The image this year takes on special significance as it joins the commemoration of Gaudí Year 2026, marking the centenary of the death of the visionary Modernist architect.
The design of the poster establishes a direct dialogue between architecture and the motor car, two expressions of modernity that coexisted at the beginning of the 20th century. The illustration features two emblematic buildings by the Catalan architect: La Pedrera – Casa Milà, in Barcelona, and Torre Bellesguard, which appears on the right-hand side of the composition.
The presence of La Pedrera is no coincidence. Its undulating façade and wrought-iron balconies symbolise the most organic and recognisable form of Gaudí’s Modernism. Moreover, the building holds an anecdote directly linked to the history of the motor car. In the early 20th century, the arrival of large vehicles forced certain buildings to adapt their entrances to allow access and parking. One of the most well-known cases was La Pedrera, where the access to the basement garage had to be altered in order to accommodate the 1912 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost owned by Antoni Feliu Prat, a textile entrepreneur who was one of the first tenants to own a motor car in the building.
That very model takes centre stage in this year’s poster. The Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost of the period not only represents the elegance and refinement of the first great era of the motor car, but also symbolises the impact that the arrival of the automobile had on architecture and on the configuration of urban spaces. Its presence in the illustration underlines the historical connection between the Rally and the social and cultural context in which these vehicles were born.
On the right-hand side of the poster stands Torre Bellesguard, another of Gaudí’s works of strong personality, combining medieval influences with the architect’s Modernist language. This building, too, had to adapt to the new reality imposed by motor cars, incorporating solutions that allowed vehicle access and storage at a time when the car was beginning to form part of the everyday life of affluent families.
In the background of the composition appears the silhouette of the Church of Sant Bartomeu i Santa Tecla, a historic visual reference of the event, which on this occasion yields some prominence to Gaudí’s architecture while retaining its role as one of the great symbols that have shaped the identity of the Rally for almost seven decades. Its profile against the sea continues to represent the emotional finish line of the event and the inseparable bond between Barcelona and Sitges that defines its spirit.
The composition thus brings together architecture, the motor car and the Mediterranean landscape within a single visual narrative. The poster is not merely a promotional image, but a statement of intent: the Barcelona–Sitges Rally 2026 is framed within the cultural context of Gaudí Year, recalling how the arrival of the motor car also transformed the way buildings and cities were conceived.
The 68th Barcelona–Sitges International Vintage Car Rally will take place on 28 February and 1 March 2026. As is customary, the event will gather vehicles built up to 1928 and motorcycles manufactured before 1938, all driven by participants dressed in period attire, faithfully recreating the original atmosphere of the early years of motoring.
With this poster, the Rally not only announces a new edition, but also reaffirms its cultural dimension. In the year that commemorates the legacy of Antoni Gaudí, the event builds a bridge between architectural heritage and automotive heritage, two expressions of creativity that marked the beginning of the 20th century and continue to inspire admiration today.
The poster for the 2026 edition will be unveiled to the public for the first time during the exhibition of vintage cars and motorcycles taking place at the L’illa Diagonal shopping centre from 17 to 28 February.