My Monterey Car Week 2026
As soon as I arrive, I can already smell gasoline in the air
So here I am in Monterey, without really knowing what to expect. For me, Pebble Beach is a long-cherished dream—to see the world's elite at the Concours d'Elegance. I bought tickets for Laguna Seca beforehand, for the Rolex Reunion; after all, there are 30 Can-Am racers on the starting grid, among others.
Lola T222 from the 1971 Can-Am series
First things first: I'm speechless. Anyone who knows me knows it takes a lot to leave me speechless—but what I've experienced here as a concours event is more—so much more. The smell of gasoline hangs in the air everywhere—yes, it's—is it even appropriate to describe it this way in this context?—electrifying, though not quite in the way one's used to in California.
Japan Special featuring the craziest endurance race cars of all time
Whether hypercars or classic cars, the most beautiful vehicles in the world are on display at every turn. I've seen quite a bit in my time, but this is simply unbelievable.
Laguna Seca: Icons of the Track
Things continue in the same vein at Laguna Seca: qualifying for the weekend's races is underway. It's music to my ears—the track is buzzing and roaring, and the paddock is brimming with racing history and stories. “Icons of the Track” is written in large letters in the background on a billboard from a renowned car manufacturer in Stuttgart. That's certainly true—and applies to all the brands represented here. A Japan Special is on the Rolex program: “Heritage of Japanese Motorsport,” featuring the ferocious Wankel-powered Mazda 787B, a historic BRE-Datsun, and many more. True to the motto “never last, always fast,” no car is spared here!
1967 Watson Indy Racer at Laguna Seca
Evening in Monterey: the influencers take the stage
In the evening on the streets of Monterey, you get the nagging feeling that everything here has somehow gotten a little out of control. Everywhere, people are pulling out their cell phones—or, on the opposite side of this literal “shoot-out,” they're mounted on the passing cars. It seems as though everyone here is truly an influencer, and accordingly, people are snapping photos for those many clicks on social media—competing, posing, and sweating. That's why everything here feels very staged and terribly superficial. No wonder—there's no time for depth; one highlight follows another. At least one encouraging observation emerges from it all: Anyone who claims that young people aren't interested in cars just doesn't get it.
The influence surrounding hypercars is now a two-way street!
But it's true—maybe hypercars costing millions just aren't the ideal gateway into the automotive world. And those who own them apparently have only one goal: to customize their rare hypercar as much as possible. “Stand out at any cost” is the motto. And the owners hope to see as many pictures of themselves and their cars as possible online—on Instagram, TikTok, X, and wherever else—preferably, of course, featured by the world's top car spotters. In this way, the scene essentially elevates each other—it's fair to say: a magnificent win-win situation! The spotters know every model designation of these already strictly limited-edition cars by heart, including any modifications, and in many cases, even the owners' names. And the owners know more than a few spotters who snap photos of them by the roadside. While people like us still take pride in the history of our classic cars or marvel at their pristine condition—which draws admiration or increased attention—today it's the car's uniqueness and price that are meant to generate as many clicks as possible. It's thus a stark contrast to what's judged or celebrated on Sunday at Pebble Beach. That gives me an idea: What would happen if the judges and influencers were to simply switch places? And if, instead of being on the golf course, they stood by the roadside, evaluating unique hypercar conversions rather than history and condition?
What if, instead of seasoned judges, young influencers were the ones evaluating the cars on the golf course?
Auction Days at a Rapid Pace
Thursday is, among many other things, an important auction day; over 200 vehicles are set to go under the hammer—today alone! It feels like the cars are being pushed through the tent every second. Some of the prices being called leave me in awe. The atmosphere is good, and bidding is brisk. But I wouldn't say there's a clear pattern, except perhaps with the Ferraris: there, the sellers' motto seems to be, “We might as well give it a try!” Some of the prices being called are absurdly high. What stands out: whatever nobody wants, the auctioneer can't even move off the lot at rock-bottom prices—it just sits there. I'm curious to see the results on Saturday.
Yes, Saturday—the auction results it produced left me dumbfounded; it's just mind-boggling, yet again this week—wow.
“Hammering off” cars one after another and a carnival-like atmosphere at Mecum
While at Mecum, for example, it's a real carnival atmosphere, others are striving for a touch of class. At least, that's my takeaway after a long and intense day of auctions. But the bottom line is: the results ultimately look the same everywhere, in many cases almost surreal—certainly for me!
Sold for over $42 million: the 1964 Shelby Daytona Coupé—unbelievable!
Sunday in Pebble Beach: the final total work of art
The show is over. It doesn't really sink in until that evening in my hotel room—what a Sunday that was! I'd been warned that the Concours d'Elegance in Pebble Beach was an incredible experience that would cast a magical spell over you. Not a word too many.
More art than car: Rust Heinz's 1937 Phantom Corsair—the car is a legend; seeing it in flesh and paint is almost surreal.
It's not just the vehicles—and I'll be careful not to judge them—but the total work of art. The legend, the location, the people. It all fills you with awe and gratitude for being allowed to be there. What was an absolute highlight for me was how open and warm the atmosphere is; you feel welcome at all times and like you're part of the event. So in the end, it's not all just for show—there's an enormous amount of passion, and certainly money as well, invested in this event by the many individuals who make it happen.
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I also ran into an acquaintance in Pebble Beach: Christian Jenny with his Hansgen Special
Without these collectors, enthusiasts, and aficionados, an event like this wouldn't exist. Envy is a foreign concept here, and so—just as it has been all week—people are happy to show off what they own. Stories about the exclusive cars are shared, champagne is sipped, and everything else is put aside for a day—or a week.
Exclusive, yet open to everyone
Speaking of exclusive: Throughout Monterey Car Week, there's an enormous amount of free programming on offer, so everyone can experience it firsthand. It's not just exclusive—it's open to anyone with gasoline running through their veins, and that's a good thing. It's not just at the Concours that it's wonderful to see young and old alike fulfilling their dreams here once a year. For this and many other reasons, we hope this time-honored event will continue for another 75 years and beyond.
My expectations for Pebble Beach were fully met—and even exceeded!
Yes, dreams… Sometimes just being there is a huge dream come true and gives you the feeling of having been part of something big. So here I am in my hotel room, a can of beer in hand, smiling as I let the past few days roll by and looking forward to the next event. With that in mind, I say: “See you soon in Monterey again!” or wherever the scent of gasoline is in the air.
Michael Bietenholz is himself a jury member at various international Concours d'Elegance events, a classic car expert, a member of the board of the Swiss umbrella organization SHVF (Swiss Historic Vehicle Federation), and actively involved in the classic car scene in many ways. You can find our report on the 2026 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance HERE
