Aston Martin honours road race heritage at Monterey Car Week [Photo Gallery]

Aston Martin is taking a leading role at the 2026 Monterey Car Week, this extraordinary celebration of the motor car will include the debut of a trio of exclusive special edition models.

Excitement, luxury and glamour are key features of this annual festival of motoring excellence and Aston Martin is leading the way with the debut of a trio of carefully curated ‘three-of-a-kind’ special edition DB12 S models. Created by Aston Martin’s bespoke service, Q by Aston Martin to celebrate and honour the racing roots of the Pebble Beach Concours D’Elegance.

The 2026 event will spotlight early 1950s sports cars, period racing icons, and the evolution of performance design – highlighting the unique blend of motorsport heritage and elite collector culture that defines Pebble Beach. As a key part of this 75th anniversary celebration, Q by Aston Martin is showcasing the unique style of Aston Martin racing cars from the time of the first Pebble Beach Concours D’Elegance with a collection of three ‘Q’ vehicles which take direct inspiration from the Aston Martin Racing Team Cars of 1951.

In 1951 the Aston Martin Racing Team featured three DB2 race cars with British registration plates bearing the letters ‘VMF’; each car sporting its own unique coloured grille. The three cars were built in 1950 for that year’s Le Mans 24-hour race, and were actively racing both for the Aston Martin factory team, and privately, throughout the early 1950’s.

Using these three unique DB2 ‘VMF’ cars as inspiration Aston Martin today presents a new collection of DB12 S Coupes – commissioned three quarters of a century later as a fitting tribute to the 75^th Pebble Beach Concours D’Elegance.

VMF 63, with Rosso Red colour accents, VMF 64 with Speed Yellow detailing, and VMF 65 with Ellwood Blue highlights boast a collection of carefully judged additions and enhancements from the Q by Aston Martin team designed to stand these cars apart in their celebration of Pebble Beach’s sporting roots.

Outside, the DB12 S ‘VMF’ cars are distinguished by their Carbon Black exterior paint, painted grille vanes, ‘75’ fender roundel graphics and painted carbon fibre side strakes. A painted carbon fibre Aeroblade and DB2 foil overlay at the rear complete the exterior revisions.

Inside, the cars each gain colour-coordinated contrast stitch Aston Martin wings and subtle DB2 silhouette embroidery on the front seatbacks, ‘75’ roundel graphics on the rear seatbacks, a painted start/stop rotary and painted paddle shifter tips. Finally, bespoke ‘75’ sill plaques referencing the DB2 inspiration complete the look.

Vittorio Gabba, Head of Q at Aston Martin, said: “Being given the opportunity to create something bespoke for this incredibly special occasion has been a real honour for the team. I hope and believe these very special models are a fitting tribute to what has become one of the largest automotive occasions.”

Aside from the debut of the three DB12 S tribute cars there is much more from Aston Martin at Monterey Car Week 2026. A highlight, no doubt, will be the brand’s presence once again at The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering which once again takes place at The Quail Lodge & Golf Club on Friday 14 August. For more than two decades, this headline event of Monterey Car Week will once again bring together collectors, designers and enthusiasts, in an exclusive atmosphere featuring a truly world-class collection of rare, classic, supercar and hypercar displays.

Things kick off with a spectacular display of cars past and present in the shape of Astons On The Avenue. This exciting gathering, created in conjunction with the Aston Martin Owners Club and scheduled to take place on Wednesday 12 August, sees Ocean Avenue in Carmel-by-the-Sea come alive with a spectacular display of Aston Martins old and new. In 2025 the event filled downtown Carmel with breathtaking cars to delight the public and, this year, the event promises to be even bigger. Astons On The Avenue showcases Aston Martin sports cars while also proudly supporting the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation (MMRF).

As is customary, The House of Aston Martin will once again provide exclusive clubhouse hospitality to invited guests during the extended weekend’s activities. This year in a breathtaking location adjacent to the Poppy Hills Golf Course and situated in a property that will serve as a retreat in which guests can enjoy the opportunity to specify their next new Aston Martin while also savouring carefully-crafted activities provided with the support of the British brand’s partners such as Bollinger, Bowers & Wilkins, Breitling, Glenfiddich and Elemis.

The property will, of course, also feature a display of some of the most exciting new Aston Martin models including the exceptional Valhalla supercar; recently-launched performance focused core ‘S’ models such as DB12 S, Vantage S, and DBX S. In a nod to the world-famous Concours that sits at the heart of Monterey Car Week, and showing the roots of the new special edition DB12 S ‘VMF’ cars, an exceptional DB2 heritage model will be on show.

Also available to view at The House of Aston Martin will be an exciting newcomer celebrating Aston Martin’s storied heritage in the shape of the new Vanquish 25 Special Edition, also created by the talented Q by Aston Martin team. Produced in strictly limited numbers and designed to mark the 25th anniversary of the debut of the original V12 Vanquish, cleverly takes inspiration from that original’s detailing and launch specification whilst adding exquisite handcraft techniques to bring a modern flare to the finish.  

Aston Martin Chief Commercial Officer, Andrea Baldi, said: “The globally significant celebration of automotive excellence that is Monterey Car Week is the ideal background for the unveiling of our very special DB12 S ‘VMF’ cars celebrating this, the 75^th running of the Pebble Beach Concours D’Elegance. But, beyond these carefully crafted tributes to the sporting roots of the event, we will of course be at the historic centre of the luxury automotive world which is the perfect place to celebrate our own heritage in the shape of the Vanquish 25 Special Edition, as well as looking to our exciting and dynamic future.”

Aston Martin’s participation in Monterey Car Week takes place on the scenic shores of California’s Monterey Peninsula from Wednesday 12 August.