On Sunday, April 27, 2025, the 19th Annual La Jolla Concours d’Elegance rolled unto the Pacific coastline for a celebration of style, elegance, and engineering. What began as a modest car gathering has become a bucket-list event for those who appreciate the aesthetics of motile art.
I thought I’d start my coverage with four self-portraits (above) reflected off the chrome of a 1934 Packard 8 convertible.
As is obvious by my attire, this car was made for me.
The soft, leather interior is as sumptuous as it appears.
This stunning 1925 Rolls Royce Phantom carries a one-off custom body by Jonckheere.
The window lines and the tail fin are particularly unique.
The red interior contrasted nicely with the black paint.
Here is an aerial view of last year’s event. It provides a great view of the whole festive occasion which usually features between 150 and 200 cars.
Some thought the most attractive car at the show was this 1934 Delahaye V12. I’m among them. I prefer the French designs of the art deco period. As Renoir is my favorite impressionist artist, perhaps I’m partial to French creations.
The interior is just as impressive.
I couldn’t get enough of this car, and neither could anyone else, so it was constantly surrounded by people. Fortunately, my buddy Noel Tibbals got there early and took the photos immediately above and below before the crowds swamped it.
Now that’s a nice butt, I don’t care who you are.
Bugattis were rare before World War II. They were more so afterwards as most were recycled to make armaments, so there aren’t many left for today’s car shows. This one is owned by someone local to La Jolla. I have no idea if this is the original color.
The hood ornament represents a rearing elephant.
Some readers might ask, "What on earth is a penny-farthing bicycle doing at a high-end car show?" I don’t have an answer for that.
Aside from the bicycle, the oldest vehicle at the show was this 1903 Oldsmobile convertible. It has an uncanny resemblance to a horse-drawn buggy but without need to care for animals when it’s not in use. It features a long tiller (power steering), a hand crank starter (no need for a push), and brass lamps (anyone got a match?) Lady Di (facing) seems to be enjoying it.
I have a friend who has a number of British and Italian sports cars. They are all noisy, rough-riding brutes which fold the body like a pretzel. The Ferrari leaks exhaust fumes into the cabin. When he drops over for lunch, he is asked to leave his $300,000 sports car in the driveway so we can take my pick-up truck, which has none of those problems and rides luxuriously by comparison. One day, he asked in frustration what I consider to be the ideal sports car. I told him a limousine with a driver, something like this 1931 Packard 845.
Even the wheels are works of art.
Limos like this have lots of room for a cooler.
I couldn’t locate the owner of this 1930 Willys-Knight roadster to ask if the paint job was stock, but somehow I doubt it. It made for a unique looking entry, however.
Willys went on to design and build the famous "Jeeps" for WW II, but couldn’t keep up with orders, so larger companies were conscripted to meet the demand.
This wonderful 1935 Auburn supercharged roadster came all the way from Cheyenne, Wyoming. It was the speed demon of its era.
The plaque on the dash reads, “This certifies that this Auburn automobile has been driven 101 miles per hour before shipment.” It was signed with an illegible signature.
Halfway through the show, attention shifted from the ground to the skies.
The roar of WW II-era planes grabbed everyone’s attention. This was part of the Concours celebration.
Everyone was hoping this Citroen Deux Chevaux would join the airshow, but alas, it remained grounded.
Turns out the Spirit of San Diego, like so many other California cities, is not functional.
At one time, Cadillacs were rated amongst the finest cars in the world, as exemplified by this fine 1931 Sport Phaeton convertible.
Another fine American car of the golden era is this 1938 Lincoln K12 touring coupe.
I wondered if the window lines were inspired by the Rolls Royce above.
Matching interior, of course.
This 1935 Packard Speedster has a V12 engine which is as attractive as the car.
As it is a one-off custom, this is the only Packard with this boat-tail rear end. One wonders if it was inspired by the Auburns of the era.
While the fans were gawking and the band was playing, this guy was polishing – one car after another.
The last car featured in my review is this 1936 Delahaye 135 convertible. Its aerodynamic design makes the four-year-older Cadillac next to it look very dated.
Its interior featured wooden window armrests, and an ostrich leather interior.
All in all, another spectacular La Jolla Concours event. I focused on the ’30s Depression era cars this time because to me, that’s when the most beautiful cars were produced.
If you can find a way to get to the San Diego area in April, put the La Jolla Concours on your bucket list. It’s an event you’ll never forget.
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