A concours
d’elegance is a gathering of “elegant” cars to be admired by spectators and
judged on their appearance and originality. The Shenandoah Region’s annual
concours, known as the Richmond Porsche Meet or more simply RPM, began in 1997.
Our founding members, Weldon Scrogham, Cole Scrogham and Alex Smith, thought
hosting a concours d’elegance would be an enjoyable and rewarding way to raise
money for the newly-formed region.
The event had
humble beginnings with the first being held in Alex Smith’s own backyard. Today
RPM is the Shenandoah Region’s largest annual event and it continues to grow every
year. Not just a Sunday Concurs d’Elegance, it’s a multi-day, action packed
gathering of passionate Porsche members doing was they love best, enjoying
their cars and interacting with the terrific people we have in PCA.
Judging all the beautiful, yet diverse Porsche
models entered is a difficult task. Each car starts with a “perfect” score. The
judges have only a handful of minutes to inspect the car inside and out,
subtracting points for flaws they find in various categories such as originality,
cleanliness, wear, exterior finish, interior condition, engine cleanliness,
maintenance, operation, and presentation. The RPM concours is an informal “tops
only” event meaning dirt under the car doesn’t count. Depending on the entrant,
preparation for RPM can range from “wash and shine” to making the car look and
run as good as the day it left the Porsche factory. If you think you’re good at
detailing your Porsche, please consider entering it in our next RPM Concours.