Concours d'Elegance (French: concours d'élégance) is a term of French origin that means a "competition of elegance" and refers to an event where prestigious vehicles are displayed and judged. It dates back to 17th-century France, where aristocrats paraded horse-drawn carriages in the parks of Paris during summer weekends and holidays.[1] Over time, carriages gave way to automobiles and the gatherings became a competition among vehicle owners to be judged on the appearance of their vehicles.
These events are often held at automobile shows, after racing competitions or, especially in the United States, as a fundraising event for charities.[2] Many modern events also feature corporate exhibitions from luxury and hypercar brands.[3]
The oldest still-extant Concours, the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este, is held annually near the Villa d’Este hotel in Cernobbio, on Lake Como in Italy. The first of these was held in September 1929.[4] The first Concours in North America was held in 1950 at the Pebble Beach Golf Links in Monterey, California, in conjunction with the first Pebble Beach Road Race.[5] The longest continually-running event is the Hillsborough Concours d’Elegance in California, which has been held every year since 1956[6] (both Villa d'Este and Pebble Beach have skipped years since 1956).
Numerous local organizations sponsor Concours events. Traditionally, vehicle judging at a Concours is more demanding than that of a local neighborhood or general automobile show. Trained judges examine the vehicle thoroughly. They rate each and every component. Only those vehicles that are judged perfect (or very nearly so) in every way are considered eligible for trophy class.
Often, the competitiveness of a Concours d'Elegance forces restoration of a vehicle to surpass "mint" condition. Mint condition would be the state of the vehicle when it originally left the factory. Concours-quality cars are often given upholstery, paint, plating, and mechanical restoration to a standard far exceeding that of the car when it was new.
Concours d'Elegance competitions also are run for classic cars. Here, the emphasis is as much on originality as the condition, although this also is very important. The general aim is to present a vehicle that is in the same, or better, condition than it was in when it left the production line. Unless original, modifications are not allowed, and components must be suitable for the year and model of the automobile. Even components or features fitted to automobiles of the same type, but in a different production year or trim level, are not allowed. Original-equipment accessories from the manufacturers' own range are allowed and some competitions allow after-market equipment and accessories, provided they are of the correct period. The automobiles must be presented in flawless visual condition, as with other Concours-grade cars.
Partial list of some of the Concours.
| Month | Location | Event | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| February | Boca Raton, Florida, USA | Boca Raton Concours d'Elegance | ||
| February | Karma Lakelands, Gurugram, India | 21 Gun Salute International Vintage Car Rally & Concours Show | ||
| February | Ellerslie, Auckland, New Zealand | Ellerslie Car Show & Concours d'Elegance | ||
| March | Sydney, NSW, Australia | Sydney Harbour Concours d'Elegance | ||
| March | Amelia Island, Florida, USA | Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance | ||
| April | La Jolla, California, USA | La Jolla Concours d'Elegance | ||
| April | Montgomery, Texas, USA | Concours d'Elegance of Texas | ||
| April | Kyoto, Japan | Concorso d'Eleganza Kyoto | ||
| May | Lake Como, Italy | Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este | ||
| May | St. Augustine, Florida, USA | Riding Into History | ||
| May | Balatonfüred, Hungary | Balatonfüred Concours d'Elegance | ||
| June | San Marino, California, USA | San Marino Motor Classic | Successor to the Los Angeles Concours d’Elegance[7] | |
| June | Hillsborough, California, USA | Hillsborough Concours d'Elegance | The longest continually-running Concours d'Elegance in the world | |
| June | Greenwich, Connecticut, USA | Greenwich Concours d'Elégance | ||
| June | Coppet, Vaud, Switzerland | Swiss Elegance Concours | ||
| June | Cincinnati, Ohio, USA | Cincinnati Concours d'Elegance at Ault Park | ||
| June | Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA | The Elegance at Hershey | ||
| June | Chichester, UK | Cartier Style et Luxe | ||
| June | Piešťany, Slovakia | Piešťanské zlaté stuhy – Concours d´Elegance | ||
| July | Forest Grove, Oregon, USA | Forest Grove Concours d'Elegance | ||
| July | Plymouth, Michigan, USA | Concours d'Elegance of America at The Inn at St. John's | Formerly Meadow Brook Concours d'Elegance | |
| July | Northville, Michigan, USA | Northville Concours d'Elegance at Mill Race Historical Village | First youth-focused Concours d'Elegance event in the nation | |
| July | Dyck Castle, Germany | Masterpieces & Style | ||
| July | Massachusetts, USA | Misselwood Concours d'Elegance | ||
| July | Lexington, Kentucky, USA | Keeneland Concours d'Elegance | ||
| August | Pebble Beach, California, USA | Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance | Most famous Concours d'Elegance event | |
| August | Zurich, Switzerland | Concours d'Elegance "Zurich Classic Car Award" | ||
| August | South Bend, Indiana, USA | Concours d'Elegance at Copshaholm | ||
| September | Keszthely, Hungary | Festetics Concours d'Elegance | ||
| September | Old Westbury, NY, USA | Great Marques Concours d'Elegance | ||
| September | Palace Schwetzingen, Germany | Classic-Gala Schwetzingen | ||
| September | Kemble, Ontario, Canada | Cobble Beach Concours d'Elegance | ||
| September | Oxfordshire, UK | Salon Privé | ||
| September | Redondo Beach, California, USA | Palos Verdes Concours d'Elegance | ||
| September | Nairobi, Kenya | CBA Africa Concours d'Elegance | ||
| September | Dayton, Ohio, USA | Dayton Concours d'Elegance | ||
| September | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA | Radnor Hunt Concours d'Elegance | ||
| September | St. Michaels, Maryland, USA | St. Michaels Concours d'Elegance | ||
| September | Chantilly, France | |||
| October | Padova, Italy | Stelle sul Liston Concours d'Elegance | ||
| October | Newport, Rhode Island, USA | Audrain's Newport Concours & Motor Week | ||
| October | Chattanooga, Tennessee USA | Chattanooga Motorcar Festival[8] | ||
| October | Manhasset, New York, USA | Americana Manhasset | ||
| October | Melbourne, Victoria, Australia | Motorclassica: The Australian International Concours d'Elegance and Motor Show | ||
| October | Savannah, Georgia, USA | Hilton Head Island Motoring Festival and Concours d'Elegance | ||
| October | Knokke-Heist, Belgium | Zoute Concours d'Elegance | ||
| November | Las Vegas, Nevada, USA | Las Vegas Concours d'Elegance | ||
| November | Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, USA | Hilton Head Island Concours d'Elegance & Motoring Festival | ||
| December | Tampa, Florida, USA | Gasparilla Concours d'Elegance |