Classic American luxury brand Pierce-Arrow, an assemblage of rare pre-1965 Ferrari race cars and the 100th anniversary of the Italian design house Carrozzeria Ghia have been selected as featured classes for the second annual Arizona Concours d’Elegance, scheduled January 11, 2015, at the Arizona Biltmore Resort in Phoenix.
A special featured class of the unique automobiles once owned by architect Frank Lloyd Wright also will be showcased among some 80 concours vehicles on the landscaped inner lawns of the historic Arizona Biltmore.
After a successful inaugural showcase earlier this year, the Arizona Concours again will launch Arizona Collector Car Auction Week in the Scottsdale/Phoenix area, where Barrett-Jackson, RM, Gooding, Russo & Steele, Bonhams and Silver all again are expected to stage sales.
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There’s just a mystique that travels with Frank Lloyd Wright.” [/pullquote]
The selection of a special class for Frank Lloyd Wright cars was inspired by the architecture of the Biltmore Resort, said Ed Winkler, co-director of the Arizona Concours. The luxury hotel, which opened in 1929, was designed in Wright’s landmark style by Albert Chase MacArthur.
The Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation has been an enthusiastic supporter of the effort to bring together a class of FLW cars, Winkler said. The foundation is based at Wright’s famous winter home and architecture school, Taliesin West, located in Scottsdale.
“There’s just a mystique that travels with Frank Lloyd Wright,” Winkler said. “Because he has a grand presence in Arizona with Taliesin West, and his connection with the Biltmore hotel, has inspired us to assemble as many of his former cars as possible.”
Wright, one of the 20th Century’s most influential architects, was an auto enthusiast who personalized his cars in Cherokee Red color schemes and other custom touches. Cars he owned include opulent vehicles by Lincoln, Packard, Bentley and Cord, as well as a rakish AC sports car. He also had a fleet of diminutive Crosley roadsters, reputedly for use by his students and apprentices.
The Arizona Concours steering committee has determined 17 classes for entries ranging from antique and full classic and from sports cars to exotics. For the full class list and other information about the Arizona Concours d’Elegance, see www.arizonaconcours.com.
The Arizona Concours d’Elegance benefits Make-A-Wish Arizona, the founding chapter of the national organization that grants wishes for children facing life-threatening medical conditions.
