Noosa Concours d’Elegance: The car show that shines

Record crowds attended the 2026 Concours d’Elegance, savouring the fine food and wines of Noosa’s legendary restaurant strip while also enjoying the 100-plus exceptional vehicles on display.

The success of this year’s event has seen organisers to lock in next year’s event for 17 July.

Representing more than a century of automotive design, performance and craftsmanship the spectacular open-air showcase again took over Noosa’s Hastings Street precinct featuring the official Concours display of 50 rare and historically significant vehicles.

The expanded 2026 program also included a special Repco-Brabham Anniversary Collection, and the inaugural Supercar Circle featuring contemporary exhibits from Bentley, BMW, Corvette, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Maserati, Mercedes-Benz, Land Rover, Pagani, Porsche, and Rolls-Royce.

Next Gen award judges assessing the contenders.

“The 2026 Noosa Concours d’Elegance was an incredibly special world-class celebration of automotive excellence, community spirit and the unique lifestyle that makes Noosa such a special and sought-after destination,” said Ben Orton, President of the Hastings Street Association.

“From the extraordinary collection of vehicles on display to the thousands of visitors who travelled to Noosa especially to experience Hastings Street come alive for this one unforgettable day, the event
once again highlighted the power of Concours to bring people together.”

RACQ partnered with the free event which is aimed at families and motoring enthusiasts and presented by the Hastings Street Association.

Each vehicle included in the official Concours display is carefully selected for its elegance, rarity, and historical significance.

2026 Noosa Concours d’Elegance award winners

Best in Show – 1954 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Coupe

Regarded by many as the world’s first supercar, the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Coupe combined advanced engineering, competition-bred design and unmistakable visual drama in a way few road cars had achieved before. Derived from Mercedes-Benz’s 1952 W194 competition car, it brought that racing pedigree to the road in strikingly advanced form. Its lightweight spaceframe chassis gave rise to the model’s defining gullwing doors, while its 3.0-litre fuel-injected six-cylinder engine marked a major technical milestone as the first production car to feature fuel injection. The letters “SL” came from the German super-leicht, or “super-light”.

Best Classic (1966 – 1985) – 1969 Aston Martin DB6 Vantage

This rare and highly desirable 1969 Aston Martin DB6 Vantage is a compelling example of one of the British luxury car maker’s most admired grand tourers and the final evolution of its six-cylinder powered DB line. One of the last Mark I DB6s produced, the car is fitted with an exceptionally rare Vantage VC competition-specification engine and finished in seldom-seen mink metallic over red Connolly leather. Delivered new in the UK and shipped to Australia in 1972, it was later discovered as a barn find before undergoing a comprehensive ground-up, matching-numbers restoration. The DB6 also took out the People’s Choice award sponsored by RACQ.

Best Modern – 1990 Ferrari F40

Launched in 1987 to mark Ferrari’s 40th anniversary, the F40 stands as one of the most significant performance cars ever produced. Its name combines “F” for Ferrari and “40” commemorating four decades since the brand’s first road car was approved for public use. Among the defining supercars of the modern era the F40 claimed the title of world’s fastest production car and the first to officially exceed 200mph. This 1990 example combined the especially desirable non-catalyst, non-adjustable suspension features when new, but has since benefitted from period-correct dealer-fitted adjustable suspension for improved usability. Originally owned by one of Ferrari’s most prominent collectors and showing just 2,000 kilometres from new, it remains one of the Prancing Horse brand’s most coveted creations. The F40 also took out the Next Generation Award sponsored by RACQ, which saw 10 lucky kids get the chance to be guided through the display by an industry expert before using their newfound knowledge to select their favourite car.

Best Preservation – 1971 Ford Falcon XY GTHO Phase III

The 1971 Ford Falcon XY GTHO Phase III remains one of the most celebrated performance cars in Australian motoring, developed in an era when road cars were built to win on the racetrack. Marketed in its day as the world’s fastest four-door production car, it cemented its place in history at Bathurst in 1971, where the model filled all three places on the podium. Of the 300 Phase IIIs built, only a little over 100 are believed to remain, making surviving original examples especially prized. Delivered new to Adelaide, this car has travelled just over 46,000 miles and remains remarkably original, with its authenticity and presentation recognised through multiple awards and appearances.

Best Classic (pre-1945) – 1932 Cadillac Series 355-B

This 1932 Cadillac Series 355-B is a rare and beautifully restored example of one of the marque’s most elegant sporting designs, believed to be one of just three survivors fitted with Fisher’s 2/4
Passenger Roadster coachwork. Delivered new through Cadillac’s premier Detroit showroom, it represents one of the most coveted body styles of the series. Discovered in the early 1980s, it later underwent an exceptional restoration and its quality has since been recognised on some of the world’s most prestigious concours fields, including the 2002 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.

Best Classic (1945 – 1965) – 1960 Lancia Flaminia Zagato Sport

The Lancia Flaminia Zagato Sport occupies a special place in post-war Italian motoring, combining Lancia engineering with Zagato’s most elegant and purposeful coachwork. This lightweight Series 1 example was configured for competition and it went on to achieve an incredible racing provenance, including first in class in the GT category at the 1963 Stallavena-Bosco hill climb, followed by appearances at the Targa Florio, Bologna Raticosa, Coppa Citta di Asiago and Cesana -Sestriere hill climbs. Sold in 1965 to an Australian holidaying in Italy; it was shipped to Australia some months after, where its bright red paint and loud exhaust made it a familiar sight around Sydney. Following decades of family ownership, it was later restored to its current, exceptional standard.

Visit the Noosa Concous d’Elegance website for more information on next year’s event, as well as details of the 50 rare and classic cars displayed this year.