The Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance returns to Amelia Island, Florida on March 8-11, 2012 for the 17th running of the automotive event. Held at the Ritz-Carlton on Amelia Island and the adjacent Golf Club of Amelia Island at Summer Beach, the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance is much more than the big show on Sunday, with several days of poster and book signings, seminars, driving tours, parties, automobile and silent auctions, art shows, test drives and more. Here is a preview of the 2012 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance, including the official schedule of events.
2012 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance – Featured Guests and Marques
The 17th annual event takes place at the Golf Club of Amelia Island at Summer Beach from 9:30am to 5:00pm. Tickets are $50 in advance ($60 at gate), youth 12 – 18 and active duty military pay $25 and children under 12 are admitted free of charge when accompanied by a paying adult.
Racing great Vic Elford will be the featured honoree, serving as the keynote speaker at the Concours’ annual Gala Dinner on Saturday and driving onto the show field on Sunday at 9:45am to officially open the Concours.
The 2012 Amelia Island Concours will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Ferrari GTO and Shelby Cobra, the 60th anniversary of the 12 hours of Sebring and Mercedes-Benz’s 1952 Le Mans victory, custom coachwork Cadillacs, Styling Department Corvettes, Cover Cars of Road & Track and much more. The event will also honor American racer Sam Posey.
Automotive manufacturers Porsche, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, General Motors, Ford and Chrysler are all bringing significant cars from their own core museums for display on the show field. Attendees can expect to see a Porsche 917 L/H that hails all the way from the Porsche Museum in Germany, a BMW 3.5 CSL and BMW V12 LMR in the 60th anniversary of the 12 hours of Sebring display, a 1934 Ford Model 40 Special Speedster brought in from the Ford House Collection and a 1999 Dodge Viper from the Chrysler Museum. General Motors will round out the corporate collections with six cars, ranging from a 1961 Corvette Mako Shark concept to a 2001 Chevrolet Corvette C5-R.
Several leading museums are also scheduled to bring cars for display, including a 1953 Cadillac Series 62 Coupe by Ghia from the Petersen Automotive Museum, a 1936 Duesenberg J-577 Landaulet Limousine from the Cussler Museum, a 1935 Mercedes-Benz 500K Special Roadster from the Kemp Auto Museum and a 1954 Chevrolet Corvette from the Lingenfelter Collection. A 1964 Cobra Daytona Coupe from the Larry Miller Group will also be on display, along with several special Corvettes from the Mid America Motorworks Collection. The Bortz Auto Collection, Detroit Historical Society, Nethercutt Collection, Mecum collection and the Collier Collection will also be displaying vehicles.
“We couldn’t be more thankful to those who participate at our event each year, and we’re thrilled to have attracted such a high caliber of display cars for this year’s show,” said Amelia Island Concours Chairman, Bill Warner. “We only hope to continue growing and attracting even more unique collections from our friends all around the world.”
(See 2012 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance – Schedule of Events)
Historic Three-Plane Flyover
At 10:00am on Sunday, a three-plane flyover will be led by David Martin’s 300-horsepower aerobatic Breitling CAP 232 monoplane. His wingman will be David Kicklighter in the Breitling Extra 300L aerobatic two-seater.
Representing the classic trans-war period of aviation is David Marco’s award-winning Lockheed 12A, one of just eight still flying. Marco’s graceful 1938 Lockheed underwent a two-year, historically meticulous 10,000 hour restoration that presents the “Electra Junior” as it appeared in the late thirties.
Awards Presentation
The awards presentation begins at 11:30am at the awards tent located on the show field. Participants will compete for Best in Class or Amelia Awards (2nd or 3rd), in addition to Corporate Awards, which as the name implies are given by various corporate entities to their favorite cars. The Best in Class winners then compete for the overall Best of Show for two designations: Concours d’Elegance and Concours de Sport.
(See 2011 Amelia Island Concours de Sport Best in Class Winners)
(See 2011 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance Best in Class Winners)
(See 2011 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance Best of Show Winners)
Seminars
On Friday, March 9, 2012 at 2:00pm, Hagerty Classic Insurance will stage a free seminar titled, “Defying the Economy: Enzo-Era Ferraris, Shelbys and other Blue Chip Classic Cars” in the Talbot Ballroom at the Ritz-Carlton. The panel will include Colin Comer, Dave Kinney and Michael Sheehan.
On Friday, March 9, 2012 at 4:00pm, the Ferrari vs. Cobra, The Battle for the World Championship for Sports Cars Seminar will take place at the Ritz-Carlton’s Talbot Ballroom. Reservations are required and tickets are $25 per person. The seminar will look at the history of the historic battle that began in 1962 between the Ford Motor Company and Ferrari for dominance in the World Endurance Championship. Panel members to include Peter Brock, Mauro Forghieri, David Piper and Carroll Shelby.
On Saturday, March 10, 2012 at 10:30am, the Great Endurance Drivers Seminar will take place in the Ritz-Carlton’s Talbot Ballroom. Reservations are required and tickets are $30 per person. The seminar will offer entertaining and anecdotal stories of some of the world’s greatest endurance drivers, including Vic Elford, Derek Bell, Joe Buzzetta, Hurley Haywood, Sam Posey and Brian Redman.
Automotive Fine Arts Society Exhibit
The Automotive Fine Arts Society will host its annual art show, which will showcase automotive subjects in a variety of mediums including oil, watercolors, acrylics, wood, gouache, pen and ink, clay and metal. The AFAS was established in 1983 and consists of the most celebrated automotive artists in the world.
RM Auctions Amelia Island Auction
RM Auctions will hold its Amelia Island auction on Saturday, March 10th on the grounds of the Ritz-Carlton Hotel. Headline cars include the 1956 Ferrari 250 GT Coupe Speciale, 1934 Packard Twelve Dietrich Convertible Victoria, 1929 Cord L-29 Special Coupe and 1929 Duesenberg Model J Convertible Berline.
Gooding and Company Amelia Island Auction
Gooding & Company will hold its 3rd annual Amelia Island Auction event on Friday, March 9th on the grounds of the nearby Amelia Island Plantation. Gooding assembled more than 80 cars for its auction, headlined by the Drendel Collection of turbocharged racing Porsches.
For more information, visit www.ameliaconcours.org.
[Source: Amelia Island Concours]
