1962 Ferrari 250 GTO and 1947 Delahaye 135MS Narval Cabriolet Named Best in Show at The Amelia

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Mar 04, 2024, 15:06 ET

A record 27,000 automotive enthusiasts celebrated car culture over four day motoring event

AMELIA ISLAND, Fla., March 4, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- A 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO was crowned Best in Show, Concours de Sport while a 1947 Delahaye 135MS Narval Cariolet took home Best in Show, Concours d'Elegance at the 29th annual Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance. The Sunday Concours concluded a week long celebration of the automobile which included auction, seminars, film viewings and several automotive events. In total, over 27,000 automotive enthusiasts visited The Amelia between February 29 and March 3.

Event press releases, concours results, photos and the event program can be found here.

1962 Ferrari 250 GTO and 1947 Delahaye 135MS Narval Cabriolet

"Enthusiasts were given no shortage of options this weekend, yet a record 27,000 of them returned to The Amelia," said Hagerty CEO and Chairman of The Amelia, McKeel Hagerty. "A love for cars and people is at the root of any great automotive event, and enthusiasts voted with their most precious asset – their time - and we were thrilled to be their hosts. We saw two global vehicle debuts, several new auction records, packed show fields on Saturday and Sunday and most importantly, great car people coming together to celebrate great cars."

The 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO shown by David MacNeil has a storied competition history including an overall victory at the 1964 Tour de France and an impressive 4th overall and 2nd in class at the 1963 24 ours of Le Mans. The car recently underwent a full restoration to the specification in which it appeared at Le Mans in 1963.

"We sweated the details with this car. Motion Products did an amazing restoration and the results speak for themselves," said owner David MacNeil. "We're going to keep this car for many generations and be good stewards of it," added Roderick MacNeil.

The 1947 Delahaye 135MS Narval Cariolet is one of six "Narval" cabriolets built, so named as its nose is reminiscent of the bump on a narwhal's head. This car was first seen at the 1947 Paris Auto Salon. It's original owner, Charles Trenet, was a well known singer and songwriter. He shipped the car to the United States for a concert tour in 1948 and it has seen just three more owners since. It is restored in its original color of Orange Brule, a favorite of coachwork designer Joseph Figoni.

"This car was the Paris Show car in 1947 and today is its return to a Concours," said owner Dana Mecum. "It takes a lot of preparation to come to a Concours like Amelia, but this makes it all worth it."

The Amelia, by the Numbers:

$150,000 pledged to local nonprofits
27,000 weekend attendees, a new record
Thousands of young enthusiasts engaged
550 volunteers
250 vehicles on display as part of RADwood, a new record
375 vehicles at Saturday's Cars & Community, a new record
285 vehicles at Sunday's The Amelia Concours d'Elegance
218 Mobil 1 Ride and Drive experiences
More than 500 new vehicle test drives
More than 100 event partners
More than 20 events in Amelia Island
1.82 inches of rain

Hagerty's 30th celebration of The Amelia takes place from March 6-9, 2025.

Broad Arrow Auctions
Broad Arrow Auctions, the official auction house of The Amelia, hosted its second annual auction at The Amelia on Friday, March 1 and Saturday, March 2. Following a well-attended preview on February 29 - March 1, the auction room was standing room only as principal auctioneer, Lydia Fenet, took the sale. The auction achieved a sell through rate of over 90% including the top result, a 1967 Ford GT40 Mk I Road Coupe which sold for $4,405,000.

"This weekend reaffirmed that Amelia Island is the best place to hold an auction in March," said President of Broad Arrow Auctions, Ken Ahn. "We're thrilled to have exceeded expectations with sales doubling our prior year results and an exceptional sell through rate of more than 90%. The standing-room-only crowd was buzzing with excitement both days and the bidding was equally as enthusiastic. The Broad Arrow team is firing on all cylinders, executing seamlessly in our second auction at The Amelia. We have already begun planning for our return in 2025, when we will celebrate the 30th anniversary of The Amelia with another great lineup of cars on offer from Broad Arrow Auctions."

The next sale for Broad Arrow Auctions is The Porsche Auction in Partnership with Air|Water in Costa Mesa, California on April 27.

About The Amelia
The Amelia is a multiple award-winning motoring event held February 29 – March 3, 2024 at The Golf Club of Amelia Island and The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island. Broad Arrow Auction's The Amelia Auction, luxury shopping, new vehicle reveals & experiential drives, exclusive gatherings and entertaining seminars surround Saturday's Cars and Community and Sunday's Concours d'Elegance. Each year The Amelia honors a racing legend and attracts celebrities from across the automotive landscape. Since its inception in 1996, the Amelia has donated over $4 million to deserving non-profit and charitable organizations. This year, as in the past, The Amelia supported Spina Bifida of Jacksonville, local Shop with Cops programs and Community Hospice and Palliative Care.

The Amelia's multiday car culture celebration kicked off Thursday, February 29, 2024, with the Annual Porsche Winemaker's Dinner, followed by Friday's seminar: Close Finishes and Controversies and a movie night featuring two films, "Climb Dance" and "Climbkhana." Saturday's Cars & Community included RADwood, Future Driver's Club, Ride & Drives, a Bavarian beer garden and a curated Cars & Caffeine. That evening's Honoree Dinner celebrated Rick Hendrick and featured a menu of gourmet food and beverages. On Sunday, The Amelia Concours d'Elegance showcased 285 historically significant vehicles in 32 classes. More details can be found in the event program here.

About Hagerty, Inc. (NYSE: HGTY)
Hagerty is an automotive enthusiast brand committed to saving driving and fueling car culture for future generations. The company is a leading provider of specialty vehicle insurance, expert car valuation data and insights, live and digital car auction services, immersive events and automotive entertainment custom made for the 67 million Americans who self-describe as car enthusiasts. Hagerty also operates in Canada and the U.K. and is home to Hagerty Drivers Club, a community of over 800,000 who can't get enough of cars. As a purpose-driven organization, Hagerty Impact aims to be a catalyst for positive change across the issues that matter most to our teams, our members, the broader automotive community, our shareholders and the planet at large. For more information, please visit www.hagerty.com or connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn.

More information can be found at newsroom.hagerty.com

SOURCE Hagerty