Motorlux serves as the official opening celebration of Monterey Car Week, one of the most influential automotive gatherings in the world. When Hagerty acquired the legacy event from the McCall family, they sought a production partner capable of maintaining the prestige of the event while evolving its creative vision and guest experience.

The goal was to elevate Motorlux as a culinary and experiential destination that celebrates automotive culture while welcoming collectors, manufacturers, and enthusiasts arriving for Car Week.

Hagerty turned to The Shift Studio to produce the event, oversee large-scale operations, and introduce a more immersive creative approach to the environment and programming.

Motorlux transforms the Monterey Jet Center into a one-night automotive and culinary spectacle. The event spans multiple aircraft hangars and closes the active tarmac, allowing guests to experience rare collector vehicles, aircraft displays, and luxury hospitality environments across a massive airfield setting.

The Shift Studio oversees the complex logistics required to operate across aircraft hangars, outdoor aviation spaces, and hospitality zones while designing immersive environments that evolve each year.

Recent years have introduced creative concepts that bring narrative and atmosphere into the hangars themselves, including an 80s-inspired glamour theme that celebrated the era of high-performance automotive culture, followed by a Big Sur drive concept that transformed the space into a cinematic coastal journey inspired by California’s most iconic roads.

Motorlux has become one of the most anticipated gatherings of Monterey Car Week, attracting collectors, manufacturers, media, and enthusiasts from around the world as the official kickoff to the week’s automotive celebrations.

Through evolving creative environments and elevated hospitality programming, the event continues to grow as both a social highlight and a cultural gathering point for the global car community.