The major automotive Concours circuit is heralded for its commitment to celebrating the greatest chapters in the story of the automobile, from specific brands and figures to historical events along the timeline. But rarely are so many of those celebrations held all at once.
The 2022 installation of the Florida-based Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance featured a number of classes that celebrated various automotive anniversaries, and they were significant ones. Among these was the 75th anniversary of Ferrari, the 60th anniversary of the 24 Hours of Daytona, and the 70th anniversary of the 12 Hours of Sebring—the enduring legacies of these occasions made for displays of the most significant landmarks in sports car history.
75th Anniversary of Ferrari
Ferrari’s sphere of influence as a brand extends well beyond its automotive legacy, but for Amelia Island it was focused on highlighting the most memorable cars it has ever produced. Ranging from the 166MM to the LaFerrari, Ferrari’s decades of provenance came to light courtesy of the marque’s proudest icons. Headlining the field was a 250 GTO (3527GT) representing the pinnacle of Ferrari’s road and racing history. Following in its footsteps was the 288 GTO, which then paved the way for the F40, then F50, then Enzo, then LaFerrari. As the history of Ferrari has unfolded, these nameplates are synonymous with the greatest achievement that super sports cars have ever known.
60 Years of 24 Hours of Daytona
The 24 Hours of Le Mans is heralded as the greatest sports car race in the world, but the 24 Hours of Daytona brings that magic stateside. Prominent sports car racing began at Daytona in 1962 with the first 24-hour enduro taking place in 1966, but the former date was the celebration for this year’s Amelia. Some of the most significant winners were organized on the show field, including the 1967 Ferrari P3/4 and 1970 Porsche 917K, both of which tell incredible stories about America’s most famous endurance race. The Ferrari is famous for its staged 1-2-3 finish in 1967, and the win even inspired the 365 GTB/4 road car’s “Daytona” nickname. Then the Porsche, chassis 917-015, won the event in 1970 by an astounding 45-lap margin, breaking the race distance record in the process. The car is now regularly exercised at historic events in its period configuration, but for the right occasion will enjoy a day on the Concours lawn.
70 Years of 12 Hours of Sebring
Along with Daytona, the 12 Hours of Sebring is a historic Florida enduro that has challenged the greatest cars and drivers for decades. Sebring’s story began even earlier and now celebrates 70 races in 2022, so The Amelia drew a number of historic entrants including Porsche’s first race winner, the runner-up from Porsche’s 1-2 in 1968, and other class champions from the decades that followed.
Aluminum Porsche Race Cars
Porsche’s involvement in motorsport wasn’t immediate, but its success was. The first model prepped for sports car racing was the 356 with a pair of the aluminum examples selected to compete at the 1951 24 Hours of Le Mans. After one crashed in practice, the other was left to run on its own—and it won. So began the brand’s legacy at the historic 24-hour enduro. Following that successful debut, Porsche began building cars dedicated to racing and thus the 550 Spyder was born. The nimble, lightweight roadster was an instant force on the track winning its first race at the Nürburgring and soon after its class at Le Mans before claiming Porsche’s first overall win at the Targa Florio in 1956. The 550 Spyder was succeeded by the 718 which carried the torch and earned successes at Sebring, Le Mans, Targa Florio, and other historic venues. The Amelia celebrated these successful entrants by gathering a selection of them for the Concours show field, including the very 356SL that won Le Mans and the very 718 RS60 that won Sebring.
Supercars
The allure of the modern supercar is purely emotional. It can be superficial yet visceral, and is embodied by showcases of speed, elegance, and at times sheer insanity. Rare examples of this class included the Lamborghini Diablo GT and Koenigsegg CCX, staking a claim that a segment of modern supercars is already establishing itself as instant classics.
Auctions
Though many of the world’s greatest sports cars are long past their era of competition, there are always plenty of new chapters to their stories. Through high-end auction houses, collector cars are finding new caretakers at massive sums, and this year’s Amelia Island auctions reestablished what those sums are. A range of Porsches, from the 904/6 to the Carrera RS to the 718 RSK and 935, showcased Germany’s best and were staking their values at well more than a million dollars. Additionally, Bugatti, Ferrari and McLaren saw examples of their hypercars crest $2 million and beyond, while a significant Maserati was teased for the late-summer’s premier Monterey auction.
In the 27 years of the Amelia Island Concours, everything from major events, brands and drivers to the most obscure niches in the industry has been celebrated on the show field. 2022 was another impactful year for lovers of historic sports cars and the next generation of collector supercar, making it an event that annually cannot be missed.
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