The weird, wild and downright awful at the 2017 Concours d'LeMons

Published: 20 August 2017

► 2017 Concours d’LeMons
► Your antidote to OTT car shows
► The unfashionable, unreliable and unloved

Had enough of the over-the-top luxury, champagne breakfasts and wealthy car collectors? Well, as it turns out, the Monterey Car Week has just the event for you.

The Concours d’LeMons, also known as the LeMons Rally, is a celebration of the dull, weird or genuinely crap cars out there. You won’t see a gleaming, concours-condition show car here; get ready for basic, boring or battered cars and a disarming level of friendliness between owners and visitors.

It’s only a small event, but there is still judging on what is the, er… worst car of the show with judges from US automotive publications poking around the lawn armed with clipboards and serious faces.

Check out our gallery of the wacky and wonderful things we spotted at the show.

It makes a complete mockery of concourse events

LeMons concourse

The LeMons rally laughs in the face of your pristine supercars and couture suit or dress. This is all about glorifying rubbish cars.

Weird modifications are everywhere

LeMons concourse mx5

MX-5 + googly eyes = instant hilarity.

Some cars were literal death traps..

LeMons concourse MG

This battered MG’s radiator is weakly strapped to the car. After the LeMons entry, we then saw it in the car park of the Laguna Seca Motorsport Reunion.

…while some couldn’t even get to the show on their own steam

This Austin Allegro (in the US?!) was pushed into the show to the cue of roaring laughter by the crowds

There was never a joke far away

LeMons concourse fire system

Plenty of owners poked fun at their car. This fire alarm switch (and the real fire suppression system attached to it) was on a Ford Pinto. Need we say more?

In the US section, there seemed to be a trend…

LeMons concourse vega

This wasn’t the entire list of Chevy Vega coupes at the show. Spoke volumes.

…with some even failing to hold in their liquids

LeMons concourse cadillac

This mile-long Coupe De Ville had coolant literally pouring out of it as it arrived.

The US cars still had some gems

LeMons concourse mustang

Like this Mustang Shooting Brake. Come on, Ford – build one!

Weight saving strategies were… extensive

LeMons concourse baja bug

No dashboard = best dashboard for this Baja Bug.

There was strong fancy dress game

Everything from Russian army fatigues to pyjamas and slippers and full goth garb was on show.

LeMons concourse fancy dress

This was the ‘worst in show’

LeMons concourse honda civic

Yeah, this is still making our head hurt too; a Honda Civic with two front ends took the top gong.

Check out more Pebble Beach and Monterey Car Week news

By Jake Groves

CAR's deputy news editor, gamer, serial Lego-ist, lover of hot hatches

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