Winner Trophies and Awards Announced for the 2014 Concours of Elegance at Hampton Court Palace
- Over 10 prized trophies and awards to be presented at the hotly-contested 2014 Concours of Elegance at Hampton Court Palace (5-7 September)
- Unlike other concours events, the Concours of Elegance ‘Best of Show’ is chosen by the concours car owners themselves
- New Club Trophy will acknowledge the ‘Best of the Best’ car club concours winners, supported by AIG’s Private Client Group
- Club Trophy judging panel to include a number of famous faces, coordinated by the Royal Automobile Club
- New Public Choice award voted for by visitors to the 2014 Concours to support nominated charities
- 2014 Club Trophy winner will be one of the 60 cars selected for the 2015 Concours of Elegance line-up at a British Royal Palace location
Unlike other world-class vehicle concours events, the award-winning Concours of Elegance has no official judges or judging of car classes.
The 60 assiduously selected concours cars participating in the 2014 Concours of Elegance – set to be held shortly at Hampton Court Palace from 5 to 7 September – are already regarded as winners by virtue of being chosen to take up their position within the stunning Fountain Garden grounds of the Royal Palace.
Uniquely, the prestigious Concours of Elegance ‘Best of Show’ award is determined by the owners of the 60 concours cars themselves, with each owner having one vote to chose the car, other than their own, which they believe to be the finest example present at the event. The ‘Best in Show’ victor receives the prestigious Pullman Trophy.
In addition, a new ‘Public Choice’ is being introduced for 2014, enabling all visitors to the Concours of Elegance to select their personal favourite car amongst the 60 concours entrants. Public Choice votes will be collected by text, with a donation to the event’s nominated charities being received with each vote.
Another new Concours initiative for 2014 is the Club Trophy. This Trophy will be presented to the very best car to have won its own car club concours event earlier this summer, in recognition of the spirit and dedication of Car Club owners, and their support of the grass roots concours movement in the UK.
Each of the major prestige car clubs in the UK have now been invited to send the winning cars from their own car clubs’ concours events along to Hampton Court Palace in September, with a number of prestigious clubs already accepting this invitation. These include the Bentley Drivers Club, Aston Martin Owners Club, Rolls-Royce Enthusiasts Club, Ferrari Owners Club, Bristol Owners Club, The Royal Automobile Club, Jaguar Drivers’ Club, Maserati Club, AC Owners Club, Lamborghini Owners Club, Jensen Owners Club and the Gordon Keeble Owners Club.
The Car Club cars will be judged for the coveted Club Trophy 2014 on Saturday 6 September by a panel of celebrities and famous faces. Fittingly, the Royal Automobile Club will be coordinating the judging for this new prestigious prize, with the Private Client Group of leading insurers AIG also supporting the Club Trophy.
Ultimately the Club Trophy 2014 will be presented to the overall ‘Best of the Best’ club concours car. In addition to being awarded the coveted Club Trophy, the overall winner will also automatically be one of the 60 cars to be entered into the line-up for the 2015 Concours of Elegance event, to be held at an as-yet unspecified British Royal Palace.
More than 500 top cars from each of the major British car clubs will be displayed within the picturesque grounds of Hampton Court Palace on Saturday 6 and Sunday 7 September, including a number of each club’s concours-winning vehicles.
A summary of each of the Trophies and Awards due to be presented at the 2014 Concours of Elegance are as follows:
- Best of Show (The Pullman Trophy)
- The AIG Private Clients Award For The Most Historically Significant Car
- The Pol Roger Award For The Most Elegant Gentleman or Lady Driver
- The William & Son Award For The Most Elegant British Car
- The RM Auctions Award For The Most Innovative Car of its Era
- The Royal Automobile Club Spirit of Motoring Award
- The Connolly Award For The Most Elegant Interior
- The Autoglym Elegant Design Award
- The Linley Award (individually numbered and given to each Concours entrant)
- The Public Choice
- The Club Trophy, Supported by AIG
The 2014 Concours of Elegance at Hampton Court Palace will be open to the public on Saturday 6 September and Sunday 7 September, with adult entry tickets, and hospitality, still available to purchase strictly in advance from £25 per person, per day. Advance tickets can purchased at the Concours of Elegance website (www.concoursofelegance.co.uk), giving free entry to Hampton Court Palace too.