Alongside the grand spectacle of Pebble Beach in August, the Amelia Island Concours remains one of the most coveted automotive events in the United States. Multi-million-dollar auctions, relaxed fan gatherings and an exclusive concours competition all come together in the pleasant spring sunshine of Florida.
“And… sold,” murmurs auctioneer Lydia Fenet into the hall of the elegant Ritz-Carlton Hotel, her voice softer than many of her male colleagues. “This Porsche 959 S sells for 5.5 million dollars.” At the Broad Arrow auction, younger sports cars in particular changed hands almost as quickly as they appeared on stage. A white Porsche 959 Sport reached $5.5 million. A red Ferrari Monza SP2 fetched $4.7 million. A Lamborghini Miura SV climbed to $6.6 million, while a light blue Porsche Carrera GT achieved an astonishing $6.7 million. Broad Arrow alone generated more than $107 million in sales over the Amelia Island weekend. Alongside these prestigious classics, more ordinary cars are becoming increasingly popular. A white Volkswagen Golf Cabriolet appears, then a Porsche 968, and suddenly paddles rise for a dark Mercedes 560 SEL from the W126 generation.
Less than 500 metres away, Adam stands beside his pale green 1990 Lada Niva, mirrored sunglasses reflecting the Florida sun. The Russian off-roader is covered in rust bubbles. It is one of the most unusual vehicles at the Radwood Festival, arguably the most visited event of the weekend alongside the auctions and the exclusive concours. “I bought the Niva 1600 four years ago from a guy in Illinois and I just love it,” says the enthusiast from New England with a broad smile. “Something is always broken and it barely reaches 50 miles per hour on the highway, but I wouldn’t swap it for anything else.”
Amelia Island has been a cult gathering for more than three decades. Fans travel not only from Florida but from across the United States to the Atlantic coast for a long weekend devoted entirely to cars. The event is much more than the central concours on Saturday, where wealthy collectors gather on the lush golf course beside the dunes. BMW celebrates 40 years of the M3 and casually unveils the $180,000 Alpina XB7 before the brand enters a new chapter later this year. It is the kind of automotive celebration Europe often lacks. Brand clubs, enthusiastic owners, auction-hungry collectors and concours connoisseurs all converge on northern Florida each March. The atmosphere is relaxed and welcoming, partly because of the location and partly because cars of every conceivable price category stand side by side.
That the 1931 Duesenberg Model J Tapertail Speedster owned by William Lyon from Coto de Caza ultimately wins the prestigious concours comes as little surprise, even if tastes have shifted in recent years. “We are all still adjusting to the idea that a car like a Nissan Skyline can sell for a million dollars,” explains Ramsey Pott from the Broad Arrow auction house. “Many pre-war cars or models from the 1950s and 1960s are becoming harder to sell. They still have their fans, but the trend clearly favours cars people remember from their childhood. That means Porsche, Acura or Nissan rather than Duesenberg.”
These modern classics appear not only at the Cars & Caffeine gathering on Sunday but also at Radwood and at the many informal meet-ups in parking lots and petrol stations stretching towards Jacksonville. There is no $180 entrance fee there and the air does not carry the sweet scent of cigars that hangs over the concours grounds. Visitors wear shorts and colourful polo shirts, while judges and long-time concours enthusiasts often appear in dark double-breasted jackets, light pleated chinos and straw hats. It is the unofficial uniform of Amelia Island.
Later, there is always time for a glass of champagne by the hotel pool, perhaps after picking up some Amelia memorabilia or even a miniature Ferrari decorated in sparkling Swarovski crystals.
