Amelia Island - Ferrari Owners' Club

March is undoubtedly a special month in Northern Florida. As warmer days start to arrive, along with the beautiful azalea blossoms, one experiences a preview of the lovely spring and summer months ahead. The first hints of spring are a perennial reminder of all of life’s possibilities. What a dynamic time of year.

One of the premier events in Florida also arrives with the warmer weather: the Amelia Island Concours d’Elégance in March. It is an exciting time of year for car aficionados. You don’t have to be a lover of classic cars to appreciate the impeccably restored beauties that line the fairways at The Golf Club of Amelia Island. Each year, The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island and The Golf Club of America bring this elegant affair to life with seemingly effortless grace. The 10th and 18th fairways of the club are center stage for the car show.

Amelia Island Concours founder and chairman Bill Warner and his enthusiastic crew have experienced quite a ride in the past twelve years. He states “It’s as much about the people as it is about the cars”. For 2007 he kept the excitement level sky high as the Concours honored two-time world endurance champion Derek Bell MBE. An ambassador for racing, Derek is truly one of the “iron men” of motorsport. He’s had numerous starts and five wins at Le Mans, plus Daytona, Sebring, as well as other famous tracks across the United States and Europe such as Laguna Seca, Nürburgring, Spa-Francorchamps and Silverstone. Derek also used to race Ferraris, from Dino Formula 2 cars to the brutal 512 S. [He is also member of that ultra-elite group - the Scuderia Ferrari F1 piloti, competing in two GPs, albeit unsuccessfully, in 1968 - Ed.].

Instead of a featured marque this year, Amelia Island celebrated the “Great Road Races”, which included the Targa Florio, Mille Miglia, Carrera Panamericana Mexico and the Isle of Man TT motorcycle race. Their great histories were the subject of a seminar along with drivers and machines from these races. Bill Warner really is the ultimate car guy, a true gearhead and he and his staff lined up a diverse group of drivers such as Sir Stirling Moss, Alain De Cadenet, Sam Posey, John Fitch, Brian Redman, John Surtees MBE, Vic Elford and Hershel McGriff, to name but a few.

As in the previous years a class list was designed that thrilled everybody. This year was no exception. Attendees once again enjoyed the variety assembled. There were classes for Bentleys, Duesenbergs, Delahayes, even rare Corvairs, European custom coachwork cars, Ferraris Superamericas and Superfasts, fiberglass sports cars, great American convertibles, fabulous Woodies, Mercedes-Benz 1946-1972, rare commercial vehicles, Rolls-Royces, sports and GT cars and many more. A real field of dreams.

The three day affair began with The Rolls-Royce Wine Maker’s Dinner celebrating Brian Redman’s 70th birthday. [In his long and distinguished career he raced once in a Dino F2 car before a possible Ferrari career was cut short by a shunt in an F1 Cooper, and of course he raced the iconic 312P with great success, scoring four victories. - Ed.] Friday morning followed the Porsche Driving Experience with Brian Redman and the Alcoa White Oak Tour starting from Fernandina Beach airport. The FedEx Road Tour departed from The Ritz Carlton hotel’s main driveway and was open to cars of the Great Road Races. Then came the Cars of Coachcraft Seminar and in the evening the Coastal Living Reception in the Ritz-Carlton Oceanfront Courtyard. Saturday saw the BMW Golf Classic at Summer Beach and the Great Road Races Seminar presented by General Motors. There was also the Breitling Cocktail Reception followed by the Mercedes-Benz Gala Dinner but most interesting was the spectacular RM Auction during Saturday afternoon. Sunday’s Concours also included a Fashion Show and The Great Automotive Photographers Exhibit plus the Automotive Fine Arts Society’s only east coast appearance.

The 2007 Amelia Island Concours also featured an impressive gathering of some of the greatest Ferraris in history. No fewer than 23 rare Ferraris were shown this year. Last year’s winner Peter G. Sachs brought the ex-Tony Parravano 121 LM with one-off Scaglietti Spider coachwork. Charles Wegner of West Chicago showed the 196 SP Dino, still unrestored and with a lovely patina. This car has a very long race history and had been hidden away in a private Italian castle for several decades. John Schumann displayed his 312 B Formula One monoposto, a 1968 race car with the typical white spaghetti type exhausts. Former NART panel beater and aluminium wizard Wayne Sparling showed his off-white Series II 250 GT Cabriolet with covered headlights. From Cincinnati came a 312 P Spider and from Chicago a 340 MM with Vignale Spider bodywork. The class for Ferrari Superamericas and Superfasts included several 410 SA’s and 400 SA’s as well as a 342 America Coupé plus Bud Lyon’s darkblue 500 Superfast.

The Ferraris of the Carrera Panamericana Mexico included a 250 MM Berlinetta, two 212 Inter Vignale Coupés, a 340 America Ghia Coupé and two 375 MM, one a Berlinetta by Pinin Farina and the other the Spider Vignale of Bruce McCaw. This one deservedly won Best of Show this year. There was also an exceptionally nice 275 GTB/4 from North Carolina, originally delivered to the late movie producer Greg Garrison.

Since the inception of the Concours in 1996, a significant portion of the event’s proceeds has been donated to Community Hospice to help support the organization’s programs and services for terminally ill individuals and their families and total donations have been nearly US$ 1.5 million so far. With its unique themes and automotive diversity, the Amelia Island Concours d’Elégance is recognized today as one of America’s top automotive events. Clearly a “must see” every March in sunny northern Florida.