The air has also become thin around the Concours events. Only those who belong in the top league get the best and most beautiful cars to exhibit. And with the particularly desirable cars comes prestige. But how do you get into the top league when you are starting out? Mathias Doutrelau had clear ideas right from the start.
He engaged an international jury headed by Adolfo Orsi. He agreed to collaborate with the castle in Coppet, which, with its park, guarantees a worthy, albeit somewhat narrow setting for a beauty contest, and he preferred to focus on themes rather than simply on individual vehicles.
At the first edition, it was the Lamborghini Miura that ensured exclusivity with its presence; at the second Concours on June 24 and 25, 2017, it was probably the five Hispano-Suiza, but also some other rare cars, that made a trip almost all the way to Geneva worthwhile.
More cars
The number of vehicles on display increased significantly compared to 2016. There were around 100 cars to admire, around three dozen of which were "Future Classic".
More is not always better, but the definition/expansion of the categories and a flexible approach to vintages and vehicle types resulted in an overall range that offered something of interest to almost everyone, whether they are enthusiastic about modern super sports cars such as the Pagani Zonda or pre-war vehicles from long-disappeared brands such as Minerva.
Not all classes and categories were equally consistently furnished, with the Ferrari and Mille Miglia classes in particular lacking a bit of pizzazz.
New furnishings
In contrast to the first edition, the catering facilities were set up to the side, which at least allowed the facade of the castle to be used as a backdrop for the cars, albeit offset by posters.
The magnificent fountain sat unchanged in the center, although it was hardly able to cool the visitors in the sometimes very high temperatures.
A limousine wins "Best of Show"
The election of the "Best of Show" is always eagerly awaited. Some might have guessed the 735 Mondial Spyder Scaglietti from 1954, but the jury opted for the certainly extravagant Avion Voisin C25 Aérodyne limousine from 1935 from the Hervé collection.
This made a "Swiss" car the winner of the day, a satisfaction for the local collectors.
The five Hispano-Suiza rarities
Three of the five Hispano-Suiza vehicles in various configurations also came from Switzerland. The winner in this category, which can confidently be described as the highlight of the Concours in this composition, was the German Martin Waltz with his 1937 K6 with Vanvooren limousine body.
Each of these magnificent automobiles deserved a prize, after all, some of the most elegant and technically interesting designs of the 1930s were on display here.
Incomparable
The jury's work in Coppet was not easy. There were often completely different vehicles to compare, such as a well-behaved Porsche 911 E with a (carefully reproduced) Ford GT40 prototype (the original was destroyed during testing), or a small Ghia-Aigle-bodied Panhard X84 with a truly opulent Delahaye 135 M Roadster Figoni & Falaschi.
However, the fact that a Jaguar E-Type and a Porsche 356 Speedster were awarded in the two categories mentioned above showed that condition and documented provenance were more important to the judges than extravagant shapes and uniqueness. But those were the rules of the game.
Specialties under the judges' radar
With this in mind, however, some interesting cars fell through the cracks that would certainly have been expected to win prizes from the outside.
There was the wonderfully elegant 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air Nomad, which featured a very special station wagon design and also looked truly enchanting in blue and white. Or the Bentley S1 Coupé with Franay bodywork from 1957, which shone with simple elegance.
Also of interest was the Salmson 2300 S with Chapron bodywork from 1956 or the Simca 8 Sport as a convertible from Facel Medallion from 1950.
Many people stopped for a long time in front of the extravagant Hispano-Suiza K6 with Saoutchik bodywork from 1932 and looked at the visibly weathered Avion Voisin C23 Cabriolet with Graber bodywork from 1932 with great interest.
The Alfa Romeo 6C 2300 GT police convertible by Pininfarina from 1935 also quickly found its admirers, as did the two Bugatti sports cars 43 and 44 from 1929.
The Fiat 600 Rendez-Vous Coupé Vignale from 1956 was almost too small to make it big at the Concours, as was the Fiat 500 C Belvedere with Mille Miglia history from 1952.
The future classics
Three classes were set up in Coppet for future classics.
There was the AMG class, which did not make things easy for many an elegance fetishist. And there were the two "Future Classics" categories, in which a Chevrolet Corvette C3 and a Maserati Quattroporte came out on top.
The second prizes were also interesting, as they clearly involved cars that would not immediately be considered elegant, namely a Lotus Elite 75 and a Renault 5 Turbo 1.
A rally under special circumstances
In addition to the rally on Saturday and Sunday, Mathias Doutrelau also organized a drive on Friday, which suffered greatly from the hot weather, which meant that the participants either had to cut corners or even abandon their cars with a breakdown. The area around Coppet is actually predestined for beautiful drives, but at the end of the day, some of the exhibits were just not suitable for today's journey.
The award winners by class
- Annees Juke-Box 1945-1960, Marques Americaines
1. Lincoln Premier Coupe Hardtop from 1957
2. Chevrolet Caméo Pickup from 1956 - Annees Juke-Box 1945-1960, Marques Europeennes, carrosseries fermees
1. Facel Vega HK500 from 1959
2. Bentley Continental Type-R from 1955 - Annees Juke-Box 1945-1960, Marques Europeennes, carrosseries ouvertes
1. Porsche 356 Speedster from 1956
2. Mercedes-Benz 190 SL from 1956 - Hispano-Suiza
1. Hispano-Suiza K6 Torpedo Vanvooren from 1937
2. Hispano-Suiza H6B Torpedo Kellner from 1922 - Ferrari
1. Ferrari 365 GT California Spider from 1967
2. Ferrari 364 GTC/4 from 1972 - Carrosseries Italienne
1. Lamborghini 350 GT (Touring) from 1964
2. Fiat 8V Coupé Vignale from 1953 - 50e Anniversaire d'AMG
1. Mercedes-Benz AMG 500 SEC from 1985
2. Mercedes-Benz AMG 560 SEL 6.9 from 1989 - 90e Anniversaire de la Mille Miglia
1. Ferrari 735 Mondial Scaglietti from 1954
2. Jaguar XK120 SE from 1953 - Automobiles sportives d'avant 1930
1. Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost Barker from 1923
2. Minerva AK Skiff L&D Martin Walter from 1927 - Automobiles Sportives d'Avant 1940
1. Mercedes-Benz 380 Roadster Erdman & Rossi from 1933
2. Lancia Astura Series 3 Bocca Cabriolet Farina from 1936 - Automobiles Sportives de 1960 a 1975
1. Jaguar Type E Series 1 from 1964
2. Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 from 1967 - Berlines d'avant 1940
1. Avion Voisin C25 Aérodyne from 1935
2. Citroën Traction 11A from 1932 - Futures Classiques de 1975 a 1979
1. Chevrolet Corvette Limited Series Indianapolis Pace Car from 1978
2. Lotus Elite 75 from 1978 - Futures Classiques de 1980 a 1985
1. Maserati Quattroporte from 1985
2. Renault 5 Turbo 1 from 1981
Special/special prizes
- Prix du Public (by visitors' choice):
Porsche 911 E from 1969 - Prix du Jury Honoraire - Prix de l'automobile du Salon de l'Automobile de Geneve:
AC Cobra Mk 2 from 1964 - Prix du Jury Honoraire - Prix de la ligne - for particularly elegant design:
Fiat 8V Vignale from 1953 - Prix de la FIVA - best preserved condition:
Lancia Astura Serie 3 Bocca Cabriolet Farina from 1936, - Prix du Cercle des Passionnées - since new in Swiss ownership:
Bentley Continental Type-R from 1955
Chevrolet Corvette C1 from 1961 - Best of Show
Avion Voisin C25 Aérodyne from 1935
