The Audrain Concours d’Elegance: A Modern Take on Decadent Driving
The automotive world is a tapestry woven with threads of historical spectacle, technological evolution, and unwavering passion. While the allure of modern hypercars is undeniable, the true soul of driving often lies in the grandeur of yesteryear. One event that perfectly encapsulates this timeless spirit is the Audrain Concours d’Elegance, held annually in the picturesque coastal town of Newport, Rhode Island.
This elite gathering, founded in 2019 as a formidable rival to the established Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, has quickly carved out its own niche in the high-end automotive calendar. It’s not merely a display of vintage cars; it is an immersive experience of luxury, heritage, and pure driving artistry.
Origins of Elegance: The Spiteful Seed
The Audrain Concours d’Elegance was not born from quiet contemplation, but from a calculated challenge. It was the brainchild of the Audrain organization, aiming to compete directly with the legendary Pebble Beach, which had long been the apex of automotive elegance. The catalyst for this ambitious venture came when Hagerty, the automotive insurance giant and preservationist, acquired Broad Arrow Auctions and poached nearly 30 employees from RM Sotheby’s.
In response to this disruption, RM Sotheby’s launched its own auction and events business, spearheaded by the Audrain, specifically to counter Hagerty’s dominance and to reaffirm the unwavering appeal of classic cars. The idea was to inject a new wave of competition into the competitive car show circuit and to create an event that matched the sophistication and spectacle of the established Concours.
For years, the Audrain team had invited me to become involved, but it was the 2025 iteration that truly beckoned me to the hallowed ground of Newport. Asked by Donald Osborne, the charismatic master of ceremonies for the event, what it would take for me to attend, I offered a bold proposition: “Make me a judge?” Osborne, with his characteristic charm and flair, simply smiled, waved a hand, and declared, “You’re a judge. See you in Newport.” This moment marked my official initiation into the world of Concours judging, a world I would soon discover to be far more intricate than I ever imagined.
A Trial by Fire: Stepping into the Deep End
My first foray into the elite world of Concours judging took me to Pebble Beach, the undisputed granddaddy of extravagant automotive gatherings. This was long before the era of social media, when the automotive elite moved in more discrete circles. Back then, I was a novice to this kind of event, completely unaware of its existence. To be frank, I didn’t even know what to wear, naively assuming the Sunday show was just another casual “cars and coffee.” I believe I showed up in shorts and a t-shirt, completely underdressed for the caliber of the attendees.
However, I noticed something that sparked a rather impudent thought in my mind. A friend, Pulitzer Prize–winning automotive journalist Dan Neil, was serving as an honorary judge. Seeing him in this prestigious role sparked a competitive fire within me. The thought popped into my head, unbidden and unapologetic: “Why not me?” That ego-driven query would prove to be both a driving force and a humbling experience.
The Audrain is not Pebble Beach, yet it shares a similar DNA. According to luminaries like Jay Leno, a frequent attendee and integral part of the Audrain, this newer event surpasses Pebble Beach. Leno, who owns a significant presence in Newport and was even honored with “Jay Leno Day” by the city on October 2, 2025, has been a vocal advocate for the Audrain.
Leno’s perspective is invaluable. He often compares the Audrain to what Pebble Beach was like 15 years ago, suggesting that the Audrain is rapidly becoming the new standard for automotive perfection. The organizers even established “The Gathering” at Doris Duke’s summer estate, Rough Point—a clear counter to Pebble’s prestigious “The Quail” event—where the podcast “Spike’s Car Radio,” on which I am a regular contributor, recorded a live show with Leno as a special guest. It was during this event that Leno’s praise for the Audrain was put on full display, further solidifying its place among the world’s top automotive concours.
The Art of Judgment: Unlearning the Rules
So, there I was, serving as a judge during the main show on Sunday. Seated at the judges’ breakfast, savoring the morning’s refreshments, the head judge, Phil Neff, posed a question to the table: “Is there anyone here who hasn’t judged a concours?”
Silence. Not a single hand was raised.
I must confess, I had never judged a formal event like the Audrain. However, I have judged the parody car show, Concours d’LeMons, so many times that I have lost count. In fact, I have sworn to never participate in that event again. Should I have raised my hand? The answer is probably yes, but it’s just cars, right? How hard could it be? As I said, my ego is undefeated. Why not me?
Neff and his team had paired me with Ray Evernham, a NASCAR Hall of Fame crew chief renowned for his championship-winning history with driver Jeff Gordon. The moment we met, we hit it off, quickly realizing we had both competed at Pikes Peak. Our task was to award the Sporting Choice Award, which essentially involves selecting the most sporting car on the show lawn.
I approached head judge Neff for clarification. “Should we focus more on sports cars or actual race cars?” I asked.
He smiled and replied, “Yes.” This meant we were tasked with judging every car present that had either two doors or no doors. In practical terms, this encompassed well over 100 vehicles, all of which had to be evaluated within a strict two-hour window.
Navigating the Competition: Still Not Simple
Sporting our judge hats, medallions, clipboards, No. 2 pencils, and navy blazers, Evernham and I stepped onto the field, quickly establishing our strategy. Like at all concours, the cars are segregated into specific classes. Our plan was straightforward: review each class, identify one car that particularly “popped,” and list our top four or five favorites. Crucially, we were instructed not to get bogged down with the typical nitpicky minutiae that plagues modern car judging. Who cares if the trunk lining is wrong? In fact, don’t even open the trunk.
However, the first two classes quickly revealed that my “Why not me?” fantasy might have been premature. Class D featured six Ford GT40 road cars, each appearing to be identical, near-perfect GT40 Mk1 homologation specials. All looked equally spectacular, and without meticulously checking carb-bolt alignment (which we were instructed not to do), it was impossible to pick a winner. We couldn’t. The judges in Class D had to be subject matter experts to even make an informed decision.
The same was true with Class A, the prewar Alfa Romeo division, which consisted of six astonishingly excellent 8Cs. I could not tell you why the car that won its class did so, although the burgundy beauty went on to win Best of Show. In retrospect, that selection made perfect sense.
In any case, we still managed to compile a shortlist of our favorites, even if some sacrifices had to be made. There was a Lamborghini 3500 GTZ Zagato Coupe that absolutely blew my mind because I had never seen one before. It turns out that only two of these were ever built, and the other one is intentionally kept away from public view. However, I quickly realized that as novel and “Wow!” as the Zagato Lambo was, it wasn’t going to win the Sporting Choice Award.
For his part, Evernham was captivated by an exceedingly rare Allard JR that had raced at the 1952 24 Hours of Le Mans. However, I soon discovered that he owns three Allards, so we wisely decided to strike this car from our list. It remained a beautiful vehicle nonetheless. Fitted with a Jaguar C-Type body to comply with new Le Mans regulations, it was still powered by a 5.3-liter Cadillac V-8 engine and is recognized as the most successful of the seven Allard JRs ever built.
The Final Verdict: A Triumph of Passion
The most challenging choice we faced was determining third place. The decision was between a 1949 Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 SS Touring Superleggera Coupe and a 1940 Cadillac Series 62 Bonham & Schwartz Convertible Victoria. I have a profound affection for postwar Alfas. I don’t know exactly what it is, but I just love them to pieces. Perhaps it’s the Bakelite used on all the switchgear. This particular 6C was painted a handsome blue and had a remarkable history. Its present owner hadn’t driven it since 1973 until the day before the Concours, when he took it on the Audrain Tour d’Elegance.
However, we found the Caddy to be the more sporting choice. It was one of only two ever built and was custom-bodied in Pasadena, California, by the same artisans (Bonham & Schwartz) who created Clarke Gable’s Duesenberg. The candy-red Series 62 just popped, possessing that wow factor, that intuitive “know-it-when-you-see-it” quality that makes a car truly special. Although it was one of two built,
