The Many Sides of Monterey Car Week

Ever heard of Monterey Car Week? If you love beautiful cars, especially old ones, spectacular pieces of engineering and other automotive treasures, you probably have.

The 2023 edition took place from August 17-20 in and around Monterey, California, once again with all the prestige and power that car enthusiasts and collectors rave about. Quite simply a feast for the eyes.

There are many different events attracting visitors down there, so let’s do a quick recap using words and pictures (see below). Oh, and before we go any further, you should know that a 1967 Ferrari 412P found a new owner for a whopping $30,255,000 USD, making it the fourth most expensive Ferrari ever sold at an auction.

Pebble Beach Concours D’Elegance

Held on the prestigious golf course at Pebble Beach, the traditional Concours D’Elegance is a must-see event for classic car aficionados and collectors. Every year, a number of owners gather to share their love for their precious ride and hope to take home one of the coveted awards.

For 2023, a Mercedes-Benz 540 K Special Roadster (W 29) was named Best of Show—the tenth time a Mercedes-Benz has won the ultimate prize at Pebble Beach since 1950, which is a record. It was built in 1937 for Mohammed Zahir Shah, King of Afghanistan, and is currently worth more than $13 million CAD.

The Quail, a Motorsports Gathering

This other marquee event took place at the Quail Lodge & Golf Club, bringing together past, present and future vehicles in a delightful setting. A 1956 Ferrari Superamerica “Superfast” won the Best of Show award among 200 deserving entrants.

Kia introduced a 2023 North American Utility Vehicle of the Year Edition of the EV6 electric crossover (possibly the longest name ever), while Acura unveiled the 2024 ZDX, its first fully electric SUV (developed with the help of General Motors). Ford also stole the show with the 2025 Mustang GTD, the most powerful street-legal iteration of the iconic pony car, producing more than 800 horsepower.

Finally, Lamborghini turned to 2028 with the Lanzador Concept, a half-car, half-SUV grand tourer in a 2+2 configuration. It uses two electric motors generating a full megawatt, or 1,340 horsepower. More importantly, it’s just so cool.

Concours D’Lemons

Monterey Car Week is not all about glamour and high-price automobiles. Case in point: the annual Concours D’Lemons. As the name suggests, lemons are the stars of the event.

While some of the cars on display can easily be identified, others are more complex to decipher due to their advanced deterioration or bizarre modifications. This year’s Worst in Show award went to a yellow-coloured Citroen DS 21 wagon supposedly designed as a tribute to the 1969 Beatles album Yellow Submarine. What do you think?