This summer marks the 75th Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. What began as a single concours on the lawns of Pebble Beach has inspired the week-long celebration now known as Monterey Car Week, where concours, motorsport, auctions and manufacturer debuts play out against one of California’s most dramatic coastal landscapes.
For Aston Martin, the Monterey Peninsula has become an important stage for celebrating both heritage and innovation, with the 2026 event set to spotlight early 1950s sports cars, period racing icons and the evolution of performance design – underscoring the unique blend of motorsport heritage and elite collector culture that defines Pebble Beach.
At The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering, in 2025, Q by Aston Martin unveiled a trio of open-top models – a Vantage Roadster, DB12 Volante and Vanquish Volante – inspired by the evolving hues of Carmel Bay through the day, from dawn to dusk. The collection marked another significant milestone for the marque: 75 years of Aston Martin in the Americas.
This year, Q by Aston Martin returns to The Quail with another trio of bespoke cars. Where last year’s collection drew inspiration from the colours and landscape of the Monterey Peninsula, the 2026 Pebble Beach commission turns to Aston Martin’s racing heritage.
Three DB12 S Coupes take direct inspiration from Aston Martin Racing Team cars VMF 63, VMF 64 and VMF 65. Built in 1950 for that year’s Le Mans 24 Hours, the three DB2 race cars formed part of the Aston Martin Racing Team in 1951, each distinguished by its own coloured grille, and continued to race with the factory team and in private hands throughout the early 1950s.
The new cars carry the identities of their predecessors through colour: Rosso Red for VMF 63, Speed Yellow for VMF 64 and Ellwood Blue for VMF 65. Each is finished in Carbon Black with painted grille vanes, ’75’ fender roundel graphics and painted carbon fibre side strakes, while a painted carbon fibre Aeroblade and DB2 foil overlay complete the exterior treatment.
Inside, the same colour themes continue through contrast-stitched Aston Martin wings and DB2 silhouette embroidery on the front seatbacks, with ’75’ roundel graphics on the rear seats. A painted start/stop rotary, matching paddle shifter tips and bespoke ’75’ sill plaques referencing the DB2 inspiration complete the specification.
Now in its 23rd year, The Quail expands its programme for 2026 with the debut of An Eve on the Green by The Peninsula, a new opening-night celebration that brings together collector cars, Michelin-starred dining, and live entertainment, while one of its featured classes honours the centenary of Route 66.
Throughout the week, Aston Martin will also host invited guests at the House of Aston Martin, a private retreat adjacent to Poppy Hills Golf Course, where the DB12 S ‘VMF’ collection will be displayed alongside an original DB2, the Vanquish 25 Special Edition, Valhalla and the latest performance-focused ‘S’ models. Guests can also enjoy experiences created with long-standing partners including Breitling, Bollinger and Bowers & Wilkins.
From Carmel Valley, it’s a short drive to Carmel-by-the-Sea, a village that has long been one of California’s most distinctive cultural enclaves. Since the early 20th century, its bohemian spirit has attracted painters, writers, poets, actors and musicians, helping shape a community whose creative character endures today.
That legacy lives on in its independent galleries, boutiques and cafés, as well as an eclectic architectural landscape that ranges from Hugh Comstock’s whimsical storybook cottages, including the celebrated Hansel and Gretel houses, to Robinson Jeffers’ hand-built Tor House and Frank Lloyd Wright’s striking Mrs Clinton Walker House, better known as Cabin on the Rocks, overlooking Carmel Bay.
A fitting base is La Playa Hotel, affectionately known as the Grand Dame of Carmel. Originally built as an artist’s retreat, the historic property has been thoughtfully restored, combining its bohemian heritage with contemporary comforts just a short stroll from both Ocean Avenue and Carmel Beach.
Carmel-by-the-Sea has also established itself as one of California’s standout dining destinations. Reserve a table at Aubergine, the two-Michelin-starred restaurant at L’Auberge Carmel, where Chef Justin Cogley’s ever-changing tasting menu showcases the finest ingredients from Monterey County and California’s Central Coast. For something more relaxed, Chez Noir delivers refined French-inspired cooking through a distinctly Californian lens, making it one of the village’s most sought-after tables.
During Monterey Car Week, Ocean Avenue comes alive as collectors, enthusiasts and manufacturers gather along its tree-lined streets. Among the week’s highlights is Astons on the Avenue on Wednesday 12 August, which will transform the village’s main thoroughfare into an open-air celebration of the marque.
Spanning generations, from rare classics to the latest performance models, it offers one of the best opportunities to experience the marque’s design evolution while supporting the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation through its partnership with the Aston Martin Owners Club.
The drive between Carmel-by-the-Sea and Pebble Beach is reason enough to linger. The 17-Mile Drive winds past windswept cypress trees, secluded coves and sweeping Pacific views before arriving at the famous fairways of Pebble Beach.
The week culminates with the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, where the world’s finest collector cars gather on the famous 18th fairway overlooking the Pacific in pursuit of one of the automotive world’s highest honours. Every car displayed has earned its place through exceptional provenance, meticulous restoration or historical significance, making an invitation to the Pebble Beach lawn one of the most coveted distinctions in the collector-car world.
One of the concours’ most compelling stories was that of a meticulously restored 1935 Aston Martin Mk II Sports Saloon. Hidden away in a Liverpool garage for more than five decades, the car underwent an extraordinary restoration that included forensic paint analysis confirming it as the first Aston Martin finished in metallic green. The restoration earned the Montagu of Beaulieu Trophy for the most significant car of British origin at the 2025 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.
Once the concours lawns have emptied and the crowds begin to disperse, there is one final drive worth making. South of Carmel, Highway 1 traces the rugged Pacific coastline towards Big Sur, where sweeping ocean views, towering redwoods and dramatic cliffs offer a quieter conclusion to Monterey Car Week. It is a road that rewards the journey as much as the destination.
A stop at Nepenthe, perched high above the Pacific, is a Monterey Peninsula rite of passage, whether for a long lunch or a sunset drink overlooking the coastline.
Continue south to Post Ranch Inn, one of California’s most remarkable retreats. Seamlessly integrated into the cliffs above the ocean, its understated architecture, acclaimed Sierra Mar restaurant, and uninterrupted Pacific views make it an ideal place to unwind after Monterey Car Week.
