators and free admission for kids 12 and under. Bring the family. It's built to be kid-friendly and automotive enthusiast-friendly at the same time, which is harder to pull off than it sounds, but Monterey Motorsports Festival makes it happen in very entertaining fashion. VIP Eden Lounge is the 21-and-over VIP experience, run with Modern Luxury's Silicon Valley and San Francisco titles. Cirque-style performers, a live paella demonstration, a charcuterie bar, signature cocktails, and prime viewing away from the crush. If your night is more about the atmosphere than the front row, this is where you want to be. How To Go General admission is $175 and covers the vehicle displays, live music, signature experiences, and the food and beverage vendors all evening. There's a Junior GA for ages 13 to 17 at $99, kids 12 and under get in free, and a GA 6-Pack bundle if you're rolling with a group that costs $649. Eden Lounge VIP is $329. If you'd rather show your own car, registration is $300 and includes one vehicle entry plus two general admission tickets, though submissions get reviewed for the balance of the field, so put yours in early. Buy Tickets The Charity The festival supports the Monterey Firefighters Community Foundation, a 501(c)(3) focused on stewardship, education, and outreach across the community. So a night out here does a little good on the way through. Saturday of Car Week is the hardest night to get right. Monterey Motorsports Festival makes it simple. Buy a ticket, show up, and let the loudest, most open night of the week come to you.

By Edward Jones – July 25, 2026

Four Monterey Car Week Tickets Worth Buying Now

Monterey Car Week 2026 arrives in the second week of August as the most storied stretch on the automotive calendar. More happens in those days than anyone can reach alone, so we've curated this selection of incredible events for our readers, followers, and clients. These four events deserve your undivided attention. One is a drive. One is an evening that cannot be bought on the day. One is among the largest gatherings of Italian machinery in the world. And one is the week's defining night, the entire fairgrounds given over to cars and the largest concert of the week. Space at each is finite, and we would rather our readers claim it early than watch it close.We want you there with us to enjoy this week of automotive excellence, so consider this your invitation to join in. (Featured Image by Nic Coury) Rally to Monterey Car Week, August 10 to 12 Most people arrive in Monterey. A smaller group drives there, and the difference in how the week feels is not subtle. Luxury Rally Club runs its Rally to Monterey Car Week from Los Angeles to Monterey across three days, August 10 through 12, landing you on the Peninsula before the crowds thicken and the traffic on Highway 1 turns into a parking lot with a view. LRC has been doing this at a level that is hard to overstate. Past runs have included a police-escorted crossing of Los Angeles to Jay Leno's garage and a full buyout of The French Laundry for a private dinner, which tells you roughly where the bar sits. The rally is by invitation, and the RSVP form is the way in. If you have been thinking about it, submit now rather than in three weeks. Buy Tickets The Preserve Concours & Cocktails, August 13 This is the one I would protect on the calendar. For one evening each year, the gates of the Santa Lucia Preserve open, and 20,000 private acres of Carmel Valley hills become the setting for a garden party with a concours lawn attached. Now in its eighth year, presented by Luxury Rally Club, it remains the rare Car Week evening where the cars are the starting point rather than the whole show. A few things worth knowing. It is a driving event, not a spectator one, which means you bring your own car and take a place on the lawn, and all display vehicles go through approval first. The food is treated with the same seriousness as the machinery, with a roster of renowned chefs and an open bar of high-end wine and spirits behind a claim to the single best meal served anywhere during Car Week. Tickets are $850 per person, all-inclusive, and attendance is by invitation. Buy Tickets Concorso Italiano, August 15, Plus The Paddock the Night Before Forty-one years in, Concorso Italiano is still the Saturday that Italian car people organize their entire week around. It runs from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, August 15, on the Bayonet Black Horse Golf Course above Monterey Bay, and the range is what keeps it interesting. Cars, motorcycles, motorbikes, scooters, four decades of Italian design in one field, with a Global Exotics section set aside for notable machinery from everywhere else. General admission is $250 plus fees. Children 13 and under get in free with a paying adult, which makes it one of the few genuinely family-friendly tickets of the week. Come up a day early for The Paddock Monterey on Friday, August 14, from 3:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Second year running, and the premise is refreshingly open: any interesting car, truck, or motorcycle, any country, any model year. Classics parked near new metal, food trucks, a VIP Club option, and none of the formality of the concours lawns. Admission is $100 plus fees. Buy Tickets Monterey Motorsports Festival, August 15 The Monterey Motorsports Festival takes over the Monterey County Fairgrounds from 5 to 11 p.m., the largest open-to-the-public gathering of the week. One Night, One Culture, All Cars is the billing, and it holds up. Rare builds and iconic machines share the grounds with custom culture, a dedicated JDM section, Mecum's classics and muscle cars, and an off-road corner anchored by the Russell Baja 911 and the street-legal Scarbo Hyper Truck that Top Gear recently put on camera. duPont REGISTRY comes in as a sponsor this year, with Main Stage programming hosted by editor-in-chief Charles Bradley and a curated display of collector cars on the grounds. Kimera Automobili is the 2026 featured marque and will pull the covers off the K-39 Stradale and its race counterpart, with founder Luca Betti presenting live, and the Automotoclub Storico Italiano returns for a third year of patronage, still the first Car Week event ever to earn it. Add a hypercar and supercar parade rolling in from Concorso Italiano, a 60-year salute to the Pininfarina Alfa Romeo Duetto, and appearances from the likes of Lamborghini legend Valentino Balboni. Don't believe me? Take it from Cristina Cheever, Chief Marketing Officer of duPont REGISTRY Group: “Monterey Car Week is where the world’s most extraordinary automobiles, passionate collectors and enthusiasts, and luxury brands come together to celebrate craftsmanship and innovation.” Then the fairgrounds turn into the largest concert of the week, The Sound of Car Week, with David J, Dreya V, Me & U, and Side Quest across two stages, plus an expanded Family Fun Zone if you are bringing everyone along. General admission covers every display, the entertainment, the parades, and the concert. VIP packages are available. Buy Tickets Run them together and the week has a shape. You drive up from Los Angeles rather than flying into the noise. You spend Thursday evening on private land that almost nobody sees the rest of the year.

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