The Audrain Newport Motor Week 2025 is already up and running – it kicks off today with a Jay Leno stand-up set at the Newport Craft Brewing & Distilling Company. But what else does this week-long festival of motoring in Rhode Island have in store?
The Audrain Automobile Museum opens up on Wednesday, with a Members’ Cocktail Party, but the festivities start in earnest on Thursday, with the Driven to Thrive Audrain Hat Luncheon with guest speaker Dr Doreen L Wiggins, and Wine by the Water with Worth Avenue Yachts in The Marina at Forty 1° North.
The car events begin proper with a live recording of The Greg Hill Show at the Newport Craft Brewing & Distilling Co, and the opening of the Race Cars Through the Ages exhibit at The International Tennis Hall of Fame, which runs to Saturday October 4, 2025.
This free exhibit will showcase 100 cars, ranging from early pioneers such as a 1901 Panhard et Levassor Type B1, 1907 Renault Type AI 35/45 HP, 1908 Panhard Type Q, 1909 Isotta Fraschini Fenc Tipo A and 1922 Bentley 3 Litre Short Chassis, through to post-war icons such as a 1947 Kurtis Kraft Midget Racer, 1950 Cunningham ‘Le Monstre’, 1952 Pegaso Z-102B Lightweight, 1952 Cunningham C4-RK, 1953 Allard J2X, 1953 Aston Martin DB3 and 1959 Bocar Stilleto. The 1960s and 1970s evolution in layout, construction methods and aerodynamics are represented by a 1961 Scarab Formula Libre, 1963 Shelby Cooper King Cobra, 1964 Sunbeam Tiger ‘Monster’, 1966 Lola T70, 1968 Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint GTV, 1969 Chevron B16, 1972 BRM P160 and 1973 Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint GTAm. There’s also a 1985 Ray Evernham Chevrolet Camaro IROC-Z and a 1997 Ferrari F310B F1 car.
Friday also sees The Gathering, a day-long event at the spectacular former Doris Duke estate, Rough Point. Here you can find custom automobile marques, luxury lifestyle brands, new car unveilings and more, including a recording of Spike’s Car Radio Live with Jay Leno. There will also be a seminar entitled Form and Function – Designing for Purpose, on the Road and Wrist, which takes pace at the Casino Theatre. Here, Anthony de Haas, director of product development, A Lange & Söhne, and Michael Simcoe, former General Motors senior vice-president of global design, share insights into design in cars and watchmaking with Donald Osborne.
This is followed by another seminar entitled Cars and the Law – Stories You Can’t Make Up, with attorney and Sports Car Illustrated columnist John Draneas in conversation with Jay Leno. Friday at Audrain Newport Motor Week 2025 comes to a close with the 2025 Hilltop Hangout at the Newport Craft Brewing & Distilling Co, with a night of cocktails and cigars until 10:00pm.
Saturday kicks off with the Audrain Tour d’Elegance from Second Beach to the Audrain Automobile Museum, and for those not on the tour there’s a Cars & Coffee event at Fort Adams (pictured above).
Later that day, there are seminars entitled Form & Function – To Mod or not to Mod, with Magnus Walker and Steve Serio in conversation with Jay Leno, and Behind the Driver – Running a Winning Race Team, with Tony Kanaan and Ray Evernham in conversation with Donald Osborne.
Next up comes Ford – Total Performance Returns, which will see Jim Farley, CEO of Ford and a racer himself, along with Mark Rushbrook, global director Ford Performance and Bob Tasca III, scion of the legendary Tasca racing dynasty and current Nitro Funny Car-winning driver, take to the stage with Jay Leno for a discussion of all things Blue Oval.
Finally, the Audrain Automobile Museum Annual Gala will bring 1950s, ’60s and ’70s vibes with a dinner and dance competition, with Jay Ward, the creative director of the the Cars franchise at Pixar Animation Studios, Therese Antone, chancellor of Salve Regina University, Jay Leno and Donald Osborne in attendance.
Friday also sees Bonhams’ Audrain Newport Motor Week 2025 sale, which takes place at the International Tennis Hall of Fame. It’s led by the above 2022 Bugatti Chiron Super Sport 300+, one of just 30 built and eight originally imported to the US. This one-owner car has done just 848 miles and is estimated at between $4.9m and $5.4m.
Elsewhere in the Audrain Newport Motor Week 2025 sale, there’s a broad mix of pre-war cars, American classics and European exotics across the 47 lots. Particular highlights include (from top left), a 1909 Rolls-Royce 40/50hp Silver Ghost Roi des Belges Tourer (est $600k-$700k), a 1973 Porsche 911 Carrera RS 2.7 (est $450k-$550k), a 1957 Ford F-Code Supercharged Thunderbird Convertible, one of several cars offered from the collection of Bernard Fornas, former president and chief executive of Cartier International (est $230k-$260k) and a one-of-502 1990 Mercedes-Benz 190E EVO II (est $725k-$925k).
Sunday at Audrain Newport Motor Week 2025 begins with Coffee at the Concours at The Breakers, although for those who prefer stretches to caffeine, Yoga at the Concours takes place at the Anglesea Mansion. However, Sunday is all about the Audrain Concours d’Elegance, presented by A Lange & Söhne at The Breakers. You can expect 150 vehicles from across all automotive ages, from race machinery to road cars, plus some surprises along the way.
Last year’s Best in Show was won by Jim Utaski’s 1959 Maserati 3500 GT (pictured above). This year’s classes include pre- and post-war Cadillacs, Chrysler, pre-war Alfa Romeo, Mercedes-Benz, Ford GT40, American Muscle, Jaguar, Rolls-Royce, Zagato Coachwork and more besides.
To find out more about the Audrain Newport Motor Week 2025, head here.
More details on the Bonhams Audrain Newport Motor Week 2025 sale can be found here.
