Entrant Invitation

The Entrant Selection Committee personally invites you to submit your vehicle to be considered for inclusion in the 2012 Marin Sonoma Concours d’Elegance. Please download the Concours application here. For wooden boat entry applications, please download the form here. The Selection Committee intends to notify all entrants of accepted vehicles by April 15, 2012.

Tour d’Elegance

For information regarding the 2012 Tour d’Elegance please click here.

Concours Classes

AC	CCCA Certified American Classics 1925 through 1948
AM 1	American Manufactured Open 1946 through 1979
AM 2	American Manufactured Closed 1946 through 1979
C	Cord Automobiles
CF	Ferraris through 1974
EC	European Manufactured through 1942
F	French Coachbuilt Automobiles through 1950 Examples; Figoni & Falaschi, Saoutchik, Chapron
ID	Italian Design Studios 1946 through 1979 Examples; Bertone, Pininfarina, Zagato
I1	Imports Under $5000 MSRP 1946 through 1962
I2	Imports Over $5000 MSRP 1946 through 1962
I3	Imports Under $7000 MSRP 1963 through 1979
I4	Imports Over $7000 MSRP 1963 through 1979
M	Muscle Cars 1964 through 1973
MC1	British Motorcycles through 1940
MC2	British Motorcycles 1946 through 1963
MC3	British Motorcycles 1964 through 1979
MV	Military Vehicles (display only)
SC	Supercars (display only)
SP	Closed Wheel Sports Racing cars through 1979
U1	Preservation/Unrestored through 1942
U2	Preservation/Unrestored 1946 through 1979

Judging Overview

The Marin Sonoma Concours brings to Northern California an event inspired by classic European auto shows. In the early years of the motor industry, after cars had developed an acceptable level of reliability, European auto makers began to focus on style as a way to attract customers. Manufacturers and coachbuilders appointed stylists, whose creations were displayed to critical review and admiring crowds at competitions called ‘concours d’elegance.’ Cars were judged solely on their elegance of concept and design.

In the United States, the term ‘concours d’elegance’ is typically used to describe a show featuring older collector cars, which are evaluated on the basis of originality, condition, and presentation.

The Marin Sonoma Concours incorporates the traditional European and current American methods by using an approach to class judging that combines the criteria outlined above.

Judging Guidelines for Entrants

If you wish to have your vehicle judged, please take the time to read the following guidelines regarding our judging criteria:

Individual marque classes may be judged by marque class rules.

For multi-marque classes, we do not use a points-deduction system. Instead, vehicles are assessed within each class on the basis of originality, authenticity, overall condition, and finally, elegance.

Class judges will review each vehicle in the following areas, as applicable:

exterior
interior
engine compartment
trunk

Undercarriages will not be inspected.

Judges will ask each entrant to start the vehicle, but there will be no further functional tests, such as lights, gauges, etc.

Convertible tops may be displayed up or down, depending on your opinion as to which look is more elegant.

First, each vehicle is assessed on the basis of authenticity and overall condition. In the event of a tie, vehicles that have participated in “The Tour” will be given priority.

Then the three vehicles within each class that best satisfy these objective crieria are compared subjectively on the basis of elegance, to arrive at first, second and third places.

Each class winner becomes a candidate for one of the two top awards: ‘Best of Show – Concours d’Elegance’ and ‘Best of Show – Concours de Sport.’

Awards
Follow any of the links below to view our 2011 winners. New to our awards for 2012 is the Charles Goodman Award.

Rules of Entry

All vehicles must be pre-registered. Release of liability and photographs must accompany each entry.

The Committee reserves the right to combine or divide classes depending on the number of entries accepted.

The Committee reserves the right to accept or deny any entry.

The Committee will have final decision on vehicle classification.

Vehicles must be in assigned spaces by 8:45 a.m.

Owners/Entrants must remain by their vehicles during judging, which will start promptly at 9:30 a.m.

All vehicles must remain in position on the field until the final award has been presented and permission is given to remove the vehicles.

No signs, displays, stanchions or illustrations will be allowed.

No pop-up tents are permitted.

All cars must carry a fire extinguisher.

“For Sale” or other commercial signs, displays, and illustrations are prohibited in the Concours area.

No trailers will be allowed on the Concours field on Sunday. Special parking and unloading areas for trailers will be provided.

Continental breakfast will be provided for entrants Sunday morning from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 am during the staging of vehicles.