Hilton Head Concours rises to top-tier status

As the Hilton Head Concours approaches its 20th anniversary, it has grown to become a real, first-tier concours event.

It no longer attracts a few stunning cars mixed in with ones that you’d see at your local cars and coffee. While today’s show field still contains what some people would call ordinary cars, the examples are stellar. We again served as concours judges and would call some of the cars truly top-tier examples.

The mix of foreign vs. domestic cars has changed as well. Early on, this event consisted of mostly big American cars, the likes of which you’d find at a traditional concours. Not so much anymore as the show now feels equally balanced, presenting more big BMW and Benz sedans than ever. And, to balance them, plenty of microcars.

The other big news from the November 5-7 event: horrible weather, same as we saw at the Concours d'Elegance of America and the Greenbrier Concours d'Elegance.

The staff at Hilton Head made adjustments on the fly, moving cars and keeping things going despite the cold, rainy weather. By Sunday, the rain stopped, with most of the entrants displaying their cars, and a huge crowd came out and enjoyed the day.

This weekend’s event also included an eastern version of the Legends of the Autobahn, adding a pleasing collection of Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz machines to the mix courtesy of club members.

Despite the challenges, the cozy beachside Westin resort and downhome Southern charm kept people happy and eager for more.