The Amelia Island Concours 2018 was held March 8-10 on the 10th and 18th fairways of the Golf Club of Amelia Island adjacent to the Ritz-Carlton in Amelia Island, Florida. The 23rd anniversary of the Concours attracted capacity crowds and a diverse selection of more than 300 cars and motorcycles. For the second year in a row, the Concours was moved up a day to Saturday in advance of a rainy forecast on the traditional Sunday event date.
With “look over there!” activity at every turn, the Amelia Island Concours team passionately led by Chairman and Founder Bill Warner again surpassed the dynamic pace of previous events. From classic Auburns to N.A.R.T Ferraris and from the wild creations of Ed ‘Big Daddy’ Roth to ground-hugging IMSA GTP cars, there was tremendous variety among the more than 300 cars on the picturesque show field.
“With every passing year, the Amelia Island Concours continues to grow,” Warner said. “It is magical to see the wide variety of vehicles that appear on the green each year. Their stories and history truly allow us to celebrate the automobile industry in a number of ways.”
Double Formula 1 World Champion and two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Emerson Fittipaldi kicked off the 2018 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance by driving onto the field in the McLaren-Cosworth M23 he drove to victory at Argentina and Silverstone in 1975. A further selection of Fittipaldi’s racers were among the highlights of the ‘Race Cars of Emerson Fittipaldi’ class, such as the John Player Special 1970 Lotus 72/5; 1974 Porsche 911 Carrera RSR IROC and 1986 March 86C.
In addition to the race cars of Emerson Fittipaldi, the Amelia Island Concours 2018 also celebrated the Cars of Martini Racing; Cars of ‘Big Daddy’ Ed Roth; the 50th anniversary of the Ferrari Daytona; IMSA Grand Touring Prototypes; Jaguar E-Type; the 70th anniversary of N.A.R.T; Pre-War MGs; Auburn and much more.
The iconic red and double-blue stripes and the famed “bar-and-ball” of the Martini International Racing Team was headlined by the Le Mans-winning Porsche 917K that set speed records that took four decades to beat. Other highlights included the Revs Institute’s Porsche 917K proudly wearing battles scars from circuits across the globe, the Targa Florio-winning Porsche 911 Carrera RSR 2.8 ‘Mary Stuart’, Jerry Seinfeld’s 1976 Porsche 935-001 and several Lancia racers.
If that wasn’t enough to stop you in your tracks, then the incredible class celebrating the 70th anniversary of the Luigi Chinetti’s North American Racing Team (N.A.R.T) was another show stopper. The New York-based team was the author of Ferrari’s ninth and final overall victory in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1965. That winning 275 was joined by the sole Ferrari 196S Dino produced; the Ferrari 250 TRI/61 that won Le Mans driven by Phil Hill and Olivier Gendebien; the Ferrari 365 P-3 ‘Tre Posti’ and the Ferrari 512 M driven Sam Posey and Tony Adamowicz to third overall at Le Mans.
The Best of Show Concours de Sport was awarded to the 1963 Ferrari 250/275P from the JSL Motorsports Collection in Redwood City, California and Best of Show Concours of Elegance at the 2018 Amelia Island Concours went to the 1929 Duesenberg Model J/SJ Convertible owned by Harry Yeaggy from Cincinnati, Ohio.
The 24th annual Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance will be held March 8-10, 2019. The show’s Foundation has donated over $3.2 million to Community Hospice of Northeast Florida, Inc. and other charities on Florida’s First Coast since its inception in 1996.
If you didn’t make it to Amelia Island, don’t worry we’ve got you covered. Similar to 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017, Sports Car Digest also documented this year’s banner event with the following selection from the fairways of the Golf Club of Amelia Island.
Amelia Island Concours 2018 – Photo Gallery (photos: Sports Car Digest)
This Ferrari 275P was first raced by Scuderia Ferrari in 1963 where it crashed at the 1000 km of Nurburgring. It was rebuilt and raced at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and won with Ludovico Scarfiotti and Lorenzo Bandini at the helm. It was subsequently sold to NART and raced by John Surtees, Pedro Rodriquez and finally by Luigi Chinetti Jr.
At Le Mans in 1962, the Cunningham team entered this factory-prepared Jaguar E-Type. Briggs Cunningham
and Roy Salvadori averaged 108.87 mph for 24 hours, good enough for fourth place overall.
This Porsche 917 short-tail with starting number 22 crossed the finish line as the winner of the Le Mans 24-hour race in 1971. It averaged 222.3 km/h and covered a distance of 5,335.16 kilometers driven by Gijs van Lennep and Helmut Marko and set two records that would remain intact for 39 years.
1954 Ferrari 250 Monza
1972 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Competition
Jaguar C-Type
Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona
1964 Cooper Monaco Type 61
1967 Chevrolet Corvette L88
1959 Elva MK IV
1968 Ford GT40 Mark IV
1964 Cooper Monaco Type 61
Chrome on display at Amelia Island Concours
Fiat Abarth 1000
Fiat Abarth 1000
1983 Lancia 037
1985 Lancia Delta S4
Cars of Martini Racing – 2018 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance
1981 Ferrari 512 BB/LM
1963 Ferrari 275P
1963 Ferrari 275P
1939 BMW 321
This Jaguar C-Type 009 placed 3rd in the Sheldon Cup in 1952 at Elkhart Lake and subsequently that year won the Seneca Cup in Watkins Glen with John Fitch driving
Cars of Martini Racing – Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance
1988 Lancia Delta Integrale
1983 Lancia LC2
Cars of ‘Big Daddy’ Ed Roth
Cars of ‘Big Daddy’ Ed Roth
Cars of ‘Big Daddy’ Ed Roth
Cars of ‘Big Daddy’ Ed Roth
Cars of ‘Big Daddy’ Ed Roth
1988 Nissan GTP ZX-Turbo
1991 Jaguar XJR 14
Cannonball Run Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona
This Ferrari 365P2 was supplied to North American Racing Team (NART) for the 1965 Le Mans 24 Hours, where it finished seventh. It went on to win the 12 Hours of Reims three weeks later, with Pedro Rodriguez and Jean Guichet.
1965 Ferrari 365P2
1961 Ferrari 250 TRI/61 (0794TR) won Le Mans in the hands of Phil Hill and Olivier Gendebien
1934 Alfa Romeo 8C 2300
1973 Porsche 911 Carrera RS 2.7
1974 Porsche 911 Carrera RSR 3.0 IROC
1974 Porsche 911 Carrera RSR 3.0 IROC
1949 Buick El Kineno
1936 Lagonda LG45
1971 Porsche 917K
1965 Alfa Romeo Giulia Tubolare Zagato
1977 Porsche 935
1950 Mercedes-Benz 170S Cabriolet A
1963 Porsche 356 B2000 GS Carrera GT
1964 Porsche 356 C2 Carrera
Lagonda self portrait
1932 Ford Highboy 3-Window Coupe
Preservation class?
Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost
1947 Bentley Mark VI Fixed Head Coupe
1953 Buick Super Estate Wagon
1949 Buick El Kineno
2018 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance
Bugatti Type 57
1937 Bugatti Type 57S
1958 Lister-Chevy
‘Knobbly’ Sports Racer
1936 Lagonda LG45
Ex-Emerson Fittipaldi McLaren M23
MG Police
1934 MG NA Special
1929 MG M Type
1929 Auburn Cabin Speedster
Auburn Speedster
1933 Auburn 8-105 Salon Retractable Hardtop
2018 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance
1986 March 86C
2018 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance
1974 Porsche 911 Carrera RSR 3.0 IROC
1994 Penske-Mercedes PC-23
1974 Porsche 911 Carrera RSR 3.0 IROC
1965 Renault R8 Gordini
Final prep work on the 1930 Duesenberg J-306
1959 Porsche 356 A Carrera GS/GT
1948 Cisitalia 202 Spider Mille Miglia Nuvolari
1961 Porsche Abarth Carrera GT/L
1971 Porsche 917K
1925 Bugatti Type 35 Grand Prix
1959 Ferrari 196S Dino
1957 BMW 507
1972 Parnelli VPJ-1
1989 Porsche 962
1963 Jaguar E-Type Lightweight
1925 Bugatti Type 35 Grand Prix
Always a crowd surrounding the NART Class
1961 Ferrari 250 TRI/61 (0794TR) won Le Mans in the hands of Phil Hill and Olivier Gendebien
1963 Ferrari 250/275P
1959 Ferrari 196S Dino
1981 Ferrari 512 BB/LM
1959 Ferrari 196S Dino
1961 Ferrari 250 TRI/61 and 1965 Ferrari 365P2
1959 Ferrari 196S Dino
1968 Ferrari 275 GTB/4S NART Spider
1968 Ferrari 275 GTB/4S NART Spider
1968 Chevrolet Corvette L88
1972 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Competition
1957 Fiat 1100/103TV
1954 Siata 200CS
1960 Watson Indy Roadster
1959 Porsche 718 RSK Prototype
1969 Jaguar E-Type Series II OTS
1973 Porsche 911 Carrera RSR 2.8 ‘Mary Stuart’ won the Targa Florio
1973 Porsche 911 Carrera RSR 2.8 ‘Mary Stuart’ won the Targa Florio
1952 Allard J2X
1983 Lancia 037
1971 Porsche 917K
1971 Porsche 917K
1953 MG TD Sport Speciale
1971 Porsche 917K
1969 Porsche 908
1969 Porsche 908
1963 Porsche 356 B2000 GS Carrera GT
1969 Porsche 908
1933 Maserati 8CM
1976 Porsche 935/76
1976 Porsche 935/76
1976 Porsche 935/76
1959 Outlaw
1937 Bugatti Type 57S
1939 Bugatti Type 57
1934 MG NA Special
1935 MG PA/PB ‘Leonidis’
2018 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance
1933 MG J2
1966 Bosley Interstate Mark II
Auburn was featured at the 2018 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance
1933 Auburn 12-165 Salon Brougham
1933 Auburn 12-165 Salon Brougham
1936 Auburn 852 Boattail Speedster and 1929 Auburn Cabin Speedster
1936 Auburn 852 Boattail Speedster
1933 Auburn 8-105 Salon Retractable Hardtop
1928 Auburn 8-115 Boattail Speedster
1935 Auburn 851 S/C
Laverda Motorcycles
1926 Rolls-Royce Phantom I Shooting Brake
1958 Porsche 597 Jagdwagen
1958 Bentley S-Continental Drophead
1947 Bentley Mark VI Fixed Head Coupe
1921 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost
1929 Packard Sport Phaeton
1961 Porsche Abarth Carrera GT/L
1967 MG C-GTS
Porsche 906
Cars of Martini Racing
1971 Porsche 917K
1951 Cisitalia 202 SC
1986 BMW GTP
1952 Tojeiro Barchetta
1985 Porsche 962 HR-1
1965 Alfa Romeo Giulia Tubolare Zagato
1954 Siata 200CS
Miller High Life Porsche 962
1956 Ferrari 250 GT Competizione Berlinetta
1971 Ferrari 512 M
1971 Ferrari 512 M
1981 Ferrari 512 BB/LM
1965 Ferrari 365P2
Ferrari 275 GTB
1972 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Competition
1970 Lotus 72/5
1970 Lotus 72/5
1977 Porsche 935
1959 Ferrari 196S Dino
NART Class
1963 Ferrari 250/275P
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