A New Crown Jewel Emerges: The Concours at Wynn Las Vegas Reshapes the Automotive Landscape
For decades, the world of automotive appreciation has been dominated by icons: the genteel elegance of Pebble Beach, the historic gravity of Goodwood, the timeless allure of Amelia Island. These events have long served as the ultimate benchmarks for judging the finest collector cars, drawing enthusiasts, manufacturers, and historians from every corner of the globe.
But in the relentless march of progress and the ever-evolving tastes of the modern enthusiast, a new challenger has emerged from the desert heat of Las Vegas, rapidly staking its claim as a premier destination for automotive excellence.
The Anatomy of a Modern Concours
The traditional definition of a concours d’elegance is straightforward: “a show or contest of vehicles and accessories in which the entries are judged chiefly on excellence of appearance and turnout.”
Within the high-stakes world of luxury automobiles, this concept is frequently tested. When elite collectors and industry insiders gather to celebrate the pinnacle of automotive design and engineering, the inevitable question arises: Which event reigns supreme? Is the legendary Pebble Beach still the undisputed champion? How does the iconic Goodwood Festival of Speed stack up? What about the historical gravitas of the Goodwood Revival, the sophisticated allure of Amelia Island, or the international flavor of Moda Miami and Retromobile?
Every year, as discerning crowds converge to admire blue-chip automobiles, the same conversation happens: “Is Pebble Beach still the best?”
The honest truth is that Pebble Beach remains a titan. However, the most compelling challenger to its throne is no longer its traditional rival, The Quail: A Motorsports Gathering. The Quail has long been considered the essential prelude to the main event on Sunday. For a significant and expanding segment of the car world, The Quail has already surpassed Pebble Beach. These enthusiasts are often focused on the latest models and cutting-edge hypercars.
I’ve lost count of the car friends who travel to Monterey Car Week but skip Sunday’s proceedings because they have zero interest in “old cars.” The tragic decline of the Geneva International Auto Show left a massive void in the modern supercar calendar, a gap that The Quail has filled remarkably well.
For instance, the Lamborghini Aventador made its world premiere in Geneva back in 2011, followed by the eye-watering $4 million Veneno in 2013. Lamborghini’s next flagship, the Revuelto, debuted with an online unveiling, but the Temerario, the successor to the Huracán, made its first public appearance at The Quail in 2024. The same applies to the Fenomeno, the seven-figure limited edition that premiered at the 2025 Quail. Bugatti unveiled the Chiron in Geneva in 2016, but its successors, the Divo (2018) and Mistral (2022), were both debuted at The Quail. This trend extends to dozens of other manufacturers.
In essence, The Quail had cemented its reputation as the best venue for these types of machines.
The Las Vegas Upset: A Bold New Contender
Until a few months ago, I believed The Quail’s position in the global automotive hierarchy was unshakeable. Then I attended the 2025 Las Vegas Concours, officially known as Concours at Wynn Las Vegas. Now, I’m not so sure.
I must admit, I also attended the 2024 Vegas Concours. While I had a good time, it struck me as a bit provincial. There were some impressive cars, but they were mostly the usual suspects. In fact, if I hadn’t been working on a project with Czinger, who invited me as their guest, I might not have bothered going this year. But I’m incredibly glad I did.
The 2025 event was something else entirely. The Wynn hotel grounds were transformed into a stage showcasing some of the most exclusive and desirable cars on the planet. The scale of the event was staggering, far beyond anything I had expected.
An Unprecedented Collection of Automotive Icons
Walking through the concours, I was blown away by the sheer number and variety of vehicles. The organizers had clearly set their sights high, and they delivered in spectacular fashion.
The Bugatti Extravaganza
The Bugatti Veyron section alone was worth the trip. The Wynn showcased a jaw-dropping 48 Bugatti Veyrons on the lawn. Yes, you read that correctly. Out of the 450 Veyrons ever produced and the 100 sold in North America, 48 were present in Las Vegas.
That number climbs to 49 when you include the white Vitesse Super Sport Bugatti brought along to celebrate the Veyron’s 20th anniversary. Along with it, they displayed a Bolide, a Centodieci, a Chiron Super Sport, a Divo, a Mistral, and a scale model of the upcoming Tourbillon, the revolutionary 18-cylinder hybrid set to replace the Chiron. Simply displaying more than 10% of all the Bugatti Veyrons ever built in one place left my head spinning.
The Pagani Phenomenon
And for those who prefer Italian flair, the Pagani presence was equally stunning. I didn’t get the exact count (I was too busy admiring the Veyrons), but there were well over 40 Paganis in attendance.
The lineup included several Zondas, notably a Zonda Revolution (one of only five ever made), dozens of Huayras, a bevy of Utopias, and—perhaps most concerning for The Quail—the official debut of the Huayra Codalunga Speedster. Pagani plans to produce only 10 of these, with each fetching a cool $7 million before taxes and tariffs. (The mint green one displayed under the cover was reportedly owned by Apple’s Tim Cook.)
Even if these carbo-titanium extroverts aren’t your preferred aesthetic, the significance of the event is undeniable. Not only was the 2025 Las Vegas Concours the largest gathering of Paganis ever to occur in North America, but the renowned Horatio Pagani himself—who was honored onstage by host Justin Bell for his contributions to automotive design—and his team chose this venue to introduce a new model. This speaks volumes about the growing prestige of the Vegas event.
With more than 40 Paganis on display, the collection represented a volume of cars larger than what the factory produces in a full year.
The Lamborghini Legacy
The Lamborghini section was just as mind-blowing if you appreciate these kinds of machines. First off, the 2025 Wynn Vegas Concours hosted the largest gathering of Lamborghinis in history. Yes, ever. Again, I didn’t count, but the prevailing estimate was around 230 cars. That’s 230 of the 600 total vehicles present that Saturday. Simply staggering.
Of those 230 Lamborghinis, the collection included a Veneno Coupe (one of only three publicly sold; the factory kept 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 its limited editions) assembled in one place was at the factory’s museum. It was a breathtaking display of rare, high-horsepower Italian metal and composite materials.
A Snapshot of the Extravaganza
To maintain brevity, I’m intentionally leaving out many of the other highlights. This includes the impressive Koenigseggs, the Gumpert Apollo, the Czingers, the Nilu, the debut of the McLaren Project Endurance race car, all the vehicles actually being judged (including a former and insane Pebble Beach Concours-winning 1929 Mercedes-Benz 680 S Barker Tourer that won Best of Show in the pre-war class), the HWA EVO, a Mercedes-AMG One, two Oldsmobile Aerotechs, and a McLaren F1.
If that lineup doesn’t impress you, it’s likely because you’re not into these sorts of cars. But for those of us who are, this was one hell of a car show.
What Could Possibly Be Next?
Two recurring threads of conversation kept surfacing as I mingled with fellow attendees at the Wynn Vegas Concours.
The first, most obvious question was: “How in the world are they going to top this next year?” I have no idea, but I wish the Wynn the best of luck.
The second, and frankly far more intriguing, query came from the OEM carmakers: “Should we even bother attending The Quail next year?”
It’s a valid question. Perhaps I should offer a similar godspeed to The Quail as well.
The Price of Prestige
Let me share a few things you might not know about The Quail. A single ticket last year cost $1,300. That’s a courtesy price for legacy ticket holders. For first-time attendees, the cost was $1,600.
Yes, those are exorbitant prices. But OEMs pay around $400,000 to put a car on a stand there—and that
A New Crown Jewel Emerges: The Concours at Wynn Las Vegas Reshapes the Automotive Landscape
For decades, the world of automotive appreciation has been dominated by icons: the genteel elegance of Pebble Beach, the historic gravity of Goodwood, the timeless allure of Amelia Island. These events have long served as the ultimate benchmarks for judging the finest collector cars, drawing enthusiasts, manufacturers, and historians from every corner of the globe.
But in the relentless march of progress and the ever-evolving tastes of the modern enthusiast, a new challenger has emerged from the desert heat of Las Vegas, rapidly staking its claim as a premier destination for automotive excellence.
The Anatomy of a Modern Concours
The traditional definition of a concours d’elegance is straightforward: “a show or contest of vehicles and accessories in which the entries are judged chiefly on excellence of appearance and turnout.”
Within the high-stakes world of luxury automobiles, this concept is frequently tested. When elite collectors and industry insiders gather to celebrate the pinnacle of automotive design and engineering, the inevitable question arises: Which event reigns supreme? Is the legendary Pebble Beach still the undisputed champion? How does the iconic Goodwood Festival of Speed stack up? What about the historical gravitas of the Goodwood Revival, the sophisticated allure of Amelia Island, or the international flavor of Moda Miami and Retromobile?
Every year, as discerning crowds converge to admire blue-chip automobiles, the same conversation happens: “Is Pebble Beach still the best?”
The honest truth is that Pebble Beach remains a titan. However, the most compelling challenger to its throne is no longer its traditional rival, The Quail: A Motorsports Gathering. The Quail has long been considered the essential prelude to the main event on Sunday. For a significant and expanding segment of the car world, The Quail has already surpassed Pebble Beach. These enthusiasts are often focused on the latest models and cutting-edge hypercars.
I’ve lost count of the car friends who travel to Monterey Car Week but skip Sunday’s proceedings because they have zero interest in “old cars.” The tragic decline of the Geneva International Auto Show left a massive void in the modern supercar calendar, a gap that The Quail has filled remarkably well.
For instance, the Lamborghini Aventador made its world premiere in Geneva back in 2011, followed by the eye-watering $4 million Veneno in 2013. Lamborghini’s next flagship, the Revuelto, debuted with an online unveiling, but the Temerario, the successor to the Huracán, made its first public appearance at The Quail in 2024. The same applies to the Fenomeno, the seven-figure limited edition that premiered at the 2025 Quail. Bugatti unveiled the Chiron in Geneva in 2016, but its successors, the Divo (2018) and Mistral (2022), were both debuted at The Quail. This trend extends to dozens of other manufacturers.
In essence, The Quail had cemented its reputation as the best venue for these types of machines.
The Las Vegas Upset: A Bold New Contender
Until a few months ago, I believed The Quail’s position in the global automotive hierarchy was unshakeable. Then I attended the 2025 Las Vegas Concours, officially known as Concours at Wynn Las Vegas. Now, I’m not so sure.
