Concurso de Elegancia comes to Gibraltar for the first time

Gibraltar will host a special runway event at the Joshua Hassan Gibraltar International Airport on Saturday 3 October 2026 as part of the Concurso de Elegancia Costa del Sol.

Curated by CAVËN, the Concurso is an invitation-only international gathering for collectors and connoisseurs of exceptional automobiles. Its 2026 edition takes place from 1 to 4 October and includes an Exhibition Day, Track Day, and Gala and Awards Ceremony in different locations including Marbella, Málaga and now also Gibraltar.

The Concurso brings together carefully selected vehicles across six classes: hypercars, post-war classic cars, restomods, vintage supercars, pre-war classic cars and motorsport vehicles. Participating automobiles are evaluated by an international panel of designers, historians and automotive-industry leaders, with consideration given to their elegance, historical provenance, technical integrity, originality and performance.

The 2025 edition brought together more than 170 automobiles across Marbella, Mijas and Málaga. The collection included some of the world’s rarest vehicles, with the unique Bugatti Chiron Profilée named Best of Show.

Gibraltar’s inclusion in the programme for the first time provides an important opportunity to showcase the Rock internationally and demonstrate its ability to host distinctive, high-quality events.

The Gibraltar event will bring approximately 70 cars to the Rock, accompanied by their owners, families, support staff and other guests travelling specifically for the occasion. This is expected to generate economic activity through expenditure on accommodation, hospitality, transport and other local services, while creating opportunities for repeat visits and future events.

The collection will include rare, high-performance and luxury vehicles, including unique examples that are seldom seen on public roads. Gibraltar-registered vehicles and representatives of the local automotive sector will also be at the event.

The Concurso works with major international brands and companies, including Bombardier, Bugatti, SPS and Drumelia, alongside other leading names from the automotive luxury and lifestyle sectors.

The organisers have advised that Bombardier has flown a new private aircraft to Gibraltar specifically for display at the event. Its presence further demonstrates the international profile of the event and helps position Gibraltar as a prestigious destination capable of attracting globally recognised brands, high-value visitors and exceptional international events.

The event is privately organised and funded. It is not a Government-led event and no direct Government funding has been provided to the organisers for staging it. The Government’s role has been to support and facilitate the necessary coordination with the relevant authorities.

As the event is taking place within a controlled airport environment, attendance at the runway element must be restricted and managed in accordance with the applicable safety, security, operational, insurance and capacity requirements.

Although access to the runway event will therefore be by invitation only, participating vehicles will be displayed outside the airport for a period, allowing members of the public to view and enjoy this exceptional collection. Many will be seen driving around Gibraltar. Public vantage-points for the runway track-style drives include Western Beach, the runway barriers on Winston Churchill Avenue, and Princess Caroline’s Battery.

The event is expected to attract international and specialist automotive media coverage, providing valuable exposure for Gibraltar as a visitor destination. The organisers have also made a charitable contribution to an MOD-supported charity, adding an important charitable dimension to the occasion.

The temporary runway closure arrangements have been carefully planned to keep disruption to a minimum. Free shuttle services will be available to pedestrians throughout the closure period, while the relevant authorities are coordinating the operational, safety, transport and public-information arrangements.

The Chief Minister, the Hon Fabian Picardo KC, said:

“This is a unique opportunity to bring an internationally recognised automotive event to Gibraltar for the first time. It will attract visitors, exceptional vehicles, leading international brands and specialist media coverage, while providing valuable exposure for Gibraltar.

“We recognise that the temporary closure arrangements will cause some inconvenience. Every effort has therefore been made to minimise disruption, including the provision of free shuttle services for pedestrians.

“Although attendance at the runway element must necessarily be restricted for safety, security and operational reasons, members of the public will have an opportunity to see the participating vehicles outside the airport, on our roads, and from vantage points around Gibraltar.

“The event offers important promotional, tourism, charitable and economic benefits for Gibraltar and further demonstrates our ability to host distinctive international events and is part of our event-led tourism strategy.”