When Concours Was About More Than the Car by Mike Thies

The Concours d’Elegance did not begin as a car show in the way most people think of one today. The idea goes back to Europe, where the word simply meant a “competition of elegance.” Long before automobiles, wealthy owners paraded fine carriages, fine horses, and fine clothes. When automobiles replaced carriages, the same idea carried over. The…

The Class Host at a Concours d’Elegance by Mike Thies

The Person Who Keeps the Field Working

A Concours d’Elegance may look simple from the outside: beautiful cars, polished chrome, fresh grass, well-dressed owners, judges with clipboards, and spectators enjoying the day. But anyone who has worked behind the scenes knows better. A…

A Bite of History - Marcos 

By Mike Thies

The Marcos was one of those wonderfully unconventional British sports car companies that could only have come from the postwar racing world. The company was founded in 1959 by Jem Marsh and aerodynamicist Frank Costin, with the name Marcos coming from Marsh and Costin. Costin brought serious aircraft and racing design experience to the project, and that influence showed up immediately in the cars: low frontal area, light weight,…

A Judge’s View from Pinehurst: Sandhills Motoring Expo 2026 by Mike Thies

The 2026 Sandhills Motoring Expo Concours in the Village was one of those days that reminds you why we do this. Held Sunday, May 24, in the historic Village of Pinehurst, the event brought together more than 130 judged automobiles representing over 40 manufacturers, and from this judge’s point of view, it was a first-class field, a well-run operation, and a genuinely enjoyable day with owners who were proud to…

Selecting the Cars: Building a Concours Field That Matters

by Mike Thies

There are so many aspects of a qulity Concours event, yet all would agree that the heart of any concours is the field itself. A concours succeeds when the vehicles tell a story worth walking through. The selection process should not be a random gathering of nice cars. It should be a deliberate effort to assemble vehicles that represent history, design, craftsmanship,…