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The German luxury brands are well represented at this enthusiast show during Monterey Car Week.

Legends of the Autobahn is like your favorite local car club gathering times three: BMW, Audi, and Mercedes all in one.

“We started out in 1995 as a ‘Clean Car Contest’ in a parking lot to enhance, if you will, another show, that of the Italian persuasion,” said BMW Car Club of America president Eddy Funahashi, perhaps referencing Concorso Italiano. “We started out with a little microphone and amplifier and we kind of transitioned from 1995 through the years to what we've grown to today.”

Today the Clean Car Contest has grown into the Legends of the Autobahn car show, held this year on the PG Links golf course in Pacific Grove, just a short swim down the coast from Pebble Beach. The show featured over 300 Audis, BMWs, and Mercedes-Benzes, all organized by each marque’s respective car club. There were tons of cool cars, a few historic vehicles and only one or two boring cars. It was a great turnout.

“This is a fantastic show,” said emcee Kenn Sparks, former head of US communications for BMW and now happily retired and still loving the cars he once repped. “It doesn't have the pressure or, of course, the rewards of Pebble, but it's not designed to be that way. This is an enthusiast show. These are people with their personal cars—cars that they love, in many cases, cars they've had for years and oftentimes have restored or have kept them in their original condition, which makes it just as interesting actually. It's a wonderful group. And if you notice, all age groups do this—this is for everyone.”

BMWs dominated, perhaps because of enthusiastic support from both the BMW Car Club of America and BMW corporate, but Audi and Mercedes were well represented too—from the Audi Club North America and the Mercedes-Benz Club of America. Audi even brought three race cars: the two Trans-Am quattros and Michele Mouton’s Pikes Peak car.

If you couldn’t find something you liked here, well, maybe you’ll find something at one of the other big events held all over the peninsula this week. But we bet you’ll like one of these cars.­­­

BMW unveiled the new M4 CSL at Legends. Extensive use of carbon fiber and other lightweighting techniques knocked 240 pounds off the car, which now tips the scales at 3640 pounds. With 543 hp, that's a performance equation waiting to be driven.

Costa Mesa surfboard shaper Paul LeFevre just wanted to make some fender flares for his BMW 1600. He wound up doing the whole thing in carbon fiber. The result is a crazy fast car.

This one looks good in that wine-colored paint job.

Daniel K. Chong's 1988 M3 has 40,000 miles on the odo.

The '80s called and wants its side strakes back...

...but don't give them up!

Dan and Chris Beard's 1963 Mercedes 220Sb.

Bruce Canepa's '93 Mercedes 500E.

Audi brought the real Trans-Am cars once driven by Hurley Haywood and Hans Stuck.

...and Stig Blomqvist's Rallye Monte Carlo car.

NSU Model Ro80 with a Wankel rotary engine.

Hoods up on BMW row.

James Tee drove his '73 BMW 2002 all the way down from Seattle, wearing his matching hat.

Emcee Kenn Sparks and BMWCCofA president Eddy Funahashi.