MODA Miami is a Fresh, East Coast Concours d’Elegance Experience
An event for enthusiasts, by enthusiasts
Since March of 1996, if you were an automotive enthusiast interested in the elite concours d’elegance and auction spaces, the first weekend of March meant you were headed to northern Florida to admire an impressive array vehicles on a golf course near a beautiful beach. This year enthusiasts were given another option: to find themselves in southern Florida, admiring an impressive array of vehicles on a golf course, albeit a bit further from a beautiful beach. We took the opportunity to trade the grey for the golden and headed to the inaugural installment of MODA Miami at the historic Biltmore Hotel in the tony neighborhood of Coral Gables.
For a first-time event, MODA Miami far exceeded our expectations, delivering an experience that felt much more in line with something that had been running for many years. That’s thanks largely to the shared visions of the teams at MODA Events and RM Sotheby’s, which are primarily comprised of veteran automotive industry professionals who are as passionate about the culture as the attendees. That is to say, it felt like an event for enthusiasts, by enthusiasts.
With more than 250 of the finest vehicles in the world on on display throughout the weekend, we were spoiled for choice when it came to walking the show field. A number of creative and thoughtful touches caught our eye right from the start, like the “Shelby 101” display that was laid out as a starting grid comprised of iconic Mustangs, Cobras and even a Shelby-built Toyota GT2000 race car. Beyond that were groups of pre-war staples including eight Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance Best of Show winners, a jaw-dropping gathering of various iterations of the Lamborghini Diablo, the must-have rare Porsche 911s and a particularly eclectic grouping of vehicles either featured in film and television or owned by an entertainer.
Variety was clearly a primary focus of the event and it did feel as though MODA truly had something for everybody. Of course they also had cars that everyone could agree on, like the priceless Mercedes-Benz W 196 R “Type Monza” that won three Gran Prix with the legendary Juan Manuel Fangio at the wheel or the McLaren F1 LM that drew people in with its “Papaya Orange” paint and served as a reminder of McLaren’s dominance with the F1 GTR at 24 Hours Le Mans in 1995. On Sunday 100 rare super and hypercars joined the field for their own special display as “The 100 Club,” which again surprised us with a diverse array of vehicles that included a few South Beach style icons like a red “slantnose” Porsche 911 930 Turbo and a jet black Mercedes-Benz SL 72 with a mint green interior and wide body kit by Koenig Specials.
While the show field had no shortage of rolling art to admire, the venue itself was worthy of extra attention as well. From its famous 23,00-square-foot Venetian Pool that’s one of the largest hotel pools in the US, to the intimate Biltmore Bar tucked away on the ground floor, the historic hotel has a magnetic charm. Contributing to the elevated experience was celebrity chef Mario Carbone, who provided an unforgettable one-night-only exclusive dining experience for VIP guests, while the private club Casa Tua offered guests unparalleled hospitality all weekend long in a beautiful ballroom.
RM Sotheby’s sold more than $50 million of classic cars, hypercars and more, providing additional entertainment for casual observers and dedicated collectors alike. With so much going on in such a desirable setting, we have to imagine that MODA Miami will continue to grow in coming years.
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