Reflections on the 2026 Africa Concours d’Elegance

They call Kenya’s Concours d’Elegance the classiest motoring event of the year. It can’t quite claim to be the most important; the Safari Rally has that honour. But the classiest it certainly is.

My nephew, Paul, and his wife, Marina, arrived from the UK late on a Saturday night for a couple of weeks’ holiday in Kenya. The following morning, I was covering the 54th edition of the Concours at the Nairobi Racecourse.

I thought Paul and Marina might enjoy seeing it, so they joined me for lunch, and they then did the walkabout to see the judging of cars and motorcycles, and the other attractions such as the Auto Expo and the Motor Clubs Arcade. Towards the end of the event, I asked them what they thought of it. ‘It’s so beautiful,’ Marina said. ‘And it’s so well organised.’ That was a relief, because, this year, I was quite apprehensive about how the day would be.

I have been covering the Concours since 1988. But the first one was much earlier than that– in 1971. It was quite a modest event, organised by the Alfa Romeo Owners Club for their members. It was in the grounds of the Spread-Eagle Hotel – now the Safari Park Hotel. There were only 12 competitors. But it went off so well that they decided to make it an annual event. Ten years later, they decided to open it to all makes and types of cars, but the event is still organised by the Alfa Romeo Owners Club.

Motor racing circuit

The number of participants grew, and motorcycles were included, so the venue had to change: from the Spread-Eagle Hotel to the Embakasi motor racing circuit. Now, the Racecourse is an ideal place for a number of additional activities, including an entertainment centre for children and a food court. Though in its beginnings, the Concours must have been mainly for Europeans, it is now a multiracial event, reflecting the demographic of Nairobi. But the competitors come from a good number of other countries – especially from Uganda, Tanzania and South Africa. So, it can be justified that it is now known as the Africa Concours d’Elegance.

The man who could have been called Mr Concours was Bob Dewar. He passed away two years ago. Before the 2023 event, I had a long talk with him about the history of the Concours and about the role he has played in it. He was clearly very proud of what the Concours has become. ‘We are very fortunate to have the Racecourse as the home of the Concours,’ Bob said.

‘It must be one of the very best venues for a concours anywhere in the world. Spectators can now divide their time between car judging, motorcycle judging, the motor trade stands, the classic sale for cars and bikes 25 years old and over. It is a combination of a motoring event and a social event.’

Bob had his own PR company. And he used to be very meticulous in all he did. A few times, I was with a group of journalists organised by him. I found him thorough in his planning and a stickler for being on time, whatever the activity. Once, after a meeting with him at my office in Lavington Green, I found a leaflet under the windscreen wiper of my Land Rover, saying something like ‘Why not enter this car for the Africa Concours d’Elegance’. He had no idea it was my car. He was like that: never missing an opportunity to promote the Concours.

Parachuting display

So, for the last two years Bob’s absence has been a matter of concern. The second matter of concern is the absence of a main sponsor, which has meant that the organisers have not been able to put on a number of fringe events we have got used to in the past, such as a fly-by of aircraft from Wilson Airport, a parachuting display and an after-party. Nevertheless, as Marina said, ‘it’s so well organised’. I talked with Lynette, the Event Secretary.

She said that she is a member of a very good triumvirate with the Chairman of the Alfa Romeo Owners Club, Peter Wanday, and the Vice Chairman, Micky Bassi. I could see what she meant, because the car entrants were over-subscribed – 78 of them plus a waiting list. There was also a full house of the motorcycle entrants – 35 of them.

I could tell, as in previous years, the competition was fierce. In 1988, the overall car winner was Sati Gata-Aura with his 1978 Nissan. I hope that Sati will not mind me saying that, although his car was scrupulously clean and well-prepared, it was hardly a thing of beauty.

A discussion I had a few times with Bob Dewar was whether it would be good to award more points for elegance as well as for cleanliness and condition of paintwork and chrome, engine, roadworthiness and age. They judge the external finish, interior and boot, as well as the underside of the car. Now there is a separate Elegance Award, entirely based on appearance and visual impact – but this has no bearing on the overall or class results.

The overall motorcycle winner this year was Rick Agagliate with his 1941 Indian Scout 741. The overall car winner was Veronica Duder with her 1930 Essex Super-Six – an old car in superb condition. However, for sheer elegance, my eyes lingered over a gleaming white Triumph TR3A and a red Alfa Romeo Spider that once might well have been Bob Dewar’s own car.

They call Kenya’s Concours d’Elegance the classiest motoring event of the year. It can’t quite claim to be the most important; the Safari Rally has that honour. But the classiest it certainly is.

My nephew, Paul, and his wife, Marina, arrived from the UK late on a Saturday night for a couple of weeks’ holiday in Kenya. The following morning, I was covering the 54th edition of the Concours at the Nairobi Racecourse.

I thought Paul and Marina might enjoy seeing it, so they joined me for lunch, and they then did the walkabout to see the judging of cars and motorcycles, and the other attractions such as the Auto Expo and the Motor Clubs Arcade. Towards the end of the event, I asked them what they thought of it. ‘It’s so beautiful,’ Marina said. ‘And it’s so well organised.’ That was a relief, because, this year, I was quite apprehensive about how the day would be.

I have been covering the Concours since 1988. But the first one was much earlier than that– in 1971. It was quite a modest event, organised by the Alfa Romeo Owners Club for their members. It was in the grounds of the Spread-Eagle Hotel – now the Safari Park Hotel. There were only 12 competitors. But it went off so well that they decided to make it an annual event. Ten years later, they decided to open it to all makes and types of cars, but the event is still organised by the Alfa Romeo Owners Club.

Motor racing circuit

The number of participants grew, and motorcycles were included, so the venue had to change: from the Spread-Eagle Hotel to the Embakasi motor racing circuit. Now, the Racecourse is an ideal place for a number of additional activities, including an entertainment centre for children and a food court. Though in its beginnings, the Concours must have been mainly for Europeans, it is now a multiracial event, reflecting the demographic of Nairobi. But the competitors come from a good number of other countries – especially from Uganda, Tanzania and South Africa. So, it can be justified that it is now known as the Africa Concours d’Elegance.

The man who could have been called Mr Concours was Bob Dewar. He passed away two years ago. Before the 2023 event, I had a long talk with him about the history of the Concours and about the role he has played in it. He was clearly very proud of what the Concours has become. ‘We are very fortunate to have the Racecourse as the home of the Concours,’ Bob said.

‘It must be one of the very best venues for a concours anywhere in the world. Spectators can now divide their time between car judging, motorcycle judging, the motor trade stands, the classic sale for cars and bikes 25 years old and over. It is a combination of a motoring event and a social event.’

Bob had his own PR company. And he used to be very meticulous in all he did. A few times, I was with a group of journalists organised by him. I found him thorough in his planning and a stickler for being on time, whatever the activity. Once, after a meeting with him at my office in Lavington Green, I found a leaflet under the windscreen wiper of my Land Rover, saying something like ‘Why not enter this car for the Africa Concours d’Elegance’. He had no idea it was my car. He was like that: never missing an opportunity to promote the Concours.

Parachuting display

So, for the last two years Bob’s absence has been a matter of concern. The second matter of concern is the absence of a main sponsor, which has meant that the organisers have not been able to put on a number of fringe events we have got used to in the past, such as a fly-by of aircraft from Wilson Airport, a parachuting display and an after-party. Nevertheless, as Marina said, ‘it’s so well organised’. I talked with Lynette, the Event Secretary.

She said that she is a member of a very good triumvirate with the Chairman of the Alfa Romeo Owners Club, Peter Wanday, and the Vice Chairman, Micky Bassi. I could see what she meant, because the car entrants were over-subscribed – 78 of them plus a waiting list. There was also a full house of the motorcycle entrants – 35 of them.

I could tell, as in previous years, the competition was fierce. In 1988, the overall car winner was Sati Gata-Aura with his 1978 Nissan. I hope that Sati will not mind me saying that, although his car was scrupulously clean and well-prepared, it was hardly a thing of beauty.

A discussion I had a few times with Bob Dewar was whether it would be good to award more points for elegance as well as for cleanliness and condition of paintwork and chrome, engine, roadworthiness and age. They judge the external finish, interior and boot, as well as the underside of the car. Now there is a separate Elegance Award, entirely based on appearance and visual impact – but this has no bearing on the overall or class results.

The overall motorcycle winner this year was Rick Agagliate with his 1941 Indian Scout 741. The overall car winner was Veronica Duder with her 1930 Essex Super-Six – an old car in superb condition. However, for sheer elegance, my eyes lingered over a gleaming white Triumph TR3A and a red Alfa Romeo Spider that once might well have been Bob Dewar’s own car.

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John Fox is Chairman of iDC Email: [email protected]