Concours of Elegance, backed by watchmaker A. Lange & Söhne, targets German car collectors

October 4, 2023

Concours of Elegance attracts owners and fans of rare cars, making that an attractive market for sponsors. Image credit: Concours of Elegance

By Staff reports

The Concours of Elegance, after meeting much success in its United Kingdom home market, will make its way to Germany as that country displays potential for an event catering to collectors of vintage and classic cars.

German watchmaker A. Lange & Söhne, along with auctioneer RM Sotheby’s, media partner Classic Driver and hospitality firm Käfer will support the Concours of Elegance Germany. The event takes place July 22-27, 2024 and culminates in the Bavarian countryside town of Gut Kaltenbrunn, near Lake Tegernsee and a 40 minutes’ drive from Munich.

“Germany has a renowned pedigree of exceptional automotive excellence,” said James Brooks-Ward, CEO of Concours of Elegance organizer Thorough Events, London, in a statement. “Germany deserves a first-class international Concours.”

The event takes place July 22-27, 2024 and culminates in the Bavarian countryside town of Gut Kaltenbrunn, near Lake Tegernsee and a 40 minutes’ drive from Munich. Image credit: Thorsten Jochim

Collect call
A privately owned company, Thorough Events has launched three Concours events in the past 10 years including the Concours of Elegance at Hampton Court Palace and the London Concours.

Each Concours comprises experiences for car collectors, with opportunities for commercial partners to tap into this wealthy audience and auto aficionados who regularly return to the events.

The Concours has generated more than $3.15 million toward charitable causes, including the donation of a one-off timepiece by A. Lange & Söhne that recently raised more than $1 million for King Charles III’s Prince’s Trust in the United Kingdom.

Adding Germany to the map makes sense, given that the country is known for prestigious auto brands such as Porsche, BMW and Mercedes-Benz.

Car owners at a Concours of Elegance event. Image credit: Concours of Elegance

Dialing it up
The six-day event – four tour days and two concours days – over next summer will culminate in a 200-car concours hosted at the Gut Kaltenbrunn estate at the head of Lake Tegernsee. This is a destination renowned for its beauty, five-star hotels and fine dining.

“A. Lange & Söhne has a strong connection with Concours events in Europe and the U.S.,” said Wilhelm Schmid, CEO of A. Lange & Söhne, in a statement.

“After five years of successful partnership with the Concours of Elegance Hampton Court Palace, it is our great honor to extend our commitment by partnering with the newly established Concours of Elegance Germany,” he said.

“The exclusive event provides a wonderful opportunity to welcome the international car community to our home country. At the same time, we are looking forward to giving all guests fascinating insights into our world of watchmaking.

“Once again, the parallels of design and craftsmanship between classic cars and our mechanical timepieces create a strong foundation for our partnership.”

Cars arrayed at a Concours of Elegance edition at Hampton Court Palace. Image credit: Concours of Elegance

Another partner, RM Sotheby’s, is looking at this event as an opportunity to increase its footprint as well.

As the official auction partner of Concours of Elegance Germany, it will build ties with collectors looking to buy and sell cars, as well as conduct auctions at the location.

“The Concours of Elegance in the U.K. has established itself as one of the pre-eminent Concours events in Europe, and the addition of a new event in Germany presents a wonderful opportunity for RM Sotheby’s to further establish its reputation in this hugely important market,” said Marcus Görig, car specialist for Germany with RM Sotheby’s, in a statement.

A rare Maserati at the Concours of Elegance. Image credit: Concours of Elegance

BEFORE THE CARS take up their places in Gut Kaltenbrunn, they will embark on a tour of the Bavarian countryside.

The four-day tour will explore Bavarian food, drink and tradition, as well as the countryside.

Having arrived at Gut Kaltenbrunn, the first day of the event will be limited to just 1,200 guests by invitation only. The second day of the show will allow more cars and visitors for the public day.

“We already have the foundations of a … new addition to the global motoring calendar, and with the enthusiasm of our entire community of automotive collectors, we will translate all the magic of our other events into the Concours of Elegance Germany, with a crucial Bavarian twist,” Mr. Brooks-Ward said in the statement.

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Concours of Elegance, backed by watchmaker A. Lange & Söhne, targets German car collectors

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