Some car shows are quiet. The La Jolla Tour d’Elegance is not.
You wake up at 6 a.m. Coffee has not kicked in yet, the marine layer is still hanging over La Jolla, and you pull up to a friend’s house with that half-awake feeling that disappears the second the garage door starts to move.
A Ferrari 456 starts, drops into that low mechanical idle, and backs slowly into the morning. You get in, the day opens up, and suddenly you are headed from La Jolla to Encinitas, through Rancho Santa Fe, toward a private collection, a karting track, and a procession of cars that look too rare to be on public roads. But there they are, moving through San Diego County.
That is the La Jolla Tour d’Elegance. And if you are a car person, it is hard to think of a better way to stay local and still feel like you left normal life behind.
I grew up around cars. My dad, grandfather, and uncle were all into BMWs, so weekends often meant Laguna Seca, Willow Springs, Buttonwillow, Phoenix, or the sand dunes. In 1997, BMW offered Dakar Yellow on the M3, which remains iconic for me to this day, and I have a matching hat somewhere in storage (I really should find it).
And the dunes were not casual. The buggies made, and still make, 1,200 horsepower on sand, which means zero to sixty on a surface that fights back. That engineering teaches you about the unforgiving yet beautiful nature of power, fast.
The smell of fuel still brings it back: race gas, diesel, burning rubber, the noise, and the sound of a turbo as my dad played with the throttle coming out of a corner.
These cars are not point A-to-B appliances. They are machines that scream to be driven.
Why the La Jolla Concours works
The La Jolla Concours d’Elegance has the cars, but it also has the setting.
The official 2026 event was April 24 through April 26, with events around La Jolla Cove, Prospect Street, and the Pacific coastline. It was the 20th annual La Jolla Concours d’Elegance, centered on rare cars, food, music, and the coast.
That last part matters because a great car in a convention hall is still a great car, but a great car in La Jolla feels different. The paint catches the ocean light; the restaurants are open; people stop mid-walk; kids point; and adults pretend not to stare before staring anyway.
For 2026, the public schedule included Friday’s Motorvault event, Saturday’s Porsches & Power on Prospect, and Sunday’s main Concours d’Elegance. The official event page describes Sunday as a day by the sea with more than 150 automobiles, VIP experiences, food, music, and access to collector cars.
That is why the La Jolla Concours works for both kinds of people: the person who knows every Porsche chassis code and the person who only knows the car made them stop walking.
The best part is not parked
Looking at cars is good. Hearing them start is better.
The official Tour d’Elegance page describes a rally-style start on Prospect Street, continental breakfast, a coastal drive, a route toward Rancho Santa Fe, a private collection tour, and lunch at a 40-acre private estate with a karting track. The page also notes that the Tour is limited and sells out quickly each year.
That is the hook: the cars move.
During the Tour, the cars are not museum pieces hidden under covers or behind ropes, with everyone whispering around them. They are on the road, where Ferraris, Porsches, Lamborghinis, Rolls-Royce, Bentley, and the occasional hypercar make everyone reach for a phone before they even know what they are looking at.
Porsches are forever my favorite, but the fun of the Tour is the mix. A Ferrari 456 at sunrise does one thing. A Lamborghini Revuelto does another. A Rolls-Royce changes the pace, and a Koenigsegg changes the crowd noise.
One hundred-plus high-value cars in motion is not a display. It is a rolling argument for why cars like this should not spend their whole lives on battery tenders.
The collection that made everyone slow down
One of the highlights was seeing Bill Ceno’s collection, which included a Ferrari Enzo, a Porsche 918 Spyder, and a Porsche 935 that stole the show for me.
There are only 77 Porsche 935s in the country, and they have an air lift system for swapping out tires that BMW only dreamed of implementing with the BMW GTS that I drove at Thermal. It's also many multiples on price, but who's counting? The Porsche 935 might be the perfect track car, and if you aren't in love with those red wheels, you will probably fall in love with the enormous carbon fiber wing.
The Enzo is the poster car. The 918 is the hybrid engineering statement. But the 935 has that race-car shape that makes your brain stop doing normal math.
The modern Porsche 935 was introduced as a limited-production, track-focused tribute to the legendary 935/78 “Moby Dick,” and it was built around 911 GT2 RS technology. The Porsche 935 overview video describes it as a 700-horsepower, non-homologated race car produced in a limited run of 77 units.
That is the thing about collections: value is obvious, but story is harder to see. A car like that is not just expensive; it is engineering history, racing history, a matter of scarcity, taste, timing, and the owner’s decision to preserve something that most people will only ever see in a video.
The final stop at RSF Kart Club
The day ended at RSF Kart Club in Rancho Santa Fe, which was the perfect final stop because it brought the whole day back to what makes cars fun in the first place: movement, sound, food, friends, and a little bit of friendly judgment.
Lunch was catered. There was live entertainment. We got to vote on our favorite car. And, somehow, after a morning filled with Ferraris, Porsches, Lamborghinis, Rolls-Royce, Bentley, and a private collection, the day still found a way to surprise us.
We drove the Ferrari around the kart track (slowly), which is the kind of sentence that sounds made up until you are actually there, helmet or no helmet, looking at a tight ribbon of pavement and realizing this is not how most Saturday lunches go.
They also had an MTT Y2K Turbine Superbike on display, the motorcycle people describe as the bike with a helicopter engine. Marine Turbine Technologies describes the Y2K Superbike as a turbine-powered street-legal motorcycle, with early versions powered by a Rolls-Royce-Allison gas turbine engine and demonstrated at more than 320 horsepower.
Our introduction to the MTT Y2K came while standing in line for the restroom, when we heard a jet engine. I decided to jump out of line to go see it, of course.
By the end of the day, I was simply thankful. Thankful my friend invited me, thankful these cars were out in the world instead of hidden away, and thankful that an event like this exists so close to home.
Now for the insurance part, but keep reading
At this point, you might be thinking: I came here for Ferraris, turbos, Porsches, and a morning drive through La Jolla. Fair. But you are also reading about fast cars on an insurance website that knows how to protect them, so we should probably share the practical checklist as well.
The reason is simple. High-value cars are not ordinary assets and should be reviewed closely on your insurance.
For example, about three times a year, we'll see three-year-old Porsche GT3s insured for their MSRP, when their market value is nearly double. Good luck replacing yours for $190,000 should the unspeakable happen.
A daily driver usually depreciates in value, while a collector car might appreciate. Its value can shift with auction results, mileage, color, specification, provenance, service records, originality, modifications, and the simple fact that the right buyer wants the right car at the right time.
That makes insurance less simple than “add it to the auto policy.”
Progressive’s explanation of agreed value coverage says that agreed value is the amount you and the insurer agree the collector car is worth. If the car is totaled, the payout is based on that agreed value, minus any deductible. The same page contrasts that with actual cash value, which factors in depreciation, and stated value, where the insurer may pay the stated value or the actual cash value, whichever is lower.
The basic idea is simple; however, the details matter once the vehicle is rare, modified, appreciating, or difficult to replace.
For a normal car, “close enough” might be tolerable. For a rare Porsche, Ferrari, Lamborghini, or vintage BMW, “close enough” can be a very expensive phrase.
Questions owners should ask before the next event
If you own a high-value car or plan to bring one to an event like the La Jolla Concours in 2027, the useful questions are practical:
- Is the car insured for the actual cost to replace it?
- Is the value agreed in writing, or only estimated?
- Does the policy fit how the car is used: driven, stored, trailered, shown, or toured?
- What happens during transport?
- What happens at private events, rallies, exhibitions, or track-adjacent settings?
- Are spare parts, tools, memorabilia, art, or automobilia covered separately?
- Are photos, appraisals, build sheets, service records, and provenance organized?
- Do umbrella liability limits match the household’s full risk picture?
None of this makes the hobby less fun. It protects the fun.
A collection can take decades to build. The wrong coverage can take one claim to expose.
Why this belongs on Falcon West
First off -- I love cars, and if you've made it this far you probably do too. Why not talk about what we love?
Second, Falcon West is a San Diego insurance broker, so this is not a random car story dropped onto an insurance site. It is local, it is personal, and it connects directly to the way people with valuable assets actually live.
Falcon West has served businesses and families since 1981. The site lists personal insurance categories, including personal auto, personal articles, valuable collections and fine art, and personal umbrella coverage. The carrier access page also notes access to more than 30 carriers.
That matters because a serious car is rarely just “a car.” It may sit in a custom garage, belong to a larger collection, travel by enclosed transport, appear at shows, get photographed, stay stored for months, or come out for a few perfect mornings a year. Around it may be tools, parts, artwork, watches, memorabilia, and other scheduled property.
One policy rarely tells the whole story, so good insurance work starts with the real use case. Who drives it? Where is it stored? How often is it moved? What is it worth today? What documentation exists? What would happen if the car, the garage, or the collection had a loss?
The better the questions, the fewer surprises later.
Looking ahead to La Jolla Concours 2027
If you are searching for La Jolla Concours 2027, keep an eye on the official La Jolla Concours website as the next event cycle approaches. Dates, packages, ticket options, and Tour d’Elegance details should always be confirmed with the organizer before you make plans.
But owners should not wait for the date announcement to review coverage.
If a car is being restored, bought, sold, transported, entered, or added to a collection, the insurance conversation should happen early. Values move. Documentation gets lost. Event use can create gray areas. And gray areas are not fun when a car is rare.
The 2026 La Jolla Concours weekend was a reminder of why these cars matter in the first place.
You remember the smell of fuel. You remember the turbo. You remember the first shape that made no practical sense and perfect emotional sense.
But when a car becomes valuable enough to change a balance sheet, the protection behind it should be treated with the same care as the paint, the service records, and the keys.
FAQ
When was the La Jolla Concours 2026?
The official 2026 La Jolla Concours d’Elegance weekend was listed for April 24 through April 26, 2026, with events around La Jolla Cove, Prospect Street, and the main Sunday Concours.
What is the La Jolla Tour d’Elegance?
The Tour d’Elegance is a limited driving experience connected to the La Jolla Concours weekend. The official Tour page describes a rally-style start on Prospect Street, breakfast, a coastal drive, a private collection stop, and lunch at a private estate with a karting track.
Where does Rancho Santa Fe fit into the Tour?
The Tour route described by the organizer heads inland toward Rancho Santa Fe, with a private collection stop and a private estate experience. The RSF Kart Club is also located in the hills of Rancho Santa Fe and describes itself as an exclusive private go-kart track and racing club.
Has La Jolla Concours 2027 been announced?
For 2027, readers should rely on the official La Jolla Concours website for confirmed dates and registration details. Search interest often starts early, but event details should be checked directly before booking travel, entering a car, or planning around the Tour d’Elegance.
Why does insurance matter for high-value cars?
High-value cars can be difficult to replace, and some collector vehicles may hold or increase in value. Coverage details such as agreed value, storage, transportation, event use, documentation, and liability limits can matter much more than they do for an ordinary daily driver.
Questions about this page? Email us at hello@falconwest.com