Concurso de Elegancia
Costa del Sol 2025

(CDE) The Concurso de Elegancia Costa del Sol is an exclusive annual event that unites collectors, enthusiasts, and industry experts against the backdrop of Spain’s sun-drenched landscapes. Blending hypercars, supercars, and classic luxury vehicles with art, architecture, and haute cuisine, the Concurso offers a refined showcase of automotive excellence—and the sophisticated lifestyle that surrounds it.

This year’s event—inaugurating a new era and concept under Cavën’s leadership—featured more than 170 vehicles from around the globe. With two distinct experiences for supercars and hypercars, the event featured standout moments such as the exhibition of exceptional car collections at Magna Golf—judged and awarded by an international panel of automotive experts—alongside an unparalleled day of high-performance driving at the exclusive Ascari Circuit and private guided tours of some of the coast’s most significant cultural landmarks.

Marbella’s Old Town—characterized by its signature whitewashed and ornate Andalusian and Moorish architecture—was the perfect backdrop for a procession of the Concurso’s international fleet of supercars. Welcomed by cheering locals along the main avenue that passes the beautiful Ermita del Santo Cristo—Marbella’s oldest church—the journey continued to Málaga, Andalusia’s second largest city, following perfectly scenic roads. At the Port of Malaga, guests parked their vehicles next to the stylish beachfront restaurant Trocadero Casa de Botes, before enjoying a private lunch on the rooftop terrace overlooking the sea.

A guided city center tour then led the car owners up the elegant pedestrian shopping street of Marqués de Larios and past the Plaza de la Constitución—the city’s main public square—to the main highlight of the day: The Museo Carmen Thyssen.

Inside the former Palacio de Villalón—a former 15th century noble home—today, the museum is home to the Carmen Thyssen Collection of Spanish and Andalusian paintings from the 19th and early 20th centuries. Arranged over two floors and centered around an arcaded courtyard with classical columns, the museum offered an exclusive tour led by one of its art experts, who guided guests through the understated exhibition spaces where the artworks take center stage. Most memorable was Ramon Casas i Carbó’s Julia (1915), a portrait of a beautiful lottery ticket vendor that is synonymous with the museum.

Meanwhile, about an hour away in Ronda, the attendees of the hypercar experience were being awarded special access to the Ascari Club and its world-class racing circuit. On the 5.425 km racetrack featuring 26 turns and set within a 180-hectare private estate of native species, invited guests took a fleet of Volkswagen Up! GTIs—fully converted to Cup race specifications—for thrilling laps around the circuit. A fortunate few were also given the opportunity to test the power of a Bugatti Bolide on the track, along with a Pagani Huayra R and a Porsche 935.

On the final day of the Concurso, an even larger crowd gathered at the main square of Mijas Pueblo to photograph the parked collection of supercars in the gleaming Spanish sun. Car owners were taken on a special tour of the winding old streets of the famous white village, which is perched on a mountainside in the Sierra de Mijas. At an exclusive visit to the Centro de Arte Contemporáneo, attendees beheld a beautifully unexpected exhibition of the world’s second largest collection of ceramics by Pablo Picasso. Mythological creatures and female figures abounded among the precious works set permanently within white and red earthenware clay by the Málaga-born artist.

A short drive away along the mountainous roads, the supercars arrived at the La Zambra Resort that—with its perfectly white architecture and soaring palms—is akin to an oasis. Known formerly as the famous Byblos, the hotel was a hideaway for celebrities such as Princess Diana, Julio Iglesias, and the Rolling Stones. It was abandoned for years before undergoing extensive renovations and reopening in 2022 as part of The Unbound Collection by Hyatt.

Following a private welcome at the main entrance—featuring Flamenco dancers and a traditional Andalusian horse show—guests were led through an airy lobby adorned in soft, neutral tones. Beyond a luminous series of patios and fountains, where leafy gardens peeked through delicate latticework and arches, signature drinks were served at the outdoor bar before guests sat down to a private lunch.

In an entirely different part of Costa del Sol, one of the world’s most luxurious gated communities lies in the foothills of the Serrania de Ronda mountain range. Established in 1991 on a former hunting estate, the award-winning La Zagaleta residential project covers 900 hectares of untouched woodlands and valleys. Here, 230 villas meet the expectations of an international clientele that values quality and privacy.

Accompanied by champagne and live music, the hypercar event concluded at Zagaleta’s Old Course Clubhouse, where the immaculate fleet of vehicles was displayed across the golf range. The silver, aerodynamic silhouette of a Pagani Utopia—crafted from a carbon-titanium composite—caught the warm tones of the setting sun, glowing pink and deep orange beyond the palm trees. The evening’s culinary highlight was a special dinner prepared by Mario Cachinero, the two-Michelin-starred chef from the renowned restaurant, Skina. In the clubhouse’s grand dining room, Cachinero presented a modern take on traditional Andalusian cooking, with dishes such as red tuna tartar with pistachio ajoverde and sweet shrimp in sopa en Amarillo.