Pebble Beach Tour d'Elegance Brings Show Cars To Life

Company press release.

As one of humanity's greatest inventions, the automobile has been cherished throughout its existence by generations of people the world over. More than simply a means for moving from place to place, the automobile has become a status symbol, an outlet for passion and for many, a way of life. No where is this more evident than at classic car events, when vehicles representing all eras of automobile history come together in celebration of their storied past.

The Monterey Classic Car Week is North America's greatest reunion of classic cars, with the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance acting as the grand finale to this week of intense and joyous activity. Yet while the Concours celebrates the ultimate preservation of these historic vehicles, it is the Concours' road tour that highlights the magnificence of the automobile in motion.

The Pebble Beach Tour d'Elegance presented by Rolex

Created in 1998, the Pebble Beach Tour d'Elegance welcomes participating Concours cars on a driving tour of Monterey's most famous roads. Rolex is proud to be the Title Sponsor of the Pebble Beach Tour d'Elegance, an event that displays some of the world's most elite cars as their creators had originally intended: in action. There is nothing like gunning the engine to bring these mechanical works of art to life, proof that these beauties are more than something simply to behold.

Led by police escort this morning, the participating cars puttered, purred, rumbled and roared across the start line, past the Pebble Beach Lodge and on to the famous 17-Mile Drive to mark the beginning of the 15th edition of this classic road outing. Passing through the region's valleys, hills, forests and dramatic cliff sides, the cars took breaks from driving to gather at Tehama Monterra properties and on Ocean Avenue for public display.

Following lunch for participants in Devendorf Park, the cars returned to Pebble Beach for a champagne finish. A special Tour ribbon is awarded to every vehicle upon completion of the Tour, to be displayed on Concours Sunday when the Pebble Beach judges begin their selection of class winners. The Tour and Concours are directly linked in this regard: if two vehicles tie in class competition at the Concours, it is the vehicle that has completed the Tour that ultimately 'steals the show'.

The union of these two complementary Pebble Beach events allow participating vehicles, owners and drivers to truly demonstrate their commitment to excellence and their passion for motor history. Having already proven their driving merits in the Tour d'Elegance presented by Rolex, this year's participants now ready themselves for their next great challenge: Sunday's Concours event, where they will be judged for historical accuracy, technical merit, style and elegance. Title Sponsor of the Pebble Beach Tour d'Elegance since 2007, and Official Timepiece of the Concours since 1997, Rolex is proud to present two events that, in combination with the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion, represent the ultimate in car collector passion during Monterey's Classic Car Week.

About Rolex

Leading brand of the Swiss watch industry, Rolex, headquartered in Geneva, enjoys an unrivalled reputation for quality and expertise the world over. Its OYSTER watches, all certified as chronometers for their precision, are symbols of excellence, performance and prestige. Pioneer in the development of the wristwatch as early as 1905, the brand is at the origin of numerous major watchmaking innovations, such as the OYSTER, the first waterproof wristwatch, launched in 1926, and the PERPETUAL rotor self-winding mechanism introduced in 1931. Rolex has registered over 400 patents in the course of its history. A truly integrated manufacturing company, Rolex designs, develops and produces in-house all the essential components of its watches, from the casting of the gold alloys to the machining, crafting, assembly and finishing of the movement, case, dial and bracelet. Rolex is also actively involved in supporting the arts, sports, the spirit of enterprise, and the environment through a broad palette of sponsoring activities as well as philanthropic and patronage programmes.