International Historic Motoring Awards Name Finalists
Collectors and fans can now view the top nominees for the 2026 honors before the winners are announced in November.
Updated on Oct. 15, 2026 in Car Culture
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The International Historic Motoring Awards has unveiled its 2026 finalists across categories ranging from automotive restorations to top motorsports events. Winners of these industry honors are set to be announced during an awards ceremony held in London.
Why it matters
These awards provide a recognized benchmark for excellence in historic vehicle preservation and automotive history documentation. The list highlights major events and projects that define the standards for car enthusiasts and collectors globally.
Finalists include the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance and the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion. The book Heroes of the Forest, spanning 1,750 pages across 4 volumes, is also under consideration.
The players
Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance
A prestigious international gathering of classic car collectors and judges known for setting global standards in vehicle restoration.
Gordon Murray Special Vehicles
A high-performance automotive manufacturer known for engineering precision and exclusive, limited-production sports cars.
McLaren
A manufacturer of high-end sports cars and racing vehicles with a legacy of innovation in the motorsports sector.
Rob Manson
A specialist in automotive history based in Carmel Valley, recognized for his contributions to the field.
Manvendra Singh
A noted authority and historian in the classic car community, recognized for his expertise in automotive achievements.
The details
The selection process evaluates nominees based on their contribution to automotive culture and technical achievement. Restorations under review include the 1935 Duesenberg Special Speedster SSJ and the 1954 Ferrari 375 America Vignale Cabriolet. Bespoke car category finalists include the Gordon Murray Special Vehicles S1, Spyker C8 Preliator XXV, and McLaren McL 6GT.
Timeline
1927: The Sunbeam 1000hp reached 200 mph.
1950-1956: The Pebble Beach Road Race occurred.
2024: Concours d'Elegance won a previous industry award.
2025: Reunion won Motorsports Event of the Year.
November 13, 2026: Winners will be announced in London.
The Home Front
This awards program serves as a formal follow-up to the trends identified by the 2025 Motorsports Event of the Year award. It continues to track the global shift toward documenting and preserving rare automotive engineering for future generations.
Enthusiasts and collectors should monitor the upcoming ceremony results to understand which restoration projects and events define current industry benchmarks. Keeping records of your own vehicle history and documentation can help maintain the value of rare or significant cars in your collection.
The takeaway
The finalist list highlights the immense depth of automotive history, notably exemplified by the four-volume chronicle of the Pebble Beach Road Race. Collectors should prioritize archiving the history of their own vehicles while these standards remain fresh for the 2026 season.
Further reading
For more updates on automotive trends, visit the Car Culture section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Monterey County NOW.
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