Discover the most exclusive destination in the world for car lovers

In August 2026, the attention of the automotive world, especially those who like the classic models, turns once again to the iconic 18th hole lawn of Pebble Beach Golf Links in California. Celebrating its historic 75th edition, the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance is not only an exhibition of vintage cars, but the most sophisticated event in antique motoring, which is the stage for a lot of history and prestige on four wheels.

The contest is part of a set of exhibitions called Automotive Week Experiences that also features exhibitions, test drive programming, a village with several booths and the Tour d’Elegance.

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In 2026, the event has the following schedule:

• Motoring Classic – 13/08 – annual tradition in which a group of participants leaves Seattle, crosses the United States traveling more than 2,400 km to Pebble Beach with their classic models.
• Auctions – 12/08 – the moment when collectors acquire and sell their vehicles for prices that often break world records.
• Tour d’Elegance – 13/08 – 150 models that will be exhibited in the contest make a demonstration route as a preview of what is to come in the next few days of the event.
• Contest Village – 08/13 – place open to the general public where it is possible to find brand stands, expert panels (Pebble Beach Classic Car Forums and Pebble Beach RetroAuto), space for press and others.
• Concours d’Elegance – 16/08 – main event in which collectors from all over the world compete with their cars for the title of Best of Show.

How Pebble Beach Became the Most Exclusive Event in the Automotive World

Founded in 1950, the event was born in a modest way, as a mere social complement to the Pebble Beach Road Races. In the first year, only 30 cars were displayed on a modest lawn, and the initial focus was to celebrate factory-new models.

The scenario changed in the middle of that decade, when the evaluation criterion began to prioritize the great classics launched in the interwar periods and forgotten historic cars. With the end of the original races in 1956, the Concours gained full independence and the Monterey Peninsula became the epicenter of the world’s antique motorsport.

The Pebble Beach exhibition is always on the third or fourth Sunday of August and takes place in front of “The Lodge” hotel, inside the most sophisticated set of golf courses in the USA. The beach is located in a condominium called “17 Mille Drive”, between Carmel and Monterey, California.

And the title of “most exclusive destination in the world” is not for nothing. For years, the event has been underpinned by an ecosystem of strict rules, dedicated curation, and astronomical figures:

• Tickets for the public: to watch the contest and exhibitions, tickets cost 550 dollars (R$ 2,847). From August 1, the value rises to 650 dollars (R$ 3,364);
• Invitation-only contest participation: a collector cannot simply pay an entry fee and exhibit their vehicle. Owners from all over the world submit detailed dossiers years in advance and a selection committee handpicks some 175 vehicles.
• Record-breaking auctions: Prestigious houses such as Gooding & Company and RM Sotheby’s move hundreds of millions of dollars in a few days, setting the benchmark prices for the global classic car market.
• Concept and launch showcase: Luxury automotive manufacturers take advantage of the very high concentration of customers at Pebble Beach to make world premieres of their limited-run concept cars and supercars.
• Strict ‘quarantine’ rule: if a car competes in an edition, it is usually barred from returning in subsequent years, unless it changes ownership or undergoes a first-of-its-kind historic restoration.
• Authenticity is a necessity: the evaluation at Pebble Beach is famous for its surgical severity, so the judges do not only value the aesthetic issue, but mainly demand historical accuracy.

The standard of the Concours d’Elegance is so high that each bolt and clamp must be of the correct period and have the original factory finish, while the type of stitching of the leather and the exact shade of the period painting are checked thoroughly. A miserable detail can cost the title in the various categories that parade in the contest.

The main one is the “Best of Show”, which awards the vehicle with the most coveted trophy in the world’s antique motoring and is capable of doubling its value, which is never less than US$ 1 million, in the international antique market.