More than 250 collectors gather in Marbella for one of southern Europe’s most exclusive car events

Marbella is becoming a meeting point for some of the world’s leading car collectors over four days. The second edition of the Concurso de Elegancia Costa del Sol brings together more than 250 owners and enthusiasts from Europe, the United States and the Middle East between 1 and 4 October 2026.

The event combines automotive design, heritage, engineering and driving experiences across different locations on the Costa del Sol.

The selected vehicles range from pre-war classics to sports cars from the 1980s and 1990s, racing cars, restomods and some of today’s most exclusive hypercars.

The event is promoted by CAVËN and enters this new stage under the leadership of the Piëch family, closely linked to the history of the European automotive industry.

From 1 to 4 October in Marbella and the Costa del Sol

The Concurso de Elegancia Costa del Sol celebrates its second edition this year with a four-day programme.

Marbella acts as the main base for the event, although some of the experiences take participants to other locations in the surrounding area.

The event began on Thursday 1 October and continues until Sunday 4, when the final programme and awards ceremony will take place.

This is not a conventional large-scale exhibition open to the general public.

The organisers present it as a private, invitation-based experience aimed mainly at owners, collectors, automotive professionals and guests connected to the event.

More than 250 collectors from Europe, the US and the Middle East

One of the defining features of this edition is its international profile.

The organisers expect to welcome more than 250 collectors from Europe, the United States and the Middle East.

For several days, Marbella becomes a showcase for a highly specialised part of the automotive world: owners of historic cars, limited editions, competition vehicles and extremely rare production models.

The event aims to strengthen its position within the European concours calendar, where cars are judged not only on performance but also on history, design, preservation, rarity and their importance within the automotive industry.

From historic classics to modern hypercars

The selection covers several generations of automotive history.

Participating cars are divided into different categories, making it possible to compare vehicles from very different periods and with very different philosophies.

These include Hypercars, bringing together some of the highest-performance cars produced since the beginning of the 21st century.

There is also a category for Restomods, classic cars that retain much of their original appearance while incorporating modern engineering, technology or materials.

They are joined by Vintage Supercars, focused particularly on sports cars from the 1980s and 1990s.

Cars built before the Second World War

Historic vehicles also play an important role in the competition.

The Pre-War Classics category brings together cars produced between 1900 and 1939, representing some of the earliest major periods in automotive development.

The Post-War Classics category, meanwhile, covers vehicles built between 1945 and 1979.

These decades produced many of the sports cars, grand tourers and luxury vehicles that would later become important collectors’ items.

Racing cars have their own category

Motorsport also forms part of the event.

The Motorsport category is dedicated to competition cars whose value comes not only from their engineering but also from their racing history.

The concours therefore brings together vehicles created for very different purposes: from luxurious grand tourers designed for long-distance travel to machines developed specifically for racing.

All compete for awards within their respective categories and for the event’s main prize.

Best of Concours, the top award

One car is ultimately chosen to receive the Best of Concours, the highest distinction at the event.

Awards of this type carry particular importance in the collector car world.

The most valuable or expensive car does not automatically win. Preservation, originality, historical importance, design, restoration quality and rarity can all influence the final decision.

At the previous edition, one of the standout cars was the Bugatti Chiron Profilée, a unique model that received the event’s top award.

Bugatti returns as one of the leading brands

French manufacturer Bugatti returns in 2026 as the event’s Main Partner.

Its presence is particularly relevant given the type of cars selected for the concours.

The organisers have announced special creations and unique one-off models, a term used for cars of which only a single example exists in a particular specification.

Cars of this kind occupy one of the most exclusive areas of the international collector market.

Their appeal is based not only on performance, but also on limited production, personalisation and their importance within the history of the manufacturer.

An international panel of judges

The participating cars are assessed by a large group of specialists from the worlds of design, restoration, private collections and major international concours events.

Among those announced is Fabrizio Giugiaro, a member of one of the most influential families in Italian automotive design and historically linked to Italdesign.

Also taking part is Carlo Bonzanigo, a designer with a long career associated with companies such as Pininfarina.

The judging panel also includes specialists connected to some of the world’s best-known car museums and concours events.

Representatives from Pebble Beach and Ferrari Classiche

Among the experts announced is Vince Finaldi, president of the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.

Held in California, Pebble Beach is considered one of the major international references in the concours world.

Also participating is Ken Gross, former director of the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles, one of the best-known automotive institutions in the United States.

The manufacturer side is also represented by specialists linked to Ferrari Classiche, Ferrari’s department dedicated to the certification, restoration and preservation of historic models.

Much more than a static car exhibition

The Concurso de Elegancia Costa del Sol also aims to stand out through a programme in which cars are not simply displayed.

Over the four days, different experiences are organised around driving, gastronomy and the lifestyle associated with collecting.

One of the main activities is a private session at Ascari Circuit, near Ronda.

The track allows some of the cars to move beyond the traditional display format and be seen in motion in an environment specifically designed for performance driving.

A private day at Ascari Circuit

Ascari has established itself as one of the most exclusive automotive venues in Málaga province.

Its circuit combines different types of corners and elevation changes within a private complex designed around driving experiences.

The Concurso de Elegancia programme includes a private track day where selected participants can take their cars onto the circuit.

This is one of the features that differentiates the Costa del Sol event from concours where vehicles remain almost entirely static for judging.

In Marbella, the cars are presented as collector pieces, but part of the programme also allows them to be experienced in motion.

Gibraltar Airport becomes a performance venue

One of the biggest new additions for 2026 takes the event outside Málaga province.

The programme includes a performance experience on the runway at Gibraltar Airport.

The session allows this unusual space to be used temporarily for an activity involving selected participating cars.

For the organisers, it provides a setting rarely associated with international collector car events.

Combining Marbella, Ascari Circuit and Gibraltar also turns the programme into something broader than a single-location exhibition.

Automotive design, engineering and history

Concours events have evolved considerably over recent decades.

Classic cars remain central, but these gatherings increasingly include modern vehicles that are considered collectible from the moment they are built.

This is particularly true of certain hypercars and special editions produced in extremely limited numbers.

The Concurso de Elegancia Costa del Sol combines both worlds.

A car built almost a century ago can share the same event with one of the most technologically advanced vehicles available today.

Marbella aims to strengthen its place on the international car calendar

One of the organisers’ objectives is to make the Costa del Sol event a recognisable fixture within the international concours calendar.

Marbella offers several characteristics that suit this type of event: a strong luxury hotel sector, international transport connections, gastronomy, golf and a large number of residents and visitors with high purchasing power.

Collector cars add another dimension to that profile.

For several days, owners and specialists who often meet at events in the United States, Italy, the United Kingdom or France also gather on the Costa del Sol.

Building on the 2025 edition

The previous edition marked the beginning of a new stage for the event under CAVËN.

In 2025, more than 170 cars took part, with activities held in different locations across Marbella, Mijas and Málaga.

That programme already included a hypercar day at Ascari and ended with the Bugatti Chiron Profilée being named the best car of the concours.

The 2026 edition aims to increase the event’s international reach with a larger number of collectors and new experiences.

An event linked to high-end tourism

The impact of an event like this goes beyond the automotive sector.

The arrival of collectors, owners, guests and international professionals over several days generates activity for hotels, restaurants, private transport companies and other tourism-related services.

This fits with Marbella’s strategy of attracting visitors through high-value experiences at different times of the year.

Collector cars therefore become another part of an offer that already includes golf, gastronomy, sailing, shopping and major events.

Four days dedicated to some of the world’s most distinctive cars

The Concurso de Elegancia Costa del Sol continues until Sunday 4 October.

During the four-day programme, guests can see cars from different periods of automotive history and take part in a programme combining display, driving and private events.

The edition will conclude with a gala dinner and awards ceremony, where the most outstanding cars in each category will be recognised and the overall winner will be announced.

More than 250 collectors, vehicles from different eras and locations including Marbella, Ronda and Gibraltar make this second edition one of the major automotive events taking place on the Costa del Sol during the first weekend of October.