A Day of Magnificent Cars, Culture and Cuisine
By Jeanne-Marie Phillips
The irresistible appeal of glistening chrome, sleek polished finishes, purring high-powered engines or historic hand-cranked power.
It’s motorcar season on the Gold Coast again. Time to fire up your engines and indulge in a day of automotive excitement and celebration in the sun.
Drawing a crowd of hundreds to the verdant lawns of the JW Marriott MIAMI Turnberry Resort & Spa in Adventura, Motorcar Cavalcade Concours D’Elegance paid homage to the art of the automobile–in all its glorious shapes and sizes–to the luxe life and to so much more—exquisite fashion, food and appreciation of the finer things.
While truly a prestigious automotive event, Motorcar Cavalcade combines a tribute to the art and evolution of the automobile with a glamorous tropical garden party complete with flowing Piper Heidsieck champagne, craft cocktails and an abundant array of culinary delights.
This year, participants savored elegantly presentations of sushi and sashimi, gourmet sliders and comfort foods such as chicken and waffles and an irresistible array of decadent melt-in-your-mouth deserts. Who knew chocolate could come in so many forms? Set against the hotel’s rolling greens dotted with white tented pavilions, the event was a delight for all the senses.
Along with automobile connoisseur competitors, the excitement drew thousands of car enthusiasts and the car-curious, many turned out in elegant attire for the day-long festivities. They admired more than 200 rare and at times legendary automobiles from around the world, from futuristic exotics setting the standards for the coming decades to rare historic works of automobile art.
Among the motorcar standouts were a 1932 Alfa Romeo 8C 2300, 2015 Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grande Sport Vitesse, 1961 Aston Martin DB4, 2025 Ferrari SF90XX Stradale, 1921 Kissel Goldbug, 1931 Duesenberg Model 40, 1951 Ferrari 212 Inter, 2012 Perana Zagato Z-One, 2018 Pagani Huayra Roadster, and 1930 Marquette Model 35 Phaeton.
Winners were announced as guests wandered the grounds mesmerized by the magnificent automobiles on display while enjoying the gourmet offerings, fanfare and the warm Florida sun. Cars garnering awards in the two major categories were:
- Best of Show: Classic 1960 Aston Martin DB4 – Series I
- Best of Show: Modern: 2015 Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport Vitesse
Among the wide variety of specialty award winners were:
- Spirit of the Concours: 1972 Volvo 1800E
- VIP Judges Recognition Award: 1991 Lamborghini Diablo
- People’s Choice Award: 1969 Chevrolet Camaro Pace Car
- Timeless Elegance: 1928 Auburn 8-88 Speedster
What makes this event a particular standout is that in addition to judging automobiles in traditional categories, cars also are rated on creative and unusual criteria. These comprise all-important but often under-recognized components of the total automotive driving experience, ranging from door and grille design to cockpits, lights and finishes.
Adding to the excitement of the event, the roster of 50 judges included esteemed names from the automotive as well as sports and entertainment worlds. They included NASCAR Hall of Famer Ray Evernham, NBA legend Alonzo Mourning, and host of the blockbuster Irie Weekend in Miami, DJ Irie.
Special guests lending luster to the day included Peggy Tanous of The Real Housewives of Orange County, former Formula 1 driver Dani Clos, and other prominent TV, social media, and industry leaders.
All in all, Motorcar Cavalcade 2025 was an unforgettable experience that promises to have everyone gunning their motors and coming back next year for more.