Mecum Monterey, one of the premier events of Monterey Car Week, is a car show and specialty vehicle auction. It annually features 600 classics, exotics, and historic vehicles, from pre-war luxury to modern supercar collectibles.

Anyone interested in automobiles is welcome. General admission tickets are $30; Bidder registration starts at $100. Many notable cars and motorcycles are displayed. The momentous exhibition is elevated by the host venues, the landmark Del Monte Golf Course and Hyatt Regency Hotel and Spa in Monterey.

Monterey Car Week is a collection of automotive events revolving around the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. The Concours is the pinnacle event of the automotive world. I’ve dreamt of attending the Concours, but have dismissed it as being the exclusive domain of the rich and famous. Tickets range in price from $595 for general admission to $4,500 for VIP entrance.

A taste of the Concours d’Elegance is possible without the great expense. The Tour d’Elegance is a companion event where vehicles exhibited at the Concours are driven on the open road. It’s the Concours d’Elegance in motion.

More than 150 Concours d’Elegance entrants, seeking to showcase the roadworthiness of their automobiles, traverse 17-Mile Drive, and the Pacific Coast Highway (Hwy. 1) South to Big Sur and back to Pebble Beach. It’s a unique opportunity to see and hear the world’s most beautiful automobiles running and driving on one of the country’s most magnificent roadways.

Several locations along the 17-Mile Drive and Hwy. 1 are ideal for free public Tour d’Elegance viewing. But witnessing the event isn’t without challenges. Traffic in the area often comes to a standstill and many roads are closed in preparation for the event. Parking availability is limited and sometimes deters would-be spectators.

Mecum Monterey complements but also contrasts the Concours d’Elegance and Tour d’Elegance. It blends prestigious automotive niche shows with a classic automobile auction, enhanced by a resort golf course setting.

I arrived at the hotel with dozens of other attendees just before 10 a.m. We were smoothly and efficiently directed onto the golf course to park our cars without charge.

I felt guilty driving on the fairways and greens. Golf cart attendants regularly offered transportation to the main entrance, an unexpected level of service. The auction is handicapped guest accessible; Only minimal walking is necessary.

A systematic approach to viewing all the cars isn’t possible. Like a kid in a candy store, my attention was drawn from one breathtaking car to another. My seemingly arbitrary way of viewing the collection was made more eccentric by friends and colleagues who shared my enthusiasm and spotted vehicles of their interests.

I was thrilled by the caliber and diversity of the vehicles and immediately drawn to a bright red Ferrari Enzo positioned beside the main entrance. It sold for $2.86 million.

I then spotted a survivor, a 1953 Chevrolet Corvette, the 173rd of the first 300 Chevrolet Corvettes made. It had 65 miles on the odometer and was part of the Bid Goes On, a second chance auction process.

A 1931 Packard 840 Deluxe Eight Convertible Coupe sold for $79,200; An exquisite 1967 Maserati Ghibli Coupe sold for $115,500.

A palpable buzz drew us toward the mammoth tent where the spectacle of the auction was held. Every vehicle from the static car show outside was rolled into the stadium-sized tent, placed onto the auction block and into the limelight.

The event was televised and the combination of TV cameras, studio lights, the auctioneers’ chants, cheers, applause, horn sounds and engines revving charged the crowd and filled the big tent with energy and excitement.

A sample of the exceptional vehicles presented at Mecum Monterey 2024 included:

* One-of-ten, factory 1969 Ford GT40 Lightweight (sold for $7.865 million);

* One-of-nineteen 1930 Packard 734 Boattail Runabout (sold for $1.375 million);

* Steve McQueen’s 1963 Shelby 289 Cobra Roadster (the bid goes on);

* A 1936 Delahaye Type 135 Competition Court Teardrop Coupe (the bid goes on);

* The first production Corvette L88 (sold for $2.31 million);

* A 1966 Ferrari 275 GTB/6C Alloy Berlinetta (sold for $3.41 million);

* A 1990 Ferrari F40 (sold for $2.53 million).

Mecum Auctions Monterey isn’t just about the ultra-rare and exceedingly valuable. Deals still exist.

On the first day of the three-day event, some decidedly pedestrian cars were auctioned, including a 2001 Oldsmobile Intrigue with only 16,000 miles on the odometer. It was a time capsule and sold for $2,000. I regret not having registered as a bidder. I would have bid on the Oldsmobile. 

Mecum Monterey makes Monterey Car Week accessible and affordable. Tickets can be purchased online or at the entrance. If you attend, strongly consider registering to bid. Another Oldsmobile Intrigue might be rolled across the block.