Three-time world driving champion Jackie Stewart at a recent Pebble ConcoursBegun in 1950, this concours is the top-ranking collector car competition in the world. It is also the event to which most other modern concours now trace their roots. Initially modeled on the early European concours that shifted its focus to collector cars in 1955—and other concours followed suit. It has also taken the lead by including racing greats and offering featured marques and special classes as early as 1953, introducing displays of dream cars and concepts in the 1980s, and instituting driving events and em0hasizing the importance of preservation in the 1990s.
Guided by—and often driving—the interests of enthusiasts the world over, this concours continues to set the bar for all others.
The concours d’elegance is not a contest of speed, but of elegance. Automobiles are judged for their style and technical merit, as well as their history, the originality and the accuracy of their preservation or restoration—and the best garner reward and recognition.
The 2019 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance will feature the following marques and special classes among others:
Bentley Centennial
Zagato Centennial
Bugatti Race & Touring Cars
Historic Hot Rod “Cover Cars”
Thomas Flyers
Ballot
Lamborghini Miura
1935 Rolls Royce Phantom II Streamline Coupe, winner of Lucious Beebe Trophy in 2018 event.
Editor’s note: Admission to the Sunday Concours is pricey ($375 until August 1st, $450 at this writing), but the event does help fund several local charities. For the impecunious, a free look (and close-up, too) can be had when many of the Concours d’Elegance entrants will be on display for a couple of midday hours on Ocean Ave in Carmel, following their return from the Rolex-sponsored Tour d’Elegance which takes a drive down scenic Highway 1 as far as Big Sur before returning to the Monterey Peninsula. For more information visit https://www.pebblebeachconcours.net/.