Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance |
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| Genre | Concours d'Elegance |
| Frequency | Annual, held in August |
| Location(s) | Pebble Beach Golf Links Pebble Beach, California, U.S. |
| Country | United States |
| Inaugurated | August 1950 |
| Most recent | August 20, 2023 |
| Attendance | 15,000 |
The Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance is a famous car show held every year. It takes place on the Pebble Beach Golf Links in Pebble Beach, California. Many people think it's the most important car show in the world. It's the top "Concours d'Elegance" event globally.
This event is the grand finale of Monterey Car Week, which happens every August. A "Concours d'Elegance" is a French term that means "a competition of elegance." In this show, classic cars, both old and new, are judged. They are checked for how real they are, how well they work, their history, and their style.
Cars are grouped by their type, maker, or when they were made. Judges pick first, second, and third place winners in each group. The best car from all the first-place winners gets the "Best of Show" award. This includes a special trophy and a Rolex watch.
Special judges, who are important people in the car world, also give out awards. These awards honor amazing cars or people who helped the car industry. About 15,000 people come to watch this exciting event. Many luxury car brands use the show to reveal their new models and show off future concept cars. Brands like Aston Martin, Bentley, Bugatti, and Ferrari often take part. The 72nd Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance happened on August 20, 2023.
Contents
History of the Pebble Beach Concours
The Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance started in 1950. It was first held alongside the Pebble Beach Road Race. This race was put on by the Sports Car Club of America. The first two shows in 1950 and 1951 were on a practice area next to the Beach Club.
In 1950, 30 cars were shown. In 1951, there were 23 cars. In 1952, the event moved to the 18th green of the Pebble Beach Golf Links. This spot is between the Lodge at Pebble Beach and the Pacific Ocean.
The show has happened every year since 1950, except for one year. In 1960, the show was canceled because of other events. Also, in 1963 and 1965, heavy rain made the usual show area too wet. So, the cars were shown near the old road race start line.
In 2001, a new group for "preservation cars" was added. These cars are special because they show their age and history. They include "barn find" cars, which are old cars found after being stored for a long time.
Event Details Over the Years
In 2006, 175 cars were displayed on the 18th green. These cars came from 27 states and 13 countries. The event calls itself the "premiere concours in the world." It shows both old and new cars, plus the latest concept car designs.
About 24 of the 175 cars in 2006 were from outside the U.S. They came from countries like Italy, England, and Germany. The total value of all the cars at the 2006 event was about $200 million. The number of cars was reduced from 227 in 2005 to 175 in 2006. This was done to give judges more time to look at each car.
In 2009, classic motorcycles were shown for the first time. The theme was British Motorcycles made before 1959. The Concours won the "Motoring Event of the Year" award in 2011. The 2020 event was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. So, the 70th show was moved to 2021.
Each year, the Pebble Beach Concours honors a special car maker or type of car. While early shows focused on new cars, today's Concours events mostly feature classic and vintage collector cars.
How Cars Compete in the Show
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Car owners who want to enter must send an application for each car. The Concours team then chooses which cars will be in the show. Many collectors spend years and a lot of money to buy and fix up a car. They hope their car will be chosen for the event.
Once a car has been in the Concours, it usually cannot be entered again for ten years. There are three exceptions to this rule:
- If the car gets a new owner.
- If the car has been fully restored again.
- If the featured car maker is rare, the committee might invite cars that have been in the show before. This helps make sure there are enough cars from that maker.
Many of the cars in the show are worth hundreds of thousands, or even millions, of dollars. Because of these valuable cars and the beautiful location, the Pebble Beach Concours is seen as the best car show in the world. It is the main event of over 50 car-related activities that happen over a week. These include vintage car races at the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion and classic car auctions.
Awards Given at the Concours
Best of Show Award
The Best of Show award is the top prize at the Concours. It goes to the overall winner, chosen from the three highest-scoring cars. Winning this award is considered the biggest honor at any car show worldwide.
J.B. Nethercutt has won the Best of Show award 6 times, which is the most by any owner. Mercedes-Benz cars have won 10 times as of 2023, making it the most successful car brand.
Elegance Awards
These awards celebrate the most elegant cars in different styles:
- J.B. & Dorothy Nethercutt Most Elegant Closed Car
- Gwenn Graham Most Elegant Convertible
- Jules Heumann Most Elegant Open Car
- Strother MacMinn Most Elegant Sports Car
Other Special Awards
Gran Turismo Award Since 2008, Kazunori Yamauchi, who created the Gran Turismo video game series, gives this award. It goes to a car that stands out for being rare, beautifully restored, or stunning to look at. The owner of the winning car might even get their car featured in a Gran Turismo game. Yamauchi also helps judge the main awards.
In 2021, the Gran Turismo Award went to a 1969 Ferrari 512 S Berlinetta. This car was once driven by famous racers Jacky Ickx and John Surtees.
The French Cup This award started in the 1980s. It is given to the most important car of French origin. In 2021, this award went to a 1937 Delahaye 135 M Chapron Cabriolet.
Concept Cars and New Models
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Many famous luxury and supercar brands use the event like a big auto show. They officially show off their new car models and future concept cars here. Many car makers even have their own special display buildings during the event.
Brands that have shown cars include Aston Martin, Acura, Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Cadillac, Ferrari, Ford, Lamborghini, McLaren, Porsche, and Rolls-Royce. For example, the Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport was first shown at the 2008 Pebble Beach Concours.
Pebble Beach Car Auctions
The event also hosts the Pebble Beach Auctions. This is a car auction where very expensive cars are sold, often for millions of dollars. In 2022 alone, the total sales from these auctions reached $469 million USD.
Helping Charities
The Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance helps support charities. For 56 years, its profits have gone to the United Way of Monterey County and the Pebble Beach Company Foundation. It also helps many other local and national groups.
In 2016, the event raised over $1.75 million for charity. Over the years, the Concours has given more than $23 million to different charities.
Images for kids
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A 1921 Kissel 6-45 Gold Bug Speedster, a Best in Class winner.
See also
In Spanish: Concurso Pebble Beach para niños
