The 9th edition of The Bridge took place this past September 13th in Bridgehampton, NY. The cars in attendance were nothing short of impressive and awe inspiring. This year’s event was presented by Mercedes-Maybach and the manufacturer brought along their newest flagship model for 2026; The SL 680 Monogram Series.
As always, the festivities began with the collector’s reception on the eve of the show. Walking around the cars on display that evening, I remember thinking to myself that if this was just the preview of things to come, then everyone was going to be in for a real treat on Saturday – I was right.
I normally reserve my ‘Best Of’ comments for the end of the article, but I would be remiss if I didn’t kick things off this time around by showing you one of the coolest side-by-side combos I’ve seen in a very long time…at any show.
This image encapsulates what The Bridge is all about – pure automotive opulence. Not even The Quail managed to put a McLaren F1 in the same vicinity as the GMA S1 LM during Car Week. This right here is probably my ‘Best Of” moment in all the years I have been attending The Bridge. I may be a little bias as the F1 is a Top 3 car for me, but I think everyone would agree this combo speaks volumes to the commitment of the organizers of The Bridge to showcase the best-of-the-best with every edition of the show. Well done!
As I started my walk across the fairways, some very unique Ferraris could be seen. Hard to pick a fave here, but that 250 NART Spider by Fantuzzi was quite a show-stopper. Ferrari always has a very strong presence at The Bridge. Whether its vintage cars or the new supercars, you can always count on the prancing horse from Maranello to make a statement.
The rest of the show field was as impressive as ever. This year not very many Lamborghinis made an appearance, but those that did were some prime examples of the marque, including the LM002, affectionately knows as the Rambo Lambo. There were plenty of Porsches to go around, including Daniel Arsham’s 911, which was reproduced in 1:64 scale for the collaboration he did with Hot Wheels last year. There was also a Pagani Huayra in the mix and a Saleen S7, one of America’s last true bespoke supercars.
A very cool display that came in a VERY close second to the F1/S1 LM combo, was a spectacular gathering of quite a few rare-colored Ferraris that the team at 1600 Veloce put together. I was particularly drawn to the Verde Germoglio 365 GT4BB, but in all honesty the entire display was an amazing gathering of non-red Ferrari’s, with the F40 LM being the exception. It didn’t hurt that there was also a Pagani Zonda S Roadster, formerly owned by Benny Caiola and the car that Top Gear used in its review of the model 17 years ago.
A first at The Bridge this year was a live demonstration of the Helix eVTOL aircraft from Pivotal. I know this is supposed to be a car-related article, but I am a bit of an aviation buff myself so indulge me.
The Helix is a fixed-wing aircraft built to meet FAR 103 Ultralight Vehicle regulations and the operator does not require a pilot’s license to fly the aircraft. It is fully electric and built around a carbon fiber frame. It looked incredibly easy to operate, almost drone like, but you do have to complete a comprehensive training program before taking your first flight.
Next year marks the show’s 10th anniversary, and as with every big anniversary there must be some very big plans in the making. I for one am very excited to see what gems will grace the fairways next year. Bob Rubin, Shamin Abas and Jeffrey Einhorn must be in awe as they look in the rear view mirror at the last 9 years. Can’t wait to see everyone again for big number 10. Until then, here are a few more images from this years show. Cheers!
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