Dating back to 1950, when the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance® and Pebble Beach Road Races were first held, the automotive-related events on the Monterey Peninsula each August have made this gorgeous coastal area the undisputed global epicenter of car culture. This year, live events are back and span Friday, August 6 to Sunday, August 15.
Sometimes, a barn find yields rare gems, like this 1956 Maserati A6G/54 GranSport coupe, which is expected to bring $2.5-$3.25 million at the Gooding & Company Pebble Beach Auction in mid-August. The car is one of 60 built in the A6G/54 series, and one of four built in this coupe style by Carrozzeria Frua.
The first 1965 Shelby GT350R, a star-studded racing steed with a trophy case of documented history, sold for $3.85m at Mecum’s Indy sale this month. This is just 7 months after the “Bullitt” Mustang movie car sold for a $3.75m, breaking that record. The $3.8m GT350R was one of 36 such cars built for the track. Other GT350R models are hardly cheap dates, with selling prices around the $1m mark.
You don’t need to be a millionaire to buy a car at a Monterey, Scottsdale or Amelia Island auction. There are likely to be plenty of cars in your price range, but there are a few auction do’s and don’ts that you need to know. If cars mean more to you than just transportation, you’ll want to read this interview.