What’s better than a hole in one on a golf course? How about when the course is overtaken by hundreds of priceless, pristine vehicles. That will be the scenario next Sunday when the 27th annual Concours d’Elegance rolls into the St. Regis Resort in Dana Point.
For the uninitiated, the event is a sight to behold, featuring extremely rare cars that, even if decades old, look as if they were brand new.
“It’s a presentation of history, art and engineering all wrapped in one,” says Bruce Junor, president of the concours. “We bring automobiles that have been enthusiastically restored to their original condition from people who have the knowledge and skill to do that. Many are hot rods, many are cars from the ’20s and ’30s and even teens.
“What you see is people who restore these things and spend the time and money and effort to do this, sometimes years. It’s the art form that goes with it. Some people say it’s just a bunch of grease monkeys, but it’s much more than that. It takes teams of people working for years to bring some of these cars to the event.”
It also takes teams of people to put on the show itself, which is expected to draw about 350 cars total. In addition to rare vehicles such as a 1941 Chrysler Thunderbolt, 1951 Delahaye and a 1955 Jaguar D-type that finished third at Le Mans that same year, car gawkers can see current supercars such as a Bugatti Veyron and Ferrari Enzo.
More good news for car lovers is that the price has been halved this year, with tickets $30 pre-sale and $35 day of. The show benefits the Assessment and Treatment Services Center and the Mary & Dick Allen Diabetes Center at Hoag Hospital. There are also limited spots left for a private collection tour on Saturday, with tickets at $150.
For more information, go to nbconcours.com or call 800-839-7520.
Stay tuned to Auto Motion for pictures after the show. For now, enjoy the photos below from past shows (click any to enlarge).
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