The Automotive Crown of the West: Can the Las Vegas Concours Dethrone Pebble Beach?
The standard definition of a “concours d’elegance” is “a show or contest of vehicles and accessories in which the entries are judged chiefly on excellence of appearance and turnout.” But when discussing prestigious automotive gatherings, that definition serves more as a historical footnote than a modern guidepost. In the rarefied air of high-end collectibles, “concours d’elegance” is a codeword for something far grander—an annual spectacle of engineering, artistry, and exclusivity.
Within the automotive world, especially among the cognoscenti of finance, art, and rare collectibles, the question inevitably arises: is the famous Pebble Beach Concours still the pinnacle of luxury motoring events? The latter, of course, is inextricably linked to the full annual Monterey Car Week—a multi-day extravaganza featuring the marquee event on the 18th green of Pebble Beach proper. This combination represents the ultimate fusion of old-world elegance and the raw power of modern hypercars, culminating in the greatest luxury car show of them all on Sunday.
From the historic halls of Retromobile in Paris to the modern glamour of Amelia Island and the vibrant pulse of Moda Miami, the landscape of elite automotive events is fiercely competitive. Yet, for decades, Pebble Beach has stood as the unchallenged titan. But is that crown beginning to slip? This isn’t just about pedigree; it’s about investment-grade cars, the future of collector culture, and where the serious money is moving.
Indeed, wherever the well-heeled and well-dressed converge to ogle blue-chip automobiles, the comparison inevitably surfaces. Is the Goodwood Festival of Speed superior? What about the Goodwood Revival?
While Pebble Beach remains the undisputed king of concours, its potential heir apparent is no longer a quiet contender in the background. The newcomer, The Quail: A Motorsports Gathering, has long since evolved from a mere appetizer to the main event. However, recent developments suggest that the true challenger to Pebble’s throne might not be The Quail at all. Instead, a new phenomenon is emerging from the Neon Desert, one that is shaking the very foundations of the classic car collector market.
Why The Quail’s Dominance is Now in Question
The Quail has traditionally served as the perfect prelude to the grandeur of Pebble Beach. For a growing and increasingly influential segment of the collector community, The Quail has long eclipsed Pebble’s Sunday lineup. These enthusiasts are primarily focused on late-model and brand-new supercars and hypercars. I have lost count of the number of friends who undertake the arduous pilgrimage to Car Week but depart on Sunday morning, utterly uninterested in what they dismissively call “a bunch of old cars.”
The demise of the Geneva International Auto Show created a significant void in the global supercar calendar, a gap that The Quail has filled admirably. However, even this market dominance is now being tested.
A few examples illustrate this shift. The Lamborghini Aventador debuted at Geneva in 2011, followed by the astronomical Veneno in 2013. The Aventador’s successor, the Revuelto, was launched via an online reveal, but the Temerario (Huracán’s successor) was first publicly shown at The Quail in 2024. The same is true for the Fenomeno, a seven-figure rarity that debuted at the 2025 Quail. Bugatti unveiled the Chiron in Geneva back in 2016, yet the Bugatti Divo (2018) and Mistral (2022) were both first presented to the world at The Quail. This pattern holds true for dozens of other debuts. In essence, The Quail has grown into the premier global venue for these particular modern hypercar reveals.
Until recently, I believed The Quail’s position in the automotive hierarchy was unassailable. That belief was shattered when I attended the 2025 Las Vegas Concours (officially known as Concours at Wynn Las Vegas). Now, I am no longer convinced. To be clear, I also attended the 2024 Vegas Concours and, while it was enjoyable, it struck me as provincial and focused on regional tastes. There were some impressive vehicles, but it was largely the usual suspects. In fact, if it weren’t for a project I was working on with Czinger (which brought me as its guest), I probably would not have bothered attending this year. But I am profoundly grateful that I did.
The Las Vegas Spectacle: A New Benchmark for Collector Car Shows
To understand why the 2026 classic car shows landscape is being rewritten, one must first appreciate the sheer scale of the 2025 Las Vegas Concours. It wasn’t merely a good event; it was a paradigm shift in what collector car shows can achieve.
The Wynn had 48 Bugatti Veyrons on the lawn. You read that correctly. Of the 450 Veyrons ever built and the 100 sold in North America, 48 of them were in Las Vegas. Well, 49, as Bugatti also brought a stunning white Vitesse Super Sport to celebrate the Veyron’s 20th anniversary—along with a Bolide, Centodieci, Chiron Super Sport, Divo, Mistral, and a prototype model of the upcoming Tourbillon, the 18-cylinder hybrid that will succeed the Chiron. To display, in one location, more than 10 percent of all the Bugatti Veyrons ever produced has left me completely astonished. This level of exclusivity and concentration of supercar collecting is unprecedented.
The kids love Paganis, too, right? Because there were more than 40 of them. I didn’t count (I was too busy drooling over the Veyrons), but the consensus was about 40+. There were several Zondas, including a Zonda Revolution (one of five), dozens of Huayras, a handful of Utopias, and—alarmingly for The Quail—the debut of the Huayra Codalunga Speedster that Pagani plans to produce in a run of 10, priced at $7,000,000 each before tax and tariffs (if you’re interested). The mint-green specimen displayed in Vegas under wraps belongs to Apple’s Tim Cook. Even if these carbon-titanium extroverts aren’t your preferred taste, the fact that the 2025 Las Vegas Concours was not only the largest gathering of Paganis ever in North America but also the venue where Horatio Pagani (honored on stage by emcee Justin Bell for his contributions to car design) and his team chose to introduce a new model speaks volumes. More on that later. Returning to the >40 Paganis: that’s more cars than the factory produces in an entire year.
The Lamborghini display was equally mind-blowing for those with a penchant for these particular exotic car brands. First off, the 2025 Wynn Vegas Concours was the largest gathering of Lamborghinis ever. Yes, ever. I didn’t count, but the word on the street was around 230. That’s 230 of the approximately 600 cars present that Saturday. Simply staggering. Of those 230, there was a Veneno Coupe (one of three ever sold to the public; the factory retained a fourth one), a Sesto Elemento (one of 10), a Centenario Coupe (one of 20) and Convertible (one of 20), and a Reventón (one of 21). The last time I saw all those “few-offs” (as Lamborghini now calls them) together in one place was at the factory’s museum. It was a breathtaking display of precious, high-horsepower Italian metal and composite materials.
What Could Possibly Come Next in 2026?
Two recurring conversations permeated the Wynn Las Vegas Concours. The primary question, often posed with a tone of bewilderment, was: “How on earth are they going to top this next year?” I have no idea, but I wish the Wynn the very best of luck. The second, and frankly far more intriguing, query came from the OEM car manufacturers: “Should we even bother doing The Quail next year?” A pertinent question, indeed. Perhaps I should wish The Quail the best of luck, too.
Here are some facts you might not know about The Quail. The entry fee last year was $1,300. That’s $1,300 offered as a courtesy if you’ve attended in the past (“legacy ticket holders,” I believe they call them). For first-time attendees, the price rose to $1,600. While that sounds expensive, it costs OEMs roughly $400,000 to mount a display at the event. And that’s for just six hours. The Vegas Concours charges approximately 1/20th of that. And if you want to attend, tickets are just $100 apiece. That works out to about $2 per Veyron.
I spoke with three different car manufacturers who openly questioned the necessity of ever attending The Quail again. They mused, perhaps Las Vegas and Moda Miami are sufficient? Moreover, for attendees, you won’t be forced to pay heart-attack-inducing hotel rates (a friend stayed at a hotel near Pebble that was $1,100 per night, with a five-night minimum), nor will you spend hours navigating soul-crushing traffic while rushing from
