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The Evolution of Luxury: Lessons from the Audrain 2026 Concours d’Elegance
Newport, Rhode Island. The name itself evokes images of Gilded Age opulence, salt-laced sea breezes, and an aristocratic past that still breathes life into its streets. It is within this hallowed ground that the Audrain Concours d’Elegance holds its annual gathering—a pilgrimage for collectors, automotive connoisseurs, and those who understand that history and performance are often found fused together under a layer of hand-applied automotive paint.
For those outside the rarefied bubble of classic car collecting, the concept of an automotive “concours” might seem esoteric, even pretentious. To attend or participate often means aligning your schedule with global event calendars, investing heavily in travel and hospitality, and understanding a unique set of social codes. Yet, as the 2026 edition of the Audrain Concours demonstrates, this world is more than just a parade of vintage machines; it is a mirror reflecting the apex of luxury, performance, and the ever-shifting landscape of high-end collecting and heritage.
Decoding the Audrain: More Than Just a Car Show
Founded in 2019, the Audrain Concours has rapidly ascended the ranks of international automotive events. Established by the Audrain Group, a luxury experience provider and owner of the Audrain Museum, the Concours was conceived as a response to what many considered a commoditization of the classic car market, particularly following the acquisition of Amelia Island by Hagerty. The founders aimed to create a more holistic, historically grounded event that celebrated not just automotive design, but the culture surrounding it.
“What’s it going to take to get you out to the Audrain?” This question, posed by Donald Osborne—a figure known for his distinctive bowtie, Italian fluency, and passionate advocacy for automotive heritage—serves as a friendly challenge to enthusiasts. Osborne, a master of ceremonies and an unwavering spiritual advisor to the Audrain, embodies the event’s ethos: a blend of sophistication, knowledge, and genuine passion.
This author’s journey to Newport began in Miami, during the inaugural year of MODA—a competing luxury car show founded “out of spite,” as the narrative goes, by RM Sotheby’s after Hagerty’s Broad Arrow auction house poached a significant number of RM’s employees. The goal of MODA was clear: to stake a claim as a premier luxury event in the Americas, challenging the dominance of Amelia Island. While attending MODA, Osborne had repeatedly extended an invitation to join the Audrain judging team.
Looking back, the decision to accept was perhaps inevitable. The Audrain isn’t Pebble Beach, the grandaddy of global car events—the week-long spectacle that draws millions to the Monterey Peninsula. The Audrain is younger, edgier, and unapologetically rooted in the historic setting of Newport. As Jay Leno, a perennial fixture in Newport, often points out, the Audrain is more than just a competition; it’s a homecoming. During “The Gathering” at Doris Duke’s Rough Point—Audrain’s answer to the elite Quail Gathering—Spike Feresten and I, as hosts of the “Spike’s Car Radio” podcast, had the distinct pleasure of hosting Leno as a special guest.
Leno’s observation was telling: “The Audrain Motor Week reminds me of Pebble Beach 15 years ago.” For Leno, who owns what he terms “a ridiculous house” in Newport, the Audrain represents an essential and integral part of the local culture. The city itself has acknowledged his devotion, with the mayor declaring October 2, 2025, as “Jay Leno Day.” This recognition underscores the deep integration of the Audrain Motor Week into the fabric of Newport—a community where luxury heritage is not just preserved, but actively celebrated and promoted.
The Mechanics of Judging: Where Passion Meets Precision
Serving as a judge at a major concours is an experience that tests one’s expertise, discernment, and ability to handle pressure. It is not merely about admiring beautiful machines; it is about engaging in a rigorous evaluation of history, engineering, rarity, and presentation. The role requires a deep understanding of context, an awareness of provenance, and the ability to look past superficial beauty to identify the true essence of a vehicle.
The judging experience typically begins with a pre-event briefing where participants are divided into classes. As a first-time judge for the Audrain, I found myself facing a steep learning curve. While I had judged the notoriously playful Concours d’LeMons countless times—a parody event where vehicles are judged for their ugliness, absurdity, and charm—the Audrain demanded a different level of scrutiny. The atmosphere was professional, the coffee was strong, and the pressure was palpable.
Head Judge Phil Neff opened the proceedings with a question that immediately highlighted the experience gap: “Is there anyone here who hasn’t judged a concours?” As expected, the majority of hands went up. Among them was mine. While I had never formally judged a high-level concours like the Audrain, I had spent years immersed in the world of high-performance and collectible automobiles. My ego, however, was not about to let my inexperience show. Why not me? It’s cars, isn’t it? How hard could it be?
Neff paired me with Ray Evernham, the NASCAR Hall of Fame crew chief who has won everything from Daytona 500s to IROC championships. The pairing worked instantly. As it turned out, both of us had raced at Pikes Peak. Our task was to award the Sporting Choice Award, a special prize recognizing the most sporting car on the lawn. I sought clarification from Neff. “Did you want us to focus more on sports cars, or actual race cars?” he replied with a smile. “Yes,” he said, “we want you to look at and judge every car present that has either two doors or no doors.”
This was a daunting assignment. With more than 100 cars to evaluate and only two hours to do it in, we had to be decisive. Sporting our navy blazers, judge badges, clipboards, and No. 2 pencils, Evernham and I stepped onto the field with a plan. Like at all concours, the cars are divided into classes. We would systematically move through each class, identify one car that “popped,” and compile a list of our top four or five favorites. Our instructions were not to get bogged down with the nitpicky minutiae that plagues modern car judging—the incorrect trunk lining or the slightly off-color wire wheels. The goal was to appreciate the overall spirit and engineering of the cars.
Navigating the Classes: Excellence and Exception
Two of the classes quickly reminded me that judging is not as straightforward as my ego had assumed. Class D consisted of Ford GT40 road cars—six near-identical homologation specials that were breathtaking in their uniformity. Without measuring carb-bolt alignment (which we were strictly instructed not to do), it was impossible to pick a winner. These cars are masterpieces of engineering, and selecting one over the others was an exercise in agonizing choice. Put another way, the people judging Class D were real and serious subject matter experts, and rightfully so.
The same was true with Class A, the pre-war Alfa Romeo division. This class featured six mind-blowingly excellent 8Cs—a symphony of Italian design and engineering. It was difficult to even begin to understand why the car that won its class did so. However, I later learned that this burgundy beauty went on to win Best of Show. In retrospect, that outcome made perfect sense.
In any case, we still came up with a short list of our favorites, although sacrifices had to be made. There was a Lamborghini 3500 GTZ Zagato Coupe that blew my mind because I had never heard of it before. Turns out it is one of two ever built, and the other one is being purposely kept away from the public. However, I realized that as novel and “wow!” as the Zagato Lambo was, it was unlikely to win the Sporting Choice Award. For his part, Evernham was captivated by an exceedingly rare Allard JR that raced at the 1952 24 Hours of Le Mans. However, I quickly discovered that he owns three Allards, so this JR was out. Still, it’s a sweet car. Fitted with a Jaguar C-Type body to comply with new Le Mans regulations but still powered by a 5.3-liter Cadillac V-8, it remains the most successful of the seven Allard JRs built.
The most difficult choice we faced was for third place. It was between a 1949 Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 SS Touring Superleggera Coupe and a 1940 Cadillac Series 62 Bonham & Schwartz Convertible Victoria. I am a sucker and a fiend for postwar Alfas. I don’t know exactly what it is about them, but I just love them to pieces. I suppose it is mostly the Bakelite used on all the
