Since 1996 the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance has grown from a regional concours to an international award winning event on a global scale and is ranked at the top of the worldwide concours constellation.

To celebrate two decades of automotive design and competition excellence the 20th Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance will reprise the founding Concours of 1996 with our original honoree Sir Stirling Moss. This year marks the 60th anniversary of his record setting victory in the Mille Miglia, his first World Championship Formula 1 victory and the dual World Championships of Mercedes-Benz in the World Sports Car and Formula 1 drivers championships.

Sir Stirling scored each Mercedes-Benz victory in the six-race World Sports Car Championship of 1955. It started in May with his legendary triumph in the epic 1000 mile lap of Italy, the Mille Miglia. Sixty years later that record still stands. Moss’ victory for Mercedes in the Targa Florio, the final round of the World Championship, clinched the world title for Mercedes-Benz. It was the perfect complement to their second Formula 1 World Drivers Championship in 1955.

In each World Sports Car Championship race he won in 1955 Sir Stirling raced chassis number “0004”, his famous number “722” from the Mille Miglia. That same summer Moss won his first Formula 1 World Championship race, his home Grand Prix at Aintree, England, with Mercedes’ W196 Grand Prix car, the stable-mate of his triumphant 300SLR.

Sir Stirling’s final Formula 1 race for Mercedes-Benz came in the1955 Italian Grand Prix racing the elegant W196 streamliner. After leading several laps on the fast, steeply banked Monza circuit a stone shattered the streamliner’s windscreen forcing Stirling to pit. He set a Monza lap record in his pursuit of the leaders but ended his Mercedes-Benz Formula 1 career when a drive shaft bent on the notorious Monza banking. Moss’ Monza streamliner was donated to the Indianapolis Speedway Hall of Fame Museum and will, for the first time, join “722” and the open-wheel W196 “slipper” Formula 1 car in the Cars of Stirling Moss class on Sunday March 15, 2015.

“With Sir Stirling and this extraordinary collection from Mercedes’ 1955 championship-season, the 20th anniversary Amelia Concours will be an historic and memorable event,” said Bill Warner, Founder and Chairman of the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance. “Sir Stirling set us on our course in 1996 and he’ll launch us to more successful decades with the reunion of this unprecedented and historically significant trio of his victorious Grand Prix and sports cars.”

1991 BMW 318is
Average asking price*: $7,000
Collector status: Buy and hold

The BMW E30 3 Series is one of those automotive achievements that transcends metal, glass and rubber into a cultural icon. From its introduction in 1984, it was an instant classic that fit in perfectly as an amulet of affluence. It was the perfect car for the ‘80s, combining performance, comfort, quality and caché into a fun-to-drive status symbol. It’s no surprise that it is somewhat of a cult car today.

To many, its ultimate expression is in the first-generation M3, which in turn is reflected in current values reaching $60K or more. While some say that those prices are being fueled by overhype, it can’t help but float all E30 boats. We don’t have too look too far down the line for second best with the 325is and 318is. Where the M3 was developed with motorsport in mind and in actuality shares very little with the base 3 series, the 325is and 318is are “sport” versions of the E30, in both 6-cylinder (325is) and 4-cylinder (318is) variants. Both had the M3’s stiffer springs, Boge shocks, larger anti-roll bars, BBS wheels, sports seats, and spoilers to differentiate them from their more basic siblings.

The 325is was powered by a 168-hp jewel of a motor, while the 318is used BMW’s new 16-valve 1.8-litre that was, in its day, the world’s most powerful production 4-cylinder (at 134-hp, which seems pedestrian these days). Despite the 325is being more powerful and refined, it is the 318is that might be considered more classic. For a couple of reasons: 1.) in it, there was then and is now an unmistakable summoning of its progenitor, the infectious 2002. Perhaps its the additional 100 kg; perhaps it’s that it’s too refined, but the 325is lacks that quality; 2.) the 325is was produced over five years in relatively large numbers, whereas the 318is was only imported to the US in a single model year, 1991. Worldwide, there were over 26,000 units produced in 1991, with most of that destined for the States. The nature of these fun-to-drive cars, however, invited flogging and abuse, so there has been quite a high attrition rate. That plus time and the actual number left is likely well below 20,000. That’s still not exactly “rare,” but it is roughly the same as the highly coveted M3. In addition, while the E30 M3 was a prized possession from the get-go and most were squirreled away in garages, left mostly unmolested, the fate of the 318is hasn’t been so fortunate. A disproportionate number have fallen into the hands of DIY tuners and can often be seen lowered, stanced, bagged, or slammed, with any number of bolt-on bits, coffee-can exhausts, etc. Returning these furious “whips” to their native state may be cost-prohibitive. Furthermore, much like the 2002, the 318is was positioned to be within reach from its inception, thus a great many more have been delegated to first-car and commuter duty, racking up the kind of miles that can never be recovered through any degree of restoration. In the end, there are very few good examples of the 318is left and the numbers will continue to dwindle. Now “is” the time.

1990-1991 Audi Quattro Coupé
Average asking price*: $6,500
Collector status: Buy and drive

The mere mention of the word “quattro” conjures up images of Michelle Mouton power sliding around a snow-covered hairpin on a stage in Rally Finland. The word and what it represented, the first rally car to take advantages of FIA rule changes that allowed 4WD in competition, marked a transformation of Audi as a sensible family car to a champion of motorsport, which lives on today in endurance racing and touring car championships. Out of the successful rally car was born the Ur-Quattro road car. With its longitudinal four-wheel drive system, turbocharged five-cylinder motor and box-flared fenders, there wasn’t anything like it. It was a darling of the press, all whilst the rally car continued to rack up wins. Collectors have recently taken note of the Ur-Q’s significance and their values have risen sharply in the last two years. They’re still a relative bargain at $20-25K, but outside the parameters of this discussion. Its successor (though they were sold concurrently outside of the US), the B3 Audi 80 quattro Coupé, or simply quattro Coupé, didn’t see any notable rally competition nor did we get to enjoy the turbocharged S2 version in the States. Nevertheless, the quattro Coupé was a more refined, advanced car in just about every way. The Ur-Q’s manually-operated center locking differential was replaced by a more sophisticated torque-sensing system with push-button lock and the B3 featured standard creature comforts such as leather upholstery, climate control, and Zebrano wood trim. Naturally, this came at the expense of added weight, but the normally aspirated, 20-valve inline five is still a capable performer, with 165 horsepower and 190 torques, and it makes for a comfortable grand tourer that would relish any twisty road you could throw at it. Like many of their compatriots of that era from BMW and Volkswagen, for example, their affordable nature leaves them open to modification and not all of it tasteful. That said, well-maintained, low mileage, original examples still exist and given their low numbers (fewer than 1,200 quattro Coupés sold between 1990 and 1991), they are sure to be a sound investment.

1982-1986 Alfa Romeo GTV6
Average asking price*: $9,300
Collector status: Buy and drive

Photo by Jay Ramey – originally published Autoweek August 5, 2014

As anticipation builds for Alfa Romeo’s return to the US in 2015 with its sensational 4C, there’s a renewed allure for the legendary marque. When Alfa Romeo pulled out of the US in 1995 as part of parent company Fiat’s exodus, it’s only offering was the 164, which simply could not compete with Mercedes-Benz, BMW and the Japanese luxury brands, despite what may be one of the best V6 engines ever made. The Spider left a couple years earlier and with that, Alfa’s sports car presence in the US came to an end. When journalists and others say that to be a true petrolhead, one must own or have at some point owned an Alfa Romeo, they’re likely referring to the Alfas that came before this. A shining example is the GTV6. An evolution of the Alfetta GTV—which itself was the successor to the now iconic 105/115 Series GTV—the GTV6 is pure Alfa. At its heart is a sublime Busso V6 wrapped in a Giugiaro-designed body that, despite nearing its 10th year at the GTV6’s introduction, still looked fresh and continues to have a timeless Italian aesthetic today. A buffalo-hide Recaro interior, silky gearbox, and nicely balanced suspension make for a drive that evokes passion beyond the sum of its parts. And then there’s the sound. A glorious note that makes a 2.5-litre V-6 crescendo to an oratorio akin to anything coming from Maranello at the time. As a whole, the Alfa Romeo GTV6 feels like it should cost a lot more. In the almost 30 years since they were last sold in the States, rust, mechanical breakdown and other forms of decay have created a natural selection. For the most part, the fittest have survived and values today range from around $2,000 for a restorable project to the low teens for a properly maintained, well-sorted example. Long term, there were too many produced to have E30 M3-type collectibility (with the exception of the limited-production Balocco and Maratona editions), but they will continue to gain in value—particularly as the return of Alfa Romeo creates more mindshare—whilst being thoroughly enjoyed.

Miami. At the 2014 Art Basel in Miami Beach, BMW will present two of its legendary BMW Art Cars – the BMW 320 by Roy Lichtenstein (1977) and the BMW M3 by Michael Jagamara Nelson (1989). BMW is inviting visitors to view the BMW Art Car by Roy Lichtenstein in the Botanical Garden next to the fair and the BMW Art Car by Michael Jagamara Nelson will be on display in Art Basel`s Collectors Lounge in the Convention Center.

On December 3, 2014, BMW will announce a new global art initiative in collaboration with Art Basel aimed at supporting emerging artists.

In 1977, Roy Lichtenstein designed the third vehicle in the BMW Art Car Collection, a BMW 320 Group 5. The colourful, vibrant Pop-art landscape reflects his famous comic strip style in the paintwork, the surroundings flashing by depicting the driver’s view from the moving racing car. Created in 1989, the Australian artist, Michael Jagamara Nelson, chose the depiction of nature from aerial view for the design of his Art Car. His BMW M3 Group A is covered in mythological Aborigine shapes and patterns. Both BMW Art Cars will be on view until the end of the fair on December 7, 2014.

For almost 40 years now, the BMW Art Car Collection has fascinated art and design enthusiasts as well as car and technology aficionados all over the world with its unique symbiosis of fine art and innovative automotive technology. Until now, the collection includes 17 vehicles that were created by renowned artists such as Frank Stella, Roy Lichtenstein, Robert Rauschenberg, Jenny Holzer, Olafur Eliasson and Jeff Koons and has been presented at art fairs and museums all over the world. In 2014, BMW published the first comprehensive publication about the legendary BMW Art Cars -published by Hatje Cantz.

The BMW Art Car by Roy Lichtenstein, 1977

“I pondered on it for a long time and put as much into it as I possibly could. I wanted the lines I painted to be a depiction the road showing the car where to go. The design also shows the countryside through which the car has travelled. One could call it an enumeration of everything a car experiences – only that this car reflects all of these things before actually having been on a road,” said Roy Lichtenstein commenting on his design of the BMW 320i.

Roy Lichtenstein, who was born in New York in 1923, is considered to be one of the founders of American pop art. Until 1938 he painted portraits of jazz musicians, attended the “Art Students League”, finally studying art in Ohio. His earlier works range from cubism to expressionism. He did not become interested in trivial culture such as comics and advertising until the late fifties. His pop art paintings were created in 1961. These were followed by caricatures of the “American way of life”, experiments with well-known works of art, sculptures and films. He died in New York in 1997.

Roy Lichtenstein – The BMW 320 group 5 racing version

•  four-cylinder in-line engine
•  4 valves per cylinder
•  twin overhead camshafts
•  displacement: 1999 cm³
•  power output: 300 bhp
•  top speed: 290 km/h

After its completion, Roy Lichtenstein’s Art Car was able to celebrate its premiere twice – as a work of art at the Centre Pompidou in Paris and as a racing car in the 24-hour race at Le Mans in June 1977. The car was driven by Hervé Poulain and Marcel Mignot from France. The car with the number 50 achieved a ninth place in the overall rating and finished first in its class.

The BMW Art Car by Michael Jagamara Nelson, 1989

“A car is a landscape as it would be seen from a plane – I have included water, the kangaroo and the opossum.” Michael Jagamara Nelson

After seven days of hard and meticulous work, the Australian artist Michael Jagamara Nelson had transformed the black BMW M3 into a masterpiece of Papunya art. However, the geometric shapes only appear to be abstract. To the expert they reveal kangaroos or emus. Papunya paintings embody religious myths (“Dreaming”) passed on for thousands of years by generations of Aborigines in the form of rock and cave paintings. They constitute their cultural roots and are a source of inspiration for the future. The artist, who was born in Pikili, Australia, in 1949, is a member of the Warlpiri tribe and grew up in the Aborigine tradition. He learnt the ancient painting techniques used by his ancestors from his grandfather and developed a new style based on them. Since the mid-eighties Nelson has been considered the leading representative of the Papunya-Tula movement. His outstanding work includes a large mosaic, which stands in front of the Australian parliament building in Canberra, and an impressive looking wall in the foyer of the Sydney Opera House.

Michael Jagamara Nelson – The BMW M3 group A racing version

• four-cylinder in-line engine
• four  valves per cylinder
• twin overhead camshafts
• displacement: 2332 cm³
• power output: 300 bhp
• top speed: 280 km/h

The M3 designed by Nelson comes from BMW Australia’s motor racing section which was then headed by the well-known racing driver Frank Gardner. In 1987 Tony Longhurst drove this car to victory in the Australian AMSCAR Championship. The M3 was employed by the Mobil 1 racing team in 1988. It was driven by the Australian several-times champion Peter Brock.

From December 4 to December 7, 2014 the Art Basel in Miami Beach will open its doors for the 13th time. This year, BMW will once again be supporting the show as official partner. More than 250 leading galleries from North and South America, Europe, Asia and Africa will show masterpieces of Modern and contemporary art as well as new art pieces created by emerging artists. As in previous years, BMW will provide BMW 7 Series vehicles as the official VIP shuttle service for visitors to the show.

In addition to the Art Basel’s shows in Basel, Miami Beach and Hong Kong, the BMW Group also supports other prestigious art initiatives worldwide such as the Gallery Weekend Berlin and the Kochi-Muziris Biennial in India. The company also cooperates on a long-term basis with numerous cultural institutions and artists around the world, supporting formats such as BMW Tate Live and the Preis der Nationalgalerie.