Just before welcoming folks last weekend to its inaugural production of The Amelia, Hagerty shared details of its first and reimagined Detroit Concours d’Elegance, scheduled for September 16-18 and hosted at its new location, the Detroit Institute of Arts.
Hagerty said the event builds on the four-decade history of the Meadow Brook and Concours of America and will be presented as a “tribute to the people who designed, built and drove American car culture, and to the vehicles at its heart.”
“We’re incredibly excited about the event’s new home in downtown Detroit,” Hagerty chief executive McKeel Hagerty was quoted in the news release. “Being there puts car lovers right in the middle of the thriving design, music and sporting culture of the Motor City.
“Concours weekends are about championing the fact that all cars are cool and some of them are just jewels that need to be celebrated,” he added. “This event will honor the tradition of the concours, but also bring in new elements to provide on-ramps for future car lovers and families.”
Thus the reimagined event will be held at various venues throughout the city and offer complimentary and ticketed events including “new vehicle showcases, ride & drive opportunities, exclusive experiences, engaging seminars as well as Saturday’s Cars & Community and Sunday’s Concours d’Elegance.”
One of those venues will be the College for Creative Studies, Detroit’s out automotive design school, where on September 17 vehicle designers will present “deep-dive seminars.”
Also on September 17, Hagerty stages what it calls “the city’s first Cars & Community,” a family friendly automotive festival featuring Cars & Caffeine, RADwood and Concours d’Lemons shows as well as a Kids Zone.
“On Sunday, Hagerty will transform the Detroit Institute of Arts grounds into an automotive wonderland,” the news release added.
“The architecture and location in the heart of the city’s cultural center make it the ideal setting for a competition of elegance, where the world’s finest automobiles can be observed and celebrated as rolling works of art.”
Hagerty has revealed its new logo for the event.
“Detroit is the epicenter of car culture and the new event identity celebrates that,” said Tarra Warnes, Hagerty vice president of creative strategy. “The look and feel is industrial yet sophisticated to reflect the energy of automotive design. The new logo is a badge of honor, as proud as the city of Detroit.”
M1 Concourse announces events
Just a few miles up Woodward Avenue from the Detroit Institute of Arts is the M1 Concourse automotive events center, which has announced its “Off the Grid” speaker series.
On April 2, the speaker will be Tom Cotter, discussing his book, Ford Model T Coast to Coast: A Slow Drive across a Fast Country.
On May 7, it’s Herb Fishel, former head of motorsports at General Motors who was an understudy under Zora Arkus-Duntov.
On June 4, Bill Warner talks about his book, The Other Side of the Fence: Six decades of motorsports photography.
Also lined up are author John Nikas for July 2, racers Brian Redman for August 6 and Lyn St. James for September 3, and Pixar creative director Jay Ward for October 8.
Beaulieu Autojumble is May 14-15
The National Motor Museum at Beaulieu, England, hosts its Spring Autojumble (that’s Brit-speak for swap meet) on May 14-15. The event, which includes car-club displays, returns after a 2-year pandemic-forced absence.
Among the featured car club areas are Moggyfest, for Morris Minors, as well as special parking areas for the Saab Enthusiast Club and the Austin A30 & A35 Owners’ Club.
Another feature will be a special Land Rover Rummage spare-parts sales area.
Drive It Day is April 24
Each spring, in part to celebrate the memory of the historic 1000 Mile Trial of 1900, the Federation of British Historical Vehicle Clubs stages a Drive It Day with owners of classic cars encouraged to drive their vehicles that day. The date for 2022 is April 24.
To support the day, Hagerty is sponsoring a Bicester Heritage Scramble event and is asking its clients to participate in a 100-car Drive-It-Day run from Hagerty’s British headquarters in Northamptionshire to the former RAF training base.
In addition to putting classic cars on the road, Drive It Day raises money for the NSPCC Childline through the sale of special rally plates that can be displayed on the cars. The Childline is a special telephone helpline service children can call when worried about their mental health and issues of isolation.
More opportunities to drive your classic
Here are some upcoming driving tours and events being staged by the Antique Automobile Club of America:
March 20-26 — Cruise the Gulf Coast, Mobile, Alabama
April 7-9 — Southeastern Spring Nationals, Charlotte, North Carolina
April 21-23 — Special Nationals & Grand Nationals, Guaynabo, Puerto Rico
May 19-21 — Grand Nationals, Virginia Beach, Virginia
Retro Rides heads to Goodwood
The Retro Rides Weekender returns to the Goodwood Motor circuit in the UK on May 21-22. Organizers anticipate more than 800 pre-2000 vehicles to be displayed, “everything from resto-mods to radical customs, drifters to retro dailies, and hot rods to hot hatches.”
Among featured groups will be “the Classic Touring Car Racing Club;” “Truck Van Wagon;” “the Red Room,” a homage to the red room area at the Haynes Motor Museum; and “Deadline,” an area displaying new builds and recently completed projects.
Philadelphia concours sets features
The fifth annual Philadelphia Concours d’Elegance has announced the Shelby Cobra and the Dodge Viper as featured marques for its 2022 event, scheduled for June 25 at the Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum.
The concours raises money for the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, for research and treatment of rare genetic diagnoses.
