The 31st Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance drew thousands of enthusiasts to Florida's Ritz-Carlton resort, where a 1931 Duesenberg Model J “Taper Tail” roadster and a 1969 McLaren M8B secured the Best in Show awards. The event, held from Friday to Sunday, featured 250 cars and motorcycles, including classics and race vehicles, under sunny skies. Four-time IndyCar champion Dario Franchitti served as the honoree, reflecting on his racing legacy amid displays of historic automobiles.
The Amelia Concours d’Elegance, founded in 1996 by Jacksonville collector Bill Warner, took place March 7-9, 2026, at the Ritz-Carlton on Amelia Island, less than an hour east of Jacksonville. This year's event shifted its main display to Saturday from the traditional Sunday, a change praised by Hagerty CEO McKeel Hagerty for allowing more owners to attend the full weekend. "What it has allowed us to do is to make sure we get some of the people to actually come and be here with their cars all weekend," Hagerty said.
On Saturday, Bill H. Lyon’s 1931 Duesenberg J “Taper Tail” roadster, a Weymann Coachbuilt design, won Best of Show – Concours d’Elegance. Owner Lyon described the victory as a surprise, crediting designer Gordon Buehrig: "I think it’s just the overall design of the car—there’s not a bad angle or line. Gordon Buehrig... was way ahead of his time."
The 1969 McLaren M8B, powered by a 7-liter Chevrolet V-8 engine producing 635 hp, earned Best of Show – Concours de Sport. Driver Mike Marzano, representing a Chicago-based collection, called the win "awesome" for highlighting early McLaren history: "This is as cool as it gets. We hoped to bring a little more awareness of the early McLaren days."
Honoree Dario Franchitti, who won IndyCar titles in 2007, 2009–2011, and three Indy 500s, stood among his former race cars, including a 2002 Dallara Chevrolet and 1995 McLaren MP4/10. "To be recognized is lovely. My wife, my daughters, my Mum and Dad are here," he said. Recently retired, Franchitti tested the Gordon Murray T.50 prototype at Bahrain International Circuit, improving its GT3 lap time by seven seconds with the 761-hp V-12.
Highlights included the debut of the BMW Alpina XB7 Manufaktur, auction records for a Porsche Carrera GT and Lamborghini Miura, and rare vehicles like the 1896 Riker Electric Prototype—the oldest on display—and Chris Runge’s hand-formed 1995 R2 Coupe with a 3.6-liter Porsche engine. Other notables: a 1932 Röhr F8 Streamliner with Ferdinand Porsche-engineered components, Paul Wilson’s custom 1947 Alfa Romeo 6C-2500, and Chip Foose’s 1956 Continental coupe. Judge Peter Brock noted the event's improvement: "It is at the very pinnacle again... the cars this year are spectacular."
The concours generated an estimated $30 million economic impact and over $4 million in donations to local charities in its first 29 years.
