The Pinehurst Concours d’Elegance 2016 will be held Saturday, April 30th on the fairways of the Pinehurst Resort in Pinehurst, North Carolina. The fourth annual event will be the first in the nation to feature a class of Future Japanese Collectable cars among its 12 judged classes.
“The Japanese cars are certainly becoming collectable and appeal to a younger demographics,” said Pinehurst Concours chief judge Nigel Matthews.“That seems to be the direction the hobby is moving in since a lot of people have grown up with these Japanese cars. And nobody has really featured them in the United States, so once again Pinehurst will be breaking some new ground.”
Tickets to the 2016 Pinehurst Concours are now on sale at PinehurstConcours.com at an introductory price of $30 per ticket, which includes entry into the post-awards concert by Motown legends The Commodores, a band which has recorded seven No. 1 hits over four decades. The 2015 Pinehurst Concours and concert by Three Dog Night drew in excess of 10,000 patrons.
Matthews said discerning collectors have already struck with some Japanese cars, reaping the rewards of the million-dollar-plus values of the Toyota 2000 GT, which not that long ago was a $125,000 car.
“There are some really amazing Japanese domestic market vehicles that never made it to the U.S.” Matthews said.
For instance, of the 35,804 Honda Coupe 9 and 7s built, only 1,058 escaped from Japan, Matthews said. The majority — 731 — went to Australia. He noted that the only recorded survivors are a total of nine Coupe 7s and six Coupe 9s.
In addition to the Japanese cars, the Pinehurst Concours 2016 will also highlight Pre-War French Curves and Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Coupes and Roadsters (1954-63) as featured marques among its 12 judged classes of vintage cars and motorcycles.
“Those French vehicles are just beautiful art deco cars from the 1930s,” Matthews said. “They just don’t make cars like that anymore. They are rolling art, rolling sculptures.”
Pinehurst Concours 2016 – Class List
- Pre-War American (Open and Closed Until 1942);
- Post-War American (Open and Closed Until 1974);
- Pre-War European (Open and Closed Until 1942);
- Post-War European (Open and Closed Until 1974);
- Ferrari (Until 1975);
- Porsche (Air-Cooled Cars) Until 1988;
- Corvette (Until 1972);
- Pre-War French Curves;
- Future Japanese Collectables;
- Racing Cars;
- Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Coupe and Roadster (1954-1963); and;
- Indian Motorcycles.
“There really is something for everybody, young and old,” Matthews said. “The Ferrari class will continue to be absolutely amazing with just multi-million dollar cars. That’s where the collector car market seems to be right now. And the interest in Porsches is really strong as they are commanding skyrocketing values now.
“And there is always interest in the pre-war American classics — that’s just a part of American history and culture,” the chief judge added. “What we’ve tried to do is capture all of the different eras and interest in automotive history with our 12 classes.”
More than 300 cars and motorcycles are expected on the fairways of Pinehurst Resort for the 2016 Pinehurst Concours.
“The quality of the field is definitely expanding as the event matures and the selections are more varied,” commented Pinehurst Concours president Jay Howard. “And with the addition of the concert it is just makes for one heck of a great day out.”
The Pinehurst Concours Best in Show winners have included a 1919 Pierce-Arrow Model 66 A-4 Tourer (2015), a midnight blue 1931 Cadillac 452A (2014) and a 1938 Steyr 220 Glaser Roadster (2013).
For more information or to purchase tickets, visit PinehurstConcours.com
[Source: Pinehurst Concours]
