A Global Stage for Automotive Excellence

The week truly came alive at the Motorlux kick-off event at the Monterey Jet Center, where golden light stretched across the tarmac as guests drifted between planes and cars, champagne flutes in hand, catching an early glimpse of the days to come. The evening struck a balance between heritage and modernity, a dialogue between past and present. Among the standouts was Alfa Romeo, showcasing the reborn 33 Stradale inside the hangar — a handcrafted, 33-unit creation inspired by the 1967 original and blending Italian artistry with cutting-edge performance — while the brand’s latest models gleamed just outside.

Over the hills at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca a few miles away, the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion was a roaring beast by contrast. In celebration of Formula 1’s 75th anniversary this year, there were special tribute displays and 30 historic race cars went on track every day for exhibition laps. The famous trio of McLaren Racing legends led the way with Emerson Fittipaldi’s M23/05 from 1974, Niki Lauda’s MP4/2 from 1984, and Lando Norris’ MCL38/02 from the year he won the Drivers’ Championship. Even McLaren CEO Zak Brown got in on the act, taking to the circuit behind the wheel of Lauda’s MP4/2.

“It’s great to be back and competing at the Monterey Motorsports Reunion,” added Brown. “One of my highlights of the year was driving Lauda’s MP4/2. I can’t wait to be a part of these celebrations for the 70th anniversary and to see you at the British Grand Prix.”

Rolex Testimonee Jenson Button acted as Grand Marshal, driving a 1996 Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint GT, and said: “Reminding us of how motorsport has maximised technology throughout the eras, this event honors the past while embracing the present. It’s a huge privilege to be asked to race at The Reunion, one of the world’s most epic motor racing events, where you can find everything from the very earliest racing cars to the current stars of F1 and there’s always something new to see.”

Thursday began with motion. In the morning, 190 Concours entrants motored up Highway 1 and wound their way through Big Sur on the Pebble Beach Tour d’Elegance presented by Rolex. Spectators lining the route witnessed a rolling museum of automotive design — a moving overture to Sunday’s grand finale. More than a parade, the Tour brings the cars into the streets and communities of the Monterey Peninsula, offering rare, up-close access to both machines and drivers. For those who may never step onto the concours lawn, it remains one of the week’s most exhilarating and democratic spectacles.

That evening, Hollywood met horsepower. Mercedes-Benz hosted an exclusive “Fireside with the Filmmaker of F1” at its Stargaze Theatre in Pebble Beach. Sports broadcaster Charissa Thompson sat down with director Joseph Kosinski to discuss the inspiration and production of his film starring Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, and Javier Bardem. Framed by a curated lineup of heritage and modern Mercedes models, the conversation highlighted the seamless crossover between motorsport, luxury, and the silver screen.

Not every event captures the essence of Monterey Car Week quite like The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering in Carmel Valley. Framed as an elegant garden party with gourmet bites, fine wines, and flowing champagne, the festival marked its 22nd year with a seamless blend of nostalgia and novelty. Five culinary pavilions offered flavors from around the world, while live music and a country club–like setting gave the event the air of a getaway rather than a traditional auto show.

For Infiniti, The Quail was a marquee stage. The brand unveiled a trio of bold show cars previewing its design future. Leading the lineup was the QX65 Monograph, finished in a dramatic one-off satin shade called Twilight. Inspired by the colors of the witching hour, the paint shifted from deep reddish-purple to shimmering gold highlights as light moved across its sculpted fastback bodywork. Flanking it were two striking reinterpretations of the flagship QX80: the Track Spec, wide-fendered with quad exhausts and a twin-turbo V6 delivering more than 650 horsepower, and the Terrain Spec, lifted and outfitted with a rooftop tent and refined overlanding amenities. “On each side of the QX65, we displayed two extreme alternatives in the luxury market — one track-spec, high-output and muscular, and the other an overlanding, off-road stylish vehicle. Both show different sides of what Infiniti can be,” said Tiago Castro, Vice President of Infiniti Americas. Together, the trio embodied Infiniti’s blend of performance, design, and luxury — and they captivated guests throughout the day.

The Quail also played host to a series of dramatic debuts in the hypercar world. Bugatti unveiled the one-off Brouillard, the first creation from its new Programme Solitaire, dedicated to highly bespoke, coachbuilt vehicles. Inspired by Ettore Bugatti’s favorite horse, the Brouillard incorporates a central spine, ducktail rear wing, and a custom tartan interior executed with meticulous craftsmanship. Lamborghini Lamborghini followed with the Fenomeno, limited to just 29 units and the most powerful V12 the marque has ever built. Maserati introduced the MCPURA Cielo, while Corvette revealed its futuristic CX concepts — each underscoring the diverse visions shaping the future of performance design.

Yet even amid these headline-grabbing premieres, the heart of The Quail remained its celebration of heritage. When the curtain finally came down, Best of Show was awarded to a rare 1996 Ferrari F50 GT1 owned by Art Zafiropoulo — a prototype that has become an emblem of Ferrari’s ambition to compete at the highest level of GT racing.

On Saturday, the day tripped far beyond the show lawns and behind the driver’s seat. Infiniti Drive Day unfolded across the winding routes of Monterey, Pebble Beach, and Carmel Valley, where the all-new QX80 revealed a blend of commanding presence and refined ease. “The QX80 is a full-size SUV that gives you extreme space and luxury, but when you drive it, it feels like a much smaller vehicle. That confidence is what makes it unique,” Tiago Castro, Vice President of Infiniti Americas explained. Quilted leather seating, artisan-crafted details, and ambient lighting echoed the elegance of the concours, while dual 14.3-inch displays, seamless smartphone integration, and a Klipsch premium audio system elevated the drive. With ProPILOT Assist and the Around View® Monitor smoothing the curves and tight turns, the experience distilled Infiniti’s vision of modern luxury, convenience, and technology in motion.

Saturday evening brought more theater. Aston Martin’s privileged guests were treated to the production version of the Valhalla, the brand’s first mid-engined hybrid supercar, at an exclusive event that exuded understated glamour with a curated selection of Glenfiddich Single Malt Scotch Whisky expressions and cocktails to match. The unveiling celebrated Aston Martin’s heritage while offering an audacious glimpse at its electrified future. The Valhalla itself proved to be everything they hoped for: a hypercar producing 1,064 horsepower and capable of reaching 217 mph, complete with F1-inspired aerodynamics — a reminder of the marque’s ambition to marry high performance with futuristic design.

The week concluded with the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, where 229 cars competed for top honors on the iconic 18th fairway. Best in Show was awarded to a 1924 Hispano-Suiza H6C Nieuport-Astra Torpedo, shown by Penny and Lee Anderson Sr. of Naples, Florida, freshly restored to its original torpedo shape. The Andersons were presented with a Rolex Perpetual 1908 engraved in their honor, highlighting the enduring connection between fine automobiles and fine timekeeping.

Among the festivities, the Concours played host to the 75th anniversary of Formula 1 with a parade of more than 30 iconic Grand Prix cars from across the sport’s history. Also on display was Niki Lauda’s Ferrari 312 T2 (chassis 026) — the very car he drove just six weeks after his infamous Nürburgring crash to finish fourth at Monza — a visceral emblem of the courage that defines motor racing’s past.

Reinforcing the fairway’s time-warp feel, Land Rover Classic co-sponsored “The Great Expeditions: 75 Years of Land Rover Exploring the World,” a special featured class honoring the marque’s spirit of exploration. Ten stories stood there in the form of expedition vehicles: “Pollyanna,” the 1950 Series I that explorer Barbara Toy single-handedly drove from London to Baghdad and then around the world; the famous Oxford Series Land Rover from the Oxford-Cambridge Far Eastern Expedition of 1955; and the 1972 “Trans-America” Range Rover that successfully traversed the Darién Gap. More recent heroes — including a Camel Trophy Defender 110 and the Longitude Expedition Discovery II (bearing the Dalai Lama’s blessing on its bonnet) — reminded visitors that Land Rover’s DNA is rooted in discovery.

On the Concept Lawn, the future took center stage. Infiniti’s QX65 Monograph — already a standout at The Quail — returned to underscore the brand’s forthcoming design language with its sleek fastback proportions, bronze-trimmed grille, and full-width LED taillights with vertical extensions inspired by jet aircraft. Nearby, Bentley’s EXP 15 reimagined the marque’s resting-beast stance in a futuristic three-seat vision coupé, while Mercedes’ CONCEPT AMG GT and Maserati’s MCPURA Cielo extended the Concours’ role as both a salute to the past and a preview of what’s next.

Monterey Car Week 2025 was more than an itinerary of events; it was a journey through history, passion, and progress. From the full-throttle roar at Laguna Seca to the mellow elegance of the fairway at Pebble Beach, the week offered something for everyone. At its heart was a shared recognition that a car is never merely transportation but an object of beauty, culture, and innovation — a sentiment that found vivid expression across the Monterey Peninsula.