A dazzling array of classics cruised the coastal roads of the Monterey Peninsula on Thursday 23 August, ahead of the main Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance event this Sunday.
The picturesque route played witness to possibly the greatest moving motor show on earth, as the lion’s share of some 200 concours participants took part in the annual Tour d’Elegance.
Where Sunday’s event is about fastidiously presenting the pristine machines for judging, the Tour gives owners and spectators alike the chance to experience the remarkable motors on the move – and quite often roaring.
The roads around the Monterey Peninsula are truly stunning
Departing from Pebble Beach at 9am, the convoy travelled inland towards Tehama Golf Club then looped back on the Carmel Valley Road, before a scenic run along the recently reopened Highway 1 to Big Sur.
The Tour concluded on Carmel’s Ocean Avenue, where huge crowds gathered to get a closer look at these most exotic machines.
Striking diversity marked this year’s event, with everything from pre-war pioneers – such as a 108-year-old Pope-Hartford Model T 5 Passenger Touring – to post-war coachbuilt beauties taking on the challenging route.
This striking Citroën DS21 Cabriolet d'Usine wasn't hanging around
