The 12th International Concours d'Elégance - recognized by the FIVA as a Category A event - took place in early June in Ludwigsburg Castle Park in the north of Stuttgart in front of around 25,000 spectators in conjunction with the 7th Festival of Classic Cars. This event, well-organized by the entrepreneurs Karl Ulrich Herrmann and his son Andreas Herrmann, has the advantage of not being sponsored by an automobile group, but being held against a brand-neutral background. This is also guaranteed by the jury of 32 car historians, whose sometimes divergent opinions resulted in solid judgments.
Broadly diversified vehicle portfolio
The division into "prestige vehicles" up to 1965 for the Concours and more or less affordable collector's cars up to 1985 for the Festival made the event in Ludwigsburg a wide-ranging review of automotive history. The approximately 180 participants made for a classic car field that left nothing to be desired in terms of richness. Family cars still well known from the road scene of the past were represented, as well as rarities that thrilled connoisseurs and enthusiasts.
Elegance and solidity
How successful was the design of the 1962 Ford Taunus 17 M P3, which was known in Germany as a "bathtub"!
And how tastefully elegant the Plymouth Belvedere from 1954 was, a clearly proportioned four-door saloon of typical American design, which still - or again! - again! Thanks in part to its outstanding original condition, this sedan took first place in the "closed post-war vehicles" category.
Two Rolls-Royce Phantoms, a Mercedes-Benz 380 K Special Roadster, a Delahaye 135 M Convertible and an Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 Sport Berlinetta vied for the top honors, namely the title of "Best of Show", among the exclusives at the Concours.
In the end, the grandiose elegance of the Alfa was no match for the perfectly documented history of other competitors. And the open-top Mercedes-Benz 380 K from 1933 was the worthy winner of the day.
International participation
One of the category winners was the 1927 Rolls-Royce Phantom I from Springfiel/US production, which was used by its owner from Basel in the Beijing-Paris commemorative trip and also brought to Ludwigsburg on the road. A BMW 327 with Zurich license plates also won laurels in Ludwigsburg.
In 2016, Retro Classics meets Baroque will take place at the end of June instead of the beginning.
The category winners and runners-up in the Concours d'Elégance
| Class | Placement | St-No. | Manufacturer | Type | Year of construction |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C1 | 1 | 2 | Rolls Royce | Phantom I Springfield | 1927 |
| C1 | 2 | 1 | Bentley | 3 Litre | 1925 |
| C1 | 3 | 4 | Bugatti | T 38 Grand Sport | 1927 |
| C2 | 1 | 6 | Rolls Royce | Phantom II | 1931 |
| C2 | 2 | 8 | Delage | D8S | 1932 |
| C2 | 3 | 9 | Bugatti | 46 | 1930 |
| D1 | 1 | 20 | Mercedes-Benz | 380 K Special Roadster | 1933 |
| D1 | 2 | 24 | Delahaye | 135 M convertible | 1946 |
| D1 | 3 | 18 | Opel | 6 2 Ltr. | 1936 |
| D2 | 1 | 56 | Alfa Romeo | 6C 2500 Sport Berlinetta Touring | 1939 |
| D2 | 2 | 29 | Talbot | T23 | 1938 |
| D2 | 3 | 28 | Delahaye | 135 M | 1946 |
| D3 | 2 | 45 | Porsche | Porsche 356 Speedster American | 1958 |
| E1 | 1 | 34 | Ford | Thunderbird | 1955 |
| E1 | 2 | 36 | Porsche | 356 A TI 1500 GS Cabriolet | 1956 |
| E1 | 3 | 35 | Alfa Romeo | Giulietta Spider | 1956 |
| E3 | 1 | 47 | Mercedes-Benz | 190 SL | 1962 |
| E4 | 1 | 49 | Auto Union/ DKW | 1000 S Coupé | 1960 |
| E4 | 2 | 48 | Porsche | 356 A T2 Coupé | 1958 |
| E4 | 3 | 43 | Facel Vega | HK500 | 1960 |
| F | 1 | 57 | Mercedes-Benz | 280 SE | 1970 |
| F | 2 | 53 | Tatra | 603-2 | 1965 |
| F | 3 | 52 | Porsche | Murene 914/6 | 1970 |
The category winners and runners-up in the Festival of Classic Cars
| Class | Placement | St-No. | Manufacturer | Type | Year of manufacture |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AA | 1 | 101 | Ford | TT "Oil Truck" | 1921 |
| AA | 2 | 102 | Ford | Model T Tourabout | 1911 |
| AA | 3 | 100 | Waltham | Orient Buckboard | 1906 |
| BB | 1 | 106 | Cadillac | 341 A Imperial Sedan | 1928 |
| BB | 2 | 107 | Peugeot | Quatrilette | 1926 |
| BB | 3 | 103 | Ford | Model T Depot Hack | 1923 |
| CC | 1 | 240 | Bugatti | 57 C Aravis | 1939 |
| CC | 2 | 249 | Ford | Model A Deluxe Roadster | 1930 |
| CC | 3 | 113 | BMW | 328 Sport | 1937 |
| DD | 1 | 123 | Plymouth | Belvedere | 1954 |
| DD | 2 | 121 | Peugeot | 203 C | 1954 |
| DD | 3 | 245 | Mercedes-Benz | Pontoon 180 | 1957 |
| EE | 1 | 141 | Chevrolet | Corvette | 1961 |
| EE | 2 | 144 | Chevrolet | Corvette | 1965 |
| EE | 3 | 139 | Chevrolet | Corvette | 1960 |
| FF | 1 | 230 | Mercedes-Benz | 600 | 1969 |
| FF | 2 | 158 | Mercedes-Benz | Pagoda | 1966 |
| FF | 3 | 161 | Mercedes-Benz | 280 SL Pagoda | 1968 |
| GG | 1 | 226 | Mercedes-Benz | 280 SE | 1977 |
| GG | 2 | 184 | Mercedes-Benz | 280 SL | 1983 |
| GG | 3 | 173 | Opel | Kadett C Coupe | 1976 |
| HH | 1 | 185 | Mercedes-Benz | 170 S | 1950 |
| HH | 2 | 190 | Borgward | Isabella | 1960 |
| HH | 3 | 192 | Mercedes-Benz | 190 SL | 1957 |
| JJ | 1 | 213 | Porsche | 911 SC | 1983 |
| JJ | 2 | 201 | De Tomaso | Pantera GTS Group 5 | 1984 |
| JJ | 3 | 212 | Alfa Romeo | GTV 2.5 Coupe | 1983 |
| KK | 1 | 219 | Volkswagen | Beetle 1200 A | 1967 |
| KK | 2 | 216 | Fiat | 500 | 1972 |
| KK | 3 | 222 | Fiat | 500 | 1972 |
