Concours d'Elegance (
French: ''concours d'élégance'') is a term of
French origin that means a "competition of elegance" and refers to an event where prestigious vehicles are displayed and judged. It dates back to
17th-century France, where aristocrats paraded
horse-drawn carriages in the parks of
Paris
Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...
during summer weekends and holidays. Over time, carriages gave way to automobiles and the gatherings became a competition among vehicle owners to be judged on the appearance of their vehicles.
These events are often held at
automobile shows, after racing competitions or, especially in the United States, as a fundraising event for charities. Many modern events also feature corporate exhibitions from
luxury and hypercar brands.
History
The oldest still-extant ''Concours'', the
Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este, is held annually near the
Villa d’Este hotel in Cernobbio, on
Lake Como in Italy. The first of these was held in September 1929. The first ''Concours'' in North America was held in 1950 at the
Pebble Beach Golf Links in Monterey, California, in conjunction with the first Pebble Beach Road Race. The longest continually-running event is the Hillsborough Concours d’Elegance in California, which has been held every year since 1956
(both Villa d'Este and Pebble Beach have skipped years since 1956).
Judging
Numerous local organizations sponsor ''Concours'' events. Traditionally, vehicle judging at a ''Concours'' is more demanding than that of a local neighborhood or general automobile show. Trained judges examine the vehicle thoroughly. They rate each and every component. Only those vehicles that are judged perfect (or very nearly so) in every way are considered eligible for trophy class.
Often, the competitiveness of a ''Concours d'Elegance'' forces
restoration of a vehicle to surpass "mint" condition. Mint condition would be the state of the vehicle when it originally left the factory. ''Concours''-quality cars are often given upholstery, paint,
plating
Plating is a finishing process in which a metal is deposited on a surface. Plating has been done for hundreds of years; it is also critical for modern technology. Plating is used to decorate objects, for corrosion inhibition, to improve solderab ...
, and mechanical restoration to a standard far exceeding that of the car when it was new.
''Concours d'Elegance'' competitions also are run for
classic cars. Here, the emphasis is as much on originality as the condition, although this also is very important. The general aim is to present a vehicle that is in the same, or better, condition than it was in when it left the production line. Unless original, modifications are not allowed, and components must be suitable for the year and model of the automobile. Even components or features fitted to automobiles of the same type, but in a different production year or trim level, are not allowed. Original-equipment accessories from the manufacturers' own range are allowed and some competitions allow after-market equipment and accessories, provided they are of the correct period. The automobiles must be presented in flawless visual condition, as with other ''Concours''-grade cars.
Events
Partial list of some of the ''Concours''.
References
{{Authority control
Conservation and restoration of vehicles