2014 PINEHURST CONCOURS D'ELEGANCE: THE WEEKEND IN SHORT

Concours weekends require three ingredients: spectacular cars, a beautiful venue, and a bit of luck. This year's Pinehurst Concours d'Elegance had all three and proved to be a great weekend for both the recreational car guy and the die-hard enthusiast to enjoy some beautiful cars and hang around with some of the auto-elite--the Vic Elfords and Magnus Walkers of the world.

Friday--Iron Mike and The Fair Barn

"The Green Rat," as McQueen affectionately called his beautiful  XKSS.
 Photo Credit: Davide Droschak 

As with most Concours of late, Pinehurst offers entrants and guests the chance to participate in a road tour to exercise what often becomes unused automotive art. As an honor to military personnel, the day-long rallye to Fayetteville was centered on the historic Iron Mike statue, a symbolic commemoration of our nation's servicemen and women.

With the days events rounding out with a welcome reception for Entrants and Judges at The Fair Barn, a beautiful example of rustic architecture, special guests included Steve McQueen's XKSS and many significant Porsche's from the Ingram Collection.




Saturday--Cars & Coffee and "The British Invasion"

Porsche-Mustang Shootout: Cars & Coffee Event

Cars & Coffee events are a great way to bring the automotive culture to the masses. These events act as small celebrations of motoring--which is one of the reasons they remain the most successful way to reach young enthusiasts. Pinehurst celebrated the anniversaries of both the Porsche 930 Turbo and the Ford Mustang, which turned 40 and 50 respectively. The anniversary theme resonated throughout the weekend, but the emphasis for Saturday's C&C was a Porsche-Mustang Shootout. Both brands were represented, however it seemed Porsche owners received their notice via telepathy, as their presence was overwhelming.

In addition to the shootout, various other vehicles appeared from all lifestyle backgrounds--daily drivers to blue-chip collectors--a welcome change considering the traditional concours climate doesn't offer much variety.

The evening's events included a live performance from Beatles impersonators--who couldn't decide if they grew-up on the streets of Liverpool or the farms of Concord--and a small British car show throughout the streets of the Village. Some of the highlights of the show included a well-used, slightly abused Series 1.5 Jag E-Type and a good mix of '50s and '60s British classic and sports cars.

Sunday--The Concours

The 119 car field displayed vehicles from the Brass era through the modern era, providing a healthy mix of European and American Sports and Classic cars, as well as a small group of racing cars. Best in show went to a '31 Cadillac 452A (pictured below), fielded by Charles Gillet--the only car in its class whose owner was older than their entry.

Aside from best in show, awards went to the top three cars in each class--including a 1972 Datsun 240Z which placed first in Sports and GT cars, beating out a '70 911S. Other interesting vehicles included the likes of Siata, various Alfa-Romeo's, and special appearances from the Ingram and Petersen Collection(s). If you are a Porschephile, some rare sightings included: 993 Carerra RS, 993 GT2, and an un-liveried Gulf Blue 930 Turbo (said to have been delivered to a Gulf Oil exec.).

Overall, the 2014 Pinehurst Concours d'Elegance provided guests with great cars and great company--a must go for any enthusiast. To see more photos from the event, click the links below and check back for additional photos from Sunday's event.

The Village of Pinehurst: More Photos from Saturday

Pinehurst Concours d'Elegance Photo Preview