The Most Famous Concours d’Elegance: Pebble Beach and The Quail, California at Its Best
24 August 2024 4 min read 4 images
Photo credit: Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, Rolex Newsroom
Anyone who thinks the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance is the highlight of Monterey Car Week (which actually spans ten days) might be likened to someone who believes the cherry on top is the entire cake. In reality, those ten days are packed with endless automotive events centered around classic, historic, and luxury cars. Among them, two Concours d'Elegance stand out as the epitome of American car collecting: Pebble Beach and The Quail.
Pebble Beach holds historical significance and recognized prestige. Not by chance, like the grand finale of a theatrical performance, it concludes the incredible Californian spectacle each year. This historic Concours began in 1950 as a support event for a road race in Monterey. The hotel and its golf course, overlooking the famous 17-Mile Drive, a scenic road lined with celebrity homes, have since become the stage for what many consider the most important Concours in the world.
This recognition stems from the rigorous standards established from the very beginning for the admission and judging of displayed cars. The quality and authenticity of the vehicles have become the hallmark of this event, elevating the classic car to an art form that represents its era. As Pebble Beach has taught, the car must be impeccable in every detail. In just one day, judges deliver their verdicts, and participants who find a ribbon on their car's windshield experience the unique thrill of being selected for the awards ceremony and called to the runway. Only then will they know if they've placed third, second, or first in their class. Moreover, one of them will receive even greater recognition when they are called to the stage a second time, where their car will be proclaimed Best of Show. The 2024 edition awarded this honor to Fritz Burkard and his Pearl Collection, thanks to the scores and admiration earned by his 1934 Bugatti Type 59 Sports. For the first time in Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance history, the Best of Show was awarded to a preservation car. This historic Bugatti, the first Type 59 ever built, is a rare factory race car with multiple Grand Prix victories, preserved in the livery it received when repainted by King Leopold of Belgium.
But as mentioned, this is just the cherry on top: no less reputable and attractive, though much more recent—just twenty years old—is the other great Concours of the week, The Quail, a Motorsport Gathering held at another spectacular resort: the Quail Lodge and Golf Club. Here, too, cars—mostly with a sporting heritage and often with a role in history—are carefully selected and displayed on the magnificent golf course. Even the most dedicated golfers make an exception to welcome these jewels. The cars are then judged and awarded in different classes, with the event culminating in the celebration of the Best of Show. This year, the honor went to Sam and Emily Mann with their magnificent 1937 Delahaye Type 145 12-cylinder Competition.
The ten days in Monterey include other must-see events like the Rolex Monterey Reunion at the famous Laguna Seca track—four days of races featuring cars of all types and eras—the Concorso Italiano, another beloved and admired tradition, as well as displays of famous cars like Porsche, Ferrari, Aston Martin, Lamborghini, and more, along with conferences and memorabilia exhibits. Another highly tempting aspect of Monterey Car Week is the major Classic Car Auctions. Roarington will cover these events in detail in the coming weeks. These auctions generate a significant portion of the year's total revenue for the car collecting world. Just to give you an idea!
CLASSIC CAR MATCHER