The BMW Car Club of America Foundation’s first-ever Concours d’Elegance at the Biltmore Mansion is now both history and an unqualified success.
The air was clear on the morning of Saturday, June 27, when the first of 47 exceptional automobiles arrived on the grounds of the estate built by George Vanderbilt at the close of the 19th century. Rain during the night had swept the driveway clean, but the evening showers and the possibility of rain during the day prompted the Biltmore authorities to ask that the event be held on the pavement, instead of on the lawn.
That was not a problem for the BMW CCA Foundation’s concours team, headed by Scott Hughes and Ian Branston, which adjusted with speed and precision. New rows were assigned to the judged and display classes and the stately grounds were soon brought to colorful life as one by one, each car took it’s assigned place after having its portrait taken in front of the mansion.
Volunteers from both the BMW CCA Foundation and the BMW Car Club of America worked to create order from chaos, which was a challenge as the natural tendency for car enthusiasts like these was to assemble around each new arrival to gawk and talk about how beautiful it was. But the volunteers suppressed their “car guy” instincts and guided the participants to their spots. Each class had its own designated area and by 9 AM, those areas were filled with Brass Era, Pre–World War II, Post-War American and Foreign, and Contemporary American and Foreign cars. Non-classed display cars that covered the past 60 years were also a popular attraction for the spectators.
Rain threatened, but the first ever Classics at the Biltmore led a charmed life. The judges judged, the spectators spectated, and the car owners beamed with well-deserved pride, and through sheer will power by all concerned, the rain was kept at bay. Only a few drops made it to the ground, and that was after judging was complete.
Each era was ably represented. The oldest car was a 1911 Buick 33; the youngest, a 2015 Alfa-Romeo 4C – Launch Edition. The rarest car was a one-of-one: Bobby Rahal’s 1986 March 86-C—the very car in which Mr. Rahal won the 1986 Indianapolis 500. The car that consistently drew the most attention was probably David Cowart’s 1957 Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa, a beautiful car made from different body and chassis parts, but still with race provenance. The body was on the car driven in the 1958 Twelve Hours of Sebring by 1958 Formula One World Champion Mike Hawthorn. These cars were proof that those who came to the first ever BMW CCA Foundation Classics at the Biltmore got their money’s worth.
In addition to strolling among the spectacular cars, most visitors also took the opportunity to stroll through the Biltmore House, the family home of George Vanderbilt, youngest grandson of Cornelius, the founder of the Vanderbilt empire. The home remains in the Vanderbilt family to this day as its current owner, William Amherst Vanderbilt Cecil, 88, still lives on the grounds. More than 1,000,000 people visit the Biltmore annually, but the visitors on June 27th received a bonus when many of them came to marvel at the Classics at the Biltmore.
Net proceeds from Classics at the Biltmore and the previous evening’s fund-raising dinner will benefit the BMW CCA Foundation’s Street Survival teen driving program.
Sponsors that helped make Classics at the Biltmore a success include Hagerty Classic Car Insurance and Michelin Tires.
Official Results of the 2015 Classics at the Biltmore.
The car judged Best of Show in the inaugural Classics at the Biltmore was an American classic: The 1960 Chevy Impala Convertible owned by Jim Clifford.
The concours sponsors also had the opportunity to select their favorite, and the Sponsor’s Choice Award went to: Lee Huffman’s 1941 Lincoln Continental.
The people spoke loud and clear. Their favorite, and the winner of the People's Choice Award was the 1931 Packard 833 owned by Brian V. Guarco.
In each class, the judges found one car that deserved to be named Best In Class. These were:
Brass Era 1911 Buick 33 Fred Harley
Pre-War 1941 Lincoln Continental Lee Huffman
Post-War American 1960 Chevy Impala Convertible Jim Clifford
Post-War Foreign 1966 Ferrari 275/GTB/4 Susan and Henry Wilkinson
Contemporary Classics American 1955 Chevrolet Corvette Paul and Mary Meyer
Contemporary Classics Foreign 1994 Porsche RS America 911 Bill and Linda Funderud
Additional “Biltmore” awards were presented to two entries in each class whose cars were spectacular, but fell a bit short of the Best In Class automobiles.
Brass Era 1915 Buick C-25 Andrew Straw
Brass Era 1913 Ford Model T Richard Cruickshank
Pre-War 1934 MG PA Midget Peter and Pat Davis
Pre-War 1936 MG N Type Roy Crowninshield
Post-War American 1968 Chevrolet Camaro Tim Lingenfelt
Post-War American 1965 Chrysler 300B Martha and Mick Kreszock
Post-War Foreign 1969 Iso Grifo Darren Frank
Post-War Foreign 1981 Lamborghini Countach LP Mark Wilson and Christine DeFerrari
Contemporary Classics American 1966 Shelby Cobra 427 D Lee Morse
Contemporary Classics American 1963 Chevrolet Corvette Roy Crowninshield
Contemporary Classics Foreign 1964 Jaguar E-Type Coupe Steven Chase
Contemporary Classics Foreign 1983 Ferrari 512 BBi Julie Ibrahim
The Biltmore Mansion is one of the most beautiful and iconic houses in America. It has been decades since a concours was allowed on the lawn, and even though Classics at the Biltmore was moved off the lawn for weather reasons, it still retained the majesty of superbly prepared cars with the mansion and lawn as the impressive backdrop. With a successful concours d’elegance behind it, the BMW CCA Foundation hopes that the Biltmore management was also impressed enough to allow them back, and with the weather’s cooperation, perhaps on the lawn.—Scott Blazey
[Photographs courtesy of Michael Mitchell.]
Links to additional photographs of the event will be posted to http://www.bmwccafoundation.org.
