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COMING: A CONCOURS FIT FOR A QUEEN

Of all the great concours d'elegance held around the world it would be difficult to imagine one more prestigious than the inaugural Windsor Castle Concours of Elegance, which will take place within the inner courtyard inside the walls of Windsor Castle from September 7-9, 2012. Imagine being invited to show your car in the Queen's front lawns! Imagine being there as a spectator! Just imagine.

Securing an invitation would be difficult, indeed, but being there is not impossible, for the Windsor Castle Concours of Elegance will be open to the public on Sunday, September 9, 2012. It is being organised with full permission of Her Majesty The Queen.

Note that the event is being advertised as a Concours of Elegance, not a Concours d'Elegance. I suppose that for an event being organised to celebrate the Queen of England's Golden Jubilee, the French spelling would hardly be appropriate.

At this time we have no idea which cars will be invited but the organisers say it is "a significant new event celebrating the style and glamour of historical automobiles, the like of which this country has never seen. The event will also be a fitting testimonial to the craftsmanship of the UK classic car restoration industry of which the UK is a leading player." Creative Director Jeremy Jackson Sytner at Thorough Events also commented, "taking place in this highly prestigious location, the event is being established as a major charity fund-raising initiative."

If you wonder why the Queen might support an automotive event it's worth remembering that, in spite of being chauffered around in a State Bentley, she is an accomplished driver who put her driving and repair skills to good use as a young Princess during WW2. When Her Majesty is visiting the family estate at Sandringham she can sometimes be found at the wheel of a Rover or other car and if there's a mechanical breakdown can explain the problem quite precisely to the service crew. Yes, the Queen is a car lady.

BEST REASON TO VISIT PALM SPRINGS: 2012 DESERT CONCOURS

It's early February of 2012 and there are a number of places I'd rather be than here in Sidney, BC. And that's because I love sunshine, warm temperatures, and beautiful scenery, especially when they're all in the same location. Add great classic cars to the list and one place leaps to the top. Palm Springs, California, home of the Rancho Mirage Desert Classic Concours d'Elegance.

Not long ago this was a two-day event. Now it encompasses ten days of excitement, beginning with the Desert Classic Vintage and Historic races, Friday through Sunday, Feb 17-19, at the Chuckawalla Valley Raceway in nearby Indio, California. Okay, it's not exactly ten days non-stop, for there is a break after the races until Friday, the 24th, when the Tour Classique begins. And that, to me, is a good thing as it allows visitors time to enjoy everything that Palm Springs offers. I'd recommend an early morning side trip to the Salton Sea area to participate in a hot air balloon ride, surely one of life's more inspirational experiences.

The Tour Classique on Saturday is where owners of selected concours cars have an opportunity to drive their vintage automobiles over interesting desert roads in the Coachella Valley, and where the public has a chance to see (and hear) them driven. As well, the event now includes a classic car auction, offering visitors a chance to buy their own piece of history. The Desert Classic Auction takes place on Saturday, February 25, 2012 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at The Westin Mission Hills Resort & Spa, with previews on Friday, the 24th.

Of course the highlight is Sunday's Concours d'Elegance, featuring more than 250 exceptional classics from Europe and America. Many of these rarely seen cars are from private collections and museums, and they'll be competing for coveted "best of show" and class awards. A "celebration of the motorsports lifestyle," the concours includes fine food and wine, up-scale vendors, music, and displays of other collectible items such as such as jewelry, watches and art. As a bonus, car club members are invited to display their vehicles in the Car Club Corral, located adjacent to the concours area.

One thing I do find peculiar about the Desert Classic is the change of location, the third in its brief history. Initially held on the golf course at the city of Palm Springs, it moved to the La Quinta Resort and Club in 2010 and returned in 2011. Now the Desert Classic heads for the Rancho Mirage Country Club in Palm Desert. Not that the venue is any less attractive with its spectacular mountain views, but it does suggest that the organisers have had trouble finding a permanent home. Let's hope this one is in it for the long run.

[Photo of Cadillac Fleetwood at 2011 Concours: Gerry Maceda]

GREAT PRETENDER OFFERS ADVICE ON CHOOSING A CONCOURS

Perhaps it's just my imagination but I'm getting the impression that more and more concours d'elegance are being added to the calendar each year. Is this a good thing? Yes, in a way, for it means that people all over America, who otherwise might never see a great classic car, are being exposed to these rare and exquisite beauties. Those same folks wouldn't travel halfway across the country to attend a concours but if there happened to be one within a hundred miles and it's properly promoted, they might make the effort.

On the other hand, in spite of the popularity of the collector car hobby and the number of restored survivors from almost any era, we may be reaching a point where concours organisers begin competing against each other for important entrants. Much as car owners enjoy showing their vehicles and seek to win prizes for best in show, there is a limit to how many they can attend without stretching personal schedules and even budgets. And that forces them to make choices which may not be in an organiser's best interest.

What made me think about this was a conversation I had the other day with a fellow enthusiast who owns a 3-year-old Shelby GT500 and pours a considerable amount of money into performance and aesthetic upgrades. Chris' area of interest revolves around this and similar cars and though he's aware of collector cars and likes them, my friend had no exposure to the great classics of the 20's and 30's until he saw one being auctioned during Barrett-Jackson's Scottsdale TV coverage. It was, literally, an eye-opener, and led him to ask me about those "concoors" and how he might get to attend one.

We began by discussing Pebble Beach but our conversation soon focused on other locations and he was quickly overwhelmed by the number of possibilities (as was I). In California alone there are, in 2012, at least seventeen concours worth seeing. We live in the Pacific Northwest so California, which has more classic cars than anywhere in America, is an obvious destination. As well, my friend is an avid golfer and several locations have notable courses nearby.

Now here's the funny, or sad, truth about me as an expert on concours d'elegance. When Chris asked how many I'd actually attended I was forced to admit, "just three... Pebble Beach, Kirkland (Washington), and Palm Springs." That's it, folks. Dozens of car shows and other events in Canada, the US, and England but only three concours. Through most of my adult life I was too busy working and when I finally retired to write about classic cars I could no longer afford the journeys.

I'm still undecided about which to recommend to Chris as his first concours, although the Palo Alto Concours d'Elegance next September 16 (see above, and click on this link) is a serious contender. An outstanding show amid magnificent surroundings and this year featuring "French Curves," those sensuous, curvaceous French beauties of the pre-war era. Think of it as the Moulin Rouge with cars instead of dancers. As for me, I intend to get around more in the future and would love to combine a concours with a special "railfan" event, for I enjoy vintage trains as much as I love classic cars. And two-for-one would be a lot easier on my travel budget.

COULD THIS BE THE GREATEST PEBBLE BEACH EVER?

It seems absurdly early to be writing about the 2012 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance. Roughly nine months as I write this. But there are two reasons why I'm willing to promote the event for the benefit of our viewers. First, because securing affordable accommodation is all but impossible if you wait until summer. One could even say that "securing affordable accommodation" can't be done at any time but perhaps, with advance planning, you might get lucky.

The second reason is that, having read the list of planned features and classes, I'd say that the 2012 concours is shaping up to be one of the most spectacular  in Pebble Beach history. The featured marques will include Maharaja Cars, plus the marques of Mercer and Fiat. Special classes will recognize Saoutchik Coachwork, AC and AC Cobra, Sport Customs, and German motorcycles.

I'm not sure how the organisers plan to find enough "Maharaja Cars" for the show, even allowing for the fact that more than a few Indian maharajas ordered customised luxury cars from the likes of Rolls-Royce, Hispano-Suiza, Isotta-Fraschini, and others. A few years ago I wrote a piece for another Web site about a maharaja who had a collection of some thirty rare classics, all of which were kept in perfect running order. He was in the habit of sipping his morning coffee from a balcony while a chauffeur would perform drive-pasts in whatever cars the master chose for his entertainment. One wonders if he still does this and if any of the cars will make it to California.

More realistically, it happens that over the years several maharajah cars have been sold or auctioned to private owners outside India (no longer allowed as the country takes steps to keep its treasures), and it is probably from that group that Pebble Beach expects to attract entrants.

But if the cars of India aren't enough to entice you, the class for Saoutchik Coachwork should do it. Saoutchik was one of the most creative and most flamboyant of prewar designer-builders, whose bodies were often stunningly beautiful. To see just one is an experience. To see multiple examples will have you shaking your head in amazement.

I'll be looking forward to the AC and AC Cobra class, for even though Cobras are frequently seen at concours, the AC cars from which they were derived are not and I think show goers will be surprised at the variety of sporting cars that came from this small UK company, which dates back to 1911. Along with some older examples we may see the sleek Greyhound sedan, the Aceca coupe version of the Ace roadster (the latter including three different inline 6-cylinder engines), perhaps a 1971 AC Frua and, who knows, maybe even one of the 3-wheeled "invalid" cars it produced so handicapped folks could keep mobile. Somehow I doubt that any of the twenty-eight streamlined Southend railway cars it produced in 1949 will make it to Pebble Beach.

Add to this the classes for Fiat and Mercer and you have the potential for an unforgettable Pebble Beach experience. If you own a car that fits the above you should get in touch with the organisers now. If you're intimidated by those Monterey room prices, now's the time to look for deals. If you find one, let me know.

HILTON HEAD WINNER RECALLS A VERY FAST BARON

I began the serious part of my automobile writing career in 1960 as assistant public relations manager for Volkswagen Canada, a job that also included Porsche sales and racing. My boss, Dr. Hal Albrecht, was a true racing aficianado, having helped manage the Auto-Union team before the war. Because of his background, and because we were representing Porsche, we came into contact with many motorsport legends from Europe. In fact our offices sometimes looked like a "who's who" of racing.

Among those who visited us was Baron Hushcke von Hanstein, Porsche's director of motorsport, public relations manager, and international ambassador for the company. I was suitably impressed by this elegant man. He was handsome, with a broad mustache and an even broader smile, twinkling eyes, and spoke softly with only the hint of an accent. A true gentleman and a brilliant race driver with a magnificent record from the 1930s through to the 60s.

What led me to reminisce about Hushcke von Hanstein was learning about the car that won "Best of Show" at the 2011 Hilton Head Concours d'Elegance. The award went to a 1937 BMW 328 Roadster, now owned by Lothar Schuettler of Darnestown, MD... but what a history! Its first owner was none other than Huschke von Hanstein and with the baron at the wheel in 1938-39, the car saw many wins at the Nurburgring, Hockenheim, LeMans and the Gorssglockner Hill Climb. It disappeared during WW2 and miraculously resurfaced in 1953, repainted white. A German national sold the BMW to a US GI who brought it to the US and kept it for the next 40 years.

Nigel Matthews was a judge at Hilton Head, which he informs me is becoming one of America's most significant concours. The judges, who participate at events across the nation, are among the most knowledgable in the country and car owners are eager for an invitation to next year's event. What Nigel especially enjoyed, however, was that legendary southern hospitality. As he put it, "the people at the show are friendly and pleasant... there no airs or graces or noses in the air, and everyone is there to have a good time." Baron von Hanstein would have been right at home.

CONCOURS PRESENTS 1938 PACKARD AS OFFICIAL MODEL

Because model cars are about what's old it's always fascinating to discover what's new. Thus I was delighted to learn that a major concours d'elegance combined with a retailer to present an official model for its annual event. The Glenmoor Gathering has selected Automodello's 1938 Packard Twelve Convertible Victoria, in Ivory White. Exquisitely detailed in 1:43 scale this elegant Packard is priced at $94.95 from Diecasm.

And therein lies another tale. Diecasm brings collectors and enthusiasts of replica model vehicles together with nonprofit organizations. When you make a purchase a portion of that price goes to a worthy nonprofit of your choice. You get the fun of adding to your model car collection while others more needy get the benefit of your contribution. A win/win way of doing business.

While perusing the Diecasm site I found another model I'd love to own, for nothing on four wheels was ever as romantic as the Delahaye 135 Figoni et Falaschi Grand Sport.

The auto bodies of Figoni et Falaschi were fluid, aerodynamic (for the period), and extravagant. Figoni's partner Ovidio Falaschi described it this way: "We really were true couturiers of automotive coachwork, dressing and undressing a chassis one, two, and three times and even more before arriving at the definitive line we wanted to give to a specific chassis-coachwork ensemble."

The maker of this model, "Spark," is new to me but I'd happily part with a mere $64.95 for the privilege of adding the Delahaye to my small but growing collection. If only I had the space!

CARS OF YESTERDAY AND TODAY COMBINE FOR A VAN DUSEN DAY

It was one of those weekends when things didn't quite go as intended. My mission was to report on Vancouver's inaugural Luxury + Supercar Weekend at VanDusen Botanical Garden. The journey began well enough, with perfect temperatures and a sun-filled sky making the hour-and-a-half trip across Georgia Strait on BC Ferries a pleasant enough journey. But when Paul Enock and I arrived for media day I was the only automobile journalist on the lawns. A slight misunderstanding and nobody's fault. Unfortunately Paul wasn't available to chauffeur me around on Saturday and Sunday so I missed seeing the show in all its glory.

Nevertheless many of the cars were in place on Friday, which meant that one could take photos without the usual crowds getting in the way. Obviously I was attracted to the classics but couldn't help but be drawn to the supercars. In spite of the Ferraris, Maseratis, Lamborghinis and Bugattis in attendance the star of the show was surely the McLaren MP4-12C (above). It is one of only three in the world, so Vancouver was among the privileged. That Volcanic Orange paint job is even more spectacular in person and the styling is perfect, thanks to something most such cars lack: it's called restraint.

Turning to the classics, we were privileged to see an extremely rare 1938 Peugeot Darl’mat coupe. Taking note of its unusual design you might find the styling rather extreme but look at it this way: The Darl’mat was a supercar of its era, just like the McLaren is now. Here's a summary of what Nigel Matthews wrote in his Vancouver Province article: "Emile Darl’mat was one of Peugeot’s most successful dealers during the 1930s... his dealership was located in Paris and is still there today. Darl’mat spent a lot of time tinkering and tuning Peugeot engines in his quest to obtain additional horsepower. In 1938 he teamed with coachbuilder Marcel Pourtout to produce a custom Peugeot. Paulin’s design featured a very slim and low body with separate front and rear fenders. Art Deco side vents were fitted to both sides of the engine compartment. Other features include its long radiator grille and heart-shaped rear license plate frame and cats-eye back windows."

Decades later Volvo, in its second attempt at producing a sports car, gave us the exquisite P1800 coupe. Irv Gordon has driven his (not the car in the photo) close to 3-million miles with no major repairs, proving that if you take care of an automobile and treat it as though she was your mistress, there's no limit to how far you can go. Frankly I can't imagine driving a million miles in any vehicle but my long ago memories of the P1800 involve, as a car magazine editor, a test drive in which I loved the car though not the notchy gearchange.

Parked almost unnoticed on Friday was this exquisite Alfa Romeo Montreal coupe. I hadn't seen one since it was a concept car at Expo 67 in Montreal. The first production car was shown at the 1970 Geneva Show and was quite different from the original, using a 2593 cc 90° dry-sump V-8 engine with fuel injection that produced around 197 hp, coupled to a five-speed ZF gearbox and a limited-slip differential.

Any classic Rolls-Royce is enough to get your attention but four, lined up in order of model year? The car closest to the camera is also the oldest Rolls-Royce in Canada, a 1911 Silver Ghost. Surrounded as they were by cars that could easily exceed twice or even three-times the speed limit, these classics may have been mere curiosities for most of the spectators. Not so for anyone who appreciates automobile history. The organisers should be applauded for bringing us this extraordinary collection.

The day after I began writing this blog I received an e-mail from Nigel, telling me how successful the public days were and leaving me even more regretful that I'd missed out on the fun. He also sent the photos you see below. Come next year...

Not one, but two 1930 Lagondas. The two-tone car is a V-12 Rapide with the LeMans Engine

Maserati showed both new and old, including a 1961 3500 GT and a 1974 Bora

The $2.2 million (before taxes!) Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport

Choose your Ferrari. You can have any colour you want as long as it's red

A 1912 Detroit Electric, the second-oldest vehicle on display, symbolic of both the past and the future and a car I find absolutely fascinating. I'd love to drive one...

Toyota made just 337 2000 GT Coupes. The white convertible we admired in a James Bond movie was even rarer, for it was one-of-a-kind. Apparently Sean Connery was too tall for the coupe so they chopped the roof, making it possible for him to hop in and out easily.

For an in-depth look at the show and the class winners, simply click on this link.

 

 

PALOS VERDES CARS AND SCENERY CAPTURED BY RENOWNED ARTIST

What you are seeing here is a delightful painting by artist Guy Buffet, which will grace the cover of the 2011 Palos Verdes Concours program. Buffet was born in Paris in 1943, in the same neighborhood where Chagall, Matisse, Picasso, and Modigliani had once lived, and must surely have been influenced by that magic environment and by his art-loving restauranteur parents. His distinctive style has certainly captured the look of the Palos Verdes peninsula in a playful way.

The concours organisers tell us that "the abundant foliage creates a symphony of different shades of green dotted by Palos Verdes homes with their typical red tile roofs. Elements include luxurious resorts and first class golf courses, surfers and sun bathers and the blue Pacific extending to the shores of Catalina. The artist also superimposes impressionistic snapshots of vintage cars that are part of the celebration and includes happy chefs and waiters taking part in a 'gourmet tour' of Palos Verdes."

Ah, yes, the cars and the concours. If you're one who is drawn to automobiles once owned by celebrities you'll feast your eyes with these entries: A 1926 Lincoln Model 149, owned by movie mogul Jack Warner, founder of Warner Bros; a 1930 Cord L-29 Town Car, owned by silent film star Dolores Del Rio; a 1957 Dual Ghia, owned by actress Ava Gardner, whose husbands included Mickey Rooney, Artie Shaw and Frank Sinatra; a 1962 Shelby Cobra, owned since new by jazz musician Herbie Hancock; and a 1966 right-hand-drive Ferrari 275 GTS, whose owners included rock star Eric Clapton and movie star Jayne Mansfield. Her daughter is Emmy and Golden Globe winner Mariska Hargitay, star of Law and Order, Special Victims Unit.

This year's concours theme is "California Design and Style," and the featured marques are the cars of Howard “Dutch” Darrin, plus Woodies and Muscle Cars. The 100th anniversary of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway will be celebrated by a display of six historic racers driven at the Brickyard by Parnelli Jones, Dan Gurney and others. Artist Guy Buffet, also the Grand Marshall, will be honored at a Bistro d’Elegance dinner following the Tour d'Epicure Road Rallye on Saturday, September 17, which starts at the Banning Museum in Wilmington and ends at the Palos Verdes Golf Club.

I've never attended the Palos Verdes Concours but if I were choosing to witness an event that combines a fabulous California location with elegant classics and special interest cars, this would surely be it. Guy Buffet's art, many examples of which will be on display, is the icing on an already delicious cake. Hang on to those programs, folks. They'll be collectors items before long.

RIDE THE RAILS TO THE GREAT GLENMOOR GATHERING

I've blogged before about the advantages of traveling to a concours or motor race by train. But rarely does the opportunity arise to make the trip on a train pulled by a restored steam engine. That's why I think Nigel Matthews is one lucky guy, for he'll be judging at Canton, Ohio's 2011 Glenmoor Gathering and could choose to arrive on a Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad train pulled by the Nickel Plate Berkshire NKP 765—the largest operating steam locomotive east of the Mississippi.

Having said that, I doubt Nigel's judging responsibilities will allow time, as the excursion begins at Rockside Station on Sunday, Sept. 18 at 8:15 a.m., arriving in Canton at 11:30 a.m. for a bus shuttle to the Glenmoor Gathering. The shuttle will return passengers to the Canton station at 3:30 p.m. for the return trip to Rockside station at 6:30 p.m. Believe me, if I could afford to fly to Ohio from Vancouver Island for the weekend, I'd be on that train, happy to spend just three hours at the concours for the pleasure of riding behind a great steam engine.

Those of you with the time to spare can, however, have a lovely weekend at the Glenmoor Gathering, one of North America's finest classic car shows. You could start on Friday from 3-4 p.m., with a presentation on the history of the famed Chrysler Turbine car by Steve Lehto, author of Chrysler Turbine: The Rise and Fall of Detroit's Coolest Car. On Saturday you could take in a special bonus of the 2011 Gathering weekend; a Classic Car Club of America Grand Classic, sponsored by the Ohio Region of the CCCA.

And then, on Sunday, you can delight in what I think must be a highlight of the concours year. Featured classes will be "Avant Garde: Early Front-Wheel Drive," "Sixteen-Cylinder Motorcars" and "The Automobiles of Darrin," including a group of 1938-42 Packard Darrin automobiles. The front-wheel-drive class will include examples of the legendary Cord, Ruxton, Citroen Traction Avant, a Miller race car, and several early front-wheel drive automobiles. One of the most unique FWD cars on display will be a 1937 Cord 812 owned by legendary Western film star Tom Mix, recently restored to its original condition.

Much as he must have loved his Cord 812, you can be sure that the celluloid cowboy traveled many a mile by rail, as most people did in those years. Come to think of it, a highlight of many westerns came when the bad guys attempted to rob a railway train.

VANCOUVER JOINS UK AND MONTEREY WITH SUPERCAR AND CLASSICS SHOW

Vancouver, BC has always been a beautiful city, located, as it is, next to the ocean and the mountains and with clement Pacific Northwest weather: little snow, rarely too hot. That's what drew me here decades ago when I'd become tired of Toronto's bland architecture and freezing winters. Over the years I went back and forth, never able to make a satisfactory living in BC yet always keen to get away from the old home town. There was also a lengthy period when my family and I lived in New York and then in London, and those were wonderful times but for entirely different reasons.

During the period when I first arrived and today, the city of Vancouver changed enormously. Impelled by the success of Expo 86, by its celebrated World Fair and by the recent winter Olympics, enriched by the bankrolls of a wave of Hong Kong immigrants, Vancouver has become one of North America's most modern cities. It also employs the continent's most advanced transportation system. All of which makes Vancouver an appropriate location for a relatively new kind of automobile show combining spectacular "supercars" with elegant classics. It is being developed in the same fashion as England's Salon Privé, and Monterey car week's The Quail.

Officially titled "The Shaughnessy Concours d'Elegance (subtitled Luxury+Supercar Weekend)" it takes place on the lawns of Van Dusen Botanical Gardens on Sep 10-11, an elegant setting, though without the background of Syon House, the London home of The Duke of Northumberland, or California's Quail Lodge. No, Vancouver doesn't have it all but never mind, the Gardens are quite lovely. The Shaughnessy Concours d'Elégance will commemorate both the 125th Anniversary of the invention of the Automobile and Vancouver's 125th Birthday. New models will include the spectacular CLS 63 AMG from Mercedes-Benz, the stunning LFA supercar from Lexus, the latest Porsche GT3 ALMS race cars, and the all-new electric Fisker Karma. Marque1 contributor Nigel Matthews says the new McLaren MP4-12C, having just been unveiled at Pebble Beach, will be there.

In addition the "2011 Shaughnessy Concours d'Elégance at VanDusen Botanical Garden" will present a collection of priceless classics, competing for the Best of Show award. Nigel (just returned from judging at Pebble Beach), is in charge of choosing both the supercars and the concours entrants. Assigned by classes they include Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwings, Coupes and Roadsters; Rolls-Royce – the 100th Anniversary of the Spirit of Ecstasy; Ferrari Front-Engine Sports and Racing Cars; the 50th Anniversary of the E-Type Jaguar. Germany and Italy will be equally well represented

The organisers assure us that this event will be "the city’s most stylish garden party by day, where you can enjoy lunch al-fresco while sipping on fine wines and modern cocktails while the evenings will heat up with a series of gourmet dinners at Le Crocodile, Hawksworth, and II Giardino, along with access to late night parties at Republic and Bar None."

Hmmm... quite an adventurous schedule for a first try but there's little reason to believe it won't succeed, even in today's economic climate. If I could offer just one suggestion to the organisers it would be this: "Shaughnessy Concours d'Elégance at VanDusen Botanical Garden" is far too long and awkward to spell. Next year make it shorter. Salon Privé is short, even if most North Americans don't know how to position the accent. The Quail is delightfully short and memorable. Try "The Van Dusen Supercar and Classics Weekend." Sooner or later, probably sooner if the event succeeds, it will become known as "The Van Dusen." You could hardly ask for more.