After four years of attending Monterey Car Week, one would think that I could come up with some poetic way to start my traditional overview article of California's finest celebration of automotive madness.

Each of the drop-tops sport besoke finishes evoking the sights and sounds of the Monterey region of California. This year's Mercedes-Maybach special edition pays homage to California's central coast.

From August 13 through 17, Northern California’s Monterey Peninsula once again became the annual bellwether for the collector-car market, as the world’s leading auction houses presented masterworks through the automotive ages.