Recap: Monterey Car Week 2026

A Week at the Center of the Automotive World

Each August, the automotive world converges on California’s Monterey Peninsula for 10 days of concours events, historic racing, manufacturer debuts, auctions, and gatherings. For 2026, WAREHOUSE Co-Founder Jake Wolf headed west with TJ Parker, another WAREHOUSE Co-Founder to take it all in and bring back a report from one of the most significant weeks on the automotive calendar.

This year, Monterey Car Week had plenty to talk about.

The week opened with historic racing and the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, where some of the world’s most important race cars returned to the track. The 2026 event also marked a first for the Reunion, with motorcycles joining the program and a remarkable lineup of former World Champions and Grand Prix riders taking part.

Throughout the week, the auctions provided one of the clearest pictures of the current collector car market. Monterey’s major auction houses generated a record-breaking $755 million in sales, with exceptional, irreplaceable cars continuing to command enormous prices. The headline sale was a 1964 Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe, which brought $42.9 million at Gooding Christie’s, setting a record for an American car at auction.

The rest of the top of the market was equally strong. The highly controversial 2026 Ferrari Luce Tailor Made sold for $40 million (however it was a charitable donation to the Ferrari foundation), while a 1996 McLaren F1 Coupe brought $34.7 million. A 1963 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport also set a new Corvette auction record at $18.7 million. Ferrari once again dominated the top 10 sales, accounting for seven of the highest-priced cars of the week.

VisVim MOTORS CLUB 2026 Capsule Collection

While we were there, we visited the VisVim store, a personal favorite and highly coveted Japanese clothing brand for the launch of their VisVim MOTORS CLUB 2026 Capsule Collection, where they debuted the new line amongst friends of the brand and even hosted a simulator competition with over 25 participants, giving away custom VisVim MOTORS CLUB winners hats and racing boots for the winners. Jake unfortunately played things too conservative, and came in 6th place with a time of 1.16.79 around Laguna Seca, about 0.8 seconds off the podium pace. Although we came up short in the sim race, we had an excellent time hanging out with the VisVim crew as founder Hiroki Nakamura raced in the Monterey Motorsports Reunion. 

75th Anniversary: Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance

As always, the week built toward the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. The 2026 event marked the 75th anniversary of the Concours, bringing together a remarkable collection of significant automobiles on the 18th fairway at Pebble Beach Golf Links.

The coveted Best of Show award went to a 1935 Duesenberg SSJ Special Speedster, one of only two examples built. The winning car was originally owned by Clark Gable and is now owned by Harry Yeaggy, who had pursued the car for four decades before finally acquiring it.

Another standout moment came from Lamborghini, which celebrated the 60th anniversary of the Miura with a gathering of more than 40 examples at Pebble Beach. With just 763 Miuras produced, seeing such a significant portion of total production together was one of the week’s more memorable sights.

Beyond the official events, Monterey remains just as much about what happens in between.

The drive to the next event can become a car show of its own. The streets of Carmel and Monterey fill with everything from significant vintage racers to modern hypercars and one-off collector cars, while private events, manufacturer showcases, and impromptu gatherings keep the conversation going long after the main programs end.

This is what continues to make Monterey Car Week unique. It is one of the few places where the entire automotive ecosystem comes together at once. Historic cars share the spotlight with new releases. Collectors, manufacturers, designers, racers, auction houses, and enthusiasts all arrive with the same cars and stories serving as the common language.

The biggest takeaway from this year’s trip?

The market and the culture around collecting continue to evolve. While blue-chip classics remain as important as ever, Monterey made clear that modern, highly limited, and genuinely unique cars are increasingly commanding attention alongside the icons of previous generations.

From record-setting auction sales and historic racing at Laguna Seca to a milestone anniversary at Pebble Beach, Monterey Car Week 2026 delivered plenty of stories worth bringing home.

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