Elegance

Written by Victoria Baker
Thursday, 26 May 2011 12:47

The 2011 Greenwich Concours d’elegance will take place on Saturday, June 4 and Sunday, June 5 from 10-5 each day. Tickets are $25 per day or $40 for both days. There will be an Automobile auction selling off prominent collector’s cars conducted by Bonhams on June 5 starting at 10 a.m. Everything will take place at Roger Sherwin Baldwin Park rain or shine!

Saturday’s Concours is exclusively for American makes, while Sunday is exclusively for imported cars. The theme of the show is Mid-Century Hybrids, which will be a special two-day display. Unlike the hybrids of today, these classics were called hybrids because they combined American running gear and V-8 engines with hand-crafted bodies by Italian, French, and British coach makers. This year will feature a three-day regatta of classic former America’s Cup 12-Meter yachts. Concours visitors will be able to view the yachts up close, and there will also be limited opportunities to sail on them. Classic motorcycles will also be on display.

Before the First World War cars were considered to be a luxury, exclusively owned by the prosperous and fortunate. But by the end of the era, as the Great Depression took its grip, the motor car had ensconced itself as a necessity and everyday accessory in any given part of the civilized world.

The vintage era is so significant to the history of the automobile as it saw some of the most radical mechanical and stylistic changes. In the UK in particular, there was a significant cross-over in the manufacturing process, from meticulous craftsmanship to American-inspired assembly lines. Some argue that from this point on the quality of car manufacturing began to decline.

Changing economic status and social attitudes were shaped by the ever-increasing popularity of the car throughout the vintage era. Yet vice versa, increasingly the cars were designed to fit in with the transformations of everyday living, and the desire to have the biggest, best, most comfortable and fastest motor around. Luxury cars gave way to lighter utility cars, but the need for speed in turn meant that manufacturers needed to find a common ground between the heavier luxury cars and the slower utility cars.

Improvements during the vintage era made way for the complete luxury, comfort and convenience that is so expected in today’s cars. However much we are accustomed to such functionality, there is something really special about the golden era of motoring. Whether it’s the seemingly basic mechanics coupled with out-and-out style, or the excitement of the fast-paced and continual engineering developments, the vintage era can be looked back upon as a time of both mechanical pioneering and stylish innovation.

The Greenwich Concours is a highlight for any motor car enthusiast, a chance to step back in time and enjoy a more leisurely pace of life...back to a time when the automobile shared the road with the horse-and-carriage and ladies covered their hats in yards of billowy chiffon that saluted passers-by like a flag of modernity as they sped away in their automobiles...