The La Jolla Concours d’Elegance car show is known for highlighting some of the rare finds of the automotive world — the makes and models not seen for decades and the older signature cars that marked an era.
But for this year’s show, with the old comes the new. A lot of new.
The Concours d’Elegance will return Friday through Sunday, April 25-27, at Scripps Park. The theme, “Mascots in Motion,” is intended to pay tribute to the signature hood ornaments that have symbolized luxury, innovation and elegance for more than a century — from Rolls-Royce’s “Spirit of Ecstasy” to Cadillac’s “Goddess.”
The Concours also will feature legendary designs such as the Pontiac Indian and Pierce-Arrow Woman, exploring their evolution from practical innovations to revered collector’s items.
Furthermore, the 2025 Concours will pay homage to Lincoln Motor Co.’s centennial, and a special class of show cars will be dedicated to classics from 1920 to 1940 that define the brand’s storied history.
Other cars that will be highlighted include those whose images have graced the program’s cover, pre-World War II American and European classics (1920-40), post-war American and European luxury (1947-65), European sports cars (1954-75), Mercedes-Benz (1955-75) and more.
“One of the reasons we are on the [list of] top three Concours events in the country is that we keep it exciting and new,” said event chairman Michael Dorvillier. “People don’t want the same cars or the same experiences every year, so we want to keep it exciting every year.”
Looking to bring both elegance and edge, this year’s event will, for the first time, showcase a special class dedicated to the hot rod era, dubbed “Iconic American Hot Rods (1928-41).”
This class is intended to celebrate “the golden age of hot-rodding, born out of ingenuity and post-war creativity,” La Jolla Concours organizers said in a statement. “Featuring modified Ford Model A, B, and T cars with hallmark innovations like the legendary Ford Flathead V8 engine, these custom vehicles reflect a vibrant and distinctly American automotive culture.”
To bolster the presence of the new entries, the free public viewing known as “Porsches on Prospect” will be called “Porsches and Power on Prospect.”
“There will be 80 Porsches and hyper cars that shouldn’t be street-legal along Prospect Street,” Dorvillier said. “These things are rocket ships that cost millions of dollars. We want to spice it up but also bring a new crowd into The Village. This event is in The Village, for The Village, not just for car people.”
Still, Dorvillier said, the inclusion of hot rods is “a tough one for us because a lot of people have what they consider ‘hot rods’ — people would buy old Fords and take them apart and put fast engines in them — but they are made in garages with raw muscle and all kinds of unsafe stuff. But to be considered [for the La Jolla Concours], these have to be period-correct cars built in this era, because you don’t see that a lot.”
As with past years, the Concours will culminate with its ticketed car show in Scripps Park and will include parties, the Tour d’Elegance and free viewings for the public.
Speaking to the La Jolla Village Merchants Association during its Jan. 8 meeting, event representative Laurel McFarlane said that for the first time, the Tour d’Elegance parade will start in The Village.
“The tour always [used to] start somewhere, go to private garages and end up at the La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club,” she said. But this year, the tour will start on Prospect Street.
Thus, Prospect between Herschel Avenue and Cave Street is to be closed from 6 to 9 a.m. April 26 so the cars can be viewed by the public. The tour will depart at 8 a.m.
There will be additional viewing of vehicles during the Motorcar Classic, which will feature cars that don’t qualify for the car show. That will line up April 27 on the street next to Scripps Park and will include a special display known as “Ford vs. Ferrari,” a nod to the 2019 Academy Award-winning film.
Overall, Dorvillier said, “it’s the experience. … We are in a status now that this weekend is just referred to as ‘La Jolla’ rather than the La Jolla Concours d’Elegance. It blows it up. People love coming here.”
For more information, visit lajollaconcours.com. ♦
Originally Published: February 5, 2025 at 11:00 AM PST
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