The Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance is certainly not the largest concours in the world, but it’s by far the most prestigious. Winners of other Concours d’Elegance events may not even place or be accepted to this event as the quality of restoration and caliber of cars allowed at this event are the cream of the crop. I’m told there are over 3,000 applications each year, but only around 300 cars are accepted. We were on hand for this year’s event which was held Sunday August 10th, 2014.
We’ve been attending this event for many years now and are always amazed and blown away by the astounding quality and diversity of the cars, many of which are shipped and flown in from around the world just for this event. Although we attend every year to see the amazing cars that you literally cannot see anywhere else, the elite automobiles are only a portion of what this event is really about.
The Lodge at Pebble Beach and the golf course’s picturesque 18th green are turned into the place to be seen and peppered with both the rich and famous as well as anyone lucky enough to get their hands on a $300 ticket. Each year the event seems to go up in price, but the crowds just seem to get larger and larger which is amazing considering the cost, time, and logistics involved in attending this event. Top hats and canes for the men and long, beautiful flowing dresses with the largest of hats for the women are commonplace out on the show field. There are points when you feel like you’ve stepped back in time to some sort of golden era when women dressed like women and men dressed like men. All the amazing cars, beautiful people, and the world-famous views from the golf links make this truly a one-of-a-kind event we wish everyone at some point in their life could experience.
The featured marque for this year’s event was Maserati so as you can imagine there was some amazing Maseratis out on the lawn for judging and display. The Maserati factory even had a few key pieces from their collection flown in specifically for the event.
But enough with all the gushing, as what we were really there for was to check out the unbelievable selection of British cars. This is a very high-end event, so if you’re looking for MGBs, Austin-Healeys, or Triumphs, you’re in the wrong place. What you will see are some of the most historically-significant British cars ever made.
The lawn was filled with pre-war Bentleys and Rolls-Royces, some of which were made specifically for royalty. One such car was one of our favorites; it was a 1908 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost that’s known around the world as “Silver Dawn.” The car wears a polished Roi des Belges tourer body built by Baker and is amazingly restored and exceptionally beautiful. We love the early Rolls-Royces for their beauty, engineering, and quality that was above and beyond any other manufacturer of the era.
Another of our favorite cars was a 1951 Jaguar XK120 Fixed Head Coupé that was flown over from England just for the event. This particular XK120 is a very historically-significant car as it was the first left-hand drive Fixed Head Coupé, and the prototype used to publicize the launch of this now legendary model. The car had just received an amazing restoration by JD Classic in England, and was nothing short of flawless.
The Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance is truly one of the most remarkable events in the world and is a must see for all automobile aficionados—no matter your walk of life. What’s especially great about this unique event is that you need not be a car person to attend, as it’s not just about the cars but about a way of life and appreciation of history and beauty. It goes without saying that we highly recommend this event, but do be prepared to spend a significant amount of money as being a part of the proceedings is not cheap. From the tickets to the lodging, there is almost a constant pulling on your wallet. Plan your trip in advance and know exactly what you’re getting yourself into. If you do, we guarantee you will have a memorable experience. This is the stuff of bucket lists.
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