It's always nice when a relatively new event can look back on a predecessor with a long tradition. This is the case with the Concours d'Excellence International Lucerne, as the "Lucerne Beauty Contest for Automobiles" was held for the first time in 1928 and brought together some of the finest and most elegant vehicles of the time seven times until 1955.
The highlight back then was the presentation of the cars on the Nationalquai, which runs directly alongside the lake. And this is exactly where the new edition of the Concours is being held again, as it is hard to imagine a more beautiful setting than the backdrop of the Grand Casino and the Grand Hotels on the shores of Lake Lucerne.
Then as now
And once again, after last year's coup with the Lincoln Cosmpolitan, the organizers Urs P. Ramseier and Bernd Link succeeded in presenting a car that had already won laurels in Lucerne many decades ago.
The Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 S from 1947 with bodywork by Hermann Graber won the second overall prize on June 26, 1949 and won its class. Almost 70 years later, the same Alfa Romeo competed again in Lucerne, albeit in a new color scheme but with the same elegance, and was promptly awarded the special jury prize "Alfa Romeo Lucerne 2017".
Stories about stories
Around midday on September 16, 2017, the 35 cars competing in the second Concours in Lucerne began to drive down the ramp. Two commentators made an effort to tell the owners the history of the vehicle and explain the technical background. There was a lot to learn and it became clear that there are many different reasons for buying an old car. While one owner was simply looking for something particularly elegant, another bought the car that his father had already driven. Or it was simply the car that you had always adored that finally found its way into your own garage.
Many vehicle owners had also dressed up to match the occasion, which of course made a particularly good impression on the catwalk. And as the weather played along almost right to the end, the event took place in front of a large audience.
Special Alfa Romeo exhibition
The spectators were also offered a lot, not only on the ramp, but also next to it.
Outside the Concours, five rare Alfa Romeos were on display in a special exhibition, including a rare Zagato coupé based on the Alfa Romeo 1900 SS and a minibus built by the Milan-based company around half a century ago.
Judging in seven classes
The cars at the Concours in Lucerne were judged by a jury, the public and the participants themselves, who were each able to award their own prizes. The jury prizes were awarded in seven classes, grouped according to age (pre-1940 and 1945-1975) and construction (closed, open, sports car). There were two additional classes for special bodies from 1945 to 1975.
In the closed cars up to 1940, the Mercedes-Benz Nürburg 500 from 1931 was awarded the "Prix d'Excellence". This Pulmann saloon was used by the fire department of the town of Sursee from 1942 to 1964 as an emergency vehicle with a station wagon body and was carefully restored many years later to the elegant condition that the car had when it was presented at the Geneva Motor Show.
The Alfa Romeo 6C 2300 Corto Cabriolet with Worblaufen bodywork from 1938 won the open-top category up to 1940. This car also won the "Grand Prix d'Excellence", i.e. was named "Best of Show".
In the sports car category up to 1940, the SS Cars SS90 prototype from 1935 won the class.
A red Alfa Romeo Giulietta SS from 1961 was awarded the Prix d'Excellence in the closed cars from 1945 to 1975 with production bodies, while a Buick Skylark Roadmaster from 1953 won in the open car class.
The 1953 Fiat 8V with stunning Vignale bodywork carried home the coveted trophy in the 1945-1957 closed special body class, while the 1963 Alvis TD 21 with Graber convertible body emerged as the winner of the 1945-1975 open special body class.
The favorites of the public and the participants
The public also had its own opinion in Lucerne and voted the opulent 1953 Buick Skylark Roadmaster Cabriolet as the most beautiful ("Excellence Award"), ...
... while the participants, who were also asked for their opinion, opted for the dark blue Lancia Flaminia Sport Zagato from 1963.
A really nice event
Even though not all of the registered vehicles arrived in Lucerne, the event can still be celebrated as a success. The organizers deserve credit for bringing the old cars to the heart of a well-known tourist city. And the fact that some cars were also on show that were quite unusual for a concours, such as an unrestored Ford Granada, a Citroën DS Break or a super-flat Lotus Europa, makes things even better.
Because, as we all know, exceptionality and excellence is not just a question of the number of cars built, but also the number that survive and the stories that surround them. And so the Concours has the right name.
Additional impressions of the Concours d'Excellence International Lucerne can be found in an entertaining picture story.
Vehicles present and winners
| Class | No | Make | Type | Year | Comment/prices |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | 02 | Nash | Special Six Sedan | 1929 | |
| A | 04 | Mercedes-Benz | Nürburg 500 Pullman | 1931 | Prix d'Excellence |
| A | 06 | Delage | D6-11 | 1933 | |
| B | 12 | Invicta | S-type low chassis | 1929 | |
| B | 14 | Talbot Lago | T150C convertible | 1937 | |
| B | 16 | Alfa Romeo | 6C 2300 corto Cabriolet Worblaufen | 1938 | Grand Prix d'Excellence, Prix d'Excellence |
| B | 18 | Mercedes Benz | 320 Cabriolet B | 1937 | |
| B | 20 | Lancia | Aprilia Pinin Farina Cabriolet | 1940 | |
| C | 22 | BMW | 315/1 Sport | 1934 | |
| C | 24 | BMW | 326 Convertible Autenrieth | 1937 | |
| C | 26 | SS Cars | SS 90 | 1935 | Prix d'Excellence |
| C | 28 | SS Cars | SS 100 | 1938 | |
| D | 30 | Tatra | T87 | 1947 | |
| D | 32 | Jaguar | XK120 FHC | 1954 | |
| D | 36 | Alfa Romeo | Giulietta Sprint | 1962 | |
| D | 38 | Alfa Romeo | Giulietta Sprint Speciale (SS) | 1961 | Prix d'Excellence |
| D | 40 | Lotus | Europe TC Special | 1973 | |
| D | 42 | Ford | Granada Ghia | 1975 | |
| D | 44 | Citroen | DS Break | 1975 | |
| E | 46 | Buick | Skylark Roadmaster | 1953 | Excellence Award (Audience Award), Prix d'Excellence |
| E | 48 | Austin Healey | 3000 BN7 | 1961 | |
| E | 50 | Facel Vega | Facelia convertible | 1961 | |
| E | 52 | Alfa Romeo | 2600 Touring Spider | 1965 | |
| F | 54 | Alvis | TC21 Graber Coupé | 1953 | |
| F | 56 | Fiat | 8V Vignale Coupé | 1953 | Prix d'Excellence |
| F | 58 | Alfa Romeo | 2000 Vignale Coupé | 1958 | |
| F | 60 | Alfa Romeo | 1900 C SS Touring | 1954 | |
| F | 62 | Lancia | Flaminia Sport Zagato | 1963 | Entrants Trophy |
| F | 64 | Arnolt | MG Coupé Bertone | 1955 | |
| G | 66 | Delahaye | 135 M Worblaufen Cabriolet | 1947 | |
| G | 68 | Alfa Romeo | 6C 2500 S Graber Cabriolet | 1947 | Special jury prize "Alfa Romeo Lucerne 2017" |
| G | 70 | Bentley | Mark IV Park Ward Cabriolet | 1948 | |
| G | 72 | Talbot-Lago | T26 GS Graber Convertible | 1950 | |
| G | 74 | Alvis | TC 108/G Graber Cabriolet | 1958 | |
| G | 76 | Alvis | TD 21 Graber Cabriolet | 1963 | Prix d'Excellence |
