World's finest cars will be on display at 2022 Audrain Newport Concours & Motor Week
You don't have to be a "car guy" to appreciate the many unique automobiles that will gather for the 2022 Audrain Newport Concours & Motor Week from Sept. 29 to Oct. 2.
The events range from exclusive lawn parties that will attract antique cars from owners across the country to seminars that reflect on the art and design of cars, and their future.
Last fall, I attended the Concours d' Elegance on the lawn of The Breakers mansion. It celebrated the motor car in such a grand way that it made me want more.
A concours is an exhibition of prestigious, vintage and special-interest automobiles that are judged in a variety of classes for awards.
Audrain is a newcomer to the circuit that includes Pebble Beach, Amelia Island and Greenwich. It’s the third year for the event, which launched in 2019 and was held last year after missing 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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The Concours sprawls across the lawn of The Breakers, the Gilded Age Vanderbilt mansion. There will be 100 cars from various decades across numerous classes, competing for the awards, including the Best of Show trophy.
Each car has a person or two camped out on a nearby chair ready to answer questions about engines, restoration or other details. Sometimes they are the owners, and that is the best, as they are all ready to share their stories. You'll hear passionate tales of how they found the car and set about restoring it.
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A 1937 Delahaye 135 M Competition Roadster was one of only two built featuring coachwork by A. Guillore. It was found in Paris in 1973, and restoration was completed in 2016. It won first place in the Luxury Meets Sport class.
Among the stunners I saw last year was the 1952 Ferrari 342 America Vignale Cabriolet. This one-off Vignale-bodied 342 America was originally built for a friend of Enzo Ferrari. Restoration was completed in 2020 and it has been shown at Pebble Beach and other Concours since.
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There were a number of gorgeous cars from Delahaye, a French car maker that ceased production in the 1950s. These cars are pieces of art made for motoring. They speak to another era of design, long gone.
More than one had customized bodies and interiors produced by Saoutchik. This French coachbuilding company was known for extravagant automobile designs for luxury brands, including Delahaye and Bugatti.
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American cars made a splash last year as well. It was a 1963 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 that took home the People's Choice Award.
A 1959 Rambler Rebel won second place in one of the History classes. This car was the only American mid-size car available at the time.
Comedian, and Newport resident, Jay Leno, as last year's honorary chair of Audrain Newport Concours & Motor Week, was among the crowd admiring the cars. Audrain Group CEO Donald Osborne also mixed with other car fans.
General admission to the Concours is not cheap. Tickets cost $150 for access on the field from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. A VIP admission includes Coffee at the Concours from 6:30 to 8:30 a.m. and access to the VIP tent, with food and drinks served all day.
Looking for a bargain? That would be a $60 ticket for the two-hour Coffee at the Courcours only. Guests enjoy light refreshments and the sunrise as the competing cars take the field.
Other auto events lead up to the Concours
In the days preceding the Concours, there are other events, including The Gathering, a lawn party at Rough Point, heiress Doris Duke’s former home. Motorsport enthusiasts will have access to rare collections of fine automobiles and be served food with Champagne and specialty cocktails.
Full-day ticket holders have access to the grounds from 11 a.m. ($300) while half-day ticket holders ($180) have access from 2 p.m. The event runs until 5.
There are also many interesting seminars that reflect on art and design and explore the role of forensics in historical vehicles. And there's the Audrain Automobile Museum Annual Gala.
The Concours Village at the International Tennis Hall of Fame is free and open to the public on Thursday and Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. It offers concessions from local restaurants, vendors and a Family Zone.
Three free events on Saturday, Oct. 1
Three events will be free and open to the public on Saturday, Oct. 1.
Cars & Coffee is 8 to 11 a.m. at Fort Adams State Park.
The Audrain Tour d'Elegance is the drive for all cars participating in the Concours. The tour starts early in the morning in Middletown and travels to Little Compton before returning to Newport.
The Bellevue Car Display is set for 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. All the Concours cars will be parked together on the closed street for the public to view.
Go to audrainconcours.com/2022-week-at-a-glance# for a list of all events. That's also the place to purchase tickets.
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This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: World's finest cars on display at 2022 Audrain Newport Concours
