The Concours at Wynn Las Vegas: Pebble’s Heir Apparent or Just a Glittering Distraction?
Spend enough time in the rarefied air of automotive excellence, and you’ll inevitably face the question: “Is this show better than Pebble Beach?” For decades, the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance—and by extension, the sprawling Monterey Car Week—has stood unrivaled, a decadent display of mechanical artistry that culminates on Sunday with the purest expression of concours competition. But as the automotive landscape morphs and the definition of “supercar” expands, the contenders multiply.
The Goodwood Festival of Speed? The Goodwood Revival? Amelia Island? Moda Miami? Retromobile? The Audrain? Yes, wherever collectors, designers, and enthusiasts with deep pockets gather to marvel at rolling sculptures, the comparison is inevitable. The answer, historically, has been clear: Pebble Beach reigns supreme.
But there’s a shift happening in the rarified atmosphere of the collector car world. A new contender, glinting under the desert sun, has emerged with the force of a sandstorm.
The Quail: A Motorsports Gathering has long served as the exquisite appetizer to Pebble’s main course. For a growing segment of the enthusiast population, however, The Quail has already surpassed the Sunday proceedings. These enthusiasts gravitate toward the latest marvels of modern engineering—brand-new supercars and hypercars. I have lost count of how many friends make the pilgrimage to Car Week only to depart before Sunday, uninterested in “a bunch of old cars.”
Eric collapsed after Logan’s attack, suffering a life-threatening stroke The Bold and The Beautiful
The Concours at Wynn Las Vegas: Pebble’s Heir Apparent or Just a Glittering Distraction?
Spend enough time in the rarefied air of automotive excellence, and you’ll inevitably face the question: “Is this show better than Pebble Beach?” For decades, the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance—and by extension, the sprawling Monterey Car Week—has stood unrivaled, a decadent display of mechanical artistry that culminates on Sunday with the purest expression of concours competition. But as the automotive landscape morphs and the definition of “supercar” expands, the contenders multiply.
The Goodwood Festival of Speed? The Goodwood Revival? Amelia Island? Moda Miami? Retromobile? The Audrain? Yes, wherever collectors, designers, and enthusiasts with deep pockets gather to marvel at rolling sculptures, the comparison is inevitable. The answer, historically, has been clear: Pebble Beach reigns supreme.
But there’s a shift happening in the rarified atmosphere of the collector car world. A new contender, glinting under the desert sun, has emerged with the force of a sandstorm.
The Quail: A Motorsports Gathering has long served as the exquisite appetizer to Pebble’s main course. For a growing segment of the enthusiast population, however, The Quail has already surpassed the Sunday proceedings. These enthusiasts gravitate toward the latest marvels of modern engineering—brand-new supercars and hypercars. I have lost count of how many friends make the pilgrimage to Car Week only to depart before Sunday, uninterested in “a bunch of old cars.”
The demise of the Geneva International Auto Show left a seismic void in the supercar calendar, a void The Quail has filled with remarkable efficacy. Consider the Lamborghini Aventador’s debut in 2011, followed by the $4.7 million Veneno in 2013. The Aventador’s successor, the Revuelto, arrived via a digital reveal, but the Temerario—the Huracán’s heir—was unveiled to the world at The Quail in 2024. The same holds true for the seven-figure Fenomeno, which debuted at the 2025 Quail. Bugatti launched the Chiron in Geneva in 2016, but both the Divo (2018) and Mistral (2022) were first shown to the public at The Quail. The list extends to dozens of other marques.
In essence, The Quail has cemented its position as the premier showcase for these contemporary titans of engineering and design. But until last Halloween, I assumed its dominance was secure. Then I attended the 2025 Concours at Wynn Las Vegas, and now, I am not so sure.
To be fair, I attended the 2024 event and, while I had a pleasant time, it felt regional, if not provincial. There were some appealing cars, but they were largely the usual suspects. In fact, had I not been working with Czinger and attending as their guest, I probably would have skipped this year. But I am undeniably glad I went.
What Is The Concours at Wynn Las Vegas?
The standard definition of “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.” However, the Concours at Wynn Las Vegas operates on a different plane entirely.
The Wynn presented 48 Bugatti Veyrons on the lawn this year. You read that correctly. Of the 450 total Veyrons ever produced, and the mere 100 sold in North America, 48 were gathered in Las Vegas. Well, 49, as Bugatti also displayed a breathtaking white Vitesse Super Sport to commemorate the Veyron’s 20th anniversary—alongside a Bolide, Centodieci, Chiron Super Sport, Divo, Mistral, and a model of the forthcoming 18-cylinder hybrid Tourbillon, the Chiron’s successor. To assemble, in one place, more than 10% of all Bugatti Veyrons ever built is an achievement that leaves one reeling.
The younger generation favors Paganis, right? Because there were more than 40 of those, too. I didn’t get the exact count—I was too mesmerized by the Veyrons—but there were several Zondas, including a rare Zonda Revolution (one of only five), dozens of Huayras, a multitude of Utopias, and—worrying for The Quail—the debut of the Huayra Codalunga Speedster. Pagani plans to produce only 10 of these at a price of approximately $7 million before taxes and tariffs. (The mint green specimen seen in Vegas, kept under wraps, belongs to Apple’s Tim Cook.)
Even if these carbo-titanium extroverts aren’t your cup of tea, the significance of the 2025 Las Vegas Concours cannot be overstated. It was not only the largest Pagani gathering ever held in North America, but Horatio Pagani himself—honored onstage by emcee Justin Bell for his groundbreaking contributions to automotive design—and his team chose this event to unveil a new vehicle.
More on that later. Back to the 40+ Paganis: that number alone surpasses the total number of cars the factory produces in a year.
The Lamborghini display was equally mind-bending for those enamored with these Italian masterpieces. The 2025 Wynn Vegas Concours hosted the largest gathering of Lamborghinis ever. Yes, ever. I didn’t perform an official count, but the estimate circulating was around 230 vehicles. That represents 230 of the roughly 600 cars present that Saturday. It is simply staggering.
Of those 230, attendees witnessed a Veneno Coupe (one of only three sold to the public; the factory retained a fourth), a Sesto Elemento (one of ten), a Centenario coupe (one of twenty) and convertible (one of twenty), and a Reventón (one of twenty-one). The last time I saw all these “few-offs” (as Lamborghini now refers to them) assembled in one location was at the Lamborghini Museum. It was a flabbergasting panorama of precious, high-horsepower Italian metal and composite materials.
The Unforgettable Rolls-Royce Showcase
Beyond the high-octane excitement of modern hypercars, the 2025 Las Vegas Concours delivered an exceptional tribute to Rolls-Royce, arguably the most prestigious automotive marque in the world. While a complete inventory is almost impossible, the sheer number and quality of the Rolls-Royce models present were breathtaking.
The gathering included a significant number of Coachbuild vehicles, the ultra-exclusive, hand-built masterpieces that Rolls-Royce produces for its most discerning clients. These cars are the pinnacle of luxury, often exceeding $20 million each. To see several of these bespoke creations in one place is an extraordinary sight. One could admire the latest creation to roll out of the Goodwood workshops alongside rarities from the 1920s and 1930s, showcasing the marque’s timeless evolution.
The Phantom section was equally impressive. From vintage models that defined the dawn of automotive luxury to the modern Phantom Series II, the collection offered a comprehensive look at Rolls-Royce’s flagship sedan lineage. These vehicles are not merely cars; they are statements of power, refinement, and unparalleled status.
What made the Rolls-Royce display truly spectacular was the historical scope. The Wynn curated a selection that spanned nearly the entire history of the marque. There were examples of the Silver Dawn, the Silver Wraith, the Silver Ghost, and various iterations of the Silver Cloud and Silver Shadow. Seeing these iconic models lined up alongside modern creations like the Cullinan, the Ghost, and the Wraith created a stunning visual narrative of automotive history.
One particularly noteworthy centerpiece was a rare 1931 Rolls-Royce Phantom II Continental Boattail Tourer. These Continental models are among the most sought-after and valuable cars in the world, often featuring custom coachwork by some of the most famous design houses of the era. This particular vehicle, with its dramatic boat-tail rear and rakish stance, embodied the pinnacle of pre-war luxury and sporting elegance.
Modern Marvels and Historic Legends
To attempt a comprehensive catalog of the vehicles present would result in a book, not an article. However, to give you a sense of the scale, I must leave out dozens of noteworthy automobiles. Among the highlights were the Koenigsegg Hypercars, the formidable Gumpert Apollo, the Czingers, and the Nilu. There was also a debut of the McLaren Project Endurance race car, a cutting-edge prototype that pushed the boundaries of automotive design and technology.
For those with an eye for judged classics, the event featured several truly exceptional cars. These included a former and absolutely insane Pebble Beach Concours-winning 1929 Mercedes-Benz 680 S Barker Tourer 26/120/180, which secured the Pre-War Best of Show award. The list continued with the HWA EVO, a Mercedes-AMG One, two Oldsmobile Aerotechs, and a McLaren F1. The sheer audacity of assembling such a diverse collection of modern hypercars and historic legends in one place is testament to the ambition of the Concours at Wynn Las Vegas.
The Elephant in the Room: Future Contenders
Two lines of conversation kept resurfacing when I spoke with fellow attendees at the Wynn Vegas Concours. The first was the most obvious question: “How on Earth are they going to top this next year?” I have no idea, but godspeed to the Wynn