REPORT - 2024 Sydney Harbour Concours d’Elegance
Words: Giacomo Scarabotti
Photos: Courtesy of Sydney Harbour Concours d’Elegance
Since its first edition in 2019, the Sydney Harbour Concours d’Elegance has brought together some of the world’s finest cars. This year’s event, held on 1 – 3 March, was no exception, but some significant changes for 2024 not only broadened the event, but also brought it to more people.
More than 75 display vehicles - from the 1920s to the present day – provided the breadth, while an all-new location for 2024 meant more people could see, enjoy and experience the finest in haute automobilisme. I say “experience” because the 2024 Ampol Sydney Harbour Concours d’Elegance introduced a new element where cars were paraded on the event’s two main days.
“This was the biggest and best Sydney Harbour Concours d’Elegance in our six-year history,” said concours founder and curator, James Nicholls.
“We’ve pulled together more than 100 years of motoring heritage – it’s a pocket-sized edition of the 20th Century’s motoring evolution.”
The biggest display in the event’s history, along with its largest audience and the ability to add a “mobile” element this year were all made possible thanks to the new location...
Island Life
After the past two editions of the Ampol Sydney Harbour Concours d’Elegance were held at the historic Hyde Park Barracks in central Sydney, this year saw the concours move to a location with just as much history - Cockatoo Island.
The largest island in Sydney Harbour, Cockatoo Island originally covered some 32 acres and was known to the indigenous people as Wareamah. From 1839, the sandstone island was used as a penal facility to hold recidivist convicts. The island was also extensively quarried to provide stone for construction projects in Sydney, which explains the bluff sections visible today.
Obviously, an island has maritime value, too, so that was exploited with the creation of a dry dock – Australia’s first – in 1857. Shipbuilding on the island began in 1870, with the first of two conventional docks added in the 1880s. By the early 20th Century, five slipways were in operation and the island had been expanded to 44 acres to accommodate shipbuilding work.
After World War II, shipbuilding and maintenance operations wound down and the dockyards finally closed in 1991, after which time Cockatoo Island has been used in a number of roles, including hosting the Biennale of Sydney. As a concours venue, it wasn’t an obvious choice, but that changed after Nicholls saw the location for himself.
“I went and was hooked,” Nicholls explained. “There was indoor and outdoor space to save us from the weather, but it’s also just an incredible venue which complements the cars.”
Over the Water
Obviously, holding a concours on an island presents its own challenges, not least of which was the requirement to transport EVERYTHING by ferry or barge - from staff to AV and lighting facilities, catering and more. There was also the not insignificant task of getting 75 prestige and collectable cars across to the island, which owners found to be quite an adventure.
The main concours display was in the former Turbine Shop; an enormous, cathedral-like building that provided an “industrial” atmosphere perfectly in tune with the cars. Connected buildings housed the ‘Supercar Showcase’ and ‘Electric Elegance’ sections for new vehicles, along with the ‘Motorcycle Lounge’.
A special section was devoted to restoration specialists, Paradise Garage, while the crew from premium car storage and detailing experts, Stash, conducted live detailing sessions on a Lamborghini Countach. Another building displayed vintage speedboats and watercraft – a feature of past Sydney concours, but especially appropriate this year!
The additional space available to Nicholls and his team allowed two all-new elements to be added this year: the ‘Ampol Ampi-theatre’ and ‘Ampol Prado’. The Ampi-theatre saw a series of guest speakers cover topics from luxury lifestyle items to vehicle detailing, electrification, automobile trends and the exploits of Francis Birtles. The latter was conducted by Warren Brown, who will re-enact Birtles’s 26,000km London-to-Melbourne drive in a vintage Bean automobile later this year.
The Prado was where the concours entrants conducted their parades, with this outdoor space also hosting a relaxation area and the La Trobe Financial Harbourside Bistrot curated by celebrity chef Sean Connolly. Additional refreshments came courtesy of longtime concours supporters Champagne Pommery, Château La Gordonne rosé, illy coffee and San Pellegrino.
Finally, the move to Cockatoo Island meant this year’s Ampol Sydney Harbour Concours d’Elegance could be ticketed for public entry for the first time. Over the course of the weekend, more than 1,400 people availed themselves of the opportunity to marvel at the collection of vehicles on display and immerse themselves in all that this year’s bigger and better event had to offer.
A Broad Church
While a concours is all about the best automobiles, that doesn’t always mean the most expensive ones. Yes, several multi-million dollar cars were on show this year, but a reflection of the diversity on offer saw visitors faced with a McLaren Elva and P1, Bolwell Nagari Sports, Jensen Interceptor Series III convertible, GN cyclecar and Sunbeam 3 Litre within a few paces of entering the Turbine Shop.
Further in, there were rarities like a De Tomaso Longchamp, Alfa Romeo Giulia SS, Ferrari 250 GT Pinin Farina and Rolls-Royce Corniche. A trio of Dino 246 GTs made an impression, as did a cluster of Porsches, including an early 911 and RuF 911 turbo widebody, while a 1951 356 cabriolet was the first-ever RHD Porsche. On that point, it was notable that the majority of concours cars were RHD; even those European exotics where a steering wheel on the “right” side is a rarity.
Bentley aficionados were impressed by a 1999 Continental T, 1963 S3 Continental and 1924 3-Litre Blue Label; the latter formerly belonging to marque expert, Clare Hay. Britain was also represented by a brace of classic Aston Martins – DB4 Vantage and DB5 – a 1937 MG TA, Nicholls’ own Bristol 408 and an immaculate 1933 Rolls-Royce Phantom II, which would pick up two awards in the concours.
A remarkably well-preserved 1920 Ford Model T was the oldest vehicle on show, just edging out the 1921 GN. The Model T also wore a period anti-theft device on its offside front wheel, which was an interesting touch.
Beyond the concours, Supercar Showcase presented additional McLarens, as well as the latest from BMW, Lamborghini, Aston Martin, Fiat/Abarth, Brabus, Rolls-Royce, Pagani (a wicked carbon fibre Zonda R), Ineos, Range Rover, Porsche, Jaguar, Bentley and Singer.
Overall, it was a broad offering this year, and one that Nicholls said worked well: “Whether it was rare historic cars or cutting-edge vehicles of the future, people appreciated the beauty and art involved in these extraordinary pieces of engineering, design and craftsmanship.”
Concours Contest
The premium field for the 2024 Ampol Sydney Harbour Concours d’Elegance meant the judging panel had their work cut out. Leading the panel this year was Alessandra Giorgetti, an Alfa Romeo expert and VP of the Registro Internazionale Touring Superleggera. She was joined by David Berthon (a past Sydney Harbour Concours entrant), Ferrari expert Stuart Field and Henry Pearman. Field came from the USA, while Pearman is better known as founder of Jaguar E-Type specialists, Eagle E-Types, in the UK.
Concours judging covered eight themed classes, along with Passion, Restoration, Preservation and the coveted Best in Show awards. There was also a Best Italian award this year, in honour of the concours’ new connection with Italy’s ASI historic car club federation. Representing ASI was Dr. Umberto Galloni from San Marino, who brought over his own 1930 Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 GT.
Publicly-judged awards were Ladies’ Choice and People’s Choice.
The judges completed their work on Saturday, 2 March, with the winners announced that evening at a gala dinner for entrants at Luke Mangan’s Glass Restaurant at The Hilton Sydney. Winners in the two public classes were announced at the event on Sunday, 3 March.
Of this year’s concours winners, the least surprising was the 1964 Ferrari 250 LM, which not only won the Best in Show Post-War, but was also the Class 3 (Speedy Gonzales) and People’s Choice winner.
This stunning car, one of only 32 built for racing and of the same type that won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1965, was delivered new to Luigi Chinetti’s NART (North American Racing Team) in 1964 and raced to second place at the 12 Hours of Reims by John Surtees and Lorenzo Bandini that year. After bouncing between several US-based owners, this Ferrari went to Switzerland and Japan, then back to the USA.
Despite being restored in the early 1980s, this car has been regularly raced since, including at the Monterey Historics. It’s also been in concours events like Pebble Beach and The Quail: A Motorsport Gathering before coming to Australia last year.
Best in Show Pre-War went to the aforementioned Rolls-Royce Phantom II with its striking black-over-cream Thrupp & Maberly sedan body, while few would argue that Galloni deserved the pre-war Passion award for shipping his Alfa 6C all the way out from Italy for the concours.
2025 in Motion
With this year’s Ampol Sydney Harbour Concours d’Elegance occupying only around a quarter of the available space on Cockatoo Island, there’s room to expand the existing attractions, as well as introduce new ones.
“We’re already planning the 2025 concours and the interest we have seen this year reinforces this event will continue to improve further and evolve,” Nicholls said.
The 2025 Ampol Sydney Harbour Concours d’Elegance is scheduled for Friday, 28 February to Sunday, 2 March. VIP tickets are available now, with single day, weekend and three-day options, plus VIP transport.
To purchase tickets and get more information on the 2025 concours as it draws nearer, go to: sydneyharbourconcours.com.au
