The Concours at Wynn Las Vegas: A New Supercar Phenomenon
The term βconcours dβeleganceβ is classically defined as a competition focused on the appearance and styling of vehicles, often involving vintage and collectible automobiles judged for their historical accuracy and presentation. However, as the automotive landscape evolves, so do the events that celebrate it.
For decades, one name has stood above the rest in the rarefied world of high-end automotive gatherings: the Pebble Beach Concours dβElegance. Usually understood to encompass the entire Monterey Car Week, Pebble Beach has long been considered the pinnacle of supercar appreciation, a weekend-long celebration of the worldβs most extraordinary automobiles culminating on Sunday in the most prestigious judging event on Earth.
Yet, the automotive ecosystem is a dynamic entity, and the hierarchy of luxury car shows is constantly being challenged. For years, the question has been: Is the Goodwood Festival of Speed the new king? What about the Goodwood Revival, Amelia Island, Moda Miami, or Retromobile? In the United States, the Audrain concours has been rising rapidly. Every year, the same question is asked in the exclusive circles of car collectors and enthusiasts: Who is the true king of the concours today?
The truth is, Pebble Beach still reigns supreme as the traditional heart of the concours. However, a formidable contender has emerged, poised to challenge its dominance. This challenger is The Quail, a Motorsports Gathering. For a growing segment of the car world, The Quail has already surpassed the traditional Sunday concours. These enthusiasts are primarily interested in cutting-edge production supercars and hypercars. I have lost count of the friends who make the trek to Monterey but depart on Sunday morning, no longer interested in βa bunch of old cars.β
The passing of the Geneva International Auto Show left a gaping void in the annual supercar calendar, a hole that The Quail has filled brilliantly. The Lamborghini Aventador debuted at Geneva in 2011, and the Veneno supercar had its global launch there in 2013. The Aventadorβs successor, the Revuelto, was unveiled online, but the Temerario, the replacement for the HuracΓ‘n, made its public debut at The Quail in 2024. The same holds true for the $7 million Fenomeno, which premiered at the 2025 Quail. Bugatti unveiled the Chiron in Geneva in 2016; however, the Bugatti Divo (2018) and the Mistral (2022) were both premiered to the world at The Quail. This pattern applies to dozens of other significant vehicles. In essence, The Quail has solidified its position as the premier global showcase for this category of high-performance machinery.
Until the end of this past October, I believed The Quailβs status in the global automotive hierarchy was unshakeable. Then I attended the 2025 Las Vegas Concours, officially known as the Concours at Wynn Las Vegas. Now, Iβm not so sure. Itβs important to note that I attended the 2024 Vegas Concours, and while I enjoyed it, it struck me as regional rather than a major international event. The collection of cars was impressive but featured what one might typically expect at a high-end regional gathering. In fact, if it werenβt for a project I was working on with Czinger (which led to my invitation as their guest), I likely wouldnβt have attended this year. But I am incredibly glad I did.
What Is It?
The Concours at Wynn Las Vegas delivered a staggering collection of automotive masterpieces. The grounds were graced by an astonishing 48 Bugatti Veyrons. To put this into perspective, only 450 Bugatti Veyrons were ever produced, and 100 were sold in North America. Of that exclusive production run, 48 Veyrons were gathered in Las Vegas. This number even exceeds the total output of the Veyronβs predecessor, the Bugatti Chiron, which saw a 500-unit production run.
The 2025 Vegas Concours also featured an unprecedented gathering of Paganis, with over 40 examples on display. While I didnβt get a precise countβI was too busy marveling at the Veyronsβthe collection included several Zondas, among them a rare Zonda Revolution (one of only five), dozens of Huayras, numerous Utopias, andβto The Quailβs detrimentβthe premiere of the Huayra Codalunga Speedster. Pagani plans to produce only 10 of these extraordinary machines, priced at $7 million each before taxes and tariffs. (For those interested, the striking mint-green example on display in Vegas, kept under covers, belongs to Apple co-founder Tim Cook.)
Even if these carbon-titanium extroverts aren’t your preferred style, the fact remains that the 2025 Las Vegas Concours was not only the largest gathering of Paganis ever held in North America but also the venue chosen by Horacio Pagani, who was honored onstage by emcee Justin Bell for his contributions to automotive design, to debut a new vehicle. But Iβll come back to that in a moment. Returning to the tally of more than 40 Paganis: This number actually exceeds the total annual production of the Pagani factory.
For enthusiasts of extreme engineering, the Lamborghini section was equally astonishing. The 2025 Wynn Vegas Concours featured the largest collection of Lamborghinis ever assembled. Yes, ever. I didnβt count them, but the estimate I heard was around 230 vehicles. Thatβs 230 out of the 600 cars present that Saturdayβa truly breathtaking sight. Among these 230 Lamborghinis was a Veneno Coupe (one of only three ever sold to the public; the factory retained a fourth), a Sesto Elemento (one of only ten), a Centenario Coupe (one of 20) and its Convertible counterpart (also one of 20), and a ReventΓ³n (one of 21). The last time I witnessed all these limited-production models, which Lamborghini now refers to as βfew-offs,β in the same place was at the factoryβs own museum. It was an absolutely stunning showcase of precious, high-horsepower Italian metal and composites.
To remain somewhat concise, I have omitted the extraordinary displays of Koenigseggs, the Gumpert Apollo, the Czingers, the Nilu, the debut of the McLaren Project Endurance race car, all the cars that were officially judged (including a former, insane Pebble Beach Concours-winning 1929 Mercedes-Benz 680 S Barker Tourer 26/120/180, which also won the best of show award for prewar vehicles at this event), the HWA EVO, a Mercedes-AMG One, two Oldsmobile Aerotechs, and a McLaren F1. Just listing these examples confirms that this was one of the most incredible car shows in history.
What Could Possibly Be Next?
During my conversations with other attendees at the Concours at Wynn Las Vegas, two conversations kept recurring. The first and most obvious question was: βHow on earth are they going to top this next year?β I have no idea, but the Wynn team has my highest respect for the challenge. The second question was even more intriguing, and it came directly from the OEM automakers: βShould we even bother doing The Quail next year?β That is a valid question. Perhaps I should also express my gratitude to The Quail for its remarkable tenure and wish it the best.
Itβs worth noting some facts about The Quail that might not be widely known. A single ticket for last yearβs event cost $1,300. That price was offered as a courtesy to legacy ticket holders, those who had attended in the past. For first-time attendees, the cost was $1,600. While this sounds expensive, it actually costs automakers approximately $400,000 to set up a display stand at The Quail, and thatβs for only six hours. In contrast, the Vegas Concours charges about 1/20 of that amount. Tickets for attendees are just $100 each. That’s roughly $2 per Veyron displayed. I spoke with three different manufacturers who openly questioned the necessity of ever attending The Quail again. They mused that perhaps Las Vegas and Moda Miami are now sufficient. Furthermore, for attendees, you wonβt be paying heart-attack-inducing prices for accommodation (I had a friend stay at a motel near Pebble that was $1,100 a night, with a five-night minimum), nor will you be navigating soul-crushing traffic between events. Additionally, making dinner reservations is straightforward because Las Vegas is literally built to host large gatherings.
While these observations might sound far-fetched, itβs important to remember that just a few years ago, the Geneva International Auto Show was the undisputed center of the supercar world. I cannot predict the future, but I can assure you that the Concours at Wynn Las Vegas is now firmly on my must-attend list. You should definitely add it to yours, too.
The Concours at Wynn Las Vegas: A New Supercar Phenomenon
The term βconcours dβeleganceβ is classically defined as a competition focused on the appearance and styling of vehicles, often involving vintage and collectible automobiles judged for their historical accuracy and presentation. However, as the automotive landscape evolves, so do the events that celebrate it.
For decades, one name has stood above the rest in the rarefied world of high-end automotive gatherings: the Pebble Beach Concours dβElegance. Usually understood to encompass the entire Monterey Car Week, Pebble Beach has long been considered the pinnacle of supercar appreciation, a weekend-long celebration of the worldβs most extraordinary automobiles culminating on Sunday in the most prestigious judging event on Earth.
Yet, the automotive ecosystem is a dynamic entity, and the hierarchy of luxury car shows is constantly being challenged. For years, the question has been: Is the Goodwood Festival of Speed the new king? What about the Goodwood Revival, Amelia Island, Moda Miami, or Retromobile? In the United States, the Audrain concours has been rising rapidly. Every year, the same question is asked in the exclusive circles of car collectors and enthusiasts: Who is the true king of the concours today?
The truth is, Pebble Beach still reigns supreme as the traditional heart of the concours. However, a formidable contender has emerged, poised to challenge its dominance. This challenger is The Quail, a Motorsports Gathering. For a growing segment of the car world, The Quail has already surpassed the traditional Sunday concours. These enthusiasts are primarily interested in cutting-edge production supercars and hypercars. I have lost count of the friends who make the trek to Monterey but depart on Sunday morning, no longer interested in βa bunch of old cars.β
