Porsche Monterey Classic
Monterey Car Week
August 12, 2024
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The Porsche Monterey Classic is where my Monterey Car Week truly starts. On Monday, August 12, 2024, Porsche Monterey in Seaside turned the showroom, service bays, and forecourt into a three-zone display. This year, a house-liveried 917 greeted everyone at the entrance, setting the tone before you even cleared the doors. I moved between the indoor cars and the outside rows, letting late-day light do most of the work—clean reflections on glass, color holding on curved panels. The atmosphere was friendly and unhurried: owners trading context, staff answering questions, and plenty of room to study details. It’s the right first chapter each year—close to the cars, easy to navigate, and a clear read on the week ahead.
I started in the service bays, which felt like a pop-up concours. Along the lifts and workstations sat a string of 356s finished to a very high standard: a coupe, plus two Speedsters—one black, one red—with the red Speedster taking center frame in this gallery. In between spectators, I worked them methodically: stance, wheel/tire fit, interior textures, and the small period cues that tell you how carefully each build was executed. From there, I stepped outside, where the variety spiked. I caught a Carrera RS, a hot-rod 356 Super 90 Speedster, a silver Speedster, and a white 356 coupe—just a slice of what cycled through. The standout was a freshly delivered aquamarine Emory 356 Speedster; the color read deep and consistent. I kept compositions simple—three-quarters for posture, close details for story—because the goal here wasn’t to chase everything, but to show why this stop sets my tempo for the week.
As a recurring Monterey Car Week fixture, the Porsche Monterey Classic has settled into a reliable role: dealer-hosted, open-door, and owner-forward, with just enough curation to feel intentional. It pulls a broad mix—locals who drive these cars year-round, out-of-town entries headed for the larger lawns, and brand partners who know how to make a service bay read like a gallery. That combination is the appeal: museum-grade metal you can walk right up to, alongside drivers that still smell like the road. It’s why I block time here every year. The rest of the week scales up; this chapter keeps it personal and within arm’s reach.
