Dana Point Concours d'Elegance
Encyclopedia
The Dana Point Concours d'Elegance is an automotive charitable event held each year on the Monarch Beach
Golf Links at the St. Regis Resort in Dana Point, California
. It is operated primarily as a Classic Car Club of America (CCCA) Concours
, with additional classes showcasing interesting and relevant automobiles. The 2010 event was held Sunday, June 27, 2010 moving from its traditional date in September.
A Concours d'Elegance
(French
, literally "a competition of elegance") is an event open to both prewar and postwar collector cars in which they are judged for authenticity, function, history, and style. Classes are commonly arranged by type, marque (manufacturer), coachbuilder
, country of origin, or time period. Judges select first-, second-, and third-place finishers for each class in the event, and the judges confer the "Best of Show" award on one car from the group of first-place winners. In addition, a group of honorary judges, individuals who have made significant contributions to the automotive industry or motorsports, award a number of subjective awards to recognize standout vehicles regardless of class ribbons, as well as memorial awards created to honor specific automotive industry personages.
for the first 10 years before moving to Pelican Hill Resort. In 2008 the event moved to the Monarch Beach Golf Links at the St. Regis Resort in Dana Point and in 2010 the Concours organizing committee officially changed the name of the event to the Dana Point Concours d'Elegance to properly reflect its new home.
Each year's Dana Point Concours honors a featured marque, coachbuilder, type or classification:
History of locations:
.
Best of Show winners by year:
, the Mary & Dick Allen Diabetes Center at Hoag Hospital as well as other Southern California youth charities.
Monarch Beach, Dana Point, California
Monarch Beach is a small, wealthy gated community in Orange County, California located within Dana Point. Its distinction is the St. Regis and the Ritz Carlton-Laguna Niguel which are beachside resorts located within the town of Monarch Beach...
Golf Links at the St. Regis Resort in Dana Point, California
Dana Point, California
-Climate:Dana Point enjoys a mild climate where temperatures tend to average around the 60's. The warmest month of the year is August with an average temperature of 79 degrees Fahrenheit. The coldest month is December with an average minimum temperature of 44 degrees Fahrenheit.-2010:The 2010...
. It is operated primarily as a Classic Car Club of America (CCCA) Concours
Concours
Concours or EU concours is a recruitment competition and examination to select staff to all institutions of the European Union.- Explanation of open competition :...
, with additional classes showcasing interesting and relevant automobiles. The 2010 event was held Sunday, June 27, 2010 moving from its traditional date in September.
A Concours d'Elegance
Concours d'Elegance
A Concours d'Elegance dates back to 17th Century French aristocracy, who paraded horse-drawn carriages in the parks of Paris during Summer weekends and holidays...
(French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
, literally "a competition of elegance") is an event open to both prewar and postwar collector cars in which they are judged for authenticity, function, history, and style. Classes are commonly arranged by type, marque (manufacturer), coachbuilder
Coachbuilder
A coachbuilder is a manufacturer of bodies for carriages or automobiles.The trade dates back several centuries. Rippon was active in the time of Queen Elizabeth I, Barker founded in 1710 by an officer in Queen Anne's Guards, Brewster a relative newcomer , formed in 1810. Others in Britain included...
, country of origin, or time period. Judges select first-, second-, and third-place finishers for each class in the event, and the judges confer the "Best of Show" award on one car from the group of first-place winners. In addition, a group of honorary judges, individuals who have made significant contributions to the automotive industry or motorsports, award a number of subjective awards to recognize standout vehicles regardless of class ribbons, as well as memorial awards created to honor specific automotive industry personages.
History
The first Concours was held in 1983 and was known as the Newport Beach Concours d'Elegance. It was held on the campus of University of California, IrvineUniversity of California, Irvine
The University of California, Irvine , founded in 1965, is one of the ten campuses of the University of California, located in Irvine, California, USA...
for the first 10 years before moving to Pelican Hill Resort. In 2008 the event moved to the Monarch Beach Golf Links at the St. Regis Resort in Dana Point and in 2010 the Concours organizing committee officially changed the name of the event to the Dana Point Concours d'Elegance to properly reflect its new home.
Each year's Dana Point Concours honors a featured marque, coachbuilder, type or classification:
- 2010: Alfa RomeoAlfa RomeoAlfa Romeo Automobiles S.p.A. is an Italian manufacturer of cars. Founded as A.L.F.A. on June 24, 1910, in Milan, the company has been involved in car racing since 1911, and has a reputation for building expensive sports cars...
& PininfarinaPininfarinaPininfarina S.p.A. is an Italian car design firm and coachbuilder in Cambiano, Italy.Founded as Società anonima Carrozzeria Pinin Farina in 1930 by automobile designer and builder Battista "Pinin" Farina, Pininfarina has been employed by a wide variety of high-end automobile manufacturers,... - 2009: Mercedes-BenzMercedes-BenzMercedes-Benz is a German manufacturer of automobiles, buses, coaches, and trucks. Mercedes-Benz is a division of its parent company, Daimler AG...
& Aston MartinAston MartinAston Martin Lagonda Limited is a British manufacturer of luxury sports cars, based in Gaydon, Warwickshire. The company name is derived from the name of one of the company's founders, Lionel Martin, and from the Aston Hill speed hillclimb near Aston Clinton in Buckinghamshire... - 2008: CadillacCadillacCadillac is an American luxury vehicle marque owned by General Motors . Cadillac vehicles are sold in over 50 countries and territories, but mostly in North America. Cadillac is currently the second oldest American automobile manufacturer behind fellow GM marque Buick and is among the oldest...
- 2007: 25 Years of Cars
- 2006: Mercedes-BenzMercedes-BenzMercedes-Benz is a German manufacturer of automobiles, buses, coaches, and trucks. Mercedes-Benz is a division of its parent company, Daimler AG...
- 2005: FerrariFerrariFerrari S.p.A. is an Italian sports car manufacturer based in Maranello, Italy. Founded by Enzo Ferrari in 1929, as Scuderia Ferrari, the company sponsored drivers and manufactured race cars before moving into production of street-legal vehicles as Ferrari S.p.A. in 1947...
- 2004: Rolls RoyceRolls-Royce Motor CarsRolls-Royce Motor Cars is a British manufacturer of luxury automobiles based at the Goodwood plant in West Sussex, England. It is the current producer of Rolls-Royce branded automobiles, whose historical production dates back to 1904. The factory is located across from the historic Goodwood Circuit...
& BentleyBentleyBentley Motors Limited is a British manufacturer of automobiles founded on 18 January 1919 by Walter Owen Bentley known as W.O. Bentley or just "W O". Bentley had been previously known for his range of rotary aero-engines in World War I, the most famous being the Bentley BR1 as used in later...
- 2003: PackardPackardPackard was an American luxury-type automobile marque built by the Packard Motor Car Company of Detroit, Michigan, and later by the Studebaker-Packard Corporation of South Bend, Indiana...
- 2002: Aston MartinAston MartinAston Martin Lagonda Limited is a British manufacturer of luxury sports cars, based in Gaydon, Warwickshire. The company name is derived from the name of one of the company's founders, Lionel Martin, and from the Aston Hill speed hillclimb near Aston Clinton in Buckinghamshire...
- 2001: JaguarJaguarThe jaguar is a big cat, a feline in the Panthera genus, and is the only Panthera species found in the Americas. The jaguar is the third-largest feline after the tiger and the lion, and the largest in the Western Hemisphere. The jaguar's present range extends from Southern United States and Mexico...
- 2000: LincolnLincoln (automobile)Lincoln is an American luxury vehicle brand of the Ford Motor Company. Lincoln vehicles are sold mostly in North America.-History:The company was founded in August 1915 by Henry M. Leland, one of the founders of Cadillac . During World War I, he left Cadillac which was sold to General Motors...
- 1999: PackardPackardPackard was an American luxury-type automobile marque built by the Packard Motor Car Company of Detroit, Michigan, and later by the Studebaker-Packard Corporation of South Bend, Indiana...
- 1998: British Sports Racing Cars
- 1997: French Coachbuilders
- 1996: German Automotive Heritage
- 1995: Italian Cars
- 1994: British Auto Masterpieces
- 1993: Antiques
- 1992: American Classics
- 1991: Mercedes-BenzMercedes-BenzMercedes-Benz is a German manufacturer of automobiles, buses, coaches, and trucks. Mercedes-Benz is a division of its parent company, Daimler AG...
- 1990: CadillacCadillacCadillac is an American luxury vehicle marque owned by General Motors . Cadillac vehicles are sold in over 50 countries and territories, but mostly in North America. Cadillac is currently the second oldest American automobile manufacturer behind fellow GM marque Buick and is among the oldest...
- 1989: FerrariFerrariFerrari S.p.A. is an Italian sports car manufacturer based in Maranello, Italy. Founded by Enzo Ferrari in 1929, as Scuderia Ferrari, the company sponsored drivers and manufactured race cars before moving into production of street-legal vehicles as Ferrari S.p.A. in 1947...
- 1988: Pierce-ArrowPierce-ArrowPierce-Arrow was an American automobile manufacturer based in Buffalo, New York, which was active from 1901-1938. Although best known for its expensive luxury cars, Pierce-Arrow also manufactured commercial trucks, fire trucks, camp trailers, motorcycles, and bicycles.-Early history:The forerunner...
- 1987: French Classics
- 1986: DuesenbergDuesenbergDuesenberg was an Auburn, Indiana based American luxury automobile company active in various forms from 1913 to 1937, most famous for its high-quality passenger cars and record-breaking racing cars.-History:...
- 1985: Rolls RoyceRolls-Royce MotorsRolls-Royce Motors was created from the de-merger of the Rolls-Royce car business from Rolls-Royce Limited in 1973. The original Rolls-Royce Limited had been nationalised in 1971 due to the financial collapse of the company, caused in part by the development of the RB211 jet engine...
- 1984: PackardPackardPackard was an American luxury-type automobile marque built by the Packard Motor Car Company of Detroit, Michigan, and later by the Studebaker-Packard Corporation of South Bend, Indiana...
- 1983: Bugatti RoyaleBugatti RoyaleThe Bugatti Type 41, better known as the Royale, was a large luxury car with a 4.3 m wheelbase and 6.4 m overall length. It weighed approximately 3175 kg and used a 12.7 L straight-8 engine...
History of locations:
- 2008 - Present: Monarch Beach Golf Links at the St. Regis Resort, Dana Point, CA
- 2004 - 2007: Strawberry Farms Golf Club, Irvine, CA
- 2002 - 2005: Hidden Valley Park, Irvine, CA
- 2000- 2001: The Oaks, San Juan Capistrano, CA
- 1994 - 1999: Pelican Hill Golf Club, Newport Coast, CA
- 1983 - 1993: University of California, Irvine, CA
Exhibitors
Prospective entrants must submit an application for each car, and the Concours field is selected from each year's pool of applicants. Entrants also come from some of Southern California's leading car collections such as The Nethercutt and Petersen Automotive MuseumPetersen Automotive Museum
The Petersen Automotive Museum is located on Wilshire Boulevard along Museum Row in the Miracle Mile neighborhood of Los Angeles. One of the world's largest automotive museums, the Petersen Automotive Museum is a non profit organization specializing in the education and history of the...
.
Best of Show winners by year:
- 2010: 1929 AuburnAuburn AutomobileAuburn was a brand name of American automobiles produced from 1900 through 1936.-Corporate history:The Auburn Automobile Company grew out of the Eckhart Carriage Company, founded in Auburn, Indiana, in 1875 by Charles Eckhart...
8-120 Boattail - 2009: 1951 Delahaye 235Delahaye 235Delahaye 235 is a luxury car built by French manufacturer Delahaye from 1951 until 1954.Presented at the 1951 Paris Auto Salon, the 235 was an attempt at updating the pre-war Type 135 for the 1950s. Delahaye did need a boost, as combined production of the Types 135 and 175 had dropped to an...
Roadster - 2008: 1937 Talbot-LagoTalbot-LagoTalbot-Lago was a French automobile manufacturer based in Suresnes, Hauts de Seine, outside of Paris.-Origins:The Anglo-French STD combine collapsed in 1935. The French Talbot company was acquired and reorganised by a Venetian born engineer called Anthony Lago and after that, the Talbot-Lago...
T150-C-S Sport Coupe - 2007: 1931 Cadillac Sport Phaeton V-16 Fleetwood
- 2006: 1936 DelahayeDelahayeDelahaye automobile manufacturing company was started by Emile Delahaye in 1894, in Tours, France. His first cars were belt-driven, with single- or twin-cylinder engines. In 1900, Delahaye left the company.-History:...
135 Competition Convertible - 2005: 1934 DuesenbergDuesenbergDuesenberg was an Auburn, Indiana based American luxury automobile company active in various forms from 1913 to 1937, most famous for its high-quality passenger cars and record-breaking racing cars.-History:...
Walker LeGrande J534 Covertible - 2004: 1912 Rolls-Royce Silver GhostRolls-Royce Silver GhostThe Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost refers both to a car model and to one specific car from that series.Originally named the "40/50 h.p." the chassis was originally produced at Royce's Manchester works, before moving to Derby in July 1908 and also, between 1921 and 1926, in Springfield, Massachusetts....
- 2003: 1932 Bugatti Type 49 CabrioletBugatti Type 49The early Bugatti 8-cylinder line began with the 1922 Type 30. The same basic design was used for the 1926 Type 38 as well as the Type 40, Type 43, Type 44, and Type 49.-Type 30:...
- 2002: 1937 Mercedes-Benz 540K Special RoadsterMercedes-Benz 540KMercedes-Benz 540K is a car from the German firm Mercedes-Benz from 1935 to 1940.-Creation:Introduced at the 1936 Paris Motor Show, the Friedrich Geiger designed car was a development to the 500K, itself a development of the SSK...
- 2001: 1914 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost SkiffRolls-Royce Silver GhostThe Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost refers both to a car model and to one specific car from that series.Originally named the "40/50 h.p." the chassis was originally produced at Royce's Manchester works, before moving to Derby in July 1908 and also, between 1921 and 1926, in Springfield, Massachusetts....
- 2000: 1931 DuesenbergDuesenbergDuesenberg was an Auburn, Indiana based American luxury automobile company active in various forms from 1913 to 1937, most famous for its high-quality passenger cars and record-breaking racing cars.-History:...
J Boattail Speedster - 1999: 1939 PackardPackardPackard was an American luxury-type automobile marque built by the Packard Motor Car Company of Detroit, Michigan, and later by the Studebaker-Packard Corporation of South Bend, Indiana...
1708 Sport Phaeton - 1998: 1961 Aston Martin DB4 GT ZagatoAston Martin DB4 GT ZagatoThe Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato was introduced in October 1960 at the London Motor Show. It was effectively a DB4 GT, lightened and improved by the Zagato factory in Italy, by Ercole Spada. Initially the factory had plans to produce 25 cars, but demand wasn't as strong as expected and production...
- 1997: 1934 VoisinAvions VoisinAvions Voisin was a French luxury automobile brand established by Gabriel Voisin.Gabriel B. Voisin was an aviation pioneer and manufacturer who in 1919 started producing cars using Knight-type sleeve valve engines at Issy-les-Moulineaux, an industrial suburb to the South West of Paris.Former...
C27 Figoni Cabriolet - 1996: 1906 PanhardPanhardPanhard is currently a French manufacturer of light tactical and military vehicles. Its current incarnation was formed by the acquisition of Panhard by Auverland in 2005. Panhard had been under Citroën ownership, then PSA , for 40 years...
Double Phaeton - 1995: 1930 Isotta Fraschini 8A SS Castagna
- 1994: 1929 Rolls RoyceRolls-Royce LimitedRolls-Royce Limited was a renowned British car and, from 1914 on, aero-engine manufacturing company founded by Charles Stewart Rolls and Henry Royce on 15 March 1906 as the result of a partnership formed in 1904....
P11 Brewster Town car - 1993: 1909 WintonWinton Motor Carriage CompanyThe Winton Motor Carriage Company was a pioneer United States automobile manufacturer based in Cleveland, Ohio. Winton was one of the first American companies to sell a motor car.-1896:...
17 Touring - 1992: 1939 DelahayeDelahayeDelahaye automobile manufacturing company was started by Emile Delahaye in 1894, in Tours, France. His first cars were belt-driven, with single- or twin-cylinder engines. In 1900, Delahaye left the company.-History:...
Type 165 Figoni et Falashi - 1991: 1939 Mercedes-Benz 770 K Cabriolet BMercedes-Benz 770The Mercedes-Benz 770, also known as the Großer Mercedes was a luxury automobile built by Mercedes-Benz from 1930 to 1943. It is probably best known from archival footage of high-ranking Nazi officials before and during World War II, including Adolf Hitler and Hermann Göring.-Series I - W07 :The...
- 1990: 1931 Bugatti Type 54 O-Uhlik RoadsterBugatti Type 51The Type 51 series succeeded the famous Type 35 as Bugatti's premier racing car for the 1930s. Unlike the dominant Type 35s of the prior decade, the Type 51 were unable to compete with the government-supported German and Italian offerings.-Type 51:The original Type 51 bowed in 1931...
- 1989: 1922 Hispano-Suiza H6B Labourdette SkiffHispano-Suiza H6The Hispano-Suiza H6 was a luxury automobile from the 1920s. Introduced at the 1919 Paris Motor Show, the H6 was produced until 1933. Roughly 2,350 H6, H6B, and H6C cars were produced in total....
- 1988: 1936 Mercedes-Benz 540K RoadsterMercedes-Benz 540KMercedes-Benz 540K is a car from the German firm Mercedes-Benz from 1935 to 1940.-Creation:Introduced at the 1936 Paris Motor Show, the Friedrich Geiger designed car was a development to the 500K, itself a development of the SSK...
- 1987: 1939 DelageDelageDelage was a French luxury automobile and racecar company founded in 1905 by Louis Delage in Levallois-Perret near Paris; it was acquired by Delahaye in 1935 and ceased operation in 1953.-History:...
D8 120 Letourneur Sport Cabriolet - 1986: 1931 CadillacCadillacCadillac is an American luxury vehicle marque owned by General Motors . Cadillac vehicles are sold in over 50 countries and territories, but mostly in North America. Cadillac is currently the second oldest American automobile manufacturer behind fellow GM marque Buick and is among the oldest...
452 Fleetwood Sport Phaeton - 1985: 1930 DuesenbergDuesenbergDuesenberg was an Auburn, Indiana based American luxury automobile company active in various forms from 1913 to 1937, most famous for its high-quality passenger cars and record-breaking racing cars.-History:...
J Boattail SpeedsterSpeedsterSpeedster may refer to:In automotive:* Opel Speedster* Plymouth Speedster* Porsche Speedster* Studebaker Speedster* Speedster AutomobilesIn fiction:* Speedster , a type of superhero whose primary power is superspeed.... - 1984: 1930 Cadillac V-16 Roadster
- 1983: 1935 Mercedes-Benz 500KMercedes-Benz 500KThe Mercedes 500K is a sports car built by Mercedes-Benz between 1934 and 1936, and first exhibited at the 1934 Berlin Motor Show. It carried the factory designation W29...
Charitable giving
The excess proceeds of the Dana Point Concours d'Elegance support the Ocean InstituteOcean Institute
The Ocean Institute is an ocean education organization located in Dana Point, California. Founded as the Marine Institute in 1977, it offers ocean science and maritime history programs for K-12 students and their teachers...
, the Mary & Dick Allen Diabetes Center at Hoag Hospital as well as other Southern California youth charities.