Monterey Car Week has descended upon us once again, gracing our eyes and ears with some of the most extravagant and exclusive offerings from the automotive world. Each year some of the wealthiest automotive enthusiasts from around the globe converge in Monterey, California, for a week of fossil-fueled posturing.
The strutting isn’t all for show, though, and the crown of Car Week—the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance—is widely considered the premier car show in the world. Winning a Pebble ribbon means an instant jump in a car’s valuation and marks immense status in the world of collector cars. With very few exceptions, cars accepted to the Concours are not allowed to return within a 10-year period unless they have changed ownership and are freshly restored (or they are an original preservation car).
If that all sounds as interesting to you as it does to us, you can still enjoy the show, even without spending hundreds of dollars for a ticket. Like years past, we’ll have reporters on the ground scouting our favorites, and we’ll be liveblogging here on the site. We’ll also be uploading regularly to our Instagram, so make sure to check that out for the best sights and sounds. The options below are also helpful if you’re looking to get information straight from the horse’s mouth.
Pebble Beach Motoring Classic (August 7–20)
Sure, most of the cars around Monterey Car Week probably see less pavement than that project rotting behind your house, but that won’t be true for the entrants of the Pebble Beach Motoring Classic. Starting August 8, the entrants will depart from Kirkland, Washington, taking a relaxed eight days to drive roughly 1500 miles, before arriving in Monterey, California. Last year’s entrance fee for one car and two people totaled $14,000 and did not include accommodations in Monterey. Unfortunately, this one will be hard to tune in to unless you can get yourself to the route. As the cars are being driven by the owners, they probably won’t be spending their drive uploading to Instagram.
Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion (August 16–19)
Some of the rarest race cars in history will spend the four days between August 17 and August 20 racing around Laguna Seca Raceway. Some 550 cars were invited, with the main focus this year on the 70th anniversary of the Corvette. In addition to Corvettes of every generation, there’ll be historic Formula 1 cars, Trans Am racers, and IMSA cars from the 1970s. There should be a stream on the Laguna Seca Youtube channel, or follow on social using these tags: #RolexReunion #MontereyCarWeek #WeatherTechRaceway.
Legends of the Autobahn (August 17)
The American clubs for Audi, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz join together every year to host an all-German marque Concours d’Elegance held in Pacific Grove, California. Follow these tags and accounts on Instagram for photos and videos: #legendsoftheautobahn @bmwcca @audiclubna @mercedesbenzclubofamerica.
The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering (August 18)
The Quail prides itself as being the most glamorous of the Pebble events, even if the main reason everyone’s there—the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance—is happening two days later. This year’s featured themes include the 50th Anniversary of the 1973 RS Carrera, Porsche 959s, the Bentley 1950s R-Type Coupe, and Eyes on Italian Design. Keep tabs with #thequail on August 18.
Concorso Italiano (August 19)
Italian cars strike directly to the heart of the automotive world, and Concorso Italiano is focused on as many as 1000 Italian cars and motorcycles. Follow @concorsoitaliano and #concorsoitaliano for more information.
Concours d’Lemons California (August 19)
If reading about all of these obscenely rich owners of classic and exotic cars has you feeling sick about the single wrinkly dollar bill in your wallet, unwind with the deliberately wacky Concours d’Lemons. Follow @concoursdlemons and #concoursdlemons on August 19, or check out the Lemons website for more info and a recap video.
Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance (August 20)
If your bank account looks anything like ours, you probably don’t have the cash to shell out $525 per ticket and lots more on hotels and food. Thankfully, you can stream the Concours d’Elegance on August 20. Bookmark the official Pebble Beach livestream and make yourself a nice cocktail with your best liquor. It’ll still be cheaper than the drinks on the lawn in California, and no one will judge you for incorrectly tying your bowtie.
Associate News Editor
Jack Fitzgerald’s love for cars stems from his as yet unshakable addiction to Formula 1.
After a brief stint as a detailer for a local dealership group in college, he knew he needed a more permanent way to drive all the new cars he couldn’t afford and decided to pursue a career in auto writing. By hounding his college professors at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, he was able to travel Wisconsin seeking out stories in the auto world before landing his dream job at Car and Driver. His new goal is to delay the inevitable demise of his 2010 Volkswagen Golf.
