Filed in archive
Concours
, Rare Europeans
on March 9, 2009
Classic cars in museums may be impressive but seeing them on the road, complete with vintage sound effects, is a real treat. That's one very good reason why the organisers of the 2009 Palm Springs...
Filed in archive
Alfa Romeo
, Concours
on March 8, 2009
It isn't often that I overlook a great classic, especially when it's a sports car and even moreso when it's an Alfa-Romeo. Perhaps it was the 90-degree heat at the 2nd Annual Desert Classi...
Filed in archive
Concours
, Oddball Autos
on March 6, 2009
The lady next to me screamed and grabbed my arm. Men gasped, women fainted (well, almost). We were part of a crowd attending the Desert Classic Concours d'Elegance pre-show gala at the Palm Spring...
Filed in archive
Concours
, Famous Drivers
on March 4, 2009
What makes the Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance different is that the show features personalities as well as classic automobiles. Each year it invites famed racing drivers of the past to greet th...
Filed in archive
Alfa Romeo
, Concours
, Italian Cars
on February 25, 2009
2009 is only the second year for the Palm Springs Desert Classic but already this concours d'elegance is securing a place among North America's best. Perhaps we shouldn't be surprised for ...
Filed in archive
American Independents
, Concours
, Design
, Electric Cars
on February 10, 2009
Back in the early thirties (you remember them, don't you?) a Concours d' Elegance was a beauty contest for new cars and feminine fashion. Today a Concours is mostly about classic automobiles f...
Filed in archive
Concours
, Design
, Fun Events
on January 26, 2009
Pebble Beach, Villa d'Este, Amelia Island... watch out! Your concours may be world class but there's a bright new competitor ready to join you in the list of "events not to be missed.&quo...
Filed in archive
Concours
on November 21, 2008
Every year around this time I start dreaming about attending next year's Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance. For classic car fans Pebble Beach, together with the associated Monterey events and L...
Filed in archive
Concours
, Fun Events
, Private Collections
on October 8, 2008
India has never hosted an international Concours d'Elegance, however it is about to step into the limelight with what promises to be a fabulous affair. From October 31st through to November 02. 20...
Filed in archive
Concours
, Design
, Rare Europeans
on September 24, 2008
The Fairfield County Concours d'Elegance, blessed with superb Connecticut weather, was once again a huge success. The top two prizes went to a Pininfarina-designed Chevrolet Corvette (reminding ev...
Filed in archive
Cadillac
, Concours
, Design
on September 13, 2008
There is no doubt in my mind that places of exceptional beauty make for exceptional concours. California is blessed in that regard and so the 15th annual Palos Verdes Concours d'Elegance, commenci...
Filed in archive
British Cars
, Concours
, European Specials
on September 11, 2008
As a manufacturer "Standard Motor Company" may not stimulate your memory banks but you'd be surprised at the variety of vehicles produced by that venerable firm during its 60 years of pr...
Filed in archive
British Cars
, Concours
, European Specials
, Rare Europeans
on September 10, 2008
When I joined my first car club in the late 50s many of the members were British ex-pats who'd moved to Canada after the war. Not surprisingly they favored English "motors" so inevitably...
Filed in archive
British Cars
, Concours
, European Specials
, Rare Europeans
on September 8, 2008
Decisions! Decisions! Labour Day weekend forced me to choose between Vancouver's 2008 Steamworks Concours and the annual Victoria Wooden Boat Show. In past years I'd journeyed to the mainland ...
Filed in archive
Concours
, Racers
on September 4, 2008
For me, as a young enthusiast, Watkins Glen was the Valhalla of road racing, the place I wanted to be when the annual weekend festival occurred. The circuit was superbly located in the hills above sce...
Filed in archive
Classic Boats
, Concours
on September 1, 2008
The Kirkland, Washington Concours, coming your way on Sep 07, gives me a rare excuse to upload an image of a classic wooden speedboat. Kirkland, you see, includes a small but enchanting selection, tie...
Filed in archive
As We See Things
, Concours
, European Specials
, Italian Cars
on August 27, 2008
In the 1950's a managerial change at Fiat led the firm to build a V-8 engine on a special chassis with independent suspension all-round. During its brief life the Fiat "8V" was produced ...
Filed in archive
Concours
, Design
, Rare Europeans
on August 25, 2008
One day in the early 90s I received a panic call from Ray Fry, art director and former creative team-mate at MacLaren Advertising in toronto. "Philip," he said, "I've been hired as ...
Filed in archive
Concours
, French Cars
on August 22, 2008
Nigel Matthews is an internationally-known concours judge and collector cars appraiser who had the good fortune to be judging the Postwar Touring Class at Pebble Beach last week. He sent me photos of ...
Filed in archive
Chrysler
, Concours
, Information About
, Oddball Autos
on August 21, 2008
A few blogs back I mentioned that Pebble Beach would have a class for cars with big-really big-engines, one of which was entered by Jay Leno. At the time I didn't have a photo of Jay's 20+ lit...
Filed in archive
Alfa Romeo
, Concours
, Italian Cars
on August 20, 2008
If you seek beauty, brothers and sisters, look no further than Italy. For centuries the Italians and their Roman ancestors have been acknowledged as the source of many things beautiful. In olden days ...
Filed in archive
Concours
, Ferrari
, Italian Cars
on August 18, 2008
Pete Lyons, writing in his book Ferrari, The Man And His Machines says that the Ferrari 250 GT SWB was the last true GT. As a GT it could be used for racing or for touring in the grand manner. In the ...
Filed in archive
British Cars
, Concours
, Fun Events
on August 15, 2008
If I were designing a concours poster I'm not sure I'd put contemporary skyscrapers in the background. But the folks at the Central Virginia British Car Club obviously know more about the appe...
Filed in archive
Concours
, French Cars
, Private Collections
on August 13, 2008
Only rarely is an Avions-Voisin offered for sale, thus the Bonhams & Butterfields affair on August 15 at the Quail in Carmel should be nothing less than awe-inspiring. On that day an extraordinary...
Filed in archive
Concours
on August 8, 2008
I've never subscribed to the theory that bigger must be better (certain aspects of the female anatomy included). Nevertheless I've often been awestruck by magnificent autos that were overwhelm...
Filed in archive
Concours
on July 23, 2008
"Concours d'Elegance" is a unique affair dating back to the early 30's. It was originally a beauty contest for cars in an era when custom bodies were the rage among wealthy playboys ...
Filed in archive
Automotive Art
, Concours
on July 16, 2008
Commercial artists normally begin their work with a few initial renderings. The above is Charles Maher's proposal for the 2008 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance poster. If you're an automob...
Filed in archive
Classic Boats
, Concours
on June 25, 2008
It's been four years since I last attended the Kirkland Concours d'Elegance and though it was a good show then, it has developed into a world-class international concours. So I don't inten...
Filed in archive
Concours
, Design
, French Cars
on May 21, 2008
In the world of fashion and design there could be few places better suited to a display of classic automobiles than Beverly Hills' Rodeo Drive. It's the street where the beautiful people shop ...
Filed in archive
British Cars
, Concours
, Fun Events
on May 5, 2008
I'm really annoyed with myself for booking a trip to Toronto while the All British Field Meet is taking place in Vancouver, just a few miles across Georgia Strait from where I live. That'll te...
