The Concours at Wynn Las Vegas: A New Titan Rises in the World of Supercar Events
For decades, the car world has revolved around a hierarchy of elite automotive gatherings. The Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance has long held the crown as the benchmark for vehicular perfection, a place where the world’s most stunning and historically significant automobiles converge. Yet, as the industry evolves, so too must the definition of automotive excellence. We stand at a fascinating juncture where an event that began as a local spectacle has rapidly transformed into a global powerhouse—a contender not just for the title of the world’s premier supercar show, but possibly the crown itself.
The name that comes to mind when discussing top-tier concours events is often the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, which anchors the world-renowned Monterey Car Week. This iconic Sunday gathering is a moneyed spectacle of the planet’s most exquisite and expensive cars. However, the conversation invariably expands to include a roster of other prestigious events that draw collectors, enthusiasts, and manufacturers from across the globe. Events like The Quail: A Motorsports Gathering, the Goodwood Festival of Speed, the Goodwood Revival, Amelia Island, Moda Miami, Retromobile, and The Audrain all vie for attention.
In this saturated landscape, the central question persists: Can anything unseat Pebble Beach? The truth is, Pebble Beach remains the undisputed king of concours events. But it has a formidable and rapidly advancing challenger for the throne. The Quail, traditionally viewed as the appetizer to Pebble’s main course, has long since surpassed the main event for a burgeoning segment of the automotive world. This growing faction comprises collectors and enthusiasts of late-model and brand-new supercars and hypercars. A significant number of attendees now make the pilgrimage to Monterey solely for The Quail, admitting they have no interest in gazing at “a bunch of old cars.” Furthermore, the demise of the Geneva International Motor Show left a gaping void in the supercar calendar, a void that The Quail has filled remarkably well.
The Lamborghini Aventador made its world debut at Geneva in 2011, and the highly anticipated Veneno arrived in 2013. The Aventador’s replacement, the Revuelto, debuted online, but the Temerario (the Huracán’s successor) was unveiled at The Quail in 2024. Similarly, the multi-million-dollar Fenomeno made its world premiere at the 2025 Quail. Bugatti revealed the Chiron in Geneva in 2016, but the Divo (2018) and Mistral (2022) were both introduced to the world at The Quail. This trend extends to dozens of other models, firmly establishing The Quail as the world’s leading showcase for these types of high-performance machines.
However, until this past Halloween, I considered The Quail’s position as the world leader of supercar events secure. Then I attended the 2025 Las Vegas Concours (officially known as the Concours at Wynn Las Vegas), and I am no longer certain. It is worth noting that I also attended the 2024 Vegas Concours, which I enjoyed but perceived as more of a regional event. While there were some impressive cars, they were mostly the usual suspects. Frankly, I would not have returned this year had I not been working on a project with Czinger, who invited me as their guest. But I am profoundly glad that I did attend.
The Scale and Spectacle of the Concours at Wynn Las Vegas
The 2025 Concours at Wynn Las Vegas transformed the resort’s manicured lawns into a breathtaking spectacle of automotive engineering and artistic design. It was an event that shattered expectations for a show that, just a year prior, was considered regional. Now, it stands poised to rewrite the script for automotive gatherings in the 21st century.
One of the most jaw-dropping statistics that immediately commands attention is the Bugatti presence. The Wynn hosted an astonishing 48 Bugatti Veyrons on the lawn this year. To put this number into perspective, out of the 450 Veyrons ever built and the 100 sold in North America, nearly one-quarter of the total global production were displayed in Las Vegas. This massive turnout included a stunning white Vitesse Super Sport, a tribute to the Veyron’s 20th anniversary. Alongside it sat the Bolide, the Centodieci, the Chiron Super Sport, the Divo, the Mistral, and a scale model of the upcoming Tourbillon, the Veyron’s 18-cylinder hybrid successor. Presenting more than 10 percent of all Bugatti Veyrons ever built in one location remains a feat that still boggles the mind.
The kids—and let’s face it, the adults too—are wild about Paganis, and this show did not disappoint. There were more than 40 Paganis on display, though the exact number wasn’t officially announced (I was mesmerized by the Veyrons at that point). The gathering included several Zondas, notably a rare Zonda Revolution (one of only five ever made), dozens of Huayras, numerous Utopias, and—significantly for The Quail’s status—the debut of the Huayra Codalunga Speedster. Pagani plans to produce only 10 of these highly exclusive machines, each priced at approximately $7 million before taxes and tariffs. The mint-green prototype, which was displayed under covers at the event, belongs to Apple CEO Tim Cook. Even if these extroverted carbon-titanium marvels are not your preference, the fact that the 2025 Las Vegas Concours hosted the largest Pagani gathering in North American history is significant. Even more telling is that Horacio Pagani, who was honored onstage by host Justin Bell for his contributions to car design, chose this event to introduce a new car. More on that later. Regarding the >40 Paganis: This is a larger number of cars than the factory produces in an entire year.
For enthusiasts of hypercars, the Lamborghini display was nothing short of mind-blowing. The 2025 Concours at Wynn Las Vegas hosted the largest gathering of Lamborghinis ever assembled in one place. Yes, ever. While an exact count wasn’t provided, the number circulating was around 230. This impressive number represents roughly 230 of the 600 cars present that Saturday. Simply astounding. Among these 230 Lamborghinis was a Veneno Coupe (one of only three sold to the public, with the factory retaining a fourth), a Sesto Elemento (one of only 10), a Centenario coupe (one of 20) and convertible (one of 20), and a Reventón (one of 21). The last time I witnessed all these special, low-production models (as Lamborghini now refers to them) together in the same location was at the factory’s museum. It was a staggering showcase of precious, high-horsepower Italian automotive engineering.
Attempting to provide a comprehensive list would be an exercise in futility, but it is important to acknowledge the breadth of the show. The exhibition included a remarkable lineup of Koenigseggs, the Gumpert Apollo, vehicles from Czinger, the unique Nilu, the McLaren Project Endurance race car debut, and a selection of cars that were actually judged. Among the judged entries was a former, insane Pebble Beach Concours award-winner: a 1929 Mercedes-Benz 680 S Barker Tourer 26/120/180, which won best of show in the prewar class at this very event. Adding to the incredible diversity were the HWA EVO, a Mercedes-AMG One, two Oldsmobile Aerotechs, and a McLaren F1. To summarize this collection: that is one hell of a car show.
The Future of Automotive Gatherings
Two recurring themes dominated conversations among attendees at the Wynn Vegas Concours. The primary question was: “How on earth are they going to top this next year?” There is no clear answer to that, but we wish the Wynn the best of luck in their endeavor. The second, and frankly far more intriguing, query came from the original equipment manufacturers (OEMs): “Should we even bother attending The Quail next year?”
This is a legitimate question. Perhaps it is time to say farewell to The Quail as well. Let us look at some facts about The Quail. A single ticket cost $1,300 last year for what they call “legacy ticket holders” (previous attendees). For first-time attendees, the price was $1,600. While expensive, it costs OEMs approximately $400,000 to set up a display stand there for just six hours. The Las Vegas Concours, in stark contrast, charges about 1/20th of that amount. If you want to attend the Vegas Concours, tickets are priced at $100 each—about $2 per Bugatti Veyron present at the event. I spoke with three different car manufacturers who openly questioned the need to ever attend The Quail again. Perhaps, they mused, Las Vegas and Moda Miami are now sufficient?
Furthermore, for attendees, the financial burden of accommodations is drastically reduced. You won’t face heart-attack-inducing hotel prices (a friend stayed at a motel near Pebble Beach that cost $1,100 per night, with a minimum five-night stay) or the soul-crushing stress of navigating from one event to another in soul-crushing traffic. Additionally, making dinner reservations is simple,
