Every August, the world’s car obsessives pack their bags for one small stretch of California coastline where seven-figure sales are routine and eight-figure ones aren’t unheard of. This year’s gathering runs a bit earlier than usual, and it comes with an extra dose of significance: 2026 marks the 75th running of the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, the event that started it all.
When and Where
Monterey Car Week 2026 runs from Friday, August 7 through Sunday, August 16, ten days across the Monterey Peninsula. The week builds through concours lawns, historic racing, and marque gatherings before culminating in the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance on the 18th fairway of Pebble Beach Golf Links on the final Sunday. Pebble Beach is leaning hard into the anniversary, with featured classes that tie the show back to its road-racing roots.
The Car That Could Break the Bank
If there’s one lot generating the most buzz this year, it’s Nick Mason’s 1996 McLaren F1 GTR, chassis #10R, headed to RM Sotheby’s Monterey sale. Known as “the Pop Art F1,” it was the first of only two short-tail prototypes built to 1996 specification. RM Sotheby’s has attached a presale estimate of “value in excess of $35,000,000,” and if it hits that number, it would push the McLaren marque record up by roughly $10 million and land among the ten most expensive cars ever sold at public auction.
It won’t be alone in rare-air territory. Gooding Christie’s is bringing a 1964 Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe to Pebble Beach, a car that could set a new record as the most expensive American-built car ever sold. Meanwhile, a 1963 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport crossing the block this week has a real shot at becoming the first-ever GM car to sell for more than $10 million at public auction.
Prewar Elegance and Postwar Icons
RM Sotheby’s returns to the Portola Hotel and Monterey Conference Center for its 29th year in Monterey, running from August 13 through 15, with previews open to the public for $60 for the weekend. Leading its lineup is a 1962 Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato, one of just 19 built, valued between $12 and $15 million and carrying a genuine racing history from Australia. The same sale features serious prewar metal too, including a 1938 Talbot-Lago T150-C SS Teardrop Coupe and Clark Gable’s own 1935 Duesenberg Model JN Convertible Coupe.
Modern hypercars are getting their moment as well. A 1985 Ferrari 288 GTO showing barely 1,500 kilometers is set to test just how hot that market has gotten, especially after three 288 GTOs sold for more than $5 million apiece earlier in 2026. Two examples of the limited-run 2025 Bugatti Mistral, of which only 99 were built, are also on offer across different sales.
New Faces at the Auction Tent
The 2026 season brings a notable newcomer: Broad Arrow Auctions is hosting its first two-day sale at The Quail Golf Club, spanning Thursday and Friday and assembling roughly 175 sought-after collector cars. Bonhams returns to WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca on August 13 for what marks its 15th year partnering with the track, with headline consignments including a 1972 Ferrari 365 GTC/4 and a 1972 Ferrari Dino 246 GT. Mecum, traditionally the biggest volume auction of the week, runs August 13 through 15 at the Del Monte Golf Course, with a yellow 1996 Ferrari F50 and a red 2003 Ferrari Enzo among its early announced highlights.
Beyond the Auction Block
Car Week isn’t only about hammer prices. The Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion turns Laguna Seca into a rolling museum, and this year’s featured marque salutes Japanese motorsport, bringing together historic machines from Mazda, Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Lexus, and Acura. The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering rounds out the week with global vehicle debuts and press conferences from major manufacturers.
Why It Matters for Everyday Car Fans
You don’t need eight figures to care about what happens in Monterey. The results here ripple outward, setting benchmarks that influence values across the entire collector market, from six-figure classics down to the enthusiast-grade cars people actually drive to work. Whether the McLaren clears $35 million or the Corvette Grand Sport cracks eight figures, this year’s sales will likely be talked about for seasons to come.