2011 Bentley Mulsanne at the 2009 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance
It's almost time for the most prestigious classic-car event in America. This weekend, High Gear Media will be covering the 2010 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance from stem to stern--with some driving time with a pair of exotics, a side trip through The Quail's impromptu collection of singular historic automobiles, and new product reveals from Infiniti.
The Pebble Beach Concours, though, is the centerpiece of a weekend that draws thousands of enthusiasts and owners to the Monterey bay area. This year's the 60th annual Concours, and organizers have put together a tip sheet of facts and figures you may not have imagined possible.
The highlights and stats from this weekend's extravaganza:
- 2010 is the 60th anniversary of the first Concours, which was held in 1950.
- From less than 30 cars on display in 1950, the event's grown to an estimated 255 cars and motorcycles this year.
- Cars for the field of Concours entries will come from 33 states and 14 countries--from as far away as Hong Kong or Argentina.
- The oldest vehicle in the field will be a 1902 Mercedes Simplex. The newest vehicles surrounding the Concours will be 2012 model-year cars shown for the first time in public at the Lodge and on its grounds.
- More than 650 volunteers help organizers run the event.
- Some 800 journalists will be on hand to cover the Concours and other events that make up the Monterey classics weekend.
- Organizers expect more than 20 concept and production cars will be on display on the Lodge at Pebble Beach's grounds. The brands represented will include Aston Martin, Bugatti, Cadillac, Ford, Jaguar, Lexus, McLaren, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche and Rolls-Royce.
- The featured marques for this year's Concours are Alfa Romeo, Jaguar and Pierce-Arrow.
- Next year's Concours is already on the calendar, set for August 21, 2011.
