Historian Stephen Le Vine has published a new book detailing Eastbourne's forgotten automotive past as the country's premier host of interwar motor shows. Titled Eastbourne Concours d'Elegance – A celebration of automotive design on the Sussex coast, 1930–1937, the book is now available via Amazon.
Eastbourne's Glittering Motor Shows
For seven summers in the 1930s, Eastbourne was the undisputed capital of automotive elegance in England. The Concours d'Elegance brought thousands of tourists and big-name drivers to the town each year. Bentleys, Rolls-Royces, Delages, Lagondas, Wolseley Hornets, and Singer cars paraded before admiring crowds against the backdrop of the English Channel.
Detailed Accounts and Records
The book includes detailed accounts of every event, complete records of winners and their vehicles, and draws on period photographs, original competition programmes, and contemporary press reports. It also covers the involvement of international and British competitors, trade participants, and local dealers and craftsmen.
The first motor shows were held in France, but in 1928 they came to Britain and Eastbourne. This volume records the cars, coachbuilders, and crowds that established the Eastbourne Concours as a symbol of taste and refinement during the golden age of motoring.
Eastbourne Concours d'Elegance – A celebration of automotive design on the Sussex coast, 1930–1937 is priced at £12.50 and available on Amazon.
