Moda Miami - 3rd Year!

Now in its third year, Moda Miami delivered a fantastic event in the heart of vibrant Coral Gables.  Held February 27 through March 1 at the iconic Biltmore Hotel, the experience featured a spectacular blend of cars, luxury brand showcases, a unique and interesting vendor section, and a world-renowned auction.

What once started out as a competitor to The Amelia, this event may now be considered complementary, offering an elegant, more laid-back vibe.  Bill Warner (Founder of The Amelia Island Concours) now Chair of Moda quipped, “I am proud to be associated with this event that celebrates great cars and our shared lifestyle:  as Robin Leach once said, it’s “Champagne wishes and caviar dreams”.  My wish is that each of you have a wonderful experience “kicking tires” and seeing old friends.”  We certainly did.  There were over 400 rare and iconic automobiles on display, from brass-era beauties to modern hypercars, showcasing the very best of automotive heritage and innovation. 

The RM Sotheby’s preview on Friday was a free event open to the public.  Situated on the lawn outside the Biltmore, the public could view the auction cars and catch a glimpse of the show vehicles being set up.  The auction itself was held on Friday afternoon with an expansive, 90+ lots spanning blue-chip classics, postwar icons, and contemporary hypercars. 

The headline figures from the auction underscored some surprising dynamics:

• The most expensive car sold was a 1959 Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider by Scaglietti, hammering at around $7,045,000 — slightly above its pre-sale estimate and reaffirming blue-chip Ferrari desirability.  

• A 2015 Ferrari LaFerrari brought $6,880,000, maintaining impressive values for modern halo Ferraris.  

• A 1992 Ferrari F40 sold for an excellent $5,230,000, proving continued collector affection for analog supercars.  

·         A 1961 Jaguar E-Type Series 1 3.8-Litre Roadster quietly crossed the block at $128,800 (with the buyer premium), a rather disappointing result.  This could reflect the current market where ultra-rare sports cars and hypercars command so much attention.

Every concours likes to put their own unique spin on classes.  Moda took it to another level.   Some of the classes included Supercar Skittles, a selection of the world’s most celebrated and successful supercars, presented in all colors of the rainbow and the Sixteen Society, dedicated to Cadillac’s art deco masterpieces.  Of course, for those of us who love the classic European vehicles, a British Luxury Class featured an amazing collection of Pre-War and Post-War Rolls Royces.  A fiery 1968 Jaguar Eagle Low Drag GT was featured in The Retromods class.  Moda Miami’s 100 Club, showcased 100 of the world’s rarest, most influential and iconic machines.  Our own South Florida Jaguar Club member, Skip Waldman, in his fantastic one of one Ferrari, was part of the 100 Club convoy / parade into the event on Sunday morning.

Special tributes, such as a spotlight on the Lamborghini Miura’s 60th anniversary, provided unique themes through the classes which honored both classic and modern categories.   Particularly exciting was the special appearance of the 2025 Best of Show Winner from Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, the 1924 Hispano-Suiza H6C Nieuport-Astra “Tulipwood Torpedo”. 

Miami weather in winter is spectacular.  And it was, for the most part.  Friday and Saturday were glorious, with temperatures hitting 80 degrees in brilliant sunshine.   However, no recounting of ModaMiami 2026 would be complete without mentioning Sunday’s dramatic weather event, now dubbed the “Moda Monsoon” by attendees and social media commentators.  What began as a picturesque Florida day gave way to a sudden and intense thunderstorm around 1:00 p.m. that tore through the show field.  Sheets of rain and gusts of wind swept across the display lawns, downing vendor kiosks and flooding much of the field.  Despite the chaos, or perhaps because of it, the monsoon became a defining moment of the weekend. Far from dampening spirits, the unexpected deluge seemed to knit together a shared experience that left people swapping stories about soaked shoes and muddy tires.  Importantly, there have been no widespread reports of serious damage to any of the vehicles, meaning that the monsoon will be remembered more for its spectacle than for loss. 

ModaMiami 2026 was memorable.   From the elegant atmosphere of the Biltmore to the impressive array of vehicles, it has quickly become a mainstay of the Concours circuit in North America.  It stands as a testament to what curated automotive culture can be - global in scope, inclusive in passion, and luxurious in execution.