2010 Le Mirage Concours d'Élégance: $140,000 raised - a Duesenberg takes top honours

Blainville, Quebec – A 1929 J Dual Cowl Duesenberg won the Grand Prize at the 2010 edition of the Mirage Concours d’Élégance. In addition, the event’s organizers confirmed that the Concours raised $140,000 for the Fondation André-Delambre, which supports research into amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

Le Mirage's president Jacques Dion (center) and the two show hosts, Paul Houde (left) and Jacques Duval, stand next to a 1955 Chrysler New Yorker convertible. Photo: Luc Gagné/Auto123.com

Attracting around 2,500 visitors, the Concours was held on July 18 at the Centre Équestre de Blainville, north of Montreal.

The imposing Duesenberg that was named Best of Show belongs to Montreal collector Auto Antique Jolina. It was one of nearly 200 cars presented by collectors from across the province as well as the United States.

The Mirage Concours d’Élégance is neither the oldest nor the best known of its kind in Canada. And judging by the number of collector cars and visitors it attracted this year, it’s not the biggest one either.

However, the Blainville event did welcome several rare or never-before-seen vehicles in Quebec, such as the elegant 1939 Delage D6 70 convertible by Figoni et Falaschi presented by Collection Demers. The public was amazed by this little-known car, which sported a sculpted-glass radiator cap, a Lalique piece nicknamed “Chrysis” (La Baigneuse).

A stately 1914 Lozier type 77 tourer proved equally astounding, as well as the diminutive 1955 Jaguar type D racecar. The two novel cars were presented by Americans Anthony Vaccaro and Jim Taylor.

The wide variety of automobiles made for a truly motley show. There were also several contemporary cars on hand, including a few that we had forgotten ages ago, like the small 1981 Puma GTE Brasilian sports coupe and the neoclassical British Panther J72 from 1972. Two “Canadian” cars were also on display, a 1934 McLaughlin-Buick and the red, gleaming Monarch Lucerne convertible presented by the John Scotti Collection.

This year, the Concours was organized in conjunction with another major event, an international horse show called Jumping Blainville. “Jumping’s organizers invited us to join them and we thought it would give our Concours some extra cachet,” said Jacques Dion, president of the Mirage Concours d’Élégance. No doubt about it, the partnership was a fruitful one for both exhibitors and visitors. Both also appreciated the huge site peppered with shade-throwing trees where the beautiful cars waited to be admired. Everyone was pleased with the site and, in fact, the organizers hope to use it again to host the 3rd edition of the Concours in 2011.

The Best of Show award went to this beautiful Duesenberg. Photo: Luc Gagné/Auto123.com