Oshawa’s Halton-built Fossmobile shines at Concours d’Elegance
Published September 20, 2022 at 12:02 pm
Cobble Beach Concours d’Elegance has seen every exotic car imaginable, from beautifully restored mechanical masterpieces that pre-date the Great War to modern multi-million dollar hyper cars, and almost every model in between.
But the judges and visitors at Canada’s most exclusive car show have never seen anything like the Fossmobile, the replica of Canada’s first gas-powered motor car, built by George Foss of Sherbrooke, Quebec in 1897 and lovingly reverse engineered and re-created by his grandson Ron.
The replica, which was completed this year by Foss, a crew in Burlington and at the Legendary Motor Car Company in Halton Hills, enjoys a permanent home in the Canadian Automotive Museum in Oshawa and has been exhibited in only a select few shows in 2022.
One such show was Cobble Beach this past weekend, which is set on a golf course on the shores of Georgian Bay just north of Owen Sound. Foss just couldn’t say to being part of the elegance that surrounds Cobble Beach.
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“What a tremendous experience being part of Cobble Beach Concours d’Elegance 2022,” he said, adding that they loaded-in the fragile replica early and kept if covered with the threat of rain on the horizon. “By gate opening that threat had dissipated. In fact, by late morning, it was a beautiful sunny day.”
Foss said the Fossmobile had plenty of visitors, despite competing with show winners such as a 1932 Lincoln KB Coupe (Best in Class, pre-war), 1957 Cadillac Eldorado Brougham (Best in Class, post-war) and a 1928 Isotta Fraschini 8A SS (Best in Show).
“We had many visitors; many in total awe, as unlike other automobiles on display, few had seen anything that represented a pre 1900 vintage. “
During the presentation ceremony he was called to the main staging area and presented with a Special Recognition Award from the president of the National Association of Automobile Clubs of Canada (NAACC), John Carlson, and the chairman and founder of the Cobble Beach Concours d’Elegance, Rob McLeese.
“It acknowledges our efforts to create a tribute Fossmobile and it acknowledges George Foss’ building of the original. It’s a tremendous honour for the Foss family and it’s long sought after Canada wide recognition.”
Carlson also presented Foss with a donation to the Fossmobile project, on behalf of the NAACC.
