Quick peeks at the lofty luxury that defines Monterey Car Week.

One of the unintended consequences of the ever-expanding and increasingly ambitious Monterey Car Week is that outlandish luxury approaches commonplace. This list takes a pause to consider singular details from the week’s most exclusive events to help remember how unique a spectacle they help create.

Giant Air Balloons

Quail: A Motorsport Gathering •signatureevents.peninsula.com • Aug. 19

The process of inflating the balloons – of a Rolls Royce and other luxury vehicles – is so extensive that it started three days ahead. Six culinary pavilions will celebrate the New York, Beijing, Chicago, Beverly Hills, Paris and Bangkok regions of the Peninsula Hotel family, to go with the California Caviar, Hog Island oysters and vehicles like the 1903 Mercedes 60HP Simplex – one of four in existence.

Top Secret Maybach

Mercedes Benz Concept Reveal at Pebble Beach Golf Links • Aug. 21

Not much is known about the concept car Mercedes Benz teased in a tweet, other than it will be lengthy – at nearly 20 feet.

A Handwritten Letter

Ferrari Social Gathering and Fundraiser at Barnyard Carmel • www.ferrariownersclub.org • Aug. 20

Enzo Ferrari’s framed signed note includes two types of authentication and retails for $14,995. Proceeds from its auction go to three local charities.

1959 Ferrari 250 California Spider

Gooding & Company Pebble Beach Auctions •www.goodingco.com • Aug. 20-21

This year’s Gooding auction delivers another windfall of striking rides, including a Ferrari expected to fetch $18 million. Rides like these have helped Gooding set the world record for an auction sale three times.

OneRepublic

Concert at Concours • www.theconcoursstore.com • Aug. 19

The Grammy-nominated rock group takes the stage for this new live show, which comes supplemented by wine tasting and exhibits featuring fine cars from past and present.

2017 570 GT Test Drive

McLaren Driver Experience at Bernardus Lodge • cars.mclaren.press • Aug. 18

English supercar manufacturer McLaren invites potential owners and enthusiasts alike to take a 30-minute test drive along Carmel’s winding Laureles Grade in its yet-to-be revealed 570 GT.

Video Game Vehicle

Premiere of Bugatti Chiron at Pebble Beach Golf Links • www.bugatti.com/media/news/2016/monterey-car-week-2016 • Aug. 19

Bugatti’s most praised model appears in the U.S. for the first time, with an output of about 1,500 horsepower, making it the world’s fastest production sports car – but only after it appeared first in the Playstation video game Vision Gran Turismo.

Ferrari F1 Hand-Carved Table

Automotive Fine Arts Society Exhibits at Pebble Beach Golf Links • www.autoartgallery.com • Aug. 21

This year’s AFAS exhibits, located on the 18th Fairway of Pebble Beach Golf Links, feature art modeled after the Ferrari F1 by artist David Chapple. His “Need for Speed” piece is a wood table hand-cut to create angles normally seen on the famed Ferrari.

Diva’s Beauty Studio Fashion

Concorso Italiano at Black Horse Golf Course • www.concorso.com • Aug. 20

Upwards of a thousand cars of Italian origin are expected at this diverse event. Entries range from the newest Maserati model to tiny Fiat cars from the 1950s. It’s the fashion show, though, that’s unique. This year’s features Sylvie’s Unique as You!, Tommy Bahama, Anubee a Children’s Boutique, Diva’s Beauty Studio and Spa, and Italian jewelry by Miseno.

18-karat Cobra Watch

RM Sotheby’s Auction at Pebble Beach • www.sothebys.com/en.htm • Aug. 19-20

This year’s sale of the CSX 2000, the very first Shelby Cobra, has sparked an unsurprising amount of anticipation. The real surprise, however, is the matching watch, with an 18-karat gold case, alligator leather strip, and Cobra chronograph hand, expected to fetch $50,000.

1910 Harley Davidson

Mecum Daytime Auction at Hyatt Monterey • www.mecum.com • Aug. 20

The four-wheelers like the 2016 Aston Martin Vulcan may get most of the attention – including fancy tractors – but Mecum’s auction offers a most rare breed of beast, a 1910 Single-Belt Drive Harley Davidson.

100-Year-old BMWS

Rolex Monterey Raceway Reunion • www.mazdaraceway.com/rolex-monterey-motorsports-reunion • Aug. 18-21

Race groups include Pre-1940 Sports Racing and Touring, 1966-1972 Trans-Am and 1967-1984 Formula 1 among the 15 different racing groups. But it’s BMW, on its ripe ol’ 100-year birthday, that gets the cherished featured marque slot. Vroom vroom.

Mark C. Anderson contributed to this report.