Mecum Monterey: Crowds Pack the Room, Returns Stay Measured

Monterey Car Week has drawn to a close, and with it the last tallies of sales and attendance. Mecum’s annual Monterey auction set a record for foot traffic but finished with $45 million in total sales—a solid showing, though hardly a headline figure in the competitive Car Week atmosphere.

Mecum assembled an eclectic mix of 500 cars and 100 motorcycles, blending European exotica with American muscle and prewar rarities. Yet the star of the show was not a car crossing the block at all, but rather the trophy display of a 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO “Bianco Speciale.” The only example built in white, it is set to headline Mecum’s Florida sale in early 2026 and was a magnet for onlookers throughout the weekend.

The top result in Monterey went to a 1969 Lamborghini Miura P400 S finished in pistachio green, which fetched $1.98 million. Close behind were a Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing at $1.65 million and its Roadster sibling at $1.485 million. Among American heavyweights, a Duesenberg Model J and a 1969 Dodge Hemi Daytona tied at $1.32 million, the latter notable for its connection to NASCAR legend Bobby Allison.

Also surpassing the million-dollar mark was a 1973 Porsche 911 Carrera RS Lightweight. By contrast, modern exotics such as the Ferrari SF90 Spider and Porsche 911 S/T lagged behind the classics in both prices achieved and bidder enthusiasm.

On two wheels, the standout was a 1910 Harley-Davidson 6-A Single that sold for $115,500. A 1974 Kawasaki Z1A 900 set a new benchmark at $82,500, underlining the rising collector cachet of Japanese motorcycles.

Mecum was keen to highlight its record attendance, yet in the hard metrics of the auction world, $45 million places the sale firmly in the respectable, rather than spectacular, category. At Pebble Beach and its satellite events, such totals are routine. The message is clear: demand remains healthy, but buyers are increasingly selective, and the biggest money continues to circle only the most iconic names.