Monterey Car Week: A Celebration Facing Change

Monterey Car Week is (or was) special — not just a single event, but an all-encompassing experience.

From the early morning dew on the manicured lawn displays to large group drives through the countryside, when a street parked Porsche Carrera GT doesn't garner much attention because a Ferrari 250GTO just drove by. Oh look, Jay Leno waved as he drove by in some obscure, priceless relic. It's an automotive fever dream of the best kind.

It has been just over ten years since this author's last attendance and it still tugs at the heartstrings in a fond nostalgic glow. And while the past is often seen through rose-colored glasses, it sounds like things are changing.

Personally, it would start with a large group drive from Los Angeles for the 5-6 hours north through Southern California taking in the natural beauty only found on the west coast. Mix in more than 100 exotica and special cars driven by excited enthusiasts and it's not a bad way to start the week. Having a fake police cruiser in your convoy that stops traffic — only to be pulled over by the real police — makes for an interesting exchange. Everyone parted ways amicably, even if our cop car couldn't use their lights and sirens anymore. 

From many first-hand accounts and the advent of social media, an unfortunate side effect has become apparent. The pursuit of content and viral material is poisoning the once great week and diluting the brand. 

Videos of blatantly disruptive behavior range from mildly nauseating to unabashedly dangerous. And all for attention. But the attention is now forcing crackdowns, more authority involvement and wrecking the purity of the experience. 

The event has reached oversaturation. Gone are the days when you'd randomly wander the parking lot of your hotel at night and find one of  the first US-based -at the time- Rauh Welt Porsche 911s. No fanboys with GoPro cameras, ring lights and film crews marching through "for their channels." Nope, just a beautiful purple RWB nestled in for the night between a nondescript Mercedes Benz and a modified first-generation Lamborghini Gallardo coupe.

Sharing the experience is important and a natural human desire. We long to share our passions. We want others to find the enjoyment we really do, and social media has been a gift of access for so many!

The once perceived elite status of Monterey Car Week appears to be tarnishing. Yet, there are still incredibly elitist events and manufacturer parties and gatherings alike. And with the advent of faceless private equity groups buying businesses, cars, and hoarding dealers that skew pricing, one could argue it’s even less attainable than ever before and getting worse.

Car culture is changing. I suppose the only constant is change, but that doesn't mean we have to like it. And while we mourn the loss of what once was, we can’t wait to get back — because if you look hard enough, even amidst the decay of car culture, enthusiasts are still here enjoying Car Week, though with fewer cameras and phones than has become the norm.