Greenwich Concours D’elegance Draws Fans of All Generations to Annual Show

On Saturday June 3rd and Sunday June 4th Greenwich Concours D’elegance hosted its 22nd annual car show.

The Greenwich Concours D’elegance hosted its 22nd annual car show on June 3-4, 2017 in Roger Sherman Baldwin Park. Photo Brendan Boyd

The show, which takes place in Roger Sherman Baldwin Park, is the biggest in the Northeast and brings car buyers, sellers and enthusiasts from throughout the US and abroad. Also, Bonhams, the prestigious British auction company founded in 1793 was in attendance for the 10th consecutive year.

On both days, cars were displayed out on the grass where they were appraised by car enthusiasts and judges for special awards. Cars were evaluated on the quality and precision of their restoration as well as how much refurbishing was done. Others were judged on their original condition, from the quality of the original paint and unique features to how many owners the car has had.

For a car to be accepted into the show, owners have to fill out a form and go through various steps for approval by Concours D’elegance to determine if their car qualifies.

Saturday predominantly focused on domestic cars and other vehicles from companies like Packard, Cadillac, Lincoln, Chrysler, Ford, Chevrolet, Harley Davidson and others.

The car that won best-in-Show on Saturday was a 1935 Packard Dietrich D-C Pht owned by Al & Sandra San Clemente. The People’s Choice Award was given to a 1931 Cadillac 452A Phaeton owned by Charles Gillett.

Sunday’s show focused on European cars from Ferrari, Bugatti, Porsche, Lamborghini and others.

Best-in-Show was awarded to a 1938 Bugatti Type 57C Atalante. The day was cut short due to rain in the late afternoon. The day ended with a private auction by Bonhams. People were required to purchase tickets to be allowed entry into the auction tent to bid or watch the cars being sold. There were about 180 cars in total auctioned off.

The Greenwich Concours D’elegance hosted its 22nd annual car show on June 3-4, 2017 in Roger Sherman Baldwin Park. Photo Brendan Boyd

There were also sponsors along the perimeter of the show including Carriage House Motor Cars, Miller Motor Cars, BMW, Manhattan Motorcars, and others. Many of the cars shown in the middle were older and may not have appealed to all generations. These companies benefited the show by bringing cars with appeal for everyone.

The Greenwich Concours D’elegance hosted its 22nd annual car show on June 3-4, 2017 in Roger Sherman Baldwin Park. Photo Brendan Boyd

Each generation perceives cars differently and there is a tendency to lust for cars from one’s youth. Many cars at the show were from the 1950s through 1990s, attracting enthusiasts of all ages.

Many who grew up in the 1940s and 1950s see newer cars cut from the same mold without the character of the old designs while the newer generation may not appreciate the beauty in the older cars.

With the loss of many from the pre-WW II generation, interest has waned for cars from the 1930s and 1940s. Greenwich Concours D’elegance assured there were cars that appealed to all generations.