History:

A Concours d'Elegance (a French phrase meaning a competition of elegance, or literally, "concourse of excellence," refers to the gathering of prestigious cars. Concours, (pronounced: "Con-Kor"), dates back to 17th century French aristocracy, who paraded horse-drawn carriages in the parks of Paris during summer weekends and holidays. Over time, carriages became horseless, and the gatherings became a competition among automobile owners to be judged on the appearance of their automobiles as well as their attire.

Today:

A modern Concours d'Elegance is a competitive car show to award recognition to the owners of automobiles that are best prepared and presented. In concours, a wide range of competition exists  from simple "wash and shine" classes to national events where every nut and bolt has been polished on the undercarriage, being cleaned to better than factory condition.

Concours Overview:

Usually, concours participants bring their cars are to the judging area with only final preparation remaining before they are judged. When the judging commences, a team of four judges will then have 5 minutes to judge specific areas of the car. They will be looking for cleanliness, quality of preparation, lack of damage, and presentation. Vehicles are judged against others of similar body style and age. There is even a division for racecars! Below is a brief description of the two classes judged in a Peachstate concours event:

• French (also called "Wash and Shine"): This competition category involves the judging of the car's interior and exterior only, and is usually based on "eye appeal". Originality is not a consideration when your vehicle is being judged - only cleanliness. French is the class for first-timers to try out concours and see how they like it.  The maximum (best possible) score that can be awarded in our "French Class" is 140 points. See French class divisions here. View the actual French class scoring sheets and criteria here.
• Full: (referred to at Porsche Parade as the "Tour" class): This judging category takes into consideration the interior, exterior, engine and storage compartments. The judges look for cleanliness, quality of preparation, lack of damage, and presentation. The maximum (best possible) judged score that can be awarded in a Peachstate concours "Full Class" is 235 points. See Full class divisions here. View the actual Full class scoring sheets and criteria here.

Even the concours spectators get involved by casting their vote on their favorite entry in the People's Choice award. The various awards are:

• People's Choice: This award goes to the car that is chosen favorite by the people attending the concours.
• Judge's Choice: This award is given to the car chosen by the concours judges as their choice.

Benefits:

For Peachstate members, concours are not only a great way to socialize with other Porsche owners, but they are also a great way to see some of the most beautiful, best preserved, best maintained Porsches in the metro Atlanta area. As such, their Porsches are often the most valuable examples, as well. Often concours are held at beautiful or interesting venues, adding to the overall ambiance. For concours competitors, these events serve as a fun way for like-minded folks to exchange information, cleaning tips, and more. Our region has a reputation for competing successfully at the highest levels of Concours competition and this is in large part due to the experience gained by our members in competition locally.

Learn More:

For those interested in learning more about concours, the Peachstate concours committee chairs present an annual Concours School, usually in the Spring before the first competition. If you want to enter your Porsche in the Parade Concours, this school will be invaluable. Check the Concours Calendar for this date.

Questions or Volunteering:

Even if cleaning your Porsche with a Q-tip isn't exactly your cup of tea, you can still come out and enjoy seeing the wide variety of Porsches from the late '50's to present in pristine condition. Also, as with all Peachstate events, concours are 100% volunteer staffed, so volunteers of any skill level are greatly appreciated. Contact Concours Co-Chairs Jeff Frye, here, or Tom Roy here for questions or offers to help judge or volunteer.