There are few events in the world quite like the Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance. It seems impossible but Bill Warner and his highly dedicated team have managed to produce a world class event that feels like a family reunion. Where else can a normal person rub shoulders with true cornerstones of the automotive world and not feel out of place? Forget about stuffy attitudes, upturned noses and forced formality, this event will completely destroy any preconceptions you have about the concours crowd. Conversations flow naturally and easily thanks to the overload of material about a truly passionate topic: automobiles.
This year was a triple-header of commemoration. Both the Ford GT40 and the Porsche 911 are celebrating their 50th anniversary, as well as the 60th anniversary of the Corvette. On top of that there were a staggering number of Harry Miller race cars on hand. The featured guest of honor was driving legend Sam Posey. Other guests on hand included Stirling Moss, Hurley Haywood, Peter Brock, and Bobby Rahal.
This year the weekend included a first ever "cars and coffee" event on Saturday morning. Normally this day would be spent preparing for the big show on Sunday, but for the first time ever over 200 cars filled the 18th fairway for the first half of the day. This mini-event was a success and will hopefully become a yearly tradition. RM Auctions was also on hand for their yearly event which saw over $26.8 million in total sales!
The main event on Sunday brought out quite possibly the largest crowd in show history. Entrants spent the early morning prepping last minute details while judges poured over every nook and cranny. In the end though it was the 1936 Duesenberg SJN (supercharged) and the 1968 Ford GT40 #1075 that brought home the coveted Concours d'Elegance and Concours de Sport awards. The Duesenberg is a stunning example with a supercharged 420-cubic inch 320 horsepower straight-8 engine, a staggering figure for the time! The race-bred GT40 is a two-time 24 Hours of Le Mans winner that truly embodied the spirit of Ford's GT40 program.
As the sun set on Amelia Island it was only fitting that the event not end with a sigh. No, this event ends with the sounds of automotive history thundering down the front driveway of the Ritz-Carlton. While some entrants choose to load their cars up on trailers straight from the show field, the more adventurous drive them right out the front door with a roar. If there ever was an automotive equivalent to a curtain call, this was surely it.
This year was a triple-header of commemoration. Both the Ford GT40 and the Porsche 911 are celebrating their 50th anniversary, as well as the 60th anniversary of the Corvette. On top of that there were a staggering number of Harry Miller race cars on hand. The featured guest of honor was driving legend Sam Posey. Other guests on hand included Stirling Moss, Hurley Haywood, Peter Brock, and Bobby Rahal.
This year the weekend included a first ever "cars and coffee" event on Saturday morning. Normally this day would be spent preparing for the big show on Sunday, but for the first time ever over 200 cars filled the 18th fairway for the first half of the day. This mini-event was a success and will hopefully become a yearly tradition. RM Auctions was also on hand for their yearly event which saw over $26.8 million in total sales!
The main event on Sunday brought out quite possibly the largest crowd in show history. Entrants spent the early morning prepping last minute details while judges poured over every nook and cranny. In the end though it was the 1936 Duesenberg SJN (supercharged) and the 1968 Ford GT40 #1075 that brought home the coveted Concours d'Elegance and Concours de Sport awards. The Duesenberg is a stunning example with a supercharged 420-cubic inch 320 horsepower straight-8 engine, a staggering figure for the time! The race-bred GT40 is a two-time 24 Hours of Le Mans winner that truly embodied the spirit of Ford's GT40 program.
As the sun set on Amelia Island it was only fitting that the event not end with a sigh. No, this event ends with the sounds of automotive history thundering down the front driveway of the Ritz-Carlton. While some entrants choose to load their cars up on trailers straight from the show field, the more adventurous drive them right out the front door with a roar. If there ever was an automotive equivalent to a curtain call, this was surely it.
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