The Best Cars at the 2026 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance

Exclusivity, performance numbers, and racing wins aren’t the only factors that make a classic. Just look at the Fiat 500, easily one of the most fun cars ever built. We were taken by this delightful example of the compact two-door that was parked atop a knoll near the entrance to this year’s show, which combined a dazzling mint green paint job with wicker seating.

The one-off Runge R2 is the tiny supercar that could. The petite 2-door is inspired by the most ridiculous performance vehicles of the 1990s and gets its power from a 3.6-liter Porsche flat-six mated to a five-speed gearbox. But as impressive as it may be from a technical perspective, its headline feature is its curvaceous, hand-hammered, polished aluminum body, which we watched stop more than a few attendees in their tracks.

This BMW M3 was part of an exhibit celebrating 40 years of arguably the most beloved M car. Dating back to its second generation, the E36 Lightweight is a stripped-down version of the two-door that was designed for track dominance. This particular example is one of 125 believed to have been built and, like the rest of the run, is finished in Alpine White with M flag decals on the front and rear.

If you go to any concours in America, you’re bound to see several first-generation muscle cars. Ford Mustangs dominated the field at Amelia, and this 1970 Boss 429 was the example that really caught our eye. It may not have been the most powerful ‘Stang on display, but it was the best looking thanks to its bold Gravel Green paint job, black hood scoop, and white graphics package.

Today’s Ferraris may be big and brash, but that wasn’t always the case. Just take a look at this stunning Ferrari 250 GT Pinin Farina Cabriolet from 1959. The convertible sports clean lines, near-perfect proportions, and just the right amount of chrome, a.k.a. exactly what you’d expect from a Carrozzeria Pinin Farina design. If all that wasn’t enough, it also has one of the Italian marque’s legendary Colombo V-12’s under the hood.

Here’s the reason why so many enthusiasts are in love with the “hot hatch.” Introduced at the start of the 1980s, the R5 Turbo is the street-legal version of the French automaker’s successful rally car of the era. It features a more sculpted body than the standard three-door it was based on—here finished in red with gold graphics—and a peppy 1.5-liter inline-five. That mill may sound small, but thanks to it, the R5 Turbo 2 could sprint from zero to 60 mph in under seven seconds when brand new.

Few race cars in Porsche’s illustrious motorsports history stand as tall as the 917K. The car and its air-cooled flat-12 earned the automaker its first victory at endurance racing’s biggest race, the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Add in one of history’s greatest liveries, and it’s little wonder Jerry Seinfeld turned down $25 million for his example last year, before selling it soon after for an undisclosed amount.

You’d be hard-pressed to get enthusiasts to agree on the best sports cars of all time, but most will have the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing on their shortlist. The graceful coupe mixed style—just look at those gullwing doors—and performance like few cars before it, and few cars since. There were a handful on view at the concours and auctions this weekend, but, to us, this dazzling cream example was the very best.

Bizzarrini may not have had the staying power of Lamborghini, but it’s still responsible for building one of the best-looking Italian sports cars of the 1960s. The marque’s most famous car was the low-slung Strada, which was introduced in 1964 and featured the kind of smooth, flowing lines that made it clear it was meant to be driven at top speeds. This green example, from the car’s second-to-last year of production, is one of just 133 that were made, making it as beautiful as it is rare.

The Space Age-inspired futurism of the 1950s resulted in some truly out-there automobiles. One of the most visually arresting of the bunch is the Chrysler Ghia Super Dart 400. Designed by the legendary Virgil Exner, the one-off show car features an interstellar grille, razor-sharp fins, and a head-turning yellow-and-black paint job. It never made it to production, but that doesn’t make it any less wonderful.