The Amelia

Over the years, the concours on Amelia Island, FL has established itself as one of the foremost automotive concours and auction weekends of the collector car world. Acquired last by Hagerty and now known simply as “The Amelia”, the event weekend appears to be rapidly building upon that position to be even more of a must-attend gathering than ever before.

As a result, Audi Club saw this as a unique opportunity to attend and to show off its 1985 quattro Spring Sweepstakes car.

For Audi Club, the week began with an in-person meeting of club staff and board members. Leadership spent two exceptional days discussing the club at length, where it can be improved and how that will be done. This was the first in-person meeting for the leadership group since the onset of the pandemic, and the resulting list of projects and priorities identified during those meetings mapped out changes and improvements for the Audi Club that members will see come to fruition over the next few years.

The event weekend itself began with Werks Reunion, where Porsche Club North America members and owners share their new and vintage Porsches to be admired by all. During the event, Porsche Club and Porsche Classic shared a co-developed 911 (996) Classic Coupe collaboration. This 1 of 1 project was acquired by the club, shipped to Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen for a complete upgrade in performance and aesthetics. Lots of thought went into the design with this 996 with nods from the very limited 911 (997) Sport Classic that was only ever sold in Europe. This Coupe will make its tour through North America at Porsche Parades and other events and then be sold via an auction exclusively for Porsche Club members. While this magazine typically doesn’t cover Porsche unless it pertains to the Audi brand, this collaboration between a brand and its enthusiast club is exemplary of what can be done to further the interest of both, and should be very relevant to other clubs and brands in how to foster brand passion and loyalty.

Hagerty kept spectators busy for the remainder of the weekend with a rich portfolio of events. On Saturday, Cars and Community took over the main fairway, while Concours d’Lemons and RADwood spread out across the event’s secondary show fairway. Concours d’Lemons delivered quirky and unusual automobiles such as a 1950 Studebaker that had a complete Margarita bar setup in the trunk that Jimmy Buffett would be envious of. Another Lemons owner offered to show attendees to etch their signatures in a rusty automobile that could only be described as a hodgepodge of many different cars welded into one. Meanwhile, the RADwood display located next to the Audi Club presence celebrated the 80s and 90s. Standout amongst this group was Nish Pillai and his 1994 Nogaro Blue RS2 Avant (Project RS2, pp. 64-65). Cars and Caffeine set the tone for what was in store for Sunday, which truly represent in the name Concours d’Elegance. Luxury and exotics spread throughout the par 5 fairway with many makes that you would not see every day. Porsche, BMW, and other car manufacturers were present to display their latest offerings and emphasize the heritage side of their businesses. Some Instagram models were doing their best to “get the shot’ in the sea of enthusiasts, with YouTubers everywhere filming and interviewing. Some celebrities were taking selfies with fans. The real stars of the weekend though were the cars. A 2020 SP1 Monza Ferrari was one of many beautiful red Ferraris lined up. Race cars from all over were out to view, modded super cars and cars that you may have never seen in person like one of Audi’s Dutch relatives, the Spyker C8 Laviolette.

The Audi Club North America Board and staff that attended The Amelia events had a wonderful time together in Florida and were excited to see the ur quattro in person. There was plenty of interest in the car by a large number of spectators and we enjoyed talking to many about the car, the rings and the club.

If you missed The Amelia, then don’t fret. It occurs annually and makes for a great getaway to Florida fleeing the cold of late winter for a highly memorable weekend of the best the automotive hobby has to share.