The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering
Monterey Car Week

The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering returned on Friday, August 15, 2025, at Quail Lodge & Golf Club in Carmel Valley, running 9 a.m.–4 p.m. The field was tightly curated—about 200 automobiles—with culinary pavilions and manufacturer displays framing the day. Featured classes honored Liveries of F1, 30 Years of the Ferrari F50, 60 Years of the Shelby GT350, and 60 Years of the Iso Grifo, alongside the usual era and type groupings. With tickets capped and crowds controlled, the lawns kept a garden-party pace even as debuts and press calls punctuated the program. It’s the most condensed cross-section of the week—rare metal, modern launches, and camera-ready staging.

I entered past a wall-length mural set off to one side—a Mustang leading a row of vintage muscle cars, nose to tail. Inside, I was immediately drawn to Czinger’s 21C hypercar and its chassis exhibit. Seeing the bare structure with suspension, brakes, and cockpit presented together—quoted at about 280 lb—was quite the engineering marvel. From there I crossed an era: a Ferrari 308 GTSi on display, then a trio of Mustangs—a red GT500 convertible flanked by red and white GT500 fastbacks—classic shapes holding their own among debuts. Porsche presence landed softer but just as sharp: a concours-clean 356 Cabriolet and a blue 356 Speedster, both with that just-right stance and brightwork that stop you mid-stride. I closed on a small logistics win—my 992.1 Turbo S, Soul to Squeeze, parked in a blissfully safe slot, door-ding-proof—before looping back to the lawns. Past, present, and what’s next—framed clean and close.

Founded in 2003 by Peninsula Signature Events (with Gordon McCall), The Quail was conceived as an intimate alternative to white-glove concours—limited entries, high-touch hospitality, and walkable classes on a single lawn. The show’s Best of Show winner becomes eligible for the Peninsula Classics Best of the Best award, underscoring the event’s link to global concours culture. Over time, The Quail evolved into a launchpad where legacy marques and boutiques reveal one-offs and new programs, yet the format remains steady: restricted tickets, curated classes, and food pavilions that make the day feel unhurried, even when headlines drop.