The world-renowned Monterey Car Week set a record of $755.6 million in auction sales, including the most expensive American and British cars ever sold, Hagerty, a major partner and event host, said on Aug. 17.
“A handful of extraordinary, nearly irreplaceable cars carried enormous sums that pulled the total skyward, while a broad swath of more common offerings quietly underperformed,” Hagerty said in a news release.
This year beat the previous sales record from 2022 by around $284 million with the help of a 1964 Shelby Cobra Daytona that sold for $42.9 million and a 1996 McLaren F1 GTR that sold for $34.7 million, record-breaking prices for American and British cars, respectively.
A 1963 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport was auctioned for $18.7 million, a record for a Corvette, and a 1935 Duesenberg Model JN sold for $9.1 million, leading the prewar car category at this year’s auction.
Ferraris made up seven of the 10 most expensive sales during the 10-day event.
This included a 2026 Luce Tailor Made Sedan selling for $40 million, a 288 GTO selling for a record $11.6 million, an F40 selling for a record $8.4 million, and an F50 selling for a record $14.6 million.
“Modern low-production Ferraris—particularly those with halo status among the marque’s most devoted collectors—commanded prices that would have seemed implausible just a few years ago,” Hagerty stated. “For serious Ferrari enthusiasts, owning one of these cars … signals commitment to the brand and strengthens an owner’s position when Ferrari allocates its next ultra-exclusive model.”
Of the 1,124 cars that were auctioned, 853 sold, a 76 percent sell-through rate, while the average sale price was approximately $888,000.
RM Sotheby’s in Monterey led the five auctions with $376.1 million in sales, followed by Gooding Christie’s in Pebble Beach with $158.8 million in sales.
Taking place from Aug. 7 to 16 on the Monterey Peninsula on California’s central coast, the automobile celebration featured more than 35 events, including races, auctions, and shows.
“Monterey Car Week is the global epicenter of car culture, generating economic vitality and community prosperity that reach far beyond the events themselves,” said Rob O’Keefe, president and CEO of See Monterey, a nonprofit that supports tourism in the county.
The organization said Car Week draws more than 100,000 attendees every year, with visitors spending more than $130 million in the peninsula’s tourism industry.
A handful of new events took place this year, including a Japanese domestic market car show at Weathertech Raceway Laguna Seca, Apex Motorcar Portraits in Pacific Grove, and gala called An Eve on the Green at The Quail.
Every car week builds toward the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, a tradition that started in 1950 and took place on Aug. 15 this year.
