Inside The Quail: Monterey Car Week’s Most Elite Spectacle
What’s the freedom tariff on a European hypercar, you ask? We have no idea. We dwell several tax brackets below the people who do. But recently, we found ourselves in a place where such matters are discussed over morning champagne and caviar. Yes, we’re talking about The Quail—Monterey Car Week’s pinky-in-the-air, caviar-on-carbon-fiber, mostly-invite-only extravaganza, officially known as The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering.
Now, full disclosure, we weren’t exactly welcomed by the influencer elite with open arms and Louis Vuitton gift bags. But thanks to a great and generous friend of our website, we managed to bluff our way past the heavily guarded gates, sporting our finest imposter wear, and tried to hide that we were impressed. Best to blend in and pretend that we do this every day…right?
The thing is—Quail does stand apart. Yes, it’s a garden party for people who believe subtlety is for accountants, but it’s also become thee place for auto manufacturers to roll out their newest hyper-hulks, carbon-clad dream machines, and one-off coachbuilt creations you’ll never see on an actual road. And while it’s easy to mock the spectacle, the truth is... it’s extremely entertaining.
There’s a certain smell to The Quail. A heady mix of vintage leather, artisanal sunscreen, and 9am champagne. Everywhere you look, there’s carbon fiber shaped like art, machined titanium bits valued at more than most commuter cars, and people named Sebastian nodding knowingly about torque curves they don’t actually understand.
At around 10am, we overheard two British-sounding gentlemen, now two drinks deep into their morning, discussing how they were going to pace themselves for the rest of the festivities…good luck chaps.
Take a few steps into the Quail and you’re suddenly face to face with something like the latest Bugatti, painted in a colour called “Emperor’s Regret.” It has 1,800 horsepower, four turbos, and enough torque to restart a dead planet. Will it ever see a traffic light? No. Will it ever need to? Also no. Because that’s not the point. The point is to show up, park next to a sculpture made entirely of foie gras and gold leaf, and tell people you might buy one—if the dealer throws in a matching yacht (only slight exaggeration).
But Quail isn’t just about the new. No, it’s also a place where the old guard arrives to remind everyone what real taste used to look like. A testament of never having to worry about parking tickets.
Look over there…. a woman carrying a dog dressed better than us.
Hiding in the corner
The million dollar Aston Martin Valhalla.
Now, did we belong there? Absolutely not. Were we going to leave? Also, absolutely not. Because Quail, for all its pomp and peacocking, remains one of the few places on Earth where the absurdity of the automobile is celebrated without shame. As we have previously reported, if you can’t afford to enter The Quail, the parking lots alone rival or eclipse just about any other non-carweek show on planet earth.
But even amid the champagne and Rolexes, the cars managed to steal the show. Seventeen Ferrari F50s—yes, seventeen—lined up to celebrate the model’s 30th anniversary. Lamborghini, not to be outdone, arrived with the Fenomeno, a 1,065-horsepower V12 hybrid that will bring all the boys to the yard. Gordon Murray Automotive reappeared with the S1 LM, a spiritual sequel to the fabled F1 LM, complete with central driving position and Cosworth V12 soundtrack.
Then came the one-offs and eyebrow-raisers. Bugatti unveiled the Brouillard, a coupe version of the Chiron that also marks the start of their bespoke division. Price? Think house-in-Bel-Air-expensive. Hennessey showed off its Venom F5 Revolution F, a 2,031-horsepower monster with a manual gearbox, just to remind everyone that Texas still does unhinged better than anyone. Cadillac brought out the Elevated Velocity Concept—a luxury SUV from the future that looked more like a feature from a Star Wars movie than a car.
Even the restomods brought the thunder. Singer, RUF, Totem Automobili, Eccentrica were on hand, blowing minds. Gunther Werks were on hand with reimagined Porsche 911s that blend vintage soul with surgical precision. And for the electric crowd, Rivian rolled out a Pebble Beach Edition R1S in bespoke coastal colors like “Monterey Silver” and “Laguna Blue,” as if the sea itself requested a ride.
The Quail is a strange beast. Part business meeting, part “look how rich I am” parade, and part museum of why we’re all hopelessly addicted to cars. It’s amazeballs. And completely ridiculous. One moment you’re marveling at a hand-built V12 that sounds like Zeus clearing his throat, the next you’re wondering if you’ve accidentally wandered into a yacht convention that minus the boats.
And yes, it’s expensive. Eye-wateringly so. If you haven’t got the cash or the connections to imposter your way in — don’t despair. As mentioned above, the parking lots, oddly enough, are often just as good. Linger until the end, watch the cars roll out, and you’ll get most of the show without selling a kidney or pretending you like caviar.
No matter how much we are bowled over or frustrated with the difficulty of getting into the Quail, after numerous years of trying to get into the event (and plenty of denials), we always seem to come back to the same basic conclusion and consideration. Similar to the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance (which at $595 is less than half the sticker price of a Quail ticket) is one you should put on your bucket list. Is it worth over a grand to get into this event? That’s debatable, and frankly, we don’t think there’s a ticket for any automotive event that’s worth that much coin for the average person (but the unlimited gourmet food and booze and free swag absolutely help)
But if you manage to get your hands on the proverbial golden ticket to the Quail, we guarantee that a walk through the Quail’s impressive security situation guarantees that you’re about to see, smell, hear, and taste one of the most ridiculously impressive automotive happenings that the earth has to offer.
