Now in its twelth year as a premier, nationally-recognized motor car event, the Concours was first organized in 1997 by Michael G. Tillson, III, a Governor of the Radnor Hunt and a recognized expert on the subject of classics, sports, and racing cars.

Michael Tillson and several of the present committee members of the Concours played major roles in the organization and supervision of the Fairmount Park Vintage Grand Prix events that were held from 1990 to 1995. Featuring several hundred vintage sports racing cars, these four-day racing weekends honored the memory of the famous Fairmount Park races that took place in Philadelphia’s vast Fairmount Park system during the period of the First World War. At the time, the Fairmount Park races were the premier racing events in the United States, comparable in scope and reputation to the later Vanderbilt Cup races and the Indianapolis races of the 1920s and 1930s.

It was Michael Tillson’s concept to stage an elegant invitational classic car event on the spacious, historic grounds of the Radnor Hunt in Chester County that would recall the elegance and quality of such national events as the annual Pebble Beach Concours.

The concept of the event was far removed from the typical “car show.” It would be invitational, the cars would be carefully and individually selected and each car would represent an educational and aesthetic experience for guests. There would be a balance between historic, classic, sports and performance racing cars.

To recall the great traditions of the classic French Concours d’Elegance originally held in the Parc des Princes, Paris, there would be a high-style fashion show to compliment the latest fashions in motor cars.

Plans included a black-tie dinner party the night before to benefit a major charity. Thorncroft, and Willistown Conservation Trust have been beneficiaries for a number of years.

Most important it would have its own unique ambience, combining the most relaxed qualities of an English garden party with a celebration of the cars that have written memorable chapters in the history of the motor cars.

The Radnor Hunt Concours d’Elegance has faithfully held to those standards. Surveying carefully the progress of the Concours, the committee elected to restrict the number of entries to 100 in order to maintain very high standards and to allow the best possible display of each car. Thus evolved the concept of “The 100 Motor Cars of Radnor Hunt.” For 2008, Radnor will honor the Art and Colour of General Motors, Zagato, and BSA Motorcycles.