The Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance is a three-day jaw-dropping, drool-inducing event. Each day offers something new to the enthusiast. Because of my busy Florida schedule, I only had time for one day – Saturday’s auction preview and the MotorXpo – but believe me, you’ll want to make it to all three days. Walk with me.
Held at the Ritz-Carlton and the adjacent golf course, it is one of three major concours-level shows in the world – and it’s only been around since 1996. For those playing along at home, the others are the Pebble Beach Concours, Concours d’Elegance of America at St. John’s in Michigan.
Sunday’s Concours is the “main event” but the on-site auction by RM and Sotheby’s (another, the Bonham’s auction is off-site) provide a close look at rare and historic vehicles not often seen outside of Jay Leno’s garage.
1938 Bugatti Type 57C Aravis Cabriolet – Sold for $2,337,500
1971 Lamborghini Miura SV – Sold for $2,310,000
One of my favorite cars of all time is the Shelby Cobra. Not only did they have the well-known and oft-replicated 427, they had a 1963 289 Cobra, too.
In addition to the treat that is simply seeing remarkable cars, helpful little plaques let you know the auction estimate, which makes for fun guessing before realizing you were way off.
This 1967 Shelby 427 ‘Semi-Competition’ Cobra (Chassis CSX 3045) went for $2,117,500 – only good enough for 9th highest on the day – while the 1968 Toyota 2000GT landed $880,000.
While the highest valued cars are located inside the Ritz ballroom, there are many more incredible cars located outside in the pavilion, ones you won’t see at your town cruise-in.
1949 Jaguar XK120 Alloy Roadster – Sold for $346,500
1958 Jaguar XK150 S 3.4 Roadster – Sold for $341,000
1958 Porsche 356 A 1600 Speedster by Reutter – Sold for $253,000
1967 Jaguar E-Type Series 1 4.2-Litre Roadster – Sold for $181,500
The big winner on the day was the 1960 Ferrari 400 Superamerica SWB Cabriolet (not my photo) by Pininfarina which sold for $6,380,000.
The grand total for all auction was (drum roll please) $60,360,050.
See all 2015 Amelia Island RM auction results here.
More Amelia Island Concours:
I suggest getting lunch in downtown Fernandina Beach Saturday, as I did. That’s because the Eight Flags Road Tour cruises through, making their lunch stop. The road tour features running concours-registered vehicles and snakes through the roads of Amelia Island. Your only chance to see these vehicles is during the tour or during the concours.
