70 Years Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance

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Technology evolves. But beauty is timeless.

The Delage D12 in Geneva with a Delage D8-120 by Letourneur & Marchand (1937).

The Delage D12 – voted most beautiful car in the world.

(Automobile Awards 2020/2021)

Discover the Delage D12 Hypercar : www.delage-automobiles.com

Managing director Geoff Love

Acknowledgments and credits The Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance is a community of enthusiasts with a shared passion for cars. We are thankful that this community has come together to celebrate cars for 70 years now, and we hope it continues to do so long into the future. This same community came together to support this book celebrating our 70 years, and we are deeply grateful for that.

Our thanks go first to the individuals who wrote our introductory essays—Chris Bock, Bob Devlin, Craig Davis, David Gooding and Julius Kruta—and to the many people who contributed their memories and photographs to this project. Some are entrants, some are judges, some are restorers or sponsors, volunteers or spectators. The story of our community is the story of each and every one who gathers with us.

We wish that we had room to include even more of you on these pages.

Additional photographs were provided by many photographers, some professional and some simply passionate, a full listing of which is below. We are grateful to all of them, but we want to offer special acknowledgment to those photographers, past and present, who have devoted years or decades to documenting the Concours and whose work is at the core of this book. In the early years, this task was undertaken by Julian P Graham and William C Brooks, whose work is in the Pebble Beach Company Lagorio Archives. More recently, Ron Kimball and his team at Kimball Studios, as well as Steve Burton and Sherman Chu, have turned their creative lenses our way.

This book moved from plan to pages under the guidance of teams at the Pebble Beach Concours and Hothouse Media, and publication was made possible with the generous help of our many sponsors.

We want to offer a final word of thanks to the staff of Pebble Beach Company, which has hosted the Pebble Beach Concours since the event’s beginnings and continues to offer its strong support.

We look forward to our next 70 years!

Sandra Button, chairman #DriveonPebbleBeach

Editorial director David Lillywhite Editor-in-chief Kandace Hawkinson Art director Peter Allen Managing editor Sarah Bradley Designers Debbie Nolan, Isobel Sampson, Ricci Cox Advertising sales Sue Farrow, Rob Schulp, Cindy Sisson How to buy more copies Visit www.magnetomagazine.com/store/ or call +44 (0)208 068 6829 Printing Kingsbury Press, Doncaster, UK Printed on Amadeus Silk 170gsm from Denmaur Paper

Photography credits Atwell Family Archives, Dean Batchelor/Ron Kellogg Collection, Diane Brandon, William C Brooks, David Burton, Scott Burton, Steve Burton, Scott Campbell, Sherman Chu, Miles C Collier Collections, Domenico D’Apuzzo, Robert T Devlin Archives, George Dostal, Edward Eason, Mark Estes, Colin Feichtmeir Archives, Jeffrey Field, Steven A Gann, Fabrizio and Giorgetto Giugiaro Archives, Gary Goeringer, Winston Goodfellow, Julian P Graham, McKeel Hagerty Archives, Robb Hallock, Jules Heumann Archives, Phil Hill Family Archives, The Hon Sir Michael Kadoorie Archives, Ron Kimball/Kimball Studios, Evan Klein, Julius Kruta/Hucke-Kruta Archives, John Lamm, Peter Larsen Archives, Peter G Livanos Archives, John Livingstone, William Lyon Family Archives, John Willard Marriott Jr Archives, Alan W McEwan, Bruce Meyer Archives, Richard Morgenstein, Glenn Mounger, Peter and Merle Mullin Archives, Shiro Nakamura Archives, National Motor Museum Trust, Tom G O’Neal/TGO Studios, Adolfo Orsi Archives, Joe Pagano, Jim Patterson Archives, Bill Paullus, Bob Puffer, Randy Reinstedt, Bobbie’dine Rodda, Paul Russell, Tony Salazar, Douglas Sandberg, Florian Seidl, Kelly Serfoss, Jon Shirley Archives, Speed Digital, Perry Stern, Lynn Stone, Matt Stone, Jensen Sutta/courtesy of and copyright Gooding & Company, Ted7, Duschan Tomic/courtesy of Corrado Lopresto Archives, Torque Media Group/Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance Archives, Wim Van Roy, Jay Ward Archives, George Wingard Archives, Andrea Zagato and Marella Rivolta Zagato Archives, David Zaitz, Brad Zemcik

HOTHOUSE MEDIA Hothouse Media David Lillywhite, Geoff Love, George Pilkington Castle Cottage, 25 High Street, Titchmarsh, Northants NN14 3DF, UK Email: info@hothousemedia.co.uk ©Hothouse Media Ltd. 70 Years of Pebble Beach and associated logos are registered trademarks of Hothouse Media Ltd. All rights reserved. All material in this publication, whether in whole or in part, may not be reproduced, transmitted or distributed in any form without the written permission of Hothouse Media Ltd and the written permission of Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.

Hothouse Media Ltd uses a layered privacy notice giving you brief details about how we would like to use your personal information.

For full details, please visit www.magnetomagazine.com/privacy/ ISBN 978-1-9162456-2-4 Great care has been taken throughout the publication to be accurate, but the publisher cannot accept any responsibility for any errors or omissions that might occur.

The editors and publishers of this publication give no warranties, guarantees or assurances, and make no representations regarding any goods or services advertised in this edition.

Pebble Beach®, Pebble Beach Resorts®, Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance®, Pebble Beach Concours™, Pebble Beach Tour d’Elegance®, Pebble Beach RetroAuto™, Pebble Beach Classic Car Forum™, Pebble Beach Motoring Classic™, Pebble Beach® Automotive Week, Pebble Beach Golf Links®, The Lodge at Pebble Beach™, Spanish Bay®, The Links at Spanish Bay™, The Inn at Spanish Bay™, Casa Palmero®, 17-Mile Drive®, The Lone Cypress™, Stillwater Cove™ and their respective underlying logo designs and distinct images are trademarks, service marks and trade dress of Pebble Beach Company. Used by permission.

06

EN GIN EERED TO A H IGH ER STAN DARD —TH E H U MAN STAN DARD

Emmanuel Acho Athlete, Author, Speaker

Helps create a safe environment for people to have uncomfortable conversations.

The Lexus LS

Helps Emmanuel reach his destination with an available 24-inch Head-Up Display and safety features like Lane Departure Alert with Steering Assist.*

LEXUS IS A PROUD SPONSOR OF PEBBLE BEACH RESORTS.

®

THE LEXUS LS lexus.com/LS | #LexusLS

Pebble Beach® is a trademark and service mark of Pebble Beach Company. Used by permission.

2021 LS vs. 2020/2021 competitors. Information from manufacturers’ websites as of 10/8/2020. *Lane Departure Alert is not a substitute for safe and attentive driving practices. See Owner’s Manual for additional limitations and details. ©2021 Lexus, a Division of Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.

1O Welcome Championing cars and community

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7O Years Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance

Concours Through the Ages

Judging How the system has evolved over the years

Table of Contents

30 Dawn Patrol Unique perspective on the Concours

118

Pebble Beach Road Races

The Auctions The inseparable pairing of Concours and car sales

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12O

Concours People

The 1970s

The Community that makes it special

A new era gets underway

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146

The 1950s

The 1980s

Early years; how the Concours started out

The Concours achieves worldwide acclaim

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178

The 1960s

The 1990s

The event affirms its own identity

Concours customs become firm traditions

08

The origin of the Pebble Beach Tour d’Elegance

214 Ongoing expansion as processes are honed

36 The motor sport event where it all began

The Tour

The 2000s

Why elegance and beauty never grow old

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256 The 2010s The Concours goes truly global

294 The 2020s and Beyond Celebrating past, present and future

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7O CELEBRATING

YEARS OF CARS AND COMMUNITY

By Sandra Button

Since 1950 the Pebble Beach Concours has been all about friends, passion and shared good times. Long may it continue...

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Previous page Sandra Button is delighted to be leading the Pebble Beach Concours as it heads into a new era.

EARLY IN MY TIME WITH THE PEBBLE BEACH CONCOURS d’Elegance, I thought the event was all about the cars—and to a large degree, it is. A successful concours involves selecting the right automobiles, judging them fairly and celebrating them in fine fashion.

First and foremost, a concours is a showcase of great cars.

But over time, I have grown to see our own Concours increasingly in terms of the people who gather here: the designers and manufacturers who give cars life, the collectors and curators who care for them and share them, the experts who study and judge them, the tradespeople who work to conserve them, the historians and media members who share their stories, and the enthusiasts who come to see and celebrate them. The Pebble Beach Concours is a community of people with a shared love of cars—and this book, marking our 70th celebration, tells the story of our community.

Ours is the story of passionate enthusiasts who have seen cars in new ways and led this Concours in new directions—people such as Phil Hill, who was the spark encouraging us to shift our focus from new to collector cars; Jack Passey, who was an advocate for originality and preservation as early as the 1970s; Craig Davis, who underscored the importance of driving cars by helping to institute the Pebble Beach Tour d’Elegance; or Bruce Meyer and Ken Gross, who helped us see the beauty in hot rods and customs.

This is the story of families such as the Fords and the Porsches, who have created automotive dynasties and whose very names are among the marques we often laud. And it is the story of little-known families where several generations have served as faithful stewards to one beloved car. Sometimes it is the story of one person saving and restoring one single automobile, and at other times it is the story of someone who has devoted all their efforts and resources to building one of the world’s great collections.

This is also the story of good friendships and great rivalries, such as that between JB Nethercutt and William Harrah, who sought to define elegance and record the most wins in our earliest decades, or that

‘I have grown to see the Concours in terms of the people who gather here’ 12

The changing of the guard; Concours stalwart Jules ‘J’ Heumann with Glenn Mounger and Sandra Button.

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A shared passion for classic automobiles is what binds the Concours community.

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Good times with past co-chairmen, the late, great ‘J’ Heumann and Lorin Tryon.

between Bob Atwell and Don Williams, whose good-humored race to be the first on our show field in the 1980s and ’90s led to our Dawn Patrol.

This is certainly a story of competition, but it is also a story of camaraderie and a shared commitment to cars. Automobiles draw us together. They act as the catalyst for our connections—across continents and generations, as well as occupations and expertise.

I’ve been involved in overseeing the Pebble Beach Concours for half of its celebrations, and the people who gather here have become family for me—both figuratively and literally.

My time with the Concours began in the mid-1980s under the mentorship of co-chairmen Lorin Tryon and Jules ‘J’ Heumann, who taught me much of what I know about the Concours and introduced me to many car people. We invited Glenn Mounger to take on the role of chairman in 2000, and he, in turn, invited me to share that role with him beginning two years later, introducing me to even more of the international car community. Chris Bock and Steve Brauer, our chief judge and honorary chief judge respectively, have offered me their constant guidance over the past two decades. And my thinking regarding cars and the Concours has been influenced by a host of others, too—from individuals such as Miles C Collier and Dr Fred Simeone to the members of the Concours Selection Committee and Advisory Boards instituted in 2005, as well as key Pebble Beach Concours and Pebble Beach Company staff members, not to mention a multitude of individual participants who faithfully call or write to offer their comments or advice. Thank you all.

Now most of my friends are tied in some way to the Concours. It even led me to meet and marry my husband, Martin Button, who is both my most constructive critic and my strongest support.

Admittedly, my own story offers a somewhat dramatic example of a life tied to this car community, but I know the same is true to some degree for many of you. So many of our stories are intertwined!

So many people have played a significant role in sustaining and strengthening our community.

The story of this Concours is not a linear one; it is a rich tapestry of threads, woven together by us all. That’s why this book invites several people to voice their own stories related to cars and the Concours. We only wish we had the pages to include even more people—and more great vehicles.

When I think back on the Pebble Beach Concours, the moments that have made the greatest impressions are often those when we

‘If we continue to gather together to celebrate cars, our passion will spread’

have paired people with the cars that mattered most to them—and then we have celebrated that pairing. Back in 1989, this Concours was the first event to gather all three Alfa Romeo BATs together, and we invited creator Nuccio Bertone to join them on the awards ramp. We honored Briggs Cunningham with a selection of some of his greatest race cars—from the Cadillac 61 that became ‘Le Monstre’ to the Cunningham C-6R. We sent Frank Hershey over the ramp in a Murphybodied Duesenberg of his own design. And we have similarly paired Giotto Bizzarrini, Sergio Pininfarina, Sergio Scaglietti and Tom Tjaarda with their creations. In a similar way, we have paired Phil Hill, Sir Stirling Moss, Juan Manuel Fangio, Sir Jackie Stewart and other racing greats with their steeds.

As we look to the future, we know that we will lose the opportunity for some of these pairings as we lose early generations of car enthusiasts.

We also know that the automobiles themselves are changing, and other things are likely to change, too (whether it be the availability of fuel or good roads to run on), so we may have to find new ways to come together at the Concours to celebrate the things we love.

But if we remain committed to caring for them, the cars themselves will live on, inspiring new generations of car lovers. And if we continue to gather together to celebrate them, our passion will continue to spread.

I hope we continue to do so long into the future.

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CONCOURS THROUGH THE AGES Concours have always reflected the spirit of the era—and always will

By J u li u s K r u ta , S e le c ti o n Co m m it te e M e m b e r

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Having fun has always been an important aspect of concours events around the world.

BEAUTY CONTESTS FOR CARS! SUCH AN EVENT COULD only be thought up by a fashionable society, always looking for a chic new pastime for the rich and elegant. And such an assessment is probably not too far away from the early concours d’elegance events that were held in the roaring 1920s.

In fact, such events were among the social highlights of the summer season, especially in the ‘romantic’ countries of Europe, such as France and Italy. In the 1920s and 1930s, concours competitions were held at various venues, from the Parc des Princes in Paris to Deauville, Cannes and Biarritz. In England, Brighton was used, and in Italy, Villa d’Este on Lake Como.

However, the character of these concours d’elegance spectacles has changed over the decades. It is due to the interruption brought about by

World War Two that today almost all concours competitions with a longer tradition take place in the United States. While surprisingly little was comparable there before the war, today most of the biggest events take place in the US. The most famous and by far the most important of all—the queen, so to speak—is, of course, the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. Pebble Beach can also boast the longest history; 2021’s Concours was the 70th edition since it first took place in 1950 (there was no Concours in 1960 or 2020).

Today’s elegance competitions differ from their beginnings not only geographically, but also in terms of their focus. Originally, the idea was to show the most beautiful creations of the coachbuilders on the latest chassis of the manufacturers. In those ‘heroic’ early days of the automobile, luxury cars were rarely bought as complete items;

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they were usually created using a rolling chassis from a famous manufacturer, which was then clothed by a famous coachbuilder to meet an owner’s requirements. Technology underneath, beauty on top. Therefore it goes without saying that elegance competitions also had the function of a trade fair—a show of the achievements of the coachbuilders.

At a time when owning any automobile was a luxury, an expensive car was also a special expression of elegance and lifestyle. There were no crash tests; people lived in style and despised danger. This explains the large number of unique pieces that talented craftsmen produced in comparatively small ateliers. It was the rule rather than the exception on very special projects that the design for a car body was used only once. Very few manufacturers actually offered bodies themselves: Bugatti and Voisin in France, and Mercedes in Germany, come to mind.

It wasn’t until the Lancia Lambda in 1922 that the first self-supporting body was offered. This and the mass production closely connected with it would win the upper hand after World War Two, leading to the end of cars with individual bodies even for the upper class. Haute couture for the ‘happy few’ was replaced by prêt-à-porter for almost everyone.

So, the concours competition was originally among couturiers for the most beautiful dress—and with the extinction of the individual dresses, the showmen lost their focus. What next? In impoverished post-war Europe, people initially had other worries—and they also suddenly had completely different dreams. The luxury car was now considered to be, if it existed at all, the American road cruiser, or perhaps the English

Above Glamorous ladies in elegant cars personified early concours events. Right The Hon. Mrs Victor Bruce with AC Acedes at the 1928 Bournemouth Concours in the UK.

luxury models from Rolls-Royce, Daimler and Bentley. Since the number of small and medium-sized brands in Europe had declined sharply, there was no longer any reason for elitist competition, either.

In the US, on the other hand, things really took off after the war. As down to earth as people were, they didn’t care much about the principles of past eras; times moved fast now, and they didn’t care to wait for what they wanted. They bought whatever was readily available that was relatively new and considered fine—and in the better circles in the late 1940s and 1950s, these were the post-war English sports cars, mainly roadsters and coupés. As such, the likes of MGs and Jaguars became the focus of both sporting and elegance competitions.

It was not until the mid-1950s that attention turned to pre-war models—particularly those built in the Classic Era (the 1920s and ’30s) when coachbuilding was at its peak—and restorations became fashionable. In 1955, a pre-war car won Best of Show at the Pebble Beach Concours; a 1931 Pierce-Arrow owned and restored by Phil Hill,

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Above Pebble Beach mid-1950s as it transitioned from new-car event to classic concours.

Below left A unique gathering of Bugatti Royales in 1985 further enhanced the world’s premier automotive show. Below right Jackie Stewart, Juan Manuel Fangio and Phil Hill.

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who would go on to become America’s first Formula 1 world champion.

This led immediately to the restoration and sharing of more Classic Era cars, and they have been the focus of similar competitions ever since.

In ensuing years, the first large private automotive collections with in-house restoration shops were formed, and this resulted in more professionally prepared cars and more competitive events. However, a clear shift in emphasis can be observed here over the years.

R e s t o r at i o n C u lt u r e The outstanding role played by Pebble Beach in concours history is evidenced by the cars that have won there, which are in a class of their own. When they later appear elsewhere, they are announced with the honorary title ‘Pebble Beach Best of Show’. The corresponding awe of the public is thus assured.

“Remember where you saw it first,” one former chairman of the Pebble Beach Concours used to say—a reminder that many celebrated cars are presented at Pebble Beach for the first time after their rebirth.

Until very recently, there was no other concours for which cars were specifically freshly restored. Only Pebble Beach bestowed such high prestige that people would go through the hugely expensive task of a fresh restoration for it. All other concours were, compared with the queen at 17-Mile Drive, second rate. This assessment is still valid today.

For a long time, Pebble Beach stood for a special school of restoration that is now considered typically American, although it also had its representatives in Europe in the early years. The focus was on the desire for perfection and glamor. Added to this was the unaffected self confidence of the time. This mixture often produced astonishing results. Personal beautification philosophies demanded high-gloss fantasy paint jobs, generous use of additional chrome, exotic leather interiors even if they were not original to a car, and the whitewall tires that were still popular well into the 1990s. In the process of such restoration efforts, authenticity was often lost.

Over-restoration was also an issue. Even when the underpinnings, the exterior and the interior of an automobile were all true to the original—or even truly original and in great historic condition—it was common for an owner to restore the car to ‘better than new’ condition, down to the last nut and bolt. After all, it was the finish that mattered— and that earned points with the jury.

Once finished, such cars were then far too beautiful to actually be driven, and they soon became the object of considerable ridicule as ‘trailer queens’—although there was also respect and admiration for the craftsmanship and aesthetic level of the restorations. The competition for the best restoration was driving the Americans to evernew heights of perfection from year to year.

Gradually over time, beginning in the 1980s and continuing to this day—particularly with the increasing influence of entrants from Europe, where more emphasis was placed on a car’s authenticity and driveability—much of this changed. Today it is unthinkable that a model with the wrong wheel dimensions or incorrect body details could be named Best of Show at Pebble Beach. And there is much more hesitancy to restore a car needlessly. Such procedures are now becoming increasingly rare—and no wonder, because the original condition is lost forever. The critics who complained here about the destruction of industrial cultural assets have made a difference.

In 1998, to respond directly to taunts that concours cars were trailer queens, Pebble Beach Concours officials introduced the Pebble Beach Tour d’Elegance—and made it an integral part of the Concours.

Concours cars are invited to participate in the Tour, a 70-mile scenic

Top Pebble Beach united all three Alfa Romeo BATs for the first time, and their designer Nuccio Bertone was also on hand.

Above 1959 Cadillac Cyclone appeared in American Dream Cars display in 1989, leading to today’s Concept Lawn.

‘There is much more hesitancy to restore a car needlessly... the original condition is lost forever’ 21

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The Ferrari 750 Monza that won twice at the Pebble Beach Road Races, driven by Phil Hill in 1955 and by Carroll Shelby in 1956, pulls onto the Concours show field in 2021.

unique historical objects are only misused as a vehicle for selfrealization within certain limits.

Concours competitions are also growing in number and location, and the influence of new concours events and enthusiasts in countries such as India, Japan and Australia will also bring about fresh themes and understandings—as will new generations of enthusiasts and the latest environmental and technological changes.

drive, and those that complete it have the advantage in class competition if they are tied for points with an entry that didn’t complete the Tour.

The preservation movement is also having an impact. It, too, stems largely from Europe, although it has also had its adherents in the US for decades. By the early 1990s, preservation cars were being shown individually with some regularity at Pebble Beach, and by the mid-1990s, officials sometimes intentionally paired together preservation and restoration cars of a similar marque and model. By 1999, a new special award was designated for the best-preserved model. And as early as 2001, the first ongoing Preservation Class, where the paint and interior of cars have to be original, along with most of the chassis and engineering (apart from items replaced due to standard maintenance, such as tires or batteries), was established. A preservation car has yet to be named Best of Show, but they are having an impact. Even with the models in the restored classes, it has become unthinkable to simply replace original sheet metal or wood; efforts are now made to preserve as much of the original substance of a car as possible—often at great expense.

When Pebble Beach has recognized a trend, other events follow suit, so such new ways of thinking are taking place all over the US. The convergence of the European and American positions thus seems to be underway. Nevertheless, the sporting and cultural competition between the two continents requires that the restorations of the other be viewed with an appropriate distance.

Some still perceive as artificial anything that does not adhere to the living, imperfect original: “Well, just another American restoration...”

While the others rather pityingly evaluate the not-so-perfect cars of the Europeans as “not up to the job, a typical European thing...”

It’s nice that there are both sides. On the one hand, this prevents concours events from degenerating into an anemic preservation of monuments, where the height of the dust layer becomes the only measure of quality. And on the other hand, it ensures that the

W h at w i l l t h e f u t u r e b r i n g ?

New problems are emerging: the number of unrestored classics is finite, and it is increasingly difficult to track down a suitable automobile for restoration or preservation. So, the character of concours competitions will have to change in the coming years.

In which direction? Legitimate successors to the pre-war competitors would be, for example, the show cars of major designers or auto manufacturers. Most likely, therefore, these one-off machines will continue to compete at the concours d’elegance in the future.

Might there also be a renaissance of ‘coachbuilt’ models? The Ferrari P4/5 based on an Enzo by Jim Glickenhaus, or the New Stratos by Christian Hrabalek, are examples where cars are once again being made for individuals—one at a time or in a small series. Maybe one day we will see such automobiles on the ramp again, but probably not as pure one-offs. Computer-aided manufacturing techniques already make it possible to deeply customize series models. In the meantime, it is nice that the Americans have made a European tradition their own and continued it in their own way.

Nothing can be predicted with certainty, but one thing can be said: Concours, concorsi, and all other competitions of this kind will definitely not go under—they are much too ‘elegant’ for that. And if they do, and I am wrong, then one will survive—and that is Pebble Beach!

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A REPUTATION FOR PERFECTION

A WINNING TRADITION Over the past 40 years, RM Auto Restoration has steadily grown and evolved into a widely recognized world-class restoration facility that has achieved unprecedented honors in the automotive restoration industry. Whether it’s a complete body-off restoration, a partial restoration, or a cosmetic upgrade, our dedicated team of restoration perfectionists provides an unwavering commitment to delivering flawless work no matter the project.

PEBBLE BEACH BEST OF SHOW

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PEBBLE BEACH BEST OF SHOW

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PEBBLE BEACH BEST OF SHOW

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PEBBLE BEACH BEST OF SHOW

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PEBBLE BEACH BEST OF SHOW

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40 YEARS OF BUYING AND SELLING Thomas Hamann has specialized in collector cars since the 1980s “THE FIRST YEAR I WENT TO PEBBLE BEACH WAS 1987,” SAYS Thomas Hamann. “And other than one year when I was ill and unable to travel, I’ve been to every single Pebble Beach since then.”

Thomas Hamann is the founder, the face and the name behind Hamann Classic Cars, which has specialized in mostly sports cars (especially Ferraris) of the 1950s, ’60s, ’70s along with modern supercars since 2001. As for Thomas himself, he’s been involved with collector cars for more than 40 years, having started out as a salesman in his native Germany at a Rolls-Royce dealership, aged 19.

After further stints in Germany during the mid- to late 1980s, Thomas moved to the United States and soon formed Mille Miglia Sports and Racecars, with showrooms in Los Angeles, Munich, London and Stockholm. He later became general manager of the San Francisco Ferrari dealership, was managing partner of the Symbolic Motor Car Company in San Diego and worked with the Barrett-Jackson and Coys auction houses.

“My background has always been classic cars, mostly of the 1950s and ’60s, and some pre-war cars of historic significance,” says Thomas.

“Now the market is going away a little from those cars, and we have a new group of buyers, although there are exceptions such as the great Bugattis, the Alfa Romeo 8Cs, the Mercedes-Benz SKs etc, which are seen almost as artwork.

“Some of the people who are coming into money are in their 30s, 40s and early 50s. When you look at the great cars of their childhood, you’re looking at cars of the 1970s, ’80s and ’90s. And that’s what we see in the market; the supercars have gone up tremendously in value, especially the Ferraris. We’re also seeing strong prices on the Bugatti EB110 SS, which was limited production, so a great investment but also an awful lot of fun to drive.

“These cars should be enjoyed and the passion shared with the next generation, with the neighbors, with the friends. They’re built to be driven. There are so many great events that you can go to and enjoy— they pop up like mushrooms around the world. You don’t need to have a $5 million car or a $500,000 car. You can have a $20,000 car and have as much fun, maybe more. It’s important to have fun!

Thomas Hamann at his beloved Pebble Beach, which he has been attending since 1987.

For more information visit www.hamannclassiccars.com.

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JUDGING THRºUGH THE YEARS

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Evaluating the very best automobiles takes the very best judges.

Here is how the Pebble Beach Concours’ venerable two-tiered system has evolved over seven decades

By Chris Bock, Chief Judge

The pioneering years: rain didn’t dampen the commitment of this determined and prestigious group of judges at an early Concours.

WHEN THE PEBBLE BEACH CONCOURS D’ELEGANCE WAS first judged, it was by a group of enthusiasts who brought an eye for style to the review of the cars presented on the field. The minute details of originality and authenticity were less important than the impact of the physical presence of the vehicle.

Early judges such as bon vivant Lucius Beebe shared duties with pillars of the arts world, auto executive Charles Chayne and trendsetting collector JB Nethercutt. The emphasis was truly on elegance.

With the arrival of Lorin Tryon and Jules Heumann, and the evolution of the Pebble Beach Concours from a mainly local exhibition to what would become a national and then international event, a more sophisticated approach was needed.

Jules Heumann developed the two-tiered system we use today. The first tier was a large panel of technical class judges to review the entries for the quality and correctness of their restorations. Judges were drawn from marque and hobby segment experts—Rolls-Royce aficionados from the Rolls-Royce Owners’ Club, 1930s classic experts from the Classic Car Club of America, and so on down the list of classes. Marqueand segment-specific expertise drove their selection; rewarding the originality and authenticity of an entry was their task. Today nearly 100 technical judges are now required to do this work. The results of the technical judging determines first, second and third place in each of the 25-plus classes at the Concours.

The second tier of honorary judges embraced the earlier cadre of judges who brought their interpretations of style and elegance to the field. Added to this group were many of the designers of the cars on the

‘The selection process sees the careful study of the originality and authenticity of each proposed entry’ 27

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‘The entrant receiving the most votes wins the coveted Best of Show prize’

Honorary judges: Valentino Balboni; Ansel Adams; Shiro Nakamura and Kim McCullough; Lucius Beebe; Phil Hill; Jackie Stewart; Dr Fred Simeone and Adolfo Orsi; Phil Hill and Briggs Cunningham; Glenn Mounger and Chris Bock; Tom Tjaarda, Jack Telnack and Stirling Moss.

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Set against a Pacific Ocean backdrop, Pebble Beach is the world’s most prestigious concours—as is reflected in the standard of its meticulous judging rules and procedures.

field when they were new: Gordon Buehrig from Duesenberg, Hermann Brunn from that classic-era design house and so on. That tier of judges were tasked with choosing the overall awards for elegance and many special categories. In the 21st century that group reads like a who’s who from the design departments of the international automobile industry, numbering a most impressive selection of over 50 judges.

Upon completion of the technical judging, the cars that place First in Class across the field are arranged in the Winner’s Circle, where they can be evaluated for the coveted Best of Show award. Chief class judges who oversee one or more judging teams, as well as honorary judge team leaders, each hold a ballot for Best of Show, as do the chief judge and the chairman. The selection of Best of Show then becomes purely mathematical... the car receiving the most votes wins the coveted prize.

An important part of the judging evolution at the Pebble Beach Concours is the naming of the 15-member Selection Committee to review and make final decisions on the 200-plus cars that will grace the show field on Concours Sunday. These selectors spend all year chasing

special cars to flesh out the various classes, and then gather together for a lively two days during which the final ‘cut’ is made, with all eyes toward a varied and impressive show field. The selection process can be viewed as the preliminary tier of our judging process, as the originality and authenticity of each proposed entry is carefully studied.

A welcome shift in restoration tastes has been seen in recent years, with greater emphasis on and appreciation of the styles and colors of the era and mood of the car’s production. Gone are the over-emphasis on bright, non-authentic colors, overuse of chrome plating and whitewalls where not appropriate, to be replaced with greater appreciation for the design genius of the makers’ art and color sections when the cars were created new. We find the owners and restorers now go to amazing lengths in order to determine how a car was painted, trimmed and accessorized when first delivered, in order to accurately present the vehicle.

The careful application of the expertise of the ladies and gentlemen who populate the two tiers of judges are what make the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance unique in the world.

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DAWN PATROL PRESENTED BY HAGERT Y

As Dawn Patrol proves, the early bird gets the worm—or at least a unique perspective on the world’s greatest concours

SETTING HOT LAPS AT THE NÜRBURGRING. WATCHING the green flag drop at Le Mans. Dressing in period-correct garb for the Goodwood Revival. All are boxes to be ticked on the bucket list of any automotive enthusiast. To that list, we suggest adding the Pebble Beach Concours Dawn Patrol presented by Hagerty, when amazing classic cars of all kinds take to the field in the early hours before the show itself begins.

The Dawn Patrol has its roots in good-natured competition, when entrants would try to be the first on the Concours show field. In the 1970s and ‘80s, it was often Don Williams and Bob Atwell who rose early enough to secure that spot. Eventually, Don shifted to

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‘Anyone can participate in the Dawn Patrol, as long as they set their alarm early enough’ spectator and invited friends to join him in watching the arrivals.

Recalls Don: “I started telling my friends about it, and soon I was serving coffee to 50 or 100 of them. Then they told their friends, and it grew to 200, then 300, then...”

Over the years the ‘Don Patrol’ became an event within an event, as word spread about the unique nature of the experience. Hagerty CEO McKeel Hagerty started joining in, and in 2004 he made it an official gathering. In addition to offering carafes of coffee and doughnuts, Hagerty also began passing out a limited number of hats to the first spectators on site. Today, those hats are among the most highly soughtafter bits of concours memorabilia. “We were looking for a way to partner with the Concours, and when we saw how many people rose before dawn to see these great cars drive onto the show field, we knew we had to find a way to support and celebrate them,” says McKeel. “It’s been a tradition ever since, and we couldn’t be more proud to do it.”

Anyone can participate in the Dawn Patrol, as long as they set their alarm early enough. Dawn Patrol provides the perfect spot from which to see each entrant drive onto the show field. Cars are dynamic in nature, and the opportunity to hear these rare beauties run and see them in motion as the sun rises on California’s Monterey Peninsula is a truly mystical moment that every enthusiast should experience.

Doughnuts and coffee are a Dawn Patrol tradition, as are coveted Hagerty hats.

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Magical dawn light bestows extra elegance and mystique onto the Concours contenders.

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PEBBLE BEACH ROAD RACES

THE GENESIS OF THE PEBBLE BEACH CONCOURS D’ELEGANCE From the 1950 West Coast staging of a new European-style motor sport event grew the greatest show of them all. We look at how the Concours began

By Robert T Devlin, Automotive Historian

Th e G row th o f Roa d R ac i n g i n t h e U n i t e d S tat e s SOON AFTER WORLD WAR TWO, A FERVOR FOR EUROPEAN sports cars and sports car racing—on real roads rather than circular tracks—spread rapidly across the United States.

It all began on the East Coast, at Watkins Glen, New York, with a race on October 2, 1948, over a 6.6-mile circuit created by Cameron Argetsinger, an early member of the-then-new Sports Car Club of America (SCCA), which had descended from the pre-war Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA) founded by the Collier brothers. The

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Sterling Edwards setting the pace at the 1950 Pebble Beach Road Races in his R-26 Special Sport Roadster.

Generous hospitality has always played a welcome role at the prestigious Monterey events.

course ran through the village streets with a start/finish line at Schuyler County Court House located at the southern tip of Seneca Lake. Frank Griswold took the Grand Prix trophy driving an Alfa Romeo 8C 2900 coupé, and Briggs Cunningham placed second in his Bu-Merc (a Buick Century chassis paired with a Mercedes SSK body).

The next year, that race was repeated, crowds multiplied and excitement escalated. By the summer of 1950, road racing had spread to the Midwest, on a 3.5-mile road circuit founded by Jim Kimberly in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin (leading to what is now Road America), and the West, on airport circuits at Palm Springs in Southern California and Buchanan Field in the San Francisco Bay Area’s East Bay. Both California races were won by Sterling Edwards in his Edwards R-26 Special Sport Roadster, an alloy-bodied car of his own design, which was constructed by Emil Deidt and Phil Remington, and fitted with an Eddy Meyer-equipped Ford V8-60. But Edwards had his sights on winning a race that was to take place on November 5, 1950, at Pebble Beach—and others did, too.

“It was the most important event on the West Coast that year,” explained Phil Hill, who would go on to become America’s first

Formula 1 World Champion driver. “It was a real road race—and I hadn’t been in one before.”

R ac i n g Co m e s to Pe b b le B e ac h It was Sterling Edwards who had first proposed that Pebble Beach host a road race on its famous 17-Mile Drive. He presented the idea to Del Monte Properties Company president John Boit Morse, who had gone to Yale with the Collier brothers and was aware of their success with races in the northeastern United States, so he said yes.

Once the road race was given the go-ahead, a concours d’elegance, also in the European tradition, was added. Gwenn Graham, who handled publicity and public relations for Pebble Beach, wanted the race festivities to include a stylish element, the social elite wanted to show off their latest purchases, and local resident Alton Walker wanted to share his antiques. A judged concours had been held at the 1948 Watkins Glen event, so Pebble Beach decided to follow suit. The cars would be judged near The Beach & Tennis Club, but would parade along the start-finish straight of the racecourse for all to see. It was Phil

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Above Bill Pollack won the 1951 event in Tom Carstens’ J-2 Allard—and the combination was a repeat winner in 1952.

Below Ken Miles was among the many big names who competed at Pebble Beach in the early years.

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1956 witnessed Pete Lovely’s Porsche-powered Cooper—the Pooper—in action, but also saw the end of the races after Ernie McAfee’s death.

Hill who won that first road race at Pebble Beach, piloting the alloy Jaguar XK120 (s/n 670138) that he had shipped home as ‘checked baggage’ on the Queen Mary after traveling to England to train as a mechanic. Edwards won a preliminary race, but lost to Hill in the feature event. Perhaps he took solace in the fact that his R-26 Special Sport Roadster was named Best of Show at the first Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, besting 31 other contestants.

Roa d R ac i n g G ets S e r i o u s As the Pebble Beach Road Races grew in stature, a major invasion of drivers appeared from throughout the States, and with them came the latest sports cars from Europe. Simultaneously, individual constructors, such as Willis Baldwin, Frank Kurtis, Ken Miles and Chuck Tatum, put on a show on these roads. Many made their name here, and some went on to make their mark on the world of racing.

For the 1951 races, the circuit was lengthened from the initial 1.9mile four-turn course to a 2.1-mile six-turn course with a high-speed downhill straight leading into the final turn. A bigger change came in the level of entries, with the arrival of several lightweight J-2 Allards powered by American V8s, and the first Ferrari to race on the West Coast—Jim Kimberly’s 166 MM Touring Barchetta (s/n 0010 M).

For a time, Kimberly had a shot at winning the feature race; he worked his way up into third place, prior to encountering dropped oil and overturning his mount on a tricky high-speed turn. He emerged unscathed to receive a kiss from his girlfriend, Ginger Rogers.

The winner in 1951 was Bill Pollack driving Tom Carstens’ J-2 Allard (s/n 1850)—and the combination was a repeat winner in 1952. In fact, the same owner, car and driver racked up six straight wins over two seasons heading into the Pebble Beach Road Races in 1953.

By this time, we’d begun to witness wealthy sportsmen hiring talented drivers to race their competitive steeds. In 1952 Phil Hill had agreed to

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Phil Hill receives his trophy after winning the inaugural event in his alloy-bodied Jaguar XK120.

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Elkhart Lake motor sport pioneer Jim Kimberly was an early Pebble Beach Road Races competitor; his 166 MM Touring Barchetta was the first Ferrari to race on the West Coast.

race one of three built XK120 LTs for Jaguar importer Charles Hornburg, despite having just acquired his first Ferrari, a 212 Barchetta (s/n 0078E). He handed his Ferrari to Arnold Stubbs, his close friend and 1952 Carrera Panamericana co-driver, and Stubbs finished second to Pollack’s Allard in the trophy race, while Hill finished fifth in the Jaguar.

But two Ferraris were entered in the 1953 Del Monte Trophy Race: Phil Hill in his second Ferrari, a 3.0-liter 250 MM (s/n 0260MM), and Bill Spear in his 340 Mexico, a 4.1-liter Lampredi big-block Spyder (s/n 0228AT). Pollack took an early lead in the Allard but was constantly pressed by Spear. Hill was just behind Spear, and soon both passed Pollack with Hill in the lead, where he finished at the checkered flag.

Ferrari’s dominance was clear; the marque would win the remaining Pebble Beach Road Races. The 1954 feature event was taken by event founder Sterling Edwards in his 1953 Ferrari 340 MM/0350 AM, a 4.1-liter Lampredi big-block roadster. In 1955, Phil Hill won in a Ferrari 750 Monza (s/n 0510 M), a 3.0-liter four-cylinder Lampredi short-circuit design, and Carroll Shelby drove the same mount to victory in 1956.

cars. After Best of Show went to the Edwards, subsequent winners included a 1951 Jaguar Mark VII Saloon, a 1952 Jaguar XK120 Fixed Head Coupé, a 1953 Austin-Healey 100, and another XK120 Coupé.

But in 1955, Hill accomplished a truly rare feat; he won not only the Pebble Beach Road Races, but also Best of Show at the Pebble Beach Concours, with a 1931 Pierce-Arrow 41 LeBaron Convertible Town Cabriolet he had restored. This win shifted the focus of the Concours from new to collector cars—and it was perhaps that shift that allowed the Concours to make it through the coming years, because it was soon separated from the races.

Racing at Pebble Beach came to an end in 1956 with the death of Ernie McAfee in a William Doheny-owned 121 LM Ferrari (s/n 0546LM), on the high-speed downhill stretch leading into the final turn. A track was purpose built at Laguna Seca in Fort Ord to host what were billed as the 8th Annual Pebble Beach at Laguna Seca National Championship Sports Car Races on November 9 and 10, 1957.

For a few years, the two events—races and Concours—continued to be held on the same weekend. But eventually, the track expanded its annual calendar to host a series of races, and the Concours was left on its own. Few expected it to last. Yet, as we know, it has grown into the world’s premier celebration of collector cars, with the historic races and a host of other events now surrounding the Concours itself.

The Concours Finds its Focus While the latest sporting creations raced along the roads of Del Monte Forest, the early Concours was largely a parade of showroom-fresh

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CHRISTMAS IN AUGUST Why Pebble Beach is the highlight of the season for top restorer Bob Smith

“PEBBLE BEACH IS MORE THAN AN EVENT EVERY YEAR. It’s my Christmas!” That’s an intriguing statement coming from someone who grew up as a self-proclaimed ‘Texas plowboy’ on a ranch in Gainesville, some 60 miles outside of Dallas. But noted restorer Bob Smith is no ordinary ‘plowboy’. Ask him how many Ferraris he has worked on over the past four-plus decades, and “Wow, I don’t know!” is his instant reply. “I’d have to stop and think about it.”

Whatever the number is, just as impressive is the variety. He and the master craftsmen at Bob Smith Coachworks have restored, freshened and serviced cars from throughout Ferrari history. The shop is best known for its fastidious research and full restorations on rarities such as 250 Spyder Californias, Series 1 Cabriolets, 500 Mondials, the 1951 Mille Miglia-winning 340 America, and a number of Tour de France and SWB models (including the prototype and one-offs such as the Bertone ‘sharknose’). The facility has also seen its share of Maranello ‘royalty’ such as 250 Testa Rossas, a 250GTO and one of 1967’s three 330 P4s.

Many of Bob’s restorations have won their class and major awards at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, but the shop’s accolades extend further. Its most recent Ferrari restoration was the 750 Monza prototype

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Bob Smith Coachworks restored the 1954 750 Monza prototype (above) that placed Second in Class at Pebble Beach in 2019 and Best of the Best in 2021. The company has been responsible for numerous top-level Ferraris, including this 330GTS (below).

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from 1954 that placed Second in Class at Pebble Beach in 2019, and won Best of Show Competition Ferrari at Cavallino in 2020. That award made it eligible for the prestigious Peninsula Classics’ Best of the Best, where Best of Show winners from the world’s greatest concours go head-tohead and are voted on by a diverse judging panel that includes famed designers, engineers, collectors and industry insiders. When their deliberations were done, the prototype took the coveted trophy by besting a Le Mans-winning Porsche 917, regal Duesenberg Model J Town Limousine and Zagato-bodied Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 Monza Spider.

“The Monza had been apart for over 30 years,” Smith remembers, “and the engine even longer than that. When we went to the shop where it was located, parts were scattered everywhere—in the office, on shelves, upstairs, under tables, and the body was at another shop! It was like a life-size jigsaw puzzle. My client Tom Peck asked: ‘Can you put it together?’ I replied: ‘Yes, but some assembly will be required!’”

The work took three-plus years. The Monza had extensive race history with some of the era’s best names, and Smith and Peck decided to restore it to its stunning 1954 Carrera Panamericana livery of black with red trim—and agreed on the direction in which they wanted to go.

“When we did the 330 P4,” Smith reflects, “everyone fretted it would be overdone—too perfect. We decided to have it as close as possible to the way it started life, so we wouldn’t buff the paint or make things perfect in the engine compartment and interior. The owner was a little reluctant because he likes everything flawless, but he went with it. When everyone saw the finished car at Pebble Beach they loved it, and we won the class.

Afterwards the owner said: ‘Thanks, we made the right decision.’”

‘I’m living my childhood dream—one I never could have imagined. It gives me incredible satisfaction’ “When I started talking with Tom about his 750 Monza, I suggested leaving the orange peel and more. He got it immediately, understanding we didn’t want it looking like a Mattel model car, but closer to original.”

Smith attributes winning Best of the Best to the craftsmen he’s surrounded himself with—most of whom have been with him for decades. “I couldn’t do it without them,” he says. “We are a team.”

Winning such awards would have likely surprised his youthful self.

He always had a strong curiosity about how things worked, which led to a passion to fix whatever broke. The shop he built on the farm when he was just 14 served as a laboratory for early experimentation in the craft of repairing. In high school he focused on welding and various shop classes, but it was Oklahoma State University’s School of Technical Training that sowed the first seeds for a restoration career.

“There were great teachers at OSU, some of the best in my life,” Smith reflects. “They had lots of students who didn’t get it, and a smaller number who did. I realized that craft is like an art, and art can be determined in many ways. Outside academics, creativity is about design, and how you fix things is exhibiting a certain type of creativity, or art.”

He graduated with a 3.8 GPA, would later sit on the OSU Board for 16 years, and be inducted into the University’s Hall of Fame. At the time of graduation Bob had numerous job opportunities, but took the lowestpaying offer because “it had the most advanced machine shop and best working conditions”. He soon realized he knew more than his superiors and recognized their reticence to let him explore his potential. Smith resigned and in 1974 opened Bob’s Auto Trim upholstery shop with “$50 in my pocket, and my tools”. He aligned himself with several local auto dealers, business boomed, and over the years (and out of necessity to ensure work was done right) he brought body, paint and more in-house.

From those humble beginnings came Bob Smith Coachworks. As the shop’s talents and client base expanded, Smith focused on European marques, and Ferrari in particular. In the mid-1980s he began showing at Pebble Beach, and it took a year to learn there was a method to playing the high-level concours game. “It was essential that a car be restored to its original appearance and spec,” he says. “You did not make it look better than new, which is what we had been doing for other shows.”

This returns us to the ‘Christmas effect’ Pebble Beach has on Smith.

It’s so great that he has missed only two Concours in the past 37 years.

“Every year when we go, I have the unique opportunity to restore masterpieces to their original state of beauty,” he smiles. “It’s not a chore but a wonderful challenge. After doing all the necessary research and working with my team and the cars’ owners to meticulously return them to their original state… it gives me incredible satisfaction and enjoyment.

I’m living my childhood dream, and it’s one I never could have imagined.”

For more information or to contact Bob visit www.bobsmithcoachworks.com.

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Over the past four-plus decades Bob and his crew have become renowned for their concours-winning work. This Iso Grifo A3/C is one many highly significant cars to have undergone their exacting restoration techniques.

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Community is just as important as cars at the Concours. Let’s meet just a few of the faces that make the event so very special

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WHAT MAKES THE PEBBLE BEACH CONCOURS D’ELEGANCE so special? The cars are the best in the world. The location is spectacular.

But more than anything else, it’s the people.

Who do we mean? Everyone! The entrants, the judges, the visitors, the restorers, the exhibitors, the sponsors, the special guests—all bring something to the Concours, and all are affected by it in some way.

Here we have a selection of some of the greatest supporters of the Concours of recent years. Each was asked to talk about their Pebble Beach experiences, roughly based around one or more of the following questions: Why cars and why the Concours? What Pebble Beach Concours moments come first to mind? If you could walk our Concours competition field with one person, who would that be and why? And what cars would you stop to admire?

Read on, because where else would you read the recollections of this many automotive greats in one place, from the world’s most admired collectors to design legends and heads of industry? Many of the answers are positively spine tingling, and prove beyond all doubt that the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance is truly special.

Left Life on Pebble Beach Golf Links—the Concours is a world-beating gathering of automotive art, shared passions and life-long friends.

Above Judge and Selection Committee member Al McEwan with wife Sandi, his Pebble Beach Motoring Classic co-founder.

A l M c E wa n , j u d g e a n d c o m m it t e e m e m b e r

A past entrant, Al has since been a Pre-war European judge, a European Classics chief class judge and on the Selection Committee.

He and his wife Sandi co-founded the Pebble Beach Motoring Classic.

Cars are in my DNA. When I was in kindergarten, I was tearing out and saving auto ads from magazines. As a teenager, I read the first edition of Ken Purdy’s Kings of the Road, in addition to everything I could find about cars from the 1920s and 1930s. In 1956, I purchased my first classic car, a 1930 Cadillac V16. I first showed a car at Pebble Beach in 1981 and started judging in 1987. I’ve always loved the Concours because it offers the best opportunity to experience the world’s most desirable models. I’m keen to be around great cars and the people who love them.

In the 1970s I acquired a 1930 Hispano-Suiza H6C aspiring to do a full restoration, but I was advised to do only the mechanical work necessary for safety and to preserve, not restore, the coachwork. So I did. Later, my dream became one of driving the car on the Pebble Beach Motoring Classic from Washington to Pebble Beach, and presenting it in the Preservation Class. This I accomplished in 2013. When the judges evaluated the car, I said: “If you can’t drive it 1500 miles, it isn’t preserved.” It took First in Class.

I would like to walk the competition field with Jules Heumann, because we shared an in-depth interest in both the mechanics and coachwork of pre-war European cars. Our conversations would include everything from the smallest of details to the greatest advancements in the early history of the automobile—and, regardless of our points of view, we could share our opinions freely and with great respect.

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Adolfo Orsi, judge

The Italian car industry historian has been a class judge since 1997, specifically FIVA Awards chief team judge. He also served as chief judge for Ferrari’s 60th and 70th celebrations and Maserati’s 100th.

Overseeing several restorations in the 1990s taught me how difficult it is to bring a car back to its original spec using only photos and documents.

I then understood the need to keep vehicles in preserved condition.

When I first became a Pebble Beach judge, I was shocked to see that many of the cars were over-restored. Jules ‘J’ Heumann warmly accepted my proposal that FIVA establish a prize for the ‘best-preserved car’. As a consequence the presence of a car in preserved condition convinced other owners and restorers to be more careful about materials and finishing, and it also led to the conservation of many automobiles that otherwise would have been restored. The next step was to create another prize for unrestored post-war cars. Thanks to J’s passion and long-term vision, the word from Pebble Beach made its way around the world.

I’d like to walk the field with my dad and his technicians, to show them how greatly the Maseratis they built many years ago remain appreciated.

Adrian Hallmark, judge

The Bentley Motors Ltd CEO, who played an integral role in the Continental GT project, has been a Pebble Beach honorary judge in recent years and has helped select the Most Elegant Closed Car. I have a long-lasting, deep-seeded love of classic cars and bikes. My respect for what people bring to Pebble Beach is huge, but it doesn’t feel pompous or elitist; it’s a friendly and warm environment, a special chance for owners and aspirational lovers of the hobby to come together to truly see how the future of mobility in the automotive segment has evolved over time. It’s an annual calendar highlight.

Sharing the Bentley Centenary in 2019 with our customers, media and brand friends was brilliant. We gathered nearly 100 cars, debuted three limited-edition models and hosted myriad events. Almost 60 Bentleys filled six classes; highlights included three of the most famous Speed Six models, three of four Team Blowers built and The Hon. Sir Michael Kadoorie’s exquisite 1931 8 Litre Gurney Nutting Sports Tourer being awarded Best of Show. The entire experience brought us back to our humble beginnings, rooted in passion and community.

From top Bentley Motors CEO Adrian Hallmark, Italian car industry historian Adolfo Orsi, and Andrea Zagato (second from right) all share Concours judging responsibilities.

A n d r e a Z ag ato, j u d g e

Andrea is the third generation of his family to lead Carrozzeria Zagato since 1919, creating avant-garde limited-edition collectable cars characterized by unique lightweight and streamlined bodywork.

My love for cars is a family affair, and in 1992, when I first participated in Pebble Beach, I had a flash of inspiration. The idea to go back to the origins of our atelier and to dedicate ourselves only to collector models was born right there. Zagato has both been a featured brand, as in 2019 for our centenary, and presented new models in world premieres—as in 1996 with the Lamborghini Raptor. Our Aston Martin DB7 GTZ was conceived and debuted at Pebble Beach in 2002, and the Bentley Continental GTZ was conceived while I was an honorary judge with Franz-Josef Paefgen.

Further Aston Martins as well as the Alfa Romeo TZ3 Stradale and BMW Zagato Coupé have also debuted there. In 2021, with the featured ISO Class, we aimed for the US debut of the ISO GTZ. All of these lucky meetings, displays and presentations have made this event indispensable.

I’d love to walk the field with my grandfather and father, who never came to Pebble, to enjoy the popularity gained in the elite of collecting.

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ANNE Brockinton Lee, collector

Bruce Meyer, collector

Anne lost her husband Robert M Lee in 2016 but continues to oversee their famous Collection. Because of her contributions to the car world, she is the most recent recipient of the Lorin Tryon Trophy.

Petersen Museum founding chairman Bruce is on the boards of various museums and organizations, and has participated in the Concours for over 30 years. His cars have won many awards there.

I was first mesmerized by foreign cars in the late 1960s, when I drove a friend’s 1959 right-hand-drive Jaguar coupé. I loved it, and the novelty never wore off. But the car world exploded for me when I met my late husband, Bob Lee. At the time, he was primarily focused on early Ferraris as well as post-war Bentley and Rolls-Royce motor cars. As his interests broadened, so did mine. We both enjoyed attending automobiles shows and auctions together, and over the years we had great fun traveling in many of our Collection cars.

Bob was a notoriously fast driver. Neighbors would dive for cover when he drove by. In later years, when his quick reflexes were compromised, I took over as the official driver. I find driving these cars to be exhilarating. When my husband passed away, everyone was wondering who was going to sell his cars, and I said: “I’m not selling them.” This is not a weekend hobby; you live this hobby every day. It was a part of what Bob and I did, and it is an honor and a pleasure to continue it. It’s a big part of my life.

I love every car in the Robert M Lee Collection, and I plan to carry on the tradition of collecting and showing the cars until I am old and gray.

I am particularly fond of one-offs, but I’m moved by a combination of design excellence, provenance and plain aesthetic appeal. I get a lot of advice from people who think they know what I should buy, sell or keep. But honestly, I go with my gut. I often ask myself “what would Bob do?”—and then I go ahead and do what I think is best. It seems to be working just fine.

Of course, the most important thing about this hobby are the friends that I’ve made, and I love being at Pebble Beach with them. Every year at the Concours is a memorable one—especially if there is ‘Ramp Time’ and the opportunity to share the Collection cars with the crowd. We’ve been fortunate to win Best of Show twice. The second win in 2009 with the 1937 Horch 853 Voll & Ruhrbeck Sport Cabriolet was my proudest moment, because most of that car was completed by our in-house restoration team. But I’d have to say that the first win in 2006 was the most memorable. We’d been competing for 20 years, and we finally won with the 1931 Daimler Double-Six 50 Corsica Drophead Coupé. An iconic photograph of Bob jumping out of the car, clapping his hands, says it all.

Displaying cars at Pebble Beach never gets old and is always a privilege.

Growing up a ‘car guy’, the Concours was always aspirational for me, something to strive for. It’s managed to stay relevant, entertaining and elegant over the years, and it’s not by luck; it’s a matter of innovation, creativity and an open mind on behalf of the chairmen.

The Hot Rod Class’s inaugural year in 1997 stands out. For ten years I’d campaigned to gain long-overdue recognition for historic hot rods and their creators. These were the pioneers who built our automotive industry in the golden age, yet they were summarily dismissed, neglected and treated more like outlaws for decades. Since their inclusion at Pebble Beach, they’re now acceptable as an automotive art form and part of automotive history. Being featured legitimized hot rods and changed their image overnight. We won First in Class with the unique and beautiful Doane Spencer Roadster at this inaugural and historic event.

B r u c e M c C aw, c o l l e c to r

Christian Philippsen, judge

A passion for cars has driven Bruce’s life, leading to amateur sports car racing and a stint running an IndyCar team. He shares many fun experiences with his eclectic collection of vehicles and friends.

A specialist in automobiles of exceptional interest, contemporary and classic, Christian has dedicated most of his life to cars. He has judged at various concours and chaired awards juries, too.

As a teen I immersed myself in cars of all kinds. I enjoyed working on them, and loved driving anything and everything. My grandfather loved Packard and taught me his reverence of brand loyalty, which I began to appreciate after I bought a used Mercedes-Benz 220 SE that became part of my teenage life. I eventually started vintage racing and the Monterey Historics became a must—but I soon realized I needed to run cars that ran on Saturday to keep Sunday open for Pebble Beach. Lorin Tryon once said to me at Laguna Seca: “Would you please bring your car tomorrow to put on the lawn?” I did, and I went every year after and soon became an entrant every year. Never in my wildest dreams did I expect to win Best of Show, so when I did win in 2017—WOW! I’d love to roam Pebble with Phil Hill—a good friend. His knowledge of cars was immense, including all the technical and historic aspects. Pebble Beach is simply the best assemblage of cars and people in the world.

I first attended the Concours in 1984, and it was a fantastic experience— so special that I returned the following year. It was even better, and it prompted me to organize a concours in Paris, where I lived. September 1988’s Automobiles Classiques à Bagatelle was an immense success.

Jules Heumann and Lorin Tryon judged with us,and they invited me to judge at Pebble Beach in 1989. I did so for 30 years. It was an honor, and I never took the invitation for granted. It is also a serious responsibility, because there is no other concours where results matter as much.

I can’t remember a single Pebble Beach year that doesn’t trigger memories. To mention just a few, I was delighted to get reacquainted with some Ferraris I managed in their racing days, like the Ecurie Francorchamps 412 P and 330 P4. Catching up with my heroes such as Derek Bell, Jacky Ickx or Gordon Murray is always a treat. I don’t really have a wish of that kind left unfulfilled.

Chris Bock, chief judge and Committee member

Packard man Chris first attended the Concours in 1963 and has been the chief judge since 2013 and on the Selection Committee since its inception. He has long overseen field and ramp operations.

Attending Pebble Beach for the first time at age 18 was like finding the holy grail—a field full of some of the most important cars of all time.

Being part of the Concours as it continues to grow and bring together cars and enthusiasts from all over the globe has been a dream come true. My biggest thrill came in 1985, when—after a year of planning, negotiating, fundraising and cajoling—we presented all six of the famed Bugatti Royales. It was the first-ever such gathering of the grandest automobiles ever built. A constant crowd surrounded the display— arguably one of the greatest moments in vintage automobile history.

I would love to walk the field with JB Nethercutt again. His knowledge, wit, candor and experiences, coupled with his natural instinct to teach, made time with him both a pleasure and a treasure. Cars that have most captivated me on the field would have to include the Twenty Grand Duesenberg and the 1932 to 1934 vee-windshield Dietrich Packards.

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Clockwise from above Fun times and firm friendships for Anne Brockinton Lee, who runs her car collection in memory of her late husband Robert M Lee, along with collector Bruce McCaw (and Sir Jackie Stewart), hot rod advocate Bruce Meyer, Concours stalwarts Chris Bock and Christian Philippsen, Colin Feichtmeir— seen here with his late father in a 1931 Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 Zagato—and Italian automobile expert Corrado Lopresto.

Colin Feichtmeir, judge and Committee member

Corrado Lopresto, collector

A selection committee member since 2010 and judge since 2012, Colin’s primary concentration is on pre-1920 cars, but he’s well versed in anything pre-war and in European 1950s and ’60s sports cars.

The Milanese architect, entrepreneur and collector has great knowledge of Italian car history and design, winning over 250 awards with his unique collection of one-offs, prototypes and specials.

My earliest memories are of car tours with my grandfather, uncle and cousins. The connection I made to the early cars has always been very strong, and driving them is what I enjoy the most; you’re fully immersed in operating them. Pebble Beach has always been about the assemblage of great cars that I’d never be able to experience otherwise. Every year I am surprised and delighted when I see them in person. The Concours is also about seeing friends who share my enthusiasm and interests.

My favorite event surrounding the Concours is the Pebble Beach Tour d’Elegance, because you can experience driving these great cars. My first experience was driving a friend’s 1960 Ferrari 250 TR59/60. A car like that makes you feel like a celebrity being chased by the paparazzi. In 2019 I was able to drive the Tour in another friend’s 1931 Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 Zagato with my dad. Dad passed away in 2020, so it was very special to be able to do the Tour with him in one of my favorite cars to drive.

I’ve had a passion for classics since I was a child. My older brother and cousins restored cars as a hobby, and I grew up dreaming of owning one, too, finally buying a Fiat Balilla. I’ve always looked for prototypes and unique cars—and concours offer the best occasion to show them and share unknown and forgotten stories from the Italian automotive world. I have also devoted myself to sharing a preservation philosophy not common in our world, with techniques used for paintings and artworks never applied on cars before.

My Giulietta Spider prototype by Bertone won my first award at Pebble Beach, in 2005. To be awarded in America for a car I had restored with great care, and which was completely unknown until then, was an important milestone in my career as a collector. I have returned to Pebble Beach many times since then, always bringing unconventional cars with me, and I’m proud to have won many other awards with them.

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Daniel Sielecki, collector and judge

Derek Bell MBE, judge

Daniel has participated at Pebble Beach since 2000, showing cars almost every year and judging since 2010. He collects automobiles of all eras, with pre-war models being his real passion.

Derek is one of the world’s greatest endurance racers, and is often among the honorary judges at the Concours. He won at Le Mans five times and Daytona three times, among other victories.

I’ve loved cars since I was very young, having started to drive at the age of six. In fact, I dedicated more time to them than to school. Fascinated by engines and restoring cars to make them work again, I started collecting when I was 18. We live in Argentina, and we knew about the Concours through the magazines and friends who talked about it as the best place to learn about cars. Without experience we entered a 1908 racing Napier, and we were shocked to receive a Second in Class. Since then I’ve entered many cars, obtaining many First in Class awards and two Best of Show nominations. It is very difficult to explain what I felt— the emotions and nerves—when nominated for Best of Show. And even though I didn’t get it, I’ll continue to pursue it.

I’d love to walk the field with all my friends who haven’t yet had the opportunity to know the world’s best concours, accompanied by my friends Sandra, Martin and the marvelous team that creates this event.

I have loved cars since I started driving on our Sussex farm when I was nine years old. My father always had nice cars, but not exotics, and when the E-type came out I was most excited to see it. I started racing a Lotus 7 at 23 years old, in 1964, and won my first race. Four years later I was invited to race for Enzo Ferrari in Formulas 1 and 2, and then I continued on into sports cars, winning many races with great teammates such as Jacky Ickx, Hans Stuck and Al Holbert.

When I was invited to judge at the Louis Vuitton Concours in London, that started off my love of concours. But I’ve always felt that the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance was the ultimate event—with all it offers and with its beautiful situation on the golf links and the beach. I’ve enjoyed each of the Pebble Beach Concours events where I have served as a judge, but I have to admit I’m only really happy when I am working with the more sporty classes.

The most impressive moment I have experienced here happens annually on Concours Sunday morning prior to the public arriving, when we judges walk out onto the competition field to feast our eyes on the spectacle of all those beautiful pieces of art that the generous owners have brought for us all to see.

If I could share the Concours with someone new, I would really enjoy taking with me my son Sebastian, who has just qualified in electrical engineering. I would like him to see how the motor car has developed over the many years, and I would hope he will realize that we have to preserve this history forever.

Dav i d G o o d i n g , au c ti o n e e r , com m it te e m e m b e r

David is president and founder of the official Pebble Beach Concours auction house Gooding & Company. He is also on the Selection Committee and currently presents the Elegance in Motion award.

My love for cars has only grown since my father curated the Harrah Collection in Reno when I was a child. I finally convinced my family to let me go to the Concours at age nine, in 1976, and I’ve attended almost every year since. Holding our inaugural Pebble Beach Auctions in 2004, also the first-ever Gooding & Company auction, was a big moment. To have it come off as a success is something I’m still enormously proud of.

I’d love to walk the field with the late Phil Hill. He’s forever linked with Pebble Beach, and he was probably the most knowledgeable car person I’ve ever met. He had such an informed perspective on cars of all eras, and he knew about them not just from a technical standpoint, but also about driving, restoration and historical development. He was full of captivating stories, combined with his ever-present sense of irreverence.

We’d be able to stop to admire anything, from a 1900s car to one he raced in the 1950s to something contemporary. Phil could talk about anything.

Derek Hill, Master of Ceremonies

The son of Phil Hill has been attending the Pebble Beach Concours since he was a young boy, and has been both an entrant and a judge.

He has served as the event’s Master of Ceremonies since 2015.

In the 1980s, during the heyday of my father’s restoration business Hill & Vaughn, I was an adolescent, and the opportunity to be on our family ‘vacation’ all together made Pebble Beach the most anticipated event of the summer. My mother, Alma, turned our hotel room into a hospitality suite where we welcomed VIPs, family and friends. With our rooms right on the 18th fairway, waking up early to the sounds of thunderous exhausts as cars were being staged outside our door was one of my most exciting moments ever, knowing it was finally Concours Sunday.

In my early 30s, as I was making more time to spend with my aging father, I started coming back to Pebble Beach, helping him get around the show as he was still fulfilling his role as an honorary judge. It was a comingof-age time for me, soaking up these precious moments with him in his element and seeing the outpouring of admiration he received as we attended the judges’ breakfasts and headed onto the field so he could judge with his team. I could never wish for a better person to walk the field with.

He had a deeply innate sense of exactly which cars were the standouts amongst the competition. It was always memorable when something new caught his eye; he would simply pause and admire it in all its grandeur, explaining which attributes made the car unique and wonderful.

To now be an integral part of the event, and to see all that goes into making this show happen every year, gives me the utmost respect for chairman Sandra Button and her entire team. Every year when I observe the quality of cars on the 18th fairway and the evolution of categories that are recognized, I have to pinch myself, thinking how lucky and grateful I am to be a part of this world-class event that is really like none other.

Dav i d S y d o r i c k , c o l l e c t o r

David has been showing cars at the Concours since the mid-1990s.

He loves Zagato, but won the top award in 2018 with a 1937 Alfa 8C 2900B Touring Berlinetta. He’s also on the Petersen Museum Board.

I was born with the speed gene; I had the best roller-bearing wheels for my downhill gravity racer, and a Harley-Davidson 74ci V-twin in my gokart. At college I had Austin-Healeys and E-types, then later the Italian Mille Miglia cars came along. Why cars? It was never really a question.

Winning at Pebble Beach is not an easy club to join. You never know what will show up on Sunday morning—or even whether your car will start or what the judges will consider elegant. As Ginny and I sat in our Alfa alongside the other finalists, and I was nervously burning the clutch, we got the nod to go up for Best of Show. So I drove to the center of the ramp and shut off the car—and only then did I know we had it.

I wish I could walk the field with Phil Hill, to hear all of his different perspectives on cars. If we could pause to discuss specific cars, they’d be three former Best of Show winners: John Mozart’s 2900 Touring Spyder, Peter Mullin’s Bugatti Atlantic and Jon Shirley’s Ferrari 375 MM.

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E d s e l B Fo r d I I , a dvo cate

Edsel recently retired from the Ford Motor Company, capping a 47-year career including 33 years on its board of directors.

He’s a keen enthusiast who appreciates automotive history.

I am so fortunate to be born into the automotive world, where I experienced from my earliest days the emotion and passion that cars can bring. There is no better event to illustrate the romance of the automobile than the Pebble Beach Concours. I have so many ‘Pebble’ memories. Here are four that stand out in particular: In 2003, Ford’s centennial was celebrated. This was especially significant for me, as it brought to the concours world an appreciation of the influence of Ford across 100 years of industrial and social progress.

In 2011, I had the emotional experience of unveiling the freshly restored 1934 Model 40 Special Speedster that my grandfather, Edsel B Ford, had commissioned. It is such an elegant design, giving testament to Edsel’s eye for aesthetics. Hearing the tributes from knowledgeable observers such as Jay Leno and Ken Gross was gratifying. My son, Henry Ford III, was with me, making it doubly meaningful. A Lincoln feature in 2013 paid special tribute to my grandfather with a stellar collection of Lincolns. We kicked off the weekend with a memorable yacht reception for 100 guests in Stillwater Cove.

In 2016, the 50th anniversary of Ford’s win at Le Mans was celebrated, featuring the unprecedented display of the 17 surviving GTs that won international races in the 1960s. Will this gathering ever be repeated? In 1966 I was with my father, Henry Ford II, at Le Mans. To see these cars together was truly moving; a gathering only Pebble Beach could achieve.

If I could walk the field with one person, it would be my grandfather in 2022 when Lincoln is featured, celebrating 100 years since he persuaded his father, Henry Ford, to purchase the Lincoln Motor Company. To show grandfather what his vision created across a century of design and innovation would be most satisfying.

Clockwise from above Derek Hill—master of ceremonies and son of Phil—with his family; collectors David and Ginny Sydorick with Andrea Zagato; auctioneer David Gooding with Justin Bell; collector and judge Daniel Sielecki; motor sport great Derek Bell MBE; and Ford Motor Company legend Edsel B Ford II. All cherish the unique experience that is Pebble Beach.

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Clockwise from above Engineering and design guru Professor Gordon Murray CBE; Italian styling legend Giorgetto Giugiaro and his son Fabrizio, who have both served as honorary judges; Ferrari chief design officer Flavio Manzoni; collector George Wingard; and Louwman Museum founder Evert Louwman. All play a valuable role in the creation of precious memories at the Concours.

Evert Louwman, collector

Evert’s Louwman Museum in the Netherlands is home to 275 historic automobiles—many of them unrestored and completely original—several of which have won awards at Pebble Beach.

Growing up amongst my father’s expanding car collection I became enthralled by the history of the automobile, and in 2010 I opened the Louwman Museum in The Hague. The great variety of cars at Pebble Beach provided much inspiration in building up our museum.

The best moment at the Concours must be just before sunrise.

Standing near the gate with a mug of hot coffee, watching the first cars drive onto to the field: what a joy! And it is such fun discussing which entry we think will be awarded Best of Show—and jealously thinking about which car we should like to have in our collection.

It’d be nice to walk the field with Dr Fred Simeone and discuss details, originality and other things we have in common—and perhaps which Preservation Class car we think should win Best of Show. There have been so many beautiful cars on show that I find it impossible to pick a favorite—although, in my view, originality is of paramount importance.

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Fabrizio G iug iaro, j udg e

Giorgetto Giugiaro, judge

An Italian designer and entrepreneur with an interest in historical and timeless design, Fabrizio is particularly passionate about prototypes.

Since the mid-1990s he has often served as an honorary judge.

The Italian designer first participated in the Concours in 1995. As an honorary judge, he was “greatly embarrassed” at times to find himself judging his own designs, such as his first Ferrari and the ISO Grifo.

Thanks to my father, Giorgetto Giugiaro, I was always in touch with the objects that brought me closer to the concours world. I knew Pebble Beach was one of the world’s most important car contests and it’d give me the opportunity to learn more about automotive history. My most exciting moment was the opportunity to meet Sergio Scaglietti. We were honorary judges together in 1998. We saw several of the Ferraris he himself had made, and he told me he’d never seen them looking so lovely.

Over the years, I’ve had the chance to present some of my own prototypes, such as the Bugatti EB112, BMW Nazca, Alfa Scighera, Italdesign Structura, Maserati Buran, Aston Martin Twenty Twenty, Alfa Brera, Chevrolet Corvette Moray and Ford Mustang by Giugiaro. It would be a pleasure to take a drive with Jay Leno, who, besides being an incredible comedian, is also a great car expert. We would enjoy watching the Bugattis, especially those with crocodile interiors—our favorites.

I came to discover cars when I grew up. When I was younger, my only passions were art and painting. My relationship with cars is mostly aesthetic and functional; what I like most is researching new stylistic features, architectures and constructive rationalities. My judgment about a car is always contextualized with the historical period in which it was conceived and designed.

In general I have always been a critic, especially with my own projects, thinking that I could always achieve the best—but then I have always focused on the next project, always aiming at the future and innovation. It is only more recently that I have started looking into the past of cars, researching them and collecting some of them. The best way is to take part in the concours contests and reviews, for the cultural value of historic motor sport. In some way I am also part of it with my creative contribution.

When I think about my experiences at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, I think first of the amazing location that hosts the competition, then the organization, and then the mood that reigns during this international and prestigious event, which is unique.

A curious fact about my memories of the Pebble Beach Concours is that many of the cars featured were much better than I remembered they were when first presented...

Taking part in the Concours gave me the opportunity to see American cars up close that were impossible to see live in Italy, where the only news I had about them came from the media.

F l av i o M a n z o n i , j u d g e

Previously director of creative design at the Volkswagen Group as well as Fiat Group head of design, Ferrari’s chief design officer serves among the honorary judges at the Pebble Beach Concours.

Concours testify to the evolution of automotive design, a meeting of science, technology and art that results in legendary pieces executed to sheer perfection. To walk among these wonders—unadulterated, captivating expressions of mankind’s creative and technical capacity— is to immerse oneself in an atmosphere of pure creativity; one where past and present, consolidated knowledge and the destinies of relentless innovators are joyously intertwined.

I’d choose my father to wander with me among these marvels. He didn’t share my passion for cars, but he was my first teacher and passed on to me a love of art in all its forms. The awe one feels standing before these masterpieces can be shared by anyone who appreciates beauty.

We’d stop to admire the Testarossa, 250 Berlinetta Short Wheelbase and 250GT Lusso, to name just a few. I’d tell him about my work and how much he, and these cars, have influenced my professional choices.

P r o f e s s o r G o r d o n M u r r ay C B E , j u d g e

An honorary judge since 2011, the former Brabham and McLaren Racing technical director helped to establish McLaren Cars Ltd. Gordon Murray Automotive now creates limited-run production cars.

I grew up in southern Africa, where my motor-mechanic father worked on racing cars in his spare time. I’d watch him building and preparing them. Not a month went by where we didn’t attend a motor race of some sort, and I never wanted to be anything but a racing driver. Later, as a teenager with very little funds, I had no choice but to design and build my own car. I designed a sports car and tuned a Ford 105E engine, and I raced it with some success in 1967 and 1968. I loved the 1960s racing period, and judging at the Concours gives me a chance to get up close and personal with some of my favorite cars.

One specific moment that comes to mind from my years as a judge at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance is when I was leading a team for a technical innovation prize, and I discovered that the 1913 Peugeot 3.0-liter racing car not only had twin overhead camshafts and four valves per cylinder, but also dry-sump lubrication, an invention I would have guessed was from the 1950s.

I would love to walk the Concours field with my dear friend Mauro Forghieri. The parallels in our lives are spookily close. We both started as engine designers, we both took over as chief engineers at the age of 27, we both designed sports cars and Formula 1 cars, with Mauro winning four World Championships and 54 Grands Prix, and me five Championships and 50 wins—and we both won multiple World Sports Car Championships and the Le Mans 24 Hours. We both lived through my favorite sports car period in the 1960s, and it would be wonderful to stop and discuss my favorite designs, such as the 1966 Ferrari 206SP and the 250LM, and the Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale.

George Wingard, collector

The builder, businessman and former Oregon State Senator has been showing cars at Pebble Beach since 1977. He won the Lorin Tryon Trophy in 2012 for his contributions to the collector car world.

I’d like to walk the field with Phil Hill. There will never be another Phil.

He earned his spurs as a racing professional by hard work and an uncanny sense of how to survive. He was a professional mechanic as well, and his sense of automotive and mechanical artistry allowed him to win Best of Show in 1955 in a 1931 Pierce-Arrow. His most endearing quality was his lack of self-aggrandizement. Perhaps he’d gained some of this down-to-earth quality when, at 12, he’d been embarrassed by Ralph De Palma in front of a group of racing enthusiasts. Phil told me of that experience as we were circling the Indy 500 track to celebrate De Palma’s 1915 win there in the 1914 French GP-winning Mercedes I’d just restored.

I once asked him who he regarded as the best racer ever. Without hesitation he said: “Juan Manuel Fangio.” Then he hastened to add: “Stirling Moss could get more out of a race car” than any other driver he’d known. Phil worked hard to become one of the world’s best, and he was.

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P EOP L E

Above left and right Ford president Jim Farley and family in their ex-John Lamm 1955 Lancia Aurelia. Racing great and fellow Concours honorary judge Jochen Mass.

J i m Far le y, co llec to r an d j u d g e

The Ford Motor Company president and CEO, avid motor sport enthusiast and former Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance entrant has served among the honorary judges since 2011.

Ever since I was a child, cars have fascinated me, so instead of becoming a surfing pro I decided to study industrial and transportation design.

The exchange of experiences with lovers of luxury cars drew me to the Concours, and it gives me a lot of inspiration. We’re all believers in beauty, and that’s fabulous. My best memory is of being on 17-Mile Drive with the former CEO of MBUSA; we were heading to a pre-evening event and special dinner one day before the premiere of our Vision Mercedes-Maybach 6 Cabriolet at Pebble Beach in 2017. People stopped, waved and marveled at our new luxurious show car as we drove by, and we felt like movie stars on their way to the Academy Awards... And the craziest thing? The car was still top secret at this time.

I would like to walk the field with James Cameron, because he’s a true visionary, and it is always a huge honor for me to talk and work with creatives such as him. And I would always stop for Mercedes-Benz.

I attended my first Pebble as a mechanic in the late 1980s. I worked for Phil Hill at Hill & Vaughn as a way to partially pay for my UCLA MBA. I would camp at the Monterey Campgrounds with my friend Lia (now my wife), and we’d get up at dawn (there was no Dawn Patrol then) to see the cars being positioned on the lawn and to assess the competition, then depart because we couldn’t afford to attend. Lia and I have attended every chance we could since then, despite what brand or job I had in the industry. We now have a house in Carmel; Pebble brought us here.

Pebble is a nearly 40-year love affair, shaping my life in so many ways.

I achieved a lifelong dream in 2018 when we were invited to display our 1955 Lancia Aurelia, previously owned by John Lamm (who drove it onto the lawn that day). Our family even won a class award.

The year 2021 was special, because Ford displayed our Ocean to Ocean exhibit, a recreation of the 1911 East to West Coast demonstration that Henry Ford conceived with the Model T. We found the original T that completed the trip, and we recreated the trip with our new all-electric Mustang Mach E. My favorite car on the show field was the Voisin; the interior and details are just so provocative today. I also brought my kids and friends to Dawn Patrol, so it was a full-circle moment, and this time I was able to walk up to the judges’ breakfast afterwards.

Jay Wa r d , j u d g e

J i m Pat te r s o n , co lle c to r

The Pixar Animation Studios creative director, who loves vintage bikes, hot rods and coachbuilt customs, has served as an honorary judge at the Pebble Beach Concours for the past five years.

A businessman and two-time Best of Show winner, Jim has served on the boards of several colleges, universities and other civic organizations. He’s won Best of Show twice, in 2010 and 2015.

I’ve been a lifelong car person, but had almost no experience in the concours world till our Pixar team started doing research for Cars in the early 2000s. Pebble Beach was my first exposure to a higher-end automotive world that I knew little about, but I attended the Concours almost yearly from then on. To be invited to help judge from 2016 was an honor and a dream come true. I wish my father was alive to see this.

I recall my first time entering the judges’ meeting room. I had no idea of the immense amount of talent and legacy sitting there—and I felt so humbled to be there. My first year I casually sat next to iconic car designers Tom Tjaarda and Gordon Murray, as well as F1 racing legends Sir Stirling Moss, Sir Jackie Stewart and Jacky Ickx. It was surreal to say the least.

I’ve always admired the stylings of Gordon Buehrig and ET Gregorie.

Both knew how to imply dynamic motion in their car designs—as well as elegance, presence and intricate details. I’d love to walk the field with them.

What an exciting journey! It began after visiting the Concours many years ago. Best of Show was always the star in space that I saw, but I never believed it was attainable. I wanted it, but it was ‘way back there’ in my subconscious. Now we have two!

When I got the Delage, I never thought of it being a Best of Show winner. I was advised to change the color from the original white; I was told no white car had ever won. Then, Concours week seemed almost like an ‘out-of-body’ experience. Why was my car selected for the CBS interview and filming? Why did Jay Leno spend an hour filming it?

Why was there a switch from traditional white roses to red? Why was I confident as I sat there before the announcement? I felt like something was happening and I was just along for the ride. Something like karma, or a wonderful blessing. So Best of Show did happen, not once but twice, and I am so pleased and so thankful to have been along for the ride.

P r o f e s s o r D r G o r d e n Wag e n e r , j u d g e

An honorary judge, Gorden has headed Mercedes-Benz’s worldwide operating unit since 2008, and was appointed chief design officer in November 2016. A number of models now bear his signature.

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Clockwise from top left Former Marriott International boss and member of the GM Board of Directors John WiIlard Marriott Jr first attended the Concours in 1952, while Pixar creative director Jay Ward (with wife Trish) is now an honorary judge at the event. Collector Jim Patterson is a two-time Best of Show winner, as is former Microsoft president Jon Shirley, who has attended Pebble Beach for many years, sharing the experience with late wife Mary and now with Kim. Professor Dr Gorden Wagener is the chief design officer for Mercedes-Benz.

John Willard Marriott Jr, Collector

This former president, CEO and chairman of the Board of Marriott International and GM Board of Directors member first attended the Road Races in 1952 and first participated in the Concours in 1983.

I’ve always loved cars, especially racing two-seaters. The sleek lines and wonderful sounds have always attracted me. I started collecting in the early 1980s, and my first serious car was a 1934 Mercedes 500K Cabriolet A, with which we scored a Second in Class at the 1983 Concours. Even then Pebble Beach was the biggest and best concours in the world. One of my judges was a hero of mine, Phil Hill. I have a special memory that is not from the Concours; I attended the 1952 Pebble Beach Road Races and witnessed Bill Pollack win with the black Allard. I now own that car and have shown it at Pebble Beach.

In 2006 I enjoyed riding in my Talbot roadster on the Tour, and in 1983 I enjoyed speaking with Clint Eastwood and watching him trying to sit in my 500K. My favorite time was in 2002 with my friend Howard Baker Jr, the former White House Chief of Staff, Senate Minority Leader, Senate Majority Leader and Tennessee Senator. A great man and a true gentleman.

Jochen Mass, judge

Racing great Jochen has numerous successes to his credit in F1 and sports cars, and he won the World Sportscar Championship in 1972. He has served as an honorary judge since 2007.

Pebble Beach cast a spell of exotic splendor and grandeur into my life many years back—an image of all the beauty there is to admire in the world of cars. Race cars or sedans, driven by all the important people of cinema, politics or just plain wealth, from all over the world. Wonderful characters to fill your fantasies with images of beautiful ladies and splendid men. The glamour and seductive design make it almost impossible to look with a neutral eye at all the details that give you an idea about the life these cars have lived. The patina of the decades, the small paint blemishes, the worn leather, wonderfully displayed for the public.

It’s funny that you can look at a world of peace, beauty and fame without feeling too envious, because these are the carrots for our existence, and one day you might end up being part of it. Even if you don’t, it’s still a great stimulant to dream about. It’s just a great display of what companies can design, given the okay for the feasibility of making something fancy, even knowing they’ll never be produced in great numbers. We as judges look at them with admiration and sometimes the sneaking conviction that we’ve found something that is slightly at odds with the rest of creation.

You think about what the last century produced in beauty, music, art, fashion and transport. Yes, we had the most terrible wars as well, but the time in between and after was strangely productive—as if we knew that such beauty is short lived. What has all this to do with Pebble Beach? This great car show is more than that; it evokes all these emotions and allows us to see more of what lies behind. For that, I’m grateful to be part of it.

J o n S h i r le y, Co llec to r

A former Microsoft president, Jon started collecting automobiles in the late 1980s. He has brought 20 cars to Pebble Beach, earning ten Ferrari class wins, ten major awards and two Best of Shows.

In 1965, I drove a Jaguar XK120 on which I’d done a mechanical rebuild to Pebble Beach to see the Concours and Laguna Seca races. I was hooked!

In 1994 Ed Gilbertson asked me to bring my 1964 275GTS/4 NART Spyder to Pebble Beach as one had dropped out and he wanted one for the Ferrari-featured year. I protested that I’d never shown a car at any concours, but he insisted, so my late wife, Mary, and I embarked on a doit-yourself restoration. When we arrived I had zero expectations, but we placed Third in Class and were thrilled. The several Firsts in Class that followed were great but never quite matched that first time over the ramp.

In 2014 Kim and I came with a 1954 375 MM that had been bodied by Sergio Scaglietti as a coupé for Roberto Rossellini, a favorite of Enzo’s.

We hoped for a major award, but had no expectations of winning Best of Show. When we got the nod, the confetti guns went off and I realized that we had just won—the first for a Ferrari. That was our best moment.

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Judge Joseph Cassini III, collector

A New Jersey Superior Court judge for 25 years, Joe has missed the Concours only once since 1996. Supported by wife Margie and daughter Caroline, his cars have won two Best of Shows.

I believe that the car hobby is an unmatched common denominator. No matter your background, status in life, political persuasions, sex or race—none of that matters when it comes to the passion of the automobile. Concours events enable car people to come together, to share their cars with the world and to establish lifelong friendships.

When I think of Pebble, how can I not think about twice winning Best of Show—a culmination of years of work by extraordinary restorers.

When those fireworks go off and it’s your car that is going up the ramp, you have such elation and pleasure that is not experienced very often.

I’d like to walk the field with young enthusiasts. They are like sponges who want to absorb as much as they can. They solely appreciate cars for what they are without any of the biases that we older folks get when it comes to favorite marques, styles etc. Young car people are the future of the hobby, and anything we can do to foster that gets my full support.

Clockwise from top left Twice Best of Show winner Judge Joseph Cassini III; Aston Martin executive chairman Lawrence Stroll; Ken Gross—a Concours judge for over three decades; noted expert on the cars of India, Manvendra Singh Barwani; collector Maj Gen William Lyon and his son Bill H Lyon; and Bugatti expert Julius Kruta.

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J u li u s K r u ta , j u d g e a n d Co m m it te e m e m b e r

B i l l H Lyo n , c o l l e c t o r , f o r T h e Lyo n Fa m i ly

Julius first attended the Concours in 2000, and has regularly served as class judge or chief class judge, too. Bugattis are a passion for the Selection Committee member.

Major General William Lyon was an avid car collector who received the Lorin Tryon Trophy in 2015. His son Bill continues to care for the William Lyon Collection, and writes here.

The car is a symbol of freedom; you can escape when- and wherever you want. But to me, the historic aspects are even more important. Also, you can enjoy the automobile with all of your senses. Cars not only tell stories; they smell intoxicating, sound magnificent and look beautiful. Restoring one for a concours can be an incredible joy—from the starting point to rolling onto the field. Tension, excitement and relief come together. It preserves industrial culture and lets others enjoy automotive history.

The year 2003 was very special, as 13 of the extremely rare Type 57S Bugattis were displayed, including two Atlantics. In 2019 we displayed all four 1933/34 works racing Type 59s. This was a personal achievement for me, which took many months (years even), working with Sandra Button to persuade owners to bring their cars. I’d love to walk the field with Ettore or Jean Bugatti; to know how they feel about the fact that their cars, built for racing, are now cherished pieces of industrial art.

My father traced his love of cars back to his childhood during the Great Depression, when actress Norma Shearer pulled up in front of a Beverly Hills drugstore in a red Cadillac. Something about the beauty of woman and car made an impression on him that would last a lifetime. We had many adventures at the Concours. In around 1986 we were dusting our just-restored 1939 Packard Derham Sport Phaeton, and with the judges two cars away for some reason a large piece of paint chipped out at the top of the door frame. My father grabbed 13-year-old me and told me to keep my dusting diaper over that spot for the next 20 minutes while the car was judged. The head judge even commented on how interested I seemed in the old Packard. My father responded:“You have no idea.”

I’d love to walk the field with my father again. He encouraged my interest in the sports and racing cars that excited me. Seeing all of the cars that we’ve shown there together would spark fabulous memories.

KEN GROSS, judge and Committee member

M a n v e n d r a S i n g h Ba rwa n i , j u d g e

The former Petersen Automotive Museum executive director and author of 24 books has served as a judge and Selection Committee member and was awarded the Lorin Tryon Trophy in 2014.

A founder member of the Vintage & Classic Car Club of India, honorary judge Manvendra has been instrumental in growing the hobby in that country. He was awarded Lorin Tryon Trophy in 2018.

I’m blessed to have my dream job; I’ve been an automotive writer since 1972. An ecumenical enthusiast, I am equally fascinated by Ford hot rods, temperamental Bugattis and sensuous Figoni et Falaschi Talbot-Lagos and Delahayes. I haven’t missed a single year at Pebble Beach since 1990.

A magical experience that’s never lost its fascination, the Concours is the ultimate gathering of like-minded friends and all that I hold dear on wheels. I am fortunate to help curate unusual classes, and driving a Mercer Raceabout on the Tour was the fulfillment of a dream, as was my drive in a one-off 250GT once owned by Belgian Princess Lilian de Réthy.

Watching the cars in ‘my’ classes emerge out of the fog at Dawn Patrol is a thrill that never ends. Moderating forums with Dan Gurney, George Barris, Valentino Balboni and other heroes is an honor and a privilege. If we could resurrect Strother MacMinn, I’d love to walk the field with him again, pausing to reflect on dramatic custom coachwork.

I was born to a car-loving family. My late grandfather HH Rana Ranjit Singhji, the Maharaja of Barwani, was an early adopter of the motor car in India, and the passion continued with my late father HH Rana Devi Singhji. He had some wonderful cars, and my brothers and I caught the bug. I had the good fortune to meet many Maharajas who were the original owners of some extraordinary automobiles, and to hear their stories on how they used these cars. This inspired me to write my book The Automobiles of the Maharajas.

Pebble Beach is, of course, the pinnacle of the classic car world, and it had always been my dream to visit the Concours. When I first came here, I was awestruck by the quality and style of cars, and now to be an honorary judge is a privilege. Although it is a long way from home, for me it is an annual pilgrimage, because I get to see the finest classic cars in the world in one place.

Receiving the prestigious Lorin Tryon Trophy in 2018 was the most memorable moment for me. It was a complete surprise; my entire family came on stage, and it was a very humbling moment. I was grateful that my life’s work and passion were recognized at the highest level.

I have had the privilege of judging alongside some truly knowledgeable individuals, but I have always enjoyed Professor Gordon Murray’s insights on automotive design and I would love to hear his take on the cars on the Concours show field.

L aw r e n c e S t r o l l , c o l l e c to r

The longtime fashion-industry leader and now Aston Martin executive chairman has been showing cars at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance for nearly 20 years.

I’ve always been a car guy and my passion is clear to see. I have been fortunate to own one of the world’s largest Ferrari collections and have won multiple awards. Now I’m building up the ultimate Aston Martin collection and have already added some very significant sports cars.

The Concours is all about getting up close and personal to exceptional cars. I love the event and have attended for many years, but it was extra special in 2021 to be back with Aston Martin, showcasing some of our truly special cars of the future. The moment that I hold closest to my heart was in 2016, when my 1966 Ferrari 330 P4 placed First in Class and won the Gran Turismo Trophy.

We are a true car-loving family, so I’d choose my children Chloe and Lance to walk the field with me. As to which past Concours cars I’d want to stop at, that is easy: my Ferrari 330 P4 and Ralph Lauren’s Bugatti Type 41 Royale, both very unique and special cars.

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M a r e l l a R i vo lta Z ag at o , E n t h u s i a s t

Marella continues the legacy of Iso Rivolta—her family’s atelier that created the famous Iso Grifo and GT—alongside her husband Andrea Zagato at Italy’s Zagato automotive design house.

I inherited my passion for motorcycles and cars from my grandfather and father—and destiny made that into my job. Like a beautiful woman, the beauty of a car is found in her lines, and the proportions and volume give them a special character. When the car drives away, its nature is revealed—imparting a special emotion to the driver. As for the Concours, there is no other place where one can breathe, admire and enjoy so many beautiful cars that compose the history of our industry.

I have very clear memories of the first time I attended Pebble Beach, with my father and brother. Most importantly, it’s the place where Andrea and I really got to know each other—and soon after, we started our business and life partnership. Another special moment took place sitting in front of a fire with Andrea and Ulrich Bez on a Sunday evening after the Concours, when we decided to give life to the Aston Martin DB7 Zagato. It’s a unique moment in our history that I cherish.

The one person that I would want to be by my side walking through the Concours is my grandfather, Renzo Rivolta. Since I never met him, it would mean a great deal to me to share with him my feelings and ideas while admiring all the cars. On the other hand, walking the Concours is a sacred experience for me—and I prefer to walk alone accompanied only by my thoughts and inspirations. As to which car I would stop at length to admire, in my case this is not a fair question. The answer would be a Zagato or an Iso Rivolta.

‘There is no other place where one can breathe, admire and enjoy so many beautiful cars’ Martin E Button, Committee member

The president of Cosdel International Transportation and husband of Concours chairman Sandra is on the Selection Committee, and is also an announcer at the event and involved in its many publications.

I’ve always had a penchant for mechanical things. As a young boy I was always taking things to pieces, often to my mother’s annoyance as I frequently couldn’t put them back together again. As I grew older my ability to fix things and reassemble them got better. Fast-forward 20some years and I’d walk the Pebble Beach field inspecting engines like a brain surgeon, just wondering what was going on inside those beauties. I was excited when my 250 Boano was accepted and won fourth in a class of four, and then I went on to get two thirds with my Delaunay Belleville and Lenawee. But I really won Best of Show when I won the chairman.

I’d like to walk the field with Charles A Chayne, a former GM VP of engineering and a big early Concours supporter. We’ve named a trophy in his honor, awarded to the car with the most advanced engineering for its era. He and I would spend ages looking at all the different ideas the car builders had in their day, figuring out why they did what they did. Bliss!

Clockwise from top left Marella Rivolta and Andrea Zagato courted at the Concours, while collectors Peter and Merle Mullin toast the friends they’ve made at the event. Martin and Sandra Button are shown enjoying the Tour, and their friend McKeel Hagerty judges classes as well as hosts Dawn Patrol. Revs Institute founder Miles C Collier relishes taking part in the Tour as well.

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Peter and Merle Mullin, collectors

Peter and Merle are museum founders, passionate car collectors and philanthropists dedicated to education, health and The Arts.

Here Merle writes on the passion they share for cars.

In 1983, a chance encounter with a 1947 Delahaye 135 MS Cabriolet began an obsession for Peter. He studied voraciously the era when cars were bespoke works of art. He created at his home a luxurious space for the first ten of his newly acquired French beauties; a grander scheme, in the form of a proper automotive museum, was inevitable.

In 1994, another destiny moment; in an accidental meeting of like minds, I became a partner to Peter’s life and passion. He introduced me to a world of rallies and concours, and we crisscrossed the world. The Mullin Automotive Museum opened in Oxnard in 2010; an homage to Art Deco, in the style of the grand, annual Paris Salons. Shortly thereafter, the Mullin Automotive Collection was created, in West Los Angeles, to house cars from the Brass Era. Here, too, the inspiration for the space came from the Salons of the 1920s and ’30s.

A love of sharing defines Peter’s Irish nature. It was his great hope to be invited to enter his cars at the renowned Pebble Beach Concours, alongside the rarest of the rare. He was first invited in 1984, showing the 1948 Talbot-Lago shared with Jim Hull. His enthusiasm for this event has never waned. It remains a great honor for us to have been included, every year. No single event or occasion could steal us away from this most august August event, shared alongside the special friends we have made on our remarkable automotive journey. As a result of friendships formed at the Concours, I partnered with three women, all wives of collectors, to create It’s All About The Girls!—a biennial all-women’s rally. After all, in the end, it IS all about the friends we’ve made and kept through this shared passion.

Miles C Collier, collector and judge

Founder of renowned automotive museum the Revs Institute. His book The Archaeological Automobile reflects his lifelong advocacy of the automobile as the most significant artifact of the 20th century.

For longer than I can remember I have regularly attended the Concours, but my first trip as a car owner was in 1987, when I showed the Cunningham 8 Litre Bentley with Corsica coachwork. Now Pebble Beach has become one of the essential gatherings for serious historical car people. While it is an American event, its reach extends to all corners of the historical automobile world. For me, it is not the acres of lubricious sheet metal, fabulous restorations or priceless rarities that make it so memorable. Rather, it is the place to reconnect with experts, connoisseurs, collectors—the whole panoply of characters that collectively constitute the world of historical automobiles.

I particularly enjoy the occasions when I can compare notes with restorers who have been wrestling with the same issues as my team in Naples. As valuable as those shared perspectives are, even more valuable for me is the recognition of a kindred soul. While in conversation at one event, to my astonishment and pleasure my friend and well known restorer Evan Ide revealed that he was an undergraduate fine art major. Having the same background, as well as three additional years in graduate school as a painter, our discussion about the role of ‘looking’ and restoration might have been unintelligible to bystanders. This encounter was enormously affirming to me, as we inspected Evan’s work right there on the lawn.

Transcendental personal experience is the essence of my greatest Pebble Beach moment—the memory of judging an elegance award with Paul Frère and Phil Hill, just the three of us. What can one say to an experience like that? That, for me, is the very essence of the Concours.

M c Ke e l Hag e rt y, co llec to r an d j u d g e

The Hagerty CEO has judged at the Concours since 2000. In addition to entering cars, Hagerty has helped to grow Dawn Patrol and keep Concours cars on the road. He’s driven on the Tour, too.

Growing up in northern Michigan, if I wanted to spend time with dad I would be out in the garage working on cars with him. I’ve developed my passion for cars over the decades, but in those early years the world of the Concours seemed out of reach. We were a Ford, and eventually a Porsche, family. Duesenberg, Horch and Delahaye cars were not part of our vocabulary or experience. When I finally had the chance to experience the Concours, I was blown away. I could not believe the cars, the setting, the people. I was immediately addicted to it.

Only a few years in, J Heumann asked me to judge some of the early classes of preservation cars, and we first brought coffee and donuts down to Dawn Patrol. I feel like we’ve been part of the event ever since. It’s an annual ritual. After all the years of hosting Dawn Patrol, driving my 1931 Cadillac onto the field in 2018 was a spectacular moment. I’d walk the field with my dad, and I’d stop at length to admire a Duesenberg, no doubt.

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Nick Mason, collector and judge

P e t e r G L i va n o s , c o l l e c t o r

Pink Floyd drummer, National Motor Museum advisor, BRDC life member, Guild of Motoring Writers president and competition car collector, Nick has raced regularly, including five times at Le Mans.

The major shareholder of Aston Martin Lagonda Ltd from 1980 to 1987, Peter’s numerous cars have won the Pebble Beach Cup and many First in Class accolades, as well as the Phil Hill Cup.

It was my dad Bill’s fault really—a documentary film director with a passion for motor sport. I was taken to Silverstone from about seven years old, to watch him race his 1930 4.5 Litre Bentley (yes, of course we still have it), ably assisted by Wally Saunders, one of the original Bentley team mechanics. I’ve never got over it.

Initially I really was primarily interested in motor sport. I didn’t want to be a collector; I wanted to go racing—but somehow I couldn’t quite bring myself to part with my old racing cars. I learned a lot about the importance of preservation and restoration when I was invited to become a trustee of the National Motor Museum at Beaulieu in the UK. I realized that if we want to find a future for the cars we love, we need both racers and preservationists alike to keep both interest and authenticity alive.

It was the running of the GTO rally in California ten years ago that provided me with the excuse to ship a car over to the United States and finally experience the ultimate concours. Since then, I’ve been a Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance entrant as well as an honorary judge. That first experience was pretty mind bending. Stuffed with the great and good of automobile excellence at every level—and that’s not just the cars. There were the collectors, of course, but also the restorers, manufacturers, dealers and some of the greatest drivers from every form of motor sport.

Special moments? Sitting down to dinner with Sir Stirling and Lady Susie Moss. Having a chat about some of the entries with Phil Hill—perhaps the embodiment of Pebble Beach with his expertise in restoration crowned with a F1 world championship. Being an honorary judge and watching the experts at work.

Perhaps most magical was Dawn Patrol, with Sir Jackie Stewart (how many names is it acceptable to drop?) wandering around the gleaming monsters appearing in the mist prior to the arrival of the garden party. Jurassic Park has nothing on this…

There are too many great cars to pick one. I love the 1930s Hollywood cars that we never see in the UK, and the untouched Preservation Class dribbling oil from a total oil-loss system.

Just can’t wait to get back…

My love of cars started at an early age, as my father drove me through the Connecticut roads in a Triumph TR3. I’ve always been fascinated by mechanical technology, and the automobile epitomizes the connection between man and machine. My love of the concours is centered around Pebble Beach, which is unique in the world. The ability to see beautiful cars displayed in such a special setting, combined with the interaction of the proud owners, is only surpassed by the spectators’ enthusiasm.

One stand-out moment occurred in 2007—a moment of terror, as the engine on the 1956 DB3S that I was presenting at the podium went silent, to be replaced by the rapid clicking of fuel pumps. In the end, I was able to get across the line on a few remaining fumes and many prayers. I have had the privilege of walking the field with many special people, but if I could choose someone it would be WO Bentley. Why? Simply to hear his thoughts on Ettore Bugatti’s fabulous creations.

Peter Larsen, judge and Committee member

R i c h At w e ll , co lle c to r

This judge and Selection Committee member has co-authored several books on French cars and coachbuilders, his latest a series devoted to Joseph Figoni. He also judges at other major concours.

The chairman of Coastal Transport Company is the middle of three generations of the Atwell family that have been showing cars at the Pebble Beach Concours for over four decades since 1979.

I wasn’t born into a car family, but when I was eight, living in Washington, DC, I saw a Monogram kit of a beige Duesenberg SJ Dual Cowl Torpedo Phaeton in the local drugstore. It exerted a fascination on me, but it was $4.49 and my weekly allowance was 50 cents, so my prospects were dim. My dad finally gave it to me for my birthday. I assembled it right away. There was glue everywhere and it looked terrible, but I’ve loved cars ever since. And Duesenbergs were my first love. Now, here I am, privileged to do what I enjoy, and enjoy what I do for the Concours.

A vibrant memory is sharing the back seat of a Hispano-Suiza J12 by Saoutchik in 2017 with my partner Ben Erickson. I’d persuaded the owners to bring it from New Zealand for their first time at Pebble Beach.

It was a crystal-clear day and the car performed faultlessly. It doesn’t matter that there is not much sense to being passionate about old cars.

What matters is the sheer joy of being here and being part of it all.

My father, RL ‘Bob’ Atwell, and I purchased a $295 1931 Model A Ford to restore in 1958, and we continued on that path. My partner Karen, son Blake and his wife Lauren share my passion. Blake has been attending Pebble since he was eight. He has shown cars for the past seven years, and our grandson Owen was in attendance for the first time at this past Pebble. We have had many of the cars in our collection for over 50 years, and it’s been a wonderful journey.

I’ve been very fortunate to meet many wonderful people, and Chris Bock has a special place in my heart. For many years, my father and Don Williams had an ongoing duel to be the first on the field, and Chris was usually the one who was in charge of letting the cars on. The year my dad passed away, he motioned for us to pull around the car sitting at the front of the queue, saying: “Mr Atwell’s car was always the first on the field.” I’ll never forget that kind gesture.

Randy Ema, collector and judge

The world’s top Duesenberg expert has often shown cars at the Concours and has also served as a judge. He opened his eponymous restoration business in 1976, and is ACD Club Duesenberg historian.

I bought my first toy car with my money when I was four, and with my pennies I have now collected 47 cars. I just retired after 45 years in the restoration business, with 12 Pebble Beach First in Class wins. My memories focus not on the easy wins but on the difficult ones. One year we shipped a Duesenberg in an enclosed trailer with a car hauler. On the way up it rained, and we unloaded the Duesy only to find there was no floor in the truck, just ramps. Guess what we did for the next four days? Another time, a customer said we had to make it to Pebble no matter what. We worked night and day, and we got it running at 4am on Concours Sunday and were successful. I have more memories like this than of winning. Even so, these are fond memories, not painful ones.

I was fortunate to attend for some years with Jay Leno, getting to react to his impressions and learn what he liked. It was a treat and an honor.

No concours comes close to the quality and beauty of Pebble Beach.

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Clockwise from top Nick Mason adds a little rock ‘n’ roll to the proceedings. Judge and Selection Committee member Peter Larsen; former Aston Martin Lagonda Ltd owner Peter G Livanos; multiple generations of Atwells—Bob, Rich and Blake; racer and team owner Rob Kauffman; and collector and judge Randy Ema (with Jay Leno). All bring something special to the Concours.

Rob Kauffman, collector

Concours with the 1966-winning GT40. At the show, the 1-2-3 finishers lined up on the ramp, and Edsel Ford presented us with trophies. For a kid who started out working on cars in his parents’ yard, it doesn’t get better.

I have been to the Concours every year since. In 2021 we took the Sunoco 917/30 Porsche, and we participated in the Tour. It was neat to see an all-out 1200bhp race car tooling around the Monterey Peninsula. I’m more of a ‘go’ collector than a ‘show’ collector—I feel strongly about using the cars and sharing the experience. I encourage kids to see what it’s like to be behind the wheel of these amazing machines. It’s a great connecting point, and I believe we have a huge responsibility to pass the torch to the next generation. The Concours can play a significant role in that evolution.

Aside from owning a world-class collection, Rob co-owns Chip Ganassi Racing and has competed in the Le Mans 24 Hours and Daytona 24 Hours as well as most of the world’s Historic race events.

As a kid I wasn’t interested in going to college, I just wanted to work on cars. My dad said: “If you go to college, maybe one day other people will work on your cars, rather than you working on theirs.” He was right.

Over the years I’ve been involved in modern racing, competing at Le Mans and Daytona. But one experience wrapped it all together. Chip Ganassi Racing had just won our class at the 2016 Le Mans with a GT, 50 years after Ford took first, second and third. We were then invited to the

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S i r Jac k i e S t e wa r t, j u d g e

This three-time World Champion driver achieved 27 victories in 99 races, and was awarded an OBE in 1972 and knighted in 2001.

He is involved in many charitable endeavors.

The elegance of the automobile, the continuing good taste of its design, and its creativity over a great number of years is better seen at Pebble Beach than anywhere else. My first visit was with Ford—with which I was under a 40-year contract—and it was wonderful. Henry Ford II and Edsel were there, I was staying at The Lodge and everybody looked after me very well, and I was just amazed at the quality of the entries.

Of course, I’ve now gone for many years, and I’ve enjoyed it every time. It’s a great collection of cars, and of people who’ve got love affairs with cars. Many of them I see only when I go to Pebble Beach, but I’ve known them for a great many years. It’s also beautifully run, and of course the location is extraordinary. Rolex has been the reason for me being there in most recent years because it has been a long-term partner in the Concours. I’ve been with Rolex now for 53 years, so that’s how I’ve enjoyed many more visits than I would normally have.

Many of the cars that I raced have been at Pebble Beach. One was a P4 Ferrari that I drove at Brands Hatch with Chris Amon. He took ill, and I was left to drive a very large amount of the six-hour race. I secured enough points for Ferrari to win the World Sportscar Championship.

That car was at Pebble many years later, and the owner asked if I’d drive it over the podium if it won an award. It won its class, so I did. My son, Paul, had a podium finish with his own Ferrari, which was an original in every respect. I was sitting in it with him when he got his trophy.

It’d be great to walk the field with Edsel Ford. I won all four of my F1 World Championships with a Ford Cosworth engine, and I had a long and happy relationship with the brand. It used me for advertising, of course, as well as for research and development of future products.

I’d also quite like to walk with Mr Ferrari, because although I never raced a Ferrari in F1, the brand fits so well with Pebble Beach. It would be nice to walk around with Enzo and look at his cars. There was only one person in charge of Ferrari, and that was him... He was an immensely powerful man within his own company. But he obviously saw a great deal of not just racing cars but wonderful road cars.

If I had a third choice, it would probably be Ralph Lauren because he’s got such a good eye for taste and the lines of a car. He’s such an interesting man. Yes, I think I would like three walks if you don’t mind?

Above left and right Sam and Emily Mann’s respective design backgrounds have translated into a world-class car collection and four Best of Shows. Former Nissan Motor Co chief creative officer Shiro Nakamura serves as an honorary judge.

S a m a n d E m i ly M a n n , c o l l e c t o r s

The couple have put their design expertise to great use when selecting and restoring cars, garnering four Best of Shows at Pebble Beach, along with numerous other awards, as Sam explains.

Emily and I both have design backgrounds, and in the early 1980s we began collecting automobiles—primarily European and US coachbuilt cars of the 1930s. That led to our first trip to Pebble Beach. The amazing succession of one-of-a-kind coachbuilt cars caught our attention as never before, and cemented our future collecting experience.

For the next 30-plus years we restored and entered 30 automobiles, and we still consider the Concours to be almost as magical as that first time. Not only does it attract the largest assortment of unique cars on the planet, but the demand that they meet the most exacting standard of quality, historic accuracy, aesthetics and mechanical operation ensures that future generations will be able to fully appreciate the achievement of beauty and the extraordinary skills of an earlier time—a time when simpler economics allowed an individual eye to conceive these designs and an individual hand to fashion them, with love for the work.

Below Three-time World Champion Sir Jackie Stewart accompanied his son Paul onto the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance podium to receive an award for Paul’s own Ferrari.

Shiro Nakamura, judge

Former Nissan Motor Co chief creative officer, and recipient of the Lifetime Design Achievement Award from Eyes On Design and the Art Center College of Design, Shiro serves as an honorary judge.

I was born in the same year as the Concours started, and my first experience of it came when I was at Art Center College in Pasadena in 1981. Since 2004 I’ve been a judge every year. Judging is really enjoyable, taking a closer look at beautiful cars and learning their history from the owners. It is a fascinating and inspiring experience for us automotive designers, as is reuniting with old friends and meeting new people who share the passion. We work as a team and we share great moments.

We don’t necessarily have the same opinion on design. Sometimes it is easy to reach a conclusion. Often it is not, because everyone has their own subjective evaluation. I enjoy listening to different observations, and I’m often inspired by the other perspectives. We always learn and receive inspiration from magnificent historic cars, but what I appreciate even more is that we can feel the passion and spirit of the people who designed them. It generates true energy for creating the future.

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Clockwise from top left Stephen F Brauer owns this Merlin Swandean Spitfire Special, while William E ‘Chip’ Connor (shown here with Jacque Connor) also attends the Concours as a spectator, entrant and judge.

The Hon Sir Michael Kadoorie has precious memories of his annual pilgrimage to Pebble Beach with Betty and their children.

Stephen F Brauer, Chief Honorary Judge and committee member

Chief honorary judge at the Concours, industrialist and former US Ambassador to Belgium, Stephen has shown cars at Pebble Beach since 1991 and is on the Selection Committee, too.

At an early age, I read everything I could on Ferrari and Jaguar, and I couldn’t wait for the Road & Track issues covering Sebring and Le Mans to hit the newsstands. The 1950s and early ’60s were such a glorious time for sports car racing. However, in the real world all I could afford were Model A Fords, which I spent more time repairing than driving. I also was heavily influenced by my stepfather Lee Hunter, a remarkable automotive genius, inventor and industrialist. His life was all about cars; mine followed suit.

In 2008 the Concours had a class for cars over 20 liters, and my wife, Kimmy, and I entered our supercharged Merlin Swandean Spitfire Special.

I’d found it in fairly rough condition and restored it over several years.

As we were waiting to go over the ramp, the engine, not surprisingly, was overheating badly, and with its 170-inch wheelbase and very low tensionmember bridge suspension under the frame, I was wondering whether it would clear the hump. It did, and it was a glorious moment to be perched on the ramp—even with the temperature gauge by now reading way off the scale and the badly overheating engine making an abominable noise.

I was lucky enough to have judged a couple of times each with Sir Stirling Moss and Gordon Murray. Walking the field at Pebble, talking racing history with Stirling and the evolution of automobile technology with Gordon... Well, it doesn’t get any better than that.

William E ‘Chip’ Connor, collector and judge

William, a businessman based in Asia, sits on numerous advisory bodies and boards including with the FIA, and attends the Concours as a spectator, entrant and judge.

Having been born and raised in Japan, for me high school was all about small-displacement motorcycles and 360cc ‘Kei’ cars. In fact, I drove a rented Mazda Carol ‘Kei’ car to my senior prom. It didn’t get better... until it did. Attending college in the United States witnessed the proverbial ‘deep dive’ into all things automotive. It started with Detroit muscle, and evolved into a passion for European sports cars. With each year I got smarter... and pickier.

Because my college years were spent in the San Francisco Bay Area, the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance became a regular part of my summer. Returning to Asia after graduation, what was a part of my college summer became a transpacific pilgrimage.

I’ve posted 35 consecutive years of Pebble Beach attendance and, thankfully, I am still counting. To this day I do not know of any concours event in the world that comes close to Pebble Beach in terms of the quality of the automobiles on the field and the quality of the judging. If one is serious about collecting cars, an award at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance ranks as the ne plus ultra credential in the world of vintage automobiles.

It was in 1997 that I was blessed in spades by that special credential.

I entered a 1937 Talbot-Lago T150C Figoni et Falaschi Coupé. I undertook an exhaustive, time-consuming restoration performed by the great Bob Mosier in California. The car was already special; it had won Best of Show at Bagatelle only two years before. But years of being ‘in the hobby’ made me understand what ‘special’ really meant when it came to Pebble Beach.

With Peter Mullin’s 1934 Voisin C27 Figoni cabriolet and twice Best of Show winner Ralph Lauren’s Bugatti Type 57 Gangloff Cabriolet among the cars competing alongside my Talbot-Lago, my hopes of winning my class, not to mention Best of Show, were not high. But that’s exactly what happened. The car was selected Best of Show. I experienced automotive nirvana in a state of disbelief that, in truth, I have not fully shed to this day. It doesn’t get any better.

The Hon Sir Michael Kadoorie, Collector

Hong Kong businessman Sir Michael has entered cars at the Pebble Beach Concours since 2002; his 1931 Bentley 8 Litre Gurney Nutting Sports Tourer won Best of Show in 2019.

I have so many precious memories of my annual pilgrimage from Hong Kong to the Concours with Betty and our children. The event has been an opportunity to get to know like-minded people from all walks of life, and form enduring friendships. Pebble has not only set the standards in judging, presentation and event management, but it has also been a catalyst for the growth of the classic car scene and the establishment and expansion of Car Week—a ‘must attend’ for any enthusiast.

Much credit and thanks are due to Sandra Button for her vision and tenacity in bringing the event to where it is today. She is a tireless ambassador for our hobby. Her commitment to involve and pass on the passion to the next generation, as well as the philanthropic work and fundraising, are both noteworthy and praiseworthy. Congratulations to the whole Concours family on the occasion of the event’s 70th anniversary.

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A DV E RT IS IN G

FEAT URE

BRINGING CONCOURS TO THE MASSES WeatherTech’s support of the livestream widens Pebble Beach’s audience

WEATHERTECH. IT’S A NAME THAT’S KNOWN THROUGHOUT THE US, but it’s only recently come to be associated with the concours world—and that’s largely thanks to company founder David F MacNeil.

Formed in 1989, WeatherTech is an American success story that started out when Illinois-based MacNeil became dissatisfied with the quality of automotive floor mats available at that time in the US. Initially importing higher-quality mats from the UK, David then decided to produce the mats in America, using American materials, American machines and American workers. Now the company is renowned for its range of long-lasting automotive floor mats as well as home and pet products. They are sold via more than 23,000 authorized dealers, and globally WeatherTech products are currently distributed to 90 countries, with a push to increase worldwide distribution over the coming months and years.

It seems appropriate, then, that WeatherTech presents the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance livestream, hosted by The Torque Show in partnership with Hagerty—bringing another American success story to the masses by allowing anyone around the world to watch proceedings as the Concours cars arrive and are judged and then awarded. The livestream has transformed the accessibility of the Concours, increasing the event’s reach not just geographically but also demographically. Crucially, thanks to the WeatherTech-presented livestream, the Concours is being seen by new, younger audiences.

MacNeil himself understands the enduring appeal of the Concours, being a regular Pebble Beach entrant. In 2019, his 1962 Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato was one of four Best of Show nominees, alongside three stunning coachbuilt pre-war machines: the eventual Best of Show-winning 1931 Bentley 8 Litre Gurney Nutting Sports Tourer; a 1938 Talbot-Lago T150C-SS Figoni et Falaschi Teardrop Cabriolet; and a 1936 Mercedes-Benz 540K Erdmann & Rossi Special Cabriolet.

This in Zagato’s centenary year, with David’s Aston up against 14 other Zagatos in its class, and with the judges including Andrea Zagato himself. The DB4 GT won the class, vindicating David’s decision to have it re-restored following its initial appearance at Pebble Beach in 2016. “It was fantastic, an experience that I shall never forget,” David told Aston Martin historian Stephen Archer. “Being a finalist was a very proud moment, and it was clear from the roar of the crowd that the DB4 GT was the people’s favorite.”

David and WeatherTech’s immersion in Car Week goes further still, because in 2018 the company took over the title sponsorship of the nearby Laguna Seca circuit, now named WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. This provided a huge boost to the world-famous track, which has since gone from strength to strength after some difficult times. Most recently it has announced that the 11-turn circuit is to be resurfaced for the first time in 15 years, and further facilities are to be improved along with a much-needed new Start/Finish bridge over the track that will allow golf buggies as well as pedestrians to cross. “I believe in sharing and preserving these wonderful classic cars for future generations,” explains David.

WeatherTech proudly continues its association with Pebble Beach for 2022.

For more information visit www.weathertech.com.

‘It seems appropriate that WeatherTech presents the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance livestream’

Clockwise from far left 2021’s Concours, livestreamed thanks to WeatherTech support; David F MacNeil’s Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato with other 2019 Best of Show nominees; Best in Class; and the Aston and David’s Ferrari 250GT TdF head off on the Tour.

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50s

The 1950s The Beginning

The early years at the Pebble Beach Concours, when new cars were prevalent and classics were yet to become the main focus.

IT WAS A POSH GATHERING, CERTAINLY—ONE THAT WAS suitable for the elite who gathered regularly at Pebble Beach on California’s Monterey Peninsula—but the first Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, held on November 4, 1950, wasn’t expected to continue long into the future. There was no real thought of celebrating history —or making it. Participants simply showed off their new cars and a few ribbons were handed out.

It was a simple social gathering, intended to provide an element of style and grace amidst the roar of engines and screaming brakes echoing through Del Monte Forest from enthusiasts in pursuit of a new American passion—European-style road racing.

The Pebble Beach Road Races were undoubtedly the main event, and the race-winning cars were the stars of the day. But only a few years later—as early as 1955, at the urging of one man and a panel of judges who were willing to think differently—the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance changed its focus from new to collector cars.

In the process, it came into its own as an event, shifting the very definition of a concours d’elegance.

The following year was its last pairing with the races, which moved to the purpose-built circuit of Laguna Seca after the tragic death of Ernie McAfee. Thereafter, the Concours would have to stand on its own.

It certainly achieved this... and the rest is history.

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Top A bowler-hatted chief judge Lucius Beebe and team.

Above Kay Qvale, wife of Lancia distributor Kjell, with 1956 Aurelia.

Top The first Concours paraded past the start of the Road Races course.

Above Elinor Chatfield-Taylor was Pebble Beach’s first female judge.

1952

1952

1953

1958

The Pebble Beach Concours moves onto The Lodge lawn.

A woman, Elinor Chatfield-Taylor, serves amongst our judges for the first time.

The Concours hosts its first special display, showcasing Mexican Road Race Winners.

Rolls-Royce becomes the first marque to get its own ongoing class. In fact, it gets two, and will often have three before another marque (Bentley) is so honored.

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THE EARLY YEARS

1950 (Above and above left) Sterling Edwards won the first Concours with his R-26 Special Sport Roadster.

1951 (Left) The first of three early wins for Jaguar was awarded to this Mark VII Saloon.

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1950 1954 TO

THE ORIGINAL PEBBLE BEACH CONCOURS D’ELEGANCE was modeled on the early concours that began in Paris and spread throughout the European Continent in the 1920s and ’30s. As with those events, Pebble Beach initially focused on celebrating new automobiles; Best of Show went to a contemporary car—three of them Jaguars—in each of the first five years.

The 1950 Edwards R-26 Special Sport Roadster created and shown

by Sterling Edwards took top prize at the first-ever Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in 1950—but if truth be told, winning Best of Show wasn’t strictly Edwards’ goal. He had his eye on victory at the Pebble Beach Road Races.

In fact, it was Edwards who had approached the Del Monte Properties Company, now the Pebble Beach Company, with a request that it consider hosting the first real road races on the West Coast in the post-World War Two era. He had passed that request directly to his good friend John B ‘Jack’ Morse, who was at that point in time president of the Del Monte Properties Company and a former Yale classmate of the Collier brothers, who were behind much of the road racing on the East Coast.

After the decision had been made to host the road races at Pebble Beach, a Concours was added to underscore a more social and genteel aspect of motor sports.

As with many automobile creators, Edwards had his eye on promoting a car by winning a race with it. So, after successfully pushing for the race at Pebble Beach, he entered the event with a racing prototype of the model he was hoping to manufacture in South San Francisco: the Edwards R-26, which had an Eddy Meyer-equipped Ford V8-60 and an alloy body designed by Edwards and built by Emil Diedt and Phil Remington.

He did not officially enter the Concours; he wasn’t even listed in the program for it. But at the last minute he decided to show his Edwards there, too. Doing so didn’t require much additional effort; the Concours was being judged just a few blocks from the start-finish line of the race, and Concours cars paraded down that start-finish straight on the day prior to the race in order to showcase their elegance to all.

After winning the Concours, the Edwards Special won its class in an early race, garnering the Del Monte Trophy. But in the big event, won by Phil Hill driving his Jaguar XK120, it came in 14th overall.

Edwards was a man of determination, and he entered the Pebble Beach

Following its European forerunners, the Pebble Beach Concours’ first incarnation focused on contemporary automobiles 1950 BEST OF SHOW

1950 Edwards R-26 Special Sport Roadster Shown by Sterling Edwards

1951 BEST OF SHOW

1951 Jaguar Mark VII Saloon Shown by Mrs Charles H Hornberg Jr

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THE EARLY YEARS

1952 A new Jaguar XK120 Fixed Head Coupé won out for British manufacturers yet again.

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‘The runner-up departed in fury, carving deep and long tire tracks into the lawn’ Road Races time and again, finally winning overall in 1953— driving a Ferrari 340 MM rather than a car of his own making.

Fast-forward several years, and when it came to the 1953 staging of the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, the assembled crowds witnessed an unexpected and unsportsmanlike bit of bad behavior.

When Best of Show was announced, the runner-up departed in fury, carving deep and long tire tracks into The Lodge lawn. Not in the spirit of the proceedings at all!

At that time British sports cars were all the rage, and Alfred Ducato’s Ferrari 212 Inter Coupé—which had been created by Vignale for the Geneva Auto Show, where it was widely hailed as “the most beautiful car in the world”—had lost out to an Austin-Healey 100.

1953

1952 BEST OF SHOW

1952 Jaguar XK120 Fixed Head Coupé

This 1953 Austin-Healey 100 beat a 212 Inter Coupé, to the Ferrari owner’s chagrin.

Shown by Glen Sorey Reserve winner

1952 Nash-Healey Convertible Shown by Joe Garcia Motors

1953 BEST OF SHOW

1953 Austin-Healey 100 Shown by Peter Clowes Reserve winner

1953 Ferrari 212 Inter Vignale Coupé Shown by Alfred Ducato

1954 BEST OF SHOW

1952 Jaguar XK120 Fixed Head Coupé Shown by Barclay Cotter

1954

Reserve winner

1913 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost Tourer

This marked the second time a Jaguar XK120 Fixed Head Coupé had taken top honors.

Shown by Alton H Walker

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BEST OF SHOW

1931 Pierce-Arrow 41 LeBaron Town Cabriolet Shown by Phil Hill Reserve winner

1934 Rolls-Royce Phantom II Continental Shown by L Ross Sine

THIS 1931 PIERCE-ARROW WAS THE FIRST CLASSIC automobile to win Best of Show at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.

The car has been with the Phil Hill family the whole of its existence, always residing in exactly the same garage until recently. “I still remember the day it was delivered,” recalled Hill, who was nearly four at the time.

“It was sensational when it was brand new.” It remains so today.

Hill, who won three of the seven Pebble Beach Road Races and went on to become America’s first World Drivers’ Champion, learned to drive in this car. He later took it to and from college, and later still, he restored it from the ground up and drove it to the 1955 Pebble Beach Concours.

“Restoring it was a labor of love,” Hill said. He didn’t expect the

This classic car with a famous owner put the Pebble Beach Concours on a new path and cemented the concept of restoring high-end collectables

1955

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This Pierce-Arrow 41 LeBaron Town Cabriolet set future tone for the Concours.

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Pierce-Arrow to win at the Concours; in fact, he doubted his car would be welcomed there. Prior to 1955, Best of Show had always gone to a model not long off the showroom floor; modern automobiles were clearly favored. A few valued antiques were also exhibited, but Hill’s car was neither new nor old. The term ‘classic’ had just been introduced as a specific reference to cars of the post-antique, pre-war era, but the term was little known and little accepted; models built between the wars were more often categorized as tow cars. Hill’s renovation of this Pierce-Arrow was most certainly one of the first complete restorations of a classic.

When he drove the Pierce onto the lawn of The Lodge at Pebble Beach, it drew immediate debate. A few strong-minded judges saw beyond category to quality, and the car won out. Hill had to rush over from working on his race car to accept the award.

Over the ensuing five decades, Hill put a number of ‘flogged miles’ on the car, taking it out several times annually—often for tours and rallies —and pushing it well above 70mph, and his restoration withstood the test of time. The top was replaced in the mid-1990s, and Hill retouched some of the paint just prior to the car’s appearance at the Pebble Beach Concours in 2000. It is now in the hands of Phil’s son Derek.

Best of Show went to the Pierce-Arrow, which Hill remembered being delivered as a child.

‘A few strong-minded judges saw beyond category to quality, and the car won out’ 82

1955

Hill and the Pierce-Arrow back at Pebble Beach in 2000.

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BEST OF SHOW

1930 Bugatti Type 37 Grand Prix Shown by Dr Milton R Roth Reserve winner

1953 Jaguar XK120M Shown by Jack A Jarmuth

THIS VICTORY BY DR MILTON ROTH’S BUGATTI TYPE 37 Grand Prix was the first of many wins for the marque. Bugattis have gone on to take our top award a total of nine times, making Bugatti equal with Mercedes-Benz as the winningest marques at Pebble Beach.

Dr Roth, a resident of Long Beach, Los Angeles, owned several collector cars, which he kept in a hanger, protected by suspended coverings. The models included a Cisitalia 202, a Bugatti Type 44 Cabriolet, a Mille Miglia Alfa Romeo and a one-third scale model of a Bugatti racing car, powered by a 12-volt battery and likely to have been modeled on a Type 35. The story goes that the scale model was made for Mussolini’s daughter or granddaughter.

The Type 37 was essentially a four-cylinder, 1.5-liter version of the straight-eight Type 35 Grand Prix car, designed for voiturette racing.

Using plain instead of roller bearings for the one-piece crankshaft in what was essentially half of the Grand Prix engine, it was much cheaper to produce and simpler to maintain, making it an easier choice for privateers or amateurs. Regardless of the lesser specification, Type 37s raced at Le Mans, the Mille Miglia and the Targa Florio.

The first win for a Bugatti was taken by a prominent Los Angeles car collector, who became a Pebble Beach Concours regular over the following few years

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1957 This winning Rolls-Royce Phantom III impressed the judges so much, the following year the British marque was awarded two classes entirely of its own

THE WIN BY THIS GRAND 1937 ROLLS-ROYCE PHANTOM III Mulliner Sedanca de Ville was indicative of the era. In many ways, Rolls-Royce motor cars ruled the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance from the late 1950s well into the 1980s. In 1958, the marque became the first to get its own dedicated ongoing class. In fact, it had two that year, and three the next. And in ensuing years it sometimes even had four full classes, long before other marques had even one.

There have been four Best of Show wins for Rolls-Royce models since this one in 1957—one for a Silver Ghost, the rest for Phantoms I, II and III. Why not more? Perhaps because Rolls-Royce models tended to be fitted with relatively sober coachbuilt bodies compared with many other marques during the inter-war period.

BEST OF SHOW

1937 Rolls-Royce Phantom III Mulliner Sedanca de Ville Shown by Frank B Cox Reserve winner

1931 Cord L-29 Cabriolet Shown by William A O’Brien III

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1958 How the chance purchase of a tatty ‘stop-gap’ car led one man to an eventual six Best of Show wins and established new concours standards

JB NETHERCUTT’S METICULOUS RESTORATION OF THIS 1930 duPont led to the first of his record six Best of Show wins at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, and helped to establish the standard of excellence for which the Concours is now known.

In 1956, Mr Nethercutt was on his way home, having just arranged to purchase a Duesenberg, when he spotted this duPont parked at a corner filling station. He says the car was in awful shape: “Its bumpers were missing and the interior fabric was flapping out the window in the breeze.”

Nonetheless, “the big, hulking monster” of a machine intrigued him and he took it home, intending to restore it in the three weeks prior to delivery of the Duesenberg. “I miscalculated slightly,” said Mr Nethercutt. “Nineteen months and $65,000 later, I finished the duPont.”

The restored car was first exhibited at the 1958 midwinter meet of the Classic Car Club of America, held in Skytop, Pennsylvania. There, it earned a record 99¾ points.

Mr Nethercutt and his wife, Dorothy, drove the car from Santa Monica to Pebble Beach for the 1958 Concours, encountering a freshly oiled road in the process. Once the duPont was in place for the show, the Nethercutts cleaned it themselves, using water with a bit of kerosene.

The restoration was so complete and the car so pristine that spectators simply stood around it in silent respect. The car now resides in the Nethercutt Collection in Sylmar, California.

BEST OF SHOW

1930 duPont Model G Merrimac Town Car Shown by JB Nethercutt Reserve winner

1934 Alfa Romeo Mille Miglia Shown by Dr Milton R Roth

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BEST OF SHOW

1939 Bugatti Type 57C Atalante Shown by JB Nethercutt Reserve winner

1913 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost Shown by BJ Missimer

JB NETHERCUTT IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWED HIS FIRST WIN in 1958 with a second victory in 1959, proving he was the person to beat.

This superb Bugatti is still on the concours circuit today, with another prolific collector. Less well known now than the Type 57 Atlantic, the Atalante is similar in shape but with a single-piece windscreen and without the Atlantic’s distinctive fin. Both were built on the Type 57S chassis, with the S standing for ‘Surbaissé’ (lowered), and while just four Atlantics were built, 17 Atalantes are thought to have been made.

The Atalante’s win was the second for Bugatti, but the first for a Type 57; aptly demonstrating the importance of the model, the Type 57 went on to take many more Best of Shows at Pebble Beach in its many guises including Type 57SC Atalante (the C standing for compressor, or supercharger), Atlantic, Saoutchik Cabriolet and Corsica Roadster.

This brightly hued Bugatti Atalante scored the second victory in a row for its owner, and set the tone for many future Type 57 wins at Pebble Beach

1959

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Entered by JB Nethercutt in 1959, this Bugatti is still on the concours circuit today.

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BENTLEY AT PEBBLE BEACH Tracking the marque’s past, present and future at the Concours shows there’s even more excitement to come

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A DV ERTI SI N G

Clockwise from opposite Pacific backdrop perfectly sets off a stunning line-up of Bentleys. In 1979 Phil Hill received the Pebble Beach Cup for his 1929 4 Litre S Vanden Plas, while Sir Michael Kadoorie’s 1931 8 Litre Gurney Nutting Sports Tourer won Best of Show at the marque’s 2019 centenary celebration. The wild EXP 100 GT concept hints at the future, and Bentley has always put in a strong showing at Laguna Seca.

BENTLEY MOTORS WAS ALREADY 31 YEARS OLD WHEN THE Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance launched in 1950 as a demure counterpoint to the road races that ripped through the nearby Del Monte Forest. As the intimate affair evolved into the crown jewel of the sprawling, week-long Monterey Car Week event we know today, so did Bentley. The brand was one of the first to receive its own marque-only class, in 1964, and the procession of Flying Bs on the 18th fairway became a fixture at what grew to become among the world’s most revered automotive events.

While the best of the best car makers enjoyed acclaim on the podium at the 18th hole, few could also claim success at the nearby Laguna Seca circuit as Bentley did. The construction of the track had arisen from the Pebble Beach Road Races, and Steve Earle eventually paired the circuit events with the Concours in 1974. These track-focused activities later became known as the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion. Bentley was also the rare brand that could earn a special place in the hearts and garages of legends such as racer Phil Hill, who won a Second in Class award with his 1931 4½ Litre in 1969.

Margaret Bentley, the widow of founder WO Bentley, was a special guest at the marque’s 60th anniversary celebration at Pebble Beach in 1979. Although 87 years old, she enjoyed a high-speed drive with cochairman Jules ‘J’ Heumann in a Hispano-Suiza. Heumann recalled: “She had no fear; she just wanted to go faster and faster.” That year Phil Hill once again received an accolade for a Bentley, this time the Pebble Beach

Cup for his 1929 4½ Litre S Vanden Plas four-cylinder double-valve OHC. The Volkswagen Group’s acquisition of Bentley in 1998 fueled the marque’s 21st-century renaissance, bolstering its credibility in racing with an overall win at the 2003 Le Mans 24 Hours. The feat recalled the brand’s early victories at the famed race, where the Bentley Boys claimed five wins between 1924 and 1930. Reinforcing the company’s reputation for real-world usability was a driving event co-founded in 2001 by Peter Hageman, who at the time was serving as chairman of the Northwest Region of the Bentley Drivers Club. By attracting owners from around the world to drive their Bentleys 1500 miles from the Pacific Northwest to Monterey, the event eventually merged with others to become the Pebble Beach Motoring Classic, a tradition that continues to this day.

The brand’s most impactful presence at Pebble Beach came on the occasion of its centenary in 2019. Marking the 100-year milestone were no fewer than 54 Bentleys competing in six classes, with Sir Michael Kadoorie’s 1931 8 Litre Gurney Nutting Sports Tourer earning the Best of Show top spot. Bentley’s achievements both cast a warm glow on the past and offered a glimpse into the brand’s future with the debut of the wild EXP 100 GT concept car. Not only does this one-off reimagine grand touring in the year 2035 through ground-breaking luxury and innovative design, it paves the way for Bentley’s Beyond100 initiative that will create an exclusively electric-powered line-up by 2030. The goal of future sustainability, capability and glamor is as grand and audacious a commitment to motoring as WO Bentley would have dared to envision.

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FEATUR E

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60s

The 1960s A Time of Testing

Celebrity Bob Hope entertained the crowds at the 1967 Concours; here he’s shown with Harold S Crosby’s 1932 Packard 903 Deluxe Eight.

THE 1960S WERE NOT THE EASIEST OF YEARS FOR THE Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance as it sought to affirm its own identity apart from the road races.

The decade began with a miss—one that wouldn’t be repeated until a pandemic hit 60 years later—when the combination of inclement weather followed by holiday-scheduling conflicts forced the event to skip a year, moving from late fall to the following spring. Twice more in the next half-dozen years, rain drove the competition from The Lodge lawn to Polo Field, eventually leading organizers to shift the event to the drier summer months.

The Concours also sadly lost both its lead judge, legendary bon

vivant Lucius Beebe, and its founding organizer, Gwenn Graham, before the decade concluded.

Nonetheless, the enthusiasm of entrants—particularly the friendly but stiff competition between JB Nethercutt and William Harrah— spurred the event forward. Nethercutt headed into the 1960s with two Best of Show winners in 1958 and ’59, but Harrah matched that in 1963 and ’64, then both men added a winner later in the decade and another in the 1970s. Nethercutt would go on to record two more wins, for a total of six—the most of any competitor in the event’s 70 years to date.

Amidst the competition, both men established sophisticated restoration operations, founding what is now a widespread industry.

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Top Randy Reinstedt on the ramp in his Jowett Jupiter in the mid-1960s.

Above Michael Henry Strater’s 1938 Bugatti T57C Atalante in 1961.

Top Classics now prevail as the Concours moves into the 1960s.

Above Pebble Beach judges with Lucius Beebe and JB Nethercutt.

1961

1962/68

1966

1967

1969

Having separated from the races, the Pebble Beach Concours institutes an admission fee— one dollar, to go to charity.

The oldest car ever to win, a 1913 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost Tourer, takes home Best of Show in 1962.

Six years later, in ’68, the trophy goes to a ’64 Maserati Mistral— the most recent winner ever.

The Pebble Beach Concours offers its first special award, named to honor its former lead judge Lucius Beebe.

Bob Hope steps to the microphone and entertains the crowd for a full 45 minutes.

Renamed the Gwenn Graham Concours d’Elegance, for the first organizer. It will revert to the Pebble Beach Concours when co-chairmen Lorin Tryon and Jules ‘J’ Heumann come on board in 1972.

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BEST OF SHOW

1930 Packard 740 Roadster Shown by Scott Newhall Reserve winner

1961 Rolls-Royce Phantom V Shown by Martin Martyn

THREE DECADES INTO ITS EXISTENCE, THIS PACKARD WAS lying in shambles in a San Francisco garage. Then Scott Newhall, executive editor of the San Francisco Chronicle, paid $100 to rescue it. With his wife, Ruth, Newhall restored the car and exhibited it at the 11th Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, ultimately taking the show’s top award.

That Concours was held in the spring of 1961, having been delayed from the prior November when bad weather forced its cancellation.

Twice more early in the decade, rains would force the Concours to move from The Lodge lawn to the polo field, so the event was eventually rescheduled to the summer when rains were much less likely.

Despite the many transitions, Newhall was an active participant from the 1950s through much of the 1960s. Once, after placing First in Class with a Mercedes-Benz, he gleefully showed off the specks of paint on his hands, having just completed the restoration the previous night.

Tragically, after its Best of Show win, the engine of his gorgeous 740 Roadster caught fire on the way home. The car was later re-restored, and Ruth went on to drive it on tours—with much aplomb, according to those she flew past.

Thereafter the car was owned by Willett H Tryon, Chris Bock, Tommy Crock, and then Paul Bonin and his son Fred. The Bonins toured the car extensively throughout the West and they showed it again at Pebble Beach in 2000.

“What do I like about it? Well, I’m a bulldozer man,” said Paul Bonin.

“This car is a big thing and it goes. It’s solid and it’s reliable. It has stalled a couple times, but it has never had to be towed home.”

‘Solid’ and ‘reliable’ are words used to describe this 1930 Packard 740 Roadster—but ‘stunning’, ‘well traveled’ and ‘much loved’ would equally suffice

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1962 The oldest-ever Pebble Beach Best of Show recipient, this Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost originally belonged to the Concours’ founding chairman himself

THIS 1913 ROLLS-ROYCE SILVER GHOST IS THE OLDEST CAR to have won the top award at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.

In fact, it is the only car built in the antique era (before World War One) to have been named Best of Show; next oldest among our past winners are two Hispano-Suiza H6B Labourdette Skiffs dating to 1922.

This Rolls-Royce took top honors when it was shown by Alton Walker in 1962. Walker lived just blocks from The Lodge at Pebble Beach, and he was instrumental in starting the Concours. After enthusiasts successfully lobbied for real European-style road races to be held at Pebble Beach in 1950, he worked with company publicist Gwenn Graham to add a European-style concours d’elegance. In fact, he served as its founding chairman that first year.

Walker loved a wide variety of cars, ranging from early antiques to a then-new Volkswagen Karmann Ghia, and from the start of the Concours he ensured that it showcased old cars alongside the new ones that were initially the focus. He himself often brought a handful of cars in the early years, and he continued to show models nearly every year right up to 1984, when at age 80 he competed with a 1926 Locomobile.

Despite his ecumenical taste, it is evident that the Rolls-Royce marque was Walker’s favorite. And in the 1960s and ’70s, it was the favorite of many Concours entrants, organizers and judges, too— particularly head judge Lucius Beebe, who once wrote a paean to Rolls-Royce for Esquire magazine. The Rolls-Royce is currently owned by enthusiast Sam Mann, who has recorded four Best of Show wins himself with automobiles that he has restored.

BEST OF SHOW

1913 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost London to Edinburgh Tourer Shown by Alton H Walker Reserve winner

1909 Welch Model 4-0 Shown by William Harrah

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1963 Pierce-Arrow returned to the top of its game in 1963 in the shape of William Harrah’s 41—the same model as Phil Hill’s pioneering contender from 1955 IN 1963, GAMING LEGEND WILLIAM HARRAH SERVED notice that he was up to the challenge, winning Best of Show with this 1931 Pierce-Arrow 41. Fittingly the car was of the same year, make and model that Phil Hill had shown in 1955, but Harrah’s Pierce-Arrow was bodied by LeBaron as a Custom Club Sedan.

Prior to this point, as a look at the top contenders from the first dozen years of the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance makes clear, JB Nethercutt was the man to beat. He had established his own meticulous standards for restoring cars, setting the bar for all other enthusiasts, and he had already garnered not one but two Best of Show awards at the event, winning with a duPont and a Bugatti.

Yet Harrah made certain that this Concours would be a competition and not a one-man show. He not only won in 1963, he did so again in 1964—so for a brief time, the two men were tied two-all. Harrah won yet again in 1966, but Nethercutt came back with two more victories as the decade ended.

Theirs was a rivalry — and a friendship—that continued for years.

This car is now in the care of Charals and Diana Haagen.

BEST OF SHOW

1931 Pierce-Arrow 41 LeBaron Custom Club Sedan Shown by William Harrah Reserve winner

1932 Packard Model 906 Shown by Harold S Crosby

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BEST OF SHOW

1935 Bugatti Type 50 Coupé Profilé Shown by William Harrah Reserve winner

1954 Bentley R-type Continental Shown by Dr Lawrence H Arnstein

BUGATTI GARNERED ITS THIRD WIN IN 1964, TYING IT WITH the number of victories racked up by new Jaguars in the first years of the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. In two short years, with another Best of Show, it would become the winningest marque at this Concours—a title it continues to hold but now shares with Mercedes-Benz.

The Type 50, which debuted in 1930 at the height of Bugatti’s luxury line, was intended as a super-sport car offering high performance. Built on a wheelbase that was initially 0.4 meters shorter than that of the marque’s Type 46, the Type 50 had a supercharged 4.9-liter engine and twin overhead camshafts. Later ‘T’ versions of the Type 50 reverted to the 3.5-meter wheelbase of the prior Type 46 so that they could carry four-door saloon coachwork.

A total of 65 Type 50s were built between 1930 and 1934, and most featured enclosed bodies. The Type 50 has been said to be the first characteristic creation of Ettore Bugatti’s son Jean, who was responsible for the bodywork styling and design of Bugatti cars from 1930 until his untimely death in 1939.

This particular Bugatti Type 50 Coupé Profilé was owned for years

by William Harrah of Reno, Nevada. It was Harrah who exhibited this car at the 1964 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, taking home the Best of Show award for the second year in a row. Ultimately Harrah would go on to record four wins at Pebble Beach. This car is now owned

by Evert Louwman of Raamsdonksveer in The Netherlands.

With nine Best of Shows under its belt, Bugatti is among the winningest names at Pebble Beach. This Type 50 Coupé Profilé is a classic example of the marque

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The Type 50 was intended as a super-sport car offering high performance.

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BEST OF SHOW

1927 Bentley 41/2 Litre Vanden Plas Tourer Shown by Christopher F Coburn Reserve winner

1911 Renault AX Roadster Shown by BJ Missimer

IN 1964, BENTLEY JOINED ROLLS-ROYCE AS A RECOGNIZED favorite marque among early Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance attendees. It was accorded two ongoing classes—Bentley Pre-War and Bentley Post-War—in addition to the three classes already extant for Rolls-Royce. And these continued well into the 1980s. Duesenberg would finally join them with an ongoing class in 1972 and Ferrari in 1973, while Bugatti and Mercedes-Benz would sporadically begin to be accorded classes toward the end of that decade.

With such a background, the 1965 Best of Show win by this 1927 41/2 Litre Vanden Plas Tourer, yet another magnificent creation of WO Bentley, came as no great surprise.

Bentley’s position as a much-loved marque was cemented in 1965 when this 1927 41/2 Litre Vanden Plas Tourer took Best of Show at Pebble Beach

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1966 One of just six Royales ever built, this imposing yet majestic masterpiece represented the pinnacle of Jean Bugatti and Henri Binder’s creativity

ETTORE BUGATTI’S MASTER-WORK, THE TYPE 41—BETTER known as the Royale—offers majesty unmatched by other automobiles.

The Royale is six meters long with a wheelbase of 4.3 meters and 24inch wheels. It is powered by an eight-cylinder 12.7-litre engine. The chassis alone originally sold for about $20,000-$25,000, and the coachwork generally cost another $15,000-$20,000.

Just six Bugatti Royales were created, between 1927 and 1933, and all six have been gathered together just once—for the 1985 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. That was the second trip to Pebble Beach for this 1931 Type 41. William Harrah of Reno, Nevada, restored the car

BEST OF SHOW

1931 Bugatti Type 41 ‘Royale’ Binder Coupé de Ville Shown by William Harrah Reserve winner

1934 Rolls-Royce Phantom II Shown by Robert A Davies

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This car returned to Pebble Beach to join with the other five Royales at the 1985 Concours.

and originally showed it at the 1966 concours, easily taking Best of Show.

This Bugatti, officially chassis 41111, was commissioned by Parisian clothier Armand Esders. The initial body, a massive Roadster for just two people, was designed by Ettore Bugatti’s son Jean and crafted by Henri Binder. A few short years into its life, that body was removed and replaced by a formal Coupé de Ville, also crafted by Binder. Bulletproof glass and armor plating were added then, too. The rebodied car was said to be for King Carol of Romania, but he never took delivery.

During the war, the Bugatti was crated and hidden in the sewers of Paris. Thereafter, the car went through several owners, in both England and the US. William Harrah and Harrah’s Automobile Collection had the Royale for more than two decades, then sold it to General William Lyon.

Before the last century concluded, it was purchased by Volkswagen AG, which now owns the rights to the marque Bugatti.

What is it like to drive a Bugatti Royale? Witness this description from a pamphlet about the model: “After settling oneself behind the large steering wheel, the view down the long sleek hood is almost one of dismay; but after getting underway and finding that the steering is most precise and comfortable, the great car begins to ‘shorten itself’ and one begins to feel more at ease. One really never loses the impression that this is a huge automobile, and this, topped with the knowledge of its great worth, demands respect.”

‘During the war, this 1931 Type 41 Coupé de Ville was crated and hidden in the sewers of Paris’ 110

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1967 As a multi-Concours contender, this Rolls-Royce Phantom III became the inspiration for Pebble Beach’s eventual once-a-decade entry rule

AT THE 1967 PEBBLE BEACH CONCOURS D’ELEGANCE, THIS 1937 Rolls-Royce Phantom III with a saloon body by HJ Mulliner received the Lucius Beebe Trophy for best Rolls-Royce just prior to being named Best of Show. It also won the Rolls-Royce Owners’ Club National Meet later in the year.

The motor car was first created for TC Maryon-Wilson of Surrey, England. It was later brought to the US by Kenneth Horacio Wallace, who was subsequently involved in an accident with it after which he rebuilt it. He is believed to have made a few revisions to it at that point.

After Ralph C Shermund bought the car, it took him several years to put things to rights—and Shermund made certain his efforts were recognized. After the saloon took top prize in 1967, Shermund showed it again at Pebble Beach in 1968, 1971, 1972 and 1975, taking many more prizes, and he also displayed it at several other events throughout the West. Soon thereafter, the Concours established the rule that a car could be shown only once every ten years.

BEST OF SHOW

1937 Rolls-Royce Phantom III HJ Mulliner Saloon Shown by Ralph C Shermund Reserve winner

1932 Packard Sport Phaeton Shown by Harold S Crosby

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BEST OF SHOW

1964 Maserati Mistral Coupé Shown by Stanley W Good Jr Reserve winner

1965 Bentley S3 Saloon Shown by J van Amerongen

CONSIDERED AN OUTLIER AMONG OTHER PEBBLE BEACH Concours d’Elegance Best of Shows of the period, this Maserati took the top prize while still a relatively new car.

Its win was emblematic of the growing appreciation for Italian cars and coachwork in the post-war era—the Maserati shared its European Sports Cars Over $7000 class with a Ferrari 250GT and a Lamborghini, although the majority of post-war entrants in 1968 were still Jaguar sports cars of the 1950s and ’60s.

It’s interesting that runner-up (or Reserve Winner) to the Best of Show was also a post-war car, this time a 1965 Bentley S3. It would be 2014 before Best of Show went to a post-war car again, this time for Jon Shirley’s one-off Scaglietti-bodied 1954 Ferrari 375 MM—a very different proposition to this 1964 Maserati Mistral Coupé.

This year saw a rare post-war win, as this 1964 Maserati Mistral reflected the growing interest in Italian cars and coachwork of more modern times

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This Maserati was entered in the European Sports Cars Over $7000 class.

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BEST OF SHOW

1934 Duesenberg J Murphy-style Dual Cowl Phaeton Shown by JB Nethercutt Reserve winner

1934 Rolls-Royce Phantom II Continental Carlton Shown by Robert A Davies

THE TWO-TONE GREEN DUAL COWL PHAETON BODY OF THIS 1934 Duesenberg J was lovingly created by the Nethercutt team to replace a car that was lost to the collection after a series of trades. The Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance selection process seeks to avoid such replicas today—but it is a lovely automobile.

Today, the car still wears its reproduction body, so it is referred to as being ‘Murphy-style’. JB Nethercutt did once own the original, but there came a time when he needed funds, so he sold many of his great cars to his friend William Harrah. He hoped he could buy most of them back—but by the time he could do so, some had been sold, including the original Murphy-bodied Duesenberg, so the copy was created.

Although a model rebodied out of period wouldn’t be eligible for Best of Show any more, this is still a Duesenberg Model J, one of the greatest pre-war cars ever made—and a very good-looking version at that.

A loving recreation of a Murphy-bodied 1934 Duesenberg J Dual Cowl Phaeton was sufficiently stunning to take the crown at the final Concours of the 1960s

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SHOW AND SELL:

THE PAIRING OF CONCOURS AND AUCTION Serving as an indicator of the market’s standing as well as trends in the collector car world, the Pebble Beach Auctions play a pivotal role in the overall success story B y Dav i d G o o d i n g , P r e s i d e n t o f G o o d i n g & C o m pa n y

THE ACT OF SHARING AND SHOWING CARS HAS OFTEN BEEN paired with selling them, and that has been true for the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance since its inception—although initially the link was an informal one and pertained primarily to the sale of new models. West Coast luxury dealerships advertised in the early printed programs (in fact, Kjell Qvale’s British Motor Car Distributors underwrote much of the cost of the first of them) and often showcased their cars nearby. In the 1970s, makers began to partner with the event, hosting potential buyers there and building their own exhibits. In 1986, Rick Cole established an auction for collector cars to be held in the area during the Concours weekend, and a few years later the Concours decided to pair with an auction house more directly. The rest is history, as David Gooding explains.

1935 Duesenberg SJ ‘Mormon Meteor’ Speedster. It has been an upward trajectory since then, and we, along with our beloved and celebrated auctioneer Charlie Ross, have continued to set new records for marques and models across the board at our yearly event.

As has been proven time and time again throughout these years, the Pebble Beach Concours is the leading place to sell a car in the entire world, where the top prices are paid, no contest. This success comes due to the confluence of the most passionate automobile people that flock to the Monterey Peninsula each August to attend the week’s events. However, it’s not just the most prominent and famous car collectors that make the scene, but it’s also the dedicated restorers, talented mechanics, knowledgeable historians and all of the industry experts that make the events at Pebble Beach so special.

Aside from the unmatched automotive excellence, what I really enjoy about the Pebble Beach Auctions is how the market speaks in real time, not only to us, but to the whole world. I love the exciting unknown element that unfolds in front of our very eyes, captivating not just car enthusiasts, but also those who appreciate economics and business dynamics. Gooding & Company’s Pebble Beach Auctions are watched closely not only by the motoring industry, but by those outside of the automotive sphere who are interested in cars as art and collector pieces.

Our auctions serve as an indicator of the market’s standing, its relation to other markets, and the overall economy—making our role incredibly fun and exciting, but also one with a great responsibility.

We have a beautiful, symbiotic relationship with the Concours as the official auction house, as we are constantly gleaning from the car show

Ever since the inaugural Pebble Beach Auctions in August 1990, I’ve been intimately linked with the principal auctions at the world’s greatest car show. At that time, I was a member of Christie’s, and we were tasked with conducting the first-ever auctions at Pebble Beach. From that moment on, the Pebble Beach Auctions have become synonymous with this premier event, serving as the bellwether of the collector car market.

My relationship with the Pebble Beach Auctions deepened around 17 years ago, when Sandra Button phoned me to ask if the newly founded Gooding & Company wanted to take up the spot as the official auction house after Christie’s vacated its position. We agreed, and in 2004, we conducted our first-ever auction as a company at Pebble Beach, setting the record for the highest price of any car sold that weekend with the

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The annual Pebble Beach Gooding & Company sale provides a show in itself, especially when David Gooding and Charlie Ross take to the podium.

trends and indicators of where the market is heading, as well as influencing the market with our sales. One such example of this interplay occurred when we sold a 1970 Porsche 917K in 2017, setting a world record not only for the model, but also for the marque. This year, just a few years later, the 917 was a featured class at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, and it was a huge hit. I think we certainly had something to do with that. By bringing these rare objects onto the world stage at our auctions, we are able to present them in a new light.

Beyond the monetary value of hosting our auctions at Pebble Beach, we also strive to facilitate the transfer of beloved family assets from treasured estates to new homes. We dearly enjoy finding the right buyers for each car, and delivering the vehicles to new custodians who will treasure them and care for them in the ways that they deserve. This year, we witnessed a special moment with the sale of an iconic 1929 Bugatti Type 35B Grand Prix that went to an exuberant young collector who wanted to present the car at the Concours the next day in place of an accepted entry that was still on the high seas due to worldwide shipping delays. Arrangements were made, and the car was not only exhibited, but it was also awarded the Chairman’s Trophy. Through this generational transaction, we watched this incredible object pass from one loving home to another in the most spectacular way—something that could only happen at Pebble Beach.

Gooding & Company has been fortunate to play a monumental role at the Pebble Beach Concours from the very start of our journey as an auction house, and I am so excited to see what the future holds—not only for our annual Pebble Beach Auctions, but for the collector car market as it is determined at the Concours, year after year.

‘We dearly enjoy delivering the cars to new custodians who will treasure them’ 119

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The 1970s A New Era Gets Underway

As seen in this image rich with era-perfect sartorial style, the Hart-owned 1952 OSCA MT4 Spyder won the Pebble Beach Cup in 1977.

HAVING LOST ITS LEADERS, THE PEBBLE BEACH CONCOURS was somewhat adrift as it entered its third decade, but two men soon took it in hand, setting it on the path to success. Enthusiasts Lorin Tryon and Jules ‘J’ Heumann, a wool broker and a furniture maker respectively, were overheard talking about what they’d do to improve the Concours—and they were challenged to put their words into action.

In 1972, the event’s newly appointed co-chairmen focused on improving the choice of invited cars, emphasizing the importance of the between-the-wars Classic Era when many auto brands and coachbuilders were at their zenith. Next, ‘featured marques’ introduced enthusiasts to a full range of US and European creations. In previous

years, Rolls-Royce and Bentley had often garnered the majority of awards, but increasingly the works of Bugatti, Mercedes-Benz, Hispano-Suiza, Isotta Fraschini, Duesenberg, Packard and Chrysler would earn the top trophy. Lorin and J recognized the growing allure of post-war cars, too, particularly from Maranello. Ferrari was given an ongoing class in 1973, and was then awarded its own perpetual trophy.

J and Lorin also introduced a radical new two-tiered system still in use today. Marque or model experts assess their class, and only class winners go on to compete for Best of Show, while honorary judges present various special awards. Accolades for the 1972 Concours were immediate; Lorin and J would continue to oversee it for the next quarter century.

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Top The pair steered the Concours to ever-new highs for many decades.

Above Fenders and flares, 1977 style; Michael Gertner’s 1913 Mercer.

Above Jules ‘J’ Heumann and Lorin Tryon set Pebble Beach back on the path to success after being appointed as co-chairmen.

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Steve Earle suggests pairing the Concours with Historic races at Laguna Seca Raceway, so creating a full weekend of vintage auto racing and style echoing that period of the early 1950s.

To add a bit of fun after the Concours, a Fire Engine is invited onto the ramp—which collapses.

Officials had ascertained the weight of the fire engine—but forgot to add the water weight.

Merv Griffin auctions off the original art for the 25th anniversary Concours poster to raise charity dollars.

Margaret Bentley, the widow of WO, is on hand to pass out awards to winning Bentleys, one of the year’s featured marques.

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1970 This imposing and magnificent Daimler Double-Six went from Buckingham Palace to serving duty as a chicken coop before being crowned at Pebble Beach

THREE DAIMLER DOUBLE-SIXES HAVE GARNERED THE TOP award at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, and each exhibits an imposing and magnificent presence.

Daimlers have sometimes been chosen to serve Britain’s Royal Family, and when JB Nethercutt purchased this car in 1968, he was told by the previous owner that it had been used at Buckingham Palace.

However, he had his doubts, since the vehicle was by then doing duty as a chicken coop at a very modest home in Kent, UK. After an 18-month restoration, prior to competing at the Pebble Beach Concours, JB drove this car more than 3000 miles to the 18th annual meeting of the Classic Car Club of America, held in Buck Hill Falls, Pennsylvania—where it placed first overall with 97 points.

Somewhere along the way, he nicknamed it ‘The Gutless Wonder’, because he felt its V12 sleeve-valve engine was underpowered— although it was as quiet and smooth as original ads promised. The motor also had a tendency to solidify in cold temperatures, so on several early mornings the Nethercutt team had to bath the engine in warm water and change the oil weight to get it running.

The car’s two-tone color scheme underscores its formal elegance and length of line, and it easily beat the competition at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance that summer. Fittingly, the victory with this Double-Six marked the second time that Nethercutt had recorded two consecutive wins.

BEST OF SHOW

1931 Daimler Double-Six 50 Royal Limousine Shown by JB Nethercutt Reserve winner

1934 Rolls-Royce Phantom II Shown by Robert A Davies

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1971

It took more than 20 years for a Mercedes-Benz to win Best of Show at the Pebble Beach Concours—but once it did, the floodgates were open A PRE-WAR MERCEDES-BENZ WAS AMONG THE FEW EARLY cars to be shown at the first Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, in 1950, and the marque was often represented on the competition field in ensuing years. However, it didn’t garner the top prize until this 1927 Mercedes-Benz S Three-Door Tourer, shown by Owen Owens, was named Best of Show at Pebble Beach in 1971. This S Tourer is built on the same chassis as the standard 680S by Sindelfingen, but its exquisite sporting three-door body is very different from the norm, and it is likely the only S Tourer with a body by Gangloff.

JB Nethercutt came close to scoring a consecutive three-peat of wins, but his 1930 Rolls-Royce Phantom II Brewster Marlborough Town Car had to settle for recognition as winner of the Reserve Trophy and the Lucius Beebe Award.

Just two years later, a 1939 Mercedes-Benz 540K Cabriolet Coupé, shown by media magnate Otis Chandler, would score another win for the marque. And over time, Mercedes-Benz would be recognized with a total of nine Best of Show trophies, tying it with Bugatti as the winningest marques at Pebble Beach. This Mercedes-Benz is now in the care of The Keller Collection at The Pyramids.

BEST OF SHOW

1927 Mercedes-Benz S Three-Door Tourer Shown by Owen Owens Reserve winner

1930 Rolls-Royce Marlborough Town Car Shown by JB Nethercutt

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BEST OF SHOW

1922 Hispano-Suiza H6B Labourdette Skiff/Torpédo Shown by Mr and Mrs Jules M Heumann

1972 The most advanced luxury car of 1919 went on to take top honors at Pebble Beach more then 50 years later—much to the surprise of its owner

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1972

After winning at Pebble Beach, Heumann went on to drive his car across continents.

THE HISPANO-SUIZA MARQUE DATES BACK TO THE EARLY 1900s, but it earned its reputation for excellence by supplying engines to Allied air aces during World War One. Thereafter, at the Paris Auto Salon of 1919, the brand introduced the H6 to the motoring world.

This was widely acclaimed as being the most advanced luxury car of the year. Its speed, handling, elegance and grace went unmatched through much of the next decade.

This 1922 Hispano-Suiza H6B was first purchased in Paris by a Mr Sanz. Originally bearing a formal body by Million-Guiet, the car was rebodied in 1926 or 1927 by Henri Labourdette. Regrettably, its history through the next 30 years has been lost. Somehow the H6B made its way to Sepulveda, California, where Jules Heumann purchased it at a probate sale in 1963. The car had been stored for years in a dilapidated old barn with holes in the roof. On dry days, dirt sifted down onto the engine’s crankcase. On rainy days, that dirt turned to mud.

Restoring the car was no easy task. Heumann did the work himself over the course of nine years, completing the restoration and bringing the car to the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in 1972. That same year, Heumann and Lorin Tryon had agreed to jointly take on the task of overseeing the Pebble Beach Concours as its co-chairmen.

When it was time to announce the Best of Show winner, Heumann was more than a little surprised; the award, which was decided by secret ballot of the chief class judges and the chief honorary judge, was to go to his Hispano-Suiza.

Chief honorary judge Strother MacMinn called Heumann “a superb craftsman in his hobby”, and declared that his restoration “set the pace” for future Pebble Beach winners.

“That was surely the most thrilling day of my life,” Heumann said later. After the win, he drove this car throughout the US and Europe.

The Hispano-Suiza is now in the Keller Collection.

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BEST OF SHOW

1939 Mercedes-Benz 540K Special Cabriolet A Shown by Mrs Otis Chandler

BETWEEN 1936 AND 1940, MERCEDES-BENZ PRODUCED A total of 419 540Ks—named for the powerful 5.4-liter straight-eight engine delivering 115bhp. A number of standard bodies were offered by the marque’s Sindelfingen factory, including various Cabriolets and a Special Roadster—but this particular 540K bears a Special Cabriolet A body commissioned by a client in Paris and combining the classic lines of a cabriolet with the raked V windshield of the roadster. There is just one other Special Cabriolet A, and it is on a 500K. The car has had several well known owners, including American operatic tenor James Melton, Tom Barrett and General William Lyon.

Los Angeles Times publisher Otis Chandler purchased it in the early 1970s, and had it restored by Richard Martin.

In keeping with early concours, where cars were often exhibited by women donning the latest Parisian fashions, Otis Chandler entered the car in the name of his wife, Marilyn. At the time it was a lively two-tone green. Its livery changed to bright red during a later restoration. The Special Cabriolet A has been more recently in the care of Don Williams and the Blackhawk Collection.

This unique Mercedes-Benz 540K Special Cabriolet A has had a succession of celebrated owners before and since its Pebble Beach Concours win

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This Special Cabriolet A combines the classic lines of a cabriolet with a roadster’s raked V windshield.

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BEST OF SHOW

1929 Rolls-Royce Phantom I Brewster Regent Shown by ML Post

THIS DELIGHTFUL SPRINGFIELD ROLLS-ROYCE PHANTOM I (chassis S377LR with body 7131) is said to be the first Regent Convertible Coupé to be listed in the documents of Rolls-Royce of America. The Regent is sometimes confused with the Playboy Roadster because it has a similar two-seater-with-rumble-seat configuration.

However, the Regent was available only as an original body, not as a replacement for early Phantoms, and the workmanship was superior to that of the Playboy Roadster.

It is likely that this car was originally conceived as a Christmas gift; it was first delivered on December 24, 1929 to one Ross Ambler Curran of Burlingame, California. After that, it spent the whole of its life West of the Mississippi River, until it was sold to Otto Rausch in Germany in 2008 and returned across the Atlantic.

As the first Regent Convertible Coupé to be listed with Rolls-Royce of America, this two-seater spent its entire life in the US until it returned to Europe in 2008

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1975 Unusually for the period, this 1934 Packard was bodied in-house—and four decades later its exquisite lines were rewarded with a Best of Show

THE PACKARD MARQUE HAS GARNERED A TOTAL OF FOUR wins at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, and two of those victories took place in the mid-1970s.

The winning car in 1975, an 1101 model, wears a factory 1101 Convertible Victoria body, which was one of 13 different standard styles offered by Packard for 1934. A few chassis were clothed by independent coachbuilders of the time, but Packard was unusual in keeping most of its coachwork production in-house.

Remember, too, that this particular car would have been produced in the aftermath of the Great Depression, when sales of luxury automobiles were at a low. Packard didn’t escape the downturn, but it fared better than many, securing more than 40 percent of the domestic luxury car market in 1934, well ahead of Cadillac and Lincoln.

BEST OF SHOW

1934 Packard 1101 Convertible Victoria Shown by Robert Milhous

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BEST OF SHOW

1937 Bugatti Type 57SC Atalante Shown by William Harrah

WITH HIS FOURTH BEST OF SHOW TROPHY IN HAND, William Harrah tied JB Nethercutt once again. Regrettably, this was to be Harrah’s last win; the casino magnate died in 1978.

Chassis 57551 was the first of four Type 57 Atalante Coupés produced with streamlined headlamps during the summer of 1937. It was finished in black with pigskin upholstery, and its first owner was Jean Lévy, the deputy administrator of a nearby grain-milling company.

Lévy used the Atalante until the outbreak of World War II and then hid it on a family-owned farm in Dordogne. In 1946 it was sold in Paris, but the new owner retained 57551 for less than a year before it was acquired by a Parisian and then displayed at the International Concours d’Elegance de Confort et de Technique de la Carrosserie in 1949. By this point its bodywork had been professionally restyled and modified.

The Atalante then passed through several more owners before it was shipped to the United States in 1959. In the spring of 1961, it was bought

by William Harrah, who commissioned a body-off restoration. The body was returned to closer to its original form and refinished in Patrol Cream and Lemon Oxide. A supercharger was fitted to bring it to 57SC specification. Soon after, it won Best of Show at Pebble Beach.

Following William Harrah’s passing it sold to a new owner, Dr Herbert Boyer, and then twice moved on again, ending up in the Patterson Collection. Through much of this time the Atalante remained little used, still in Harrah’s color scheme. But in 2014 the Patterson Collection commissioned a full restoration with RM Restorations, in which the rear end of the car was returned to its factory shape. It was finished in a stylish black and green, closer to its original all-black look.

It was in this form that the Atalante finally returned to the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in 2014.

Refinished in an eye-catching two-tone color scheme, this Bugatti Atalante provided William Harrah with his fourth and final Best of Show win

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In the third of its four guises, 57551 wowed the judges at the Pebble Beach Concours.

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1927 Packard 343 Murphy Convertible Sedan Shown by Mr and Mrs Phil Hill

THIS IS ONE OF THREE PACKARD 343S TO BE FITTED with a Murphy Convertible Sedan body, and it is believed to be the only surviving example. The body, designed by the legendary W Everett Miller, was a Murphy specialty, incorporating remarkably thin ‘clear-vision’ cast brass pillars.

The Fairbank family, which was heavily involved in Canada’s rail and oil industries, originally purchased this car for $9200, and the Packard remained in their possession until Phil Hill purchased it in 1967. Hill, his partner Ken Vaughn, and Bob Mosier, who was the first Hill and Vaughn employee, worked together to restore the car, and their efforts culminated in Hill’s second Best of Show win at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. Its lilac paint was modeled after a well preserved original Packard that Hill spotted during a visit to William Harrah’s collection.

“To restore a car to the level of a Pebble Beach winner is a really tough job, especially if you do the work yourself,” said Hill later. “In fact, after doing my Pierce in 1954, it was several years before I could bring myself to even think about doing another.”

He continued: “In some cases, when the restoration is particularly troublesome, you almost hate the car when it’s done. I never felt that way about the Pierce, but for a while I wasn’t so fond of that ’27 Packard. The whole effort to restore it was so great that it was a good while before I could actually like the car again. Happily that feeling didn’t last. Now, without fail, when I take that car out, it pleases me more than I ever thought it could.

“Sometimes the reward for a restoration comes later—sometimes much later, even years later, when you meet the car again and are able to appreciate it in a much freer and more wholesome way.”

The 343 is now with the Academy of Art University in San Francisco.

Sole-surviving Packard 343 Murphy Convertible Sedan was restored by racing legend Phil Hill to give him his second Pebble Beach Best of Show

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1978 For the owner of 1929 Duesenberg J LeBaron Dual Cowl Phaeton ‘Big Red’, Pebble Beach was like the World Series and Super Bowl all rolled into one

A FORMER MARINE WHO BECAME A REAL ESTATE developer, Pete Rosi’s love of cars began with a Model T Ford, and as a teenager hot rods drew his eye. But his passion grew to focus on American classics, which he loved to not only own, restore and share in concours, but to drive, too—all over the US and Canada.

He hailed from St Charles, Illinois, so the win by his Duesenberg J LeBaron Dual Cowl Phaeton marked the first by an entry from East of the Mississippi River. The Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance was fast becoming a national contest, and it would soon cross the Atlantic, drawing cars from throughout Europe.

Rosi later compared the Pebble Beach Concours to “the World Series and Super Bowl all rolled into one”, and said the effort to show a car at Pebble Beach was “like climbing Mount Everest”. As for winning? “It does have an effect on your life. That glow... I still have that glow more than 20 years later.”

Identifiable by their distinctive ‘sweep panel’, just 18 Duesenberg J LeBaron Dual Cowl Phaetons were produced, and they are highly prized among collectors. This particular example (J-223) was delivered new to the Los Angeles area, and eventually passed into the hands of Texas collector Dave Pennington, who participated with it regularly in various Duesenberg events—so much so that ‘Big Red’ became well known. Rosi purchased the car in 1973 and painstakingly restored it, taking Best of Show at the 1977 Auburn Cord Duesenberg Club National Reunion before entering it at Pebble Beach.

Rosi sold ‘Big Red’ to New Jersey collector Robert Rooke in 1981.

Thereafter, it went into seclusion for three-and-a-half decades, until its purchase in 2016 by the Lehrman Collection, where it now resides.

BEST OF SHOW

1929 Duesenberg J LeBaron Dual Cowl Phaeton Shown by Peter Rosi

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1979 This year’s win highlighted Chryslers from the early 1930s, an era when the marque competed with other top names at the highest reaches of the car market THE 1979 VICTORY FOR THIS 1931 CG WAS THE FIRST OF TWO wins for Chrysler so far at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. This era and model from the marque was particularly special, the result of Walter P Chrysler’s quest to compete in the very top echelons of the luxury American automobile market alongside the likes of Cadillac, Duesenberg, Packard, Pierce-Arrow and Lincoln.

Initially Chrysler had only its six-cylinder engine to offer, but for 1931 it introduced a straight-eight powerplant along with various other technical innovations that were considered extremely advanced at the time, including Lockheed hydraulic brakes as well as automatic heater control, adjustable front seats, plus steering column and safety glass.

The majority of bodies were supplied by Briggs and LeBaron, with the latter offering four different styles. One example of the model set numerous speed records in the hands of Harry Hartz at Daytona Beach, while a roadster was also entered into the 1931 Le Mans 24 Hours.

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1931 Chrysler CG LeBaron Dual Cowl Phaeton Shown by Mr and Mrs Gerry Jensen

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The 1980s The World’s Stage

The fashions may have changed, but the setting and quality of exhibits at the Concours remain the same through the decades.

WORLDWIDE ACCLAIM FOR THE PEBBLE BEACH CONCOURS stems largely from its never-before-imagined displays—and the first to draw truly global interest was 1985’s Royale Gathering, which united all six examples of Ettore Bugatti’s masterwork, the Type 41 ‘Royale’.

Two Royales were ensconced in the Musée National de l’Automobile de France, and efforts to secure them involved the US State Department and its French equivalent, Customs Departments and several corporate attorneys. Ultimately, these Royales were the first cars to be granted full diplomatic immunity, and they had to be flown to the US on two separate, direct flights. Pebble Beach Company loaned the Concours $50,000 to cover expenses, and supporters donated $100,000, too.

Of the Royales on US soil, the Harrah Collection had two in nonrunning condition, while The Henry Ford agreed to send its car only after the Harrah Collection offered to cover costs and loan the museum one of its Royales after the Concours. Briggs Cunningham simply loaded his Royale on a flatbed, threw a tarp over it and drove it up the coast. All six Royales posed on The Lodge lawn for photographs and then were placed on what is now the Concours Lawn for all to view.

Additional Concours displays in the 1980s paired Briggs Cunningham with many of his creations, from the Cadillac 61 that became ‘Le Monstre’ to the Cunningham C-6R, and Nuccio Bertone with the first gathering of all three of his Alfa Romeo BATs.

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Top Nuccio Bertone was at the first gathering of all three of his Alfa BATs. Above Stewart, Fangio and Hill with Alfa Romeo Tipo 159 Alfetta in 1985.

Top 1985 Royale Gathering united all six examples of Bugatti Type 41.

Above Briggs Cunningham was a long-standing Concours supporter.

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To honor the Mercedes-Benz centennial, Fangio and Moss grace the ramp in a Patent-Motorwagen three-wheeler replica—and nearly topple over. Mechanics race to keep them upright.

Corvettes—a full baker’s dozen, including Sting Rays and Manta Rays, as well as an Aerovette— are on special display.

The Concept Lawn gets its start with a display of US Dream Cars next to The Lodge. It’s repeated in 1990 and ’92, and by ’93 it’s become a showcase of current concepts from manufacturers.

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1933 Duesenberg SJ Rollston Arlington Torpedo Sedan Shown by JB Nethercutt

THIS DUESENBERG WAS BUILT FOR THE CENTURY OF Progress International Exposition of 1933-34, better known as the Chicago World’s Fair. At a time when most Americans were counting their pennies and many new cars cost less than $300, the official price of this SJ Rollston Arlington Torpedo Sedan was listed as $20,000. Fairgoers soon nicknamed the car ‘Twenty Grand’.

Noted designer Gordon Buehrig drafted the initial design for the body, and Rollston of New York built it. The platinum metallic paint on the exterior, complemented by matching leather roof and gray cloth interior trim, was a real show-stopper.

It was Shreve Archer who purportedly paid full price for the Duesenberg and became its first owner. Thereafter, the car was in the D Cameron Peck and the Ben F Johnson Collections, and over the years it was painted black and modernized. JB Nethercutt purchased it in the late 1970s and restored it back to its original condition.

The renovated car was first shown by Nethercutt at the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Festival in 1979, where it took the top award. It won Best of Show at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in 1980, and it also earned 100 points at the Classic Car Club of America’s Grand Classic.

In the late 1980s the Duesenberg was selected to be exhibited in Essen, Germany, as one of ‘The Ten Most Beautiful Cars in the World’.

The car continues to be shown today.

Officially named one of ‘The Ten Most Beautiful Cars in the World’ in later years, this 1933 Duesenberg first appeared at the Chicago World’s Fair

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Visitors to the 1933-34 Chicago World’s Fair nicknamed the Duesenberg ‘Twenty Grand’.

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1929 Duesenberg J Murphy Convertible Coupe Shown by Terry Radey

HOT ON THE HEELS OF THE PREVIOUS YEAR’S WIN FOR THE Nethercutt Duesenberg SJ came this early Model J, built in 1929, not long after the first Model J debuted at the New York Car Show in December 1928. It would be another three years before the supercharged Model SJ was launched, so until then the Model J reigned supreme.

These were luxury performance cars of the highest order. Around half of the Model J chassis were fitted with a wide variety of bodywork styles by many different independent coachbuilders, most of them US based—including Murphy, which was responsible for the elegant Convertible Coupe body on this Best of Show winner.

A few Model Js boasted bodywork by European coachbuilders, while those built by Duesenberg had coachworks designed by the company’s Gordon Buehrig and sold under the name La Grande.

This 1929 Murphy-bodied Duesenberg Model J sat in the highest echelons of luxury performance cars, as recognized at Pebble Beach over five decades later

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1982 A rare Mercedes-Benz export to the UK when it was new, this supercharged 1935 500K Special Roadster boasted a 100mph-plus top speed in its day

THE MERCEDES-BENZ 500K WAS INTRODUCED AT THE 1934 Berlin Automobile Show. It had an eight-cylinder, 5.0-liter engine that produced 100bhp normally and 160bhp with its supercharger engaged.

The car also featured independent suspension, a four-speed gearbox and hydraulic brakes with a Bosch vacuum servo. It was said to be capable of a top speed of more than 100mph.

When English sports car enthusiast Arthur Gore initially ordered this 500K, he requested the full complement of accessories, including seven headlights and five airhorns. This example was one of very few exported to the UK, and so it was fitted with right-hand drive. It still bears its original British registration plate.

The car eventually passed to Thomas and Gerd Perkins of Belvedere, California, who restored it and exhibited it at the 1982 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, ultimately taking Best of Show. The Perkins sold the car in the fall of 1988, and Robert M Lee of Reno, Nevada, bought it soon thereafter. It still resides in the private Anne Brockinton Lee/Robert M Lee Automobile Collection. It is road tested every two months, and it receives ongoing maintenance to keep it running well.

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1935 Mercedes-Benz 500K Special Roadster Shown by Tom and Gerd Perkins

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1983 This 1930 Tipo 8A SS Castagna Special Sports Tourer won Best of Show in the year Isotta Fraschini was first featured at Pebble Beach

NO FEWER THAN ELEVEN FINE EXAMPLES OF THE ISOTTA Fraschini marque purred onto the lawn of The Lodge at Pebble Beach in 1983—the year the marque was first featured at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. This particular 1930 Tipo 8A SS Castagna Special Sports Tourer, exhibited at that time by Dr Irwin Ginsberg of Buffalo, New York, won the featured class. Moreover, it earned the marque its first Best of Show at the revered event.

“My heart almost stopped,” Dr Ginsberg related after the event.

“For me, it was the ultimate dream.”

The Isotta Fraschini’s first owner was a Mr Penn of the Lucky Strike

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1930 Isotta Fraschini Tipo 8A SS Castagna Special Sports Tourer Shown by Irwin Ginsberg MD

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This Tipo 8A SS Castagna Special Sports Tourer was the first Isotta Fraschini Best of Show.

Company. Ginsberg purchased the car from his estate. The automobile’s current owners, the William Lyon family of Newport Beach, California, purchased the car in June 1985. It is now on display in their private collection in Coto de Caza.

Manufactured in Milan from 1900 through 1950, Isotta Fraschini quickly became a favorite with celebrities and royalty—but it was the introduction of the Tipo 8 that garnered the marque success in greater numbers. The early version of this eight-cylinder, 5.9-liter engine, introduced between 1919 and 1921, had a rather modest output of 75-80bhp at 2200rpm. Yet the 7.4-liter Tipo 8A, introduced in 1924, increased the output to 110-120bhp at 2400rpm. It also had a more rugged chassis, larger brake drums with vacuum-servo assistance, and rode on larger section tires. Spinto and then Super Spinto versions with higher compression ratios and other tuning devices were introduced later on. A short-chassis 8A SS with sporting body could allegedly exceed 100mph—and indeed one such car with a torpedo body finished admirably, in sixth place, in the very first Mille Miglia.

“My heart almost stopped,” Dr Ginsberg said. “For me, it was the ultimate dream” 158

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BEST OF SHOW

1929 Cunningham V5410 All Weather Cabriolet Shown by Mr and Mrs Kenneth Vaughn

CUNNINGHAM IS PERHAPS LESS KNOWN TODAY, BUT IN THE 1920s the company created some of the most expensive automobiles in the US. This wasn’t simply a coachbuilding operation, either—both bodies and chassis were built by the James Cunningham & Son company of Rochester, New York, producing only a few hundred cars a year.

Cunningham survived by sharing the luxury-vehicle operation and sales outlets with its hearse and ambulance business. Its cars were driven by movie stars including Mary Pickford, and business moguls such as the famed William Randolph Hearst.

This winning example was restored by owner Ken Vaughn over a period of six years. Its opulent interior features hand-inlaid walnut with French Baccarat crystal and sterling-silver accessories.

Representing one of America’s most exclusive marques of the 1920s, this New York-built Cunningham won at Pebble Beach after a six-year restoration

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This 1929 Cunningham V5410 All Weather Cabriolet featured an opulent interior.

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1939 Bugatti Type 57 Saoutchik Cabriolet Shown by Jack Becronis

WHAT A YEAR THIS WAS FOR BUGATTI, WITH ALL SIX OF THE Royales being exhibited and this Type 57 Saoutchik Cabriolet taking the Best of Show win—the fifth such accolade for the marque thus far.

Based on the standard Type 57 chassis, rather than the lower 57S iteration, this winning Cabriolet was bodied by French coachbuilder Saoutchik. The company had been founded in 1906 by Jacques Saoutchik, born Iakov Saoutchik in Ukraine in 1880. He settled in Paris in the early 1900s, and turned his cabinet-making skills to the art of coachbuilding. He created his first body on an Isotta-Fraschini chassis, and soon became known for his daring designs and glitzy embellishments of chrome or sometimes even gilt.

The winning Bugatti is one of the more subtle, elegant Saoutchik designs, but all are now revered—and in 2012 a Saoutchik-bodied Mercedes-Benz 680S was justly awarded Best of Show.

In a special year for Bugatti at Pebble Beach, this Saoutchik-bodied Type 57 Cabriolet won out over six Royales to take the event’s ultimate honors

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1986 With featured marque Mercedes-Benz celebrating its centennial in this year, it was appropriate that a 500K Special Roadster should win Best of Show

ON ITS CENTENNIAL ANNIVERSARY IN 1986, MERCEDESBenz was the featured marque at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. A special display of 500K and 540K models posed on the front lawn of The Lodge, and appropriately a 500K celebrating its own golden anniversary took the show’s top award.

That 1936 Mercedes-Benz 500K Special Roadster is owned by Arturo Keller of Petaluma, California, who is one of the most respected collectors of the marque. Arturo and Deborah Keller went on to win Best of Show in 2001 with a 1930 Mercedes-Benz SS Erdmann & Rossi Roadster, and then took a third accolade in 2021 with a 1938 Mercedes-Benz 540K Autobahn Kurier.

The 1986-winning Mercedes-Benz is one of just 29 Special Roadster variants of the 342 500Ks produced. The ‘K’ denotes the car’s supercharger, or kompressor in German, on the 5-liter straight-eight

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1936 Mercedes-Benz 500K Special Roadster Shown by Arturo Keller

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engine, endowing the model with around 160bhp—enough for a top speed of more than 100mph. All the varieties of the 500K were equipped with hydraulic brakes, electric windshield wipers and other such luxuries for the time. The Special Roadster was built on the short ‘A’ chassis, shared only with the two-seater Autobahn Kurier, which endowed it with the nimblest handling and the highest performance of all the 500K models.

The winning car had previously resided in several private collections, and it was in good shape when Mr Keller eventually acquired it.

Nonetheless, he had the 500K restored from the ground up, desiring it to be its very best self. When the Mercedes-Benz was judged at the 1986 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, it was indeed deemed to be the best.

So what could be better than the best? Well, Arturo went home from Pebble Beach with more than Best of Show. He had actually brought six Mercedes-Benz models to the 1986 Concours, and he accumulated no fewer than six awards. In addition to the show’s top accolade, his cars earned a special prize for best Mercedes, two First in Class awards and two Second in Class.

Best of Show was one of six awards Arturo’s cars received at the 1986 Concours.

‘Arturo had the MercedesBenz 500K restored from the ground up, desiring it to be its very best self’ 166

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1987 This 1928 Minerva AF Ostruk Berline Transformable is the sole Belgian model to take Best of Show—and it returned for a class win many years later AMONG MANY OTHER ATTRIBUTES, THIS MINERVA IS ALSO the only Belgian-built automobile to have taken Best of Show at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. But there’s much more to it than that, of course, which is why years later it also won first place in the European Classic Early Class at the 2018 event.

Minerva was the creation of Sylvain de Jong, who in 1897 returned to Europe from America with the aim of manufacturing bicycles, a dream that progressed into car building. Between 1902 and 1938, Minerva produced models of such exemplary quality and luxury that they became favorites of many European royal families.

At the heart of the Minerva was the 5.3-liter six-cylinder engine designed by Charles Yale Knight of Indiana. Unhappy with the noise produced by conventional valve gear, Knight engineered a sleeve valve that proved significantly quieter but ultimately much more expensive to build and repair than on other engines of the period.

BEST OF SHOW

1928 Minerva AF Ostruk Berline Transformable Shown by Thomas Lester

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1937 Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B Touring Spider Shown by John Mozart

THE ALFA ROMEO 8C 2900B, INTRODUCED IN 1937, IS SAID TO be the progenitor of the post-war grand touring coupé. A luxury passenger car with superior speed and handling, it certainly marks “the pinnacle of Alfadom,” as one writer has aptly stated.

The engine is essentially the 2.9-liter eight-cylinder supercharged Tipo B that made the Alfa marque unbeatable in key races of the 1930s.

The chassis is a boxed frame with a 2.75-meter wheelbase, independent suspension and huge hydraulic brakes. This fabulous first example of the model has chassis 412014, engine 422014 and a body by Touring.

Brooklyn’s McClure Halley placed the order for this car, requesting special instruments, chrome wheels and details such as engraved moldings. He even went to Bologna and stayed in a hotel near the factory for two months, making certain that the Alfa was built exactly to his specifications. An early photograph records the car’s debut at the Milan Motor Show, and it already has its New York license plates in place.

Richard Paine bought the Alfa in the late 1960s, and John Mozart acquired it from him in the early 1980s. Mozart undertook the restoration with the help of Mike Hemus, and it was perhaps those intricately engraved moldings that caused them the most angst.

The restored car was named Best of Show at Pebble Beach in 1988, and it’s won a number of additional awards. Mozart has also driven the Alfa over 10,000 miles: “Through rain, snow, ice, everything.”

Dave Holls, former General Motors director of design, who served for years as Pebble Beach chief honorary judge, once said: “If I could have only one car in the world, that would be the car I’d want to have.”

This sublimely detailed car with superior speed and handling is said to mark “the pinnacle of Alfadom”. The Pebble Beach Concours aptly rewarded its achievement

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The 8C 2900B is said to be the progenitor of the post-war grand touring coupé.

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1922 Hispano-Suiza H6B Labourdette Skiff Shown by Robert L Meyer

THIS H6B WITH A ‘SKIFF’ BODY BY LABOURDETTE PROVED the second Hispano-Suiza to win the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance Best of Show, and it was also a near-identical car to the 1972 victor.

Prior to its win, the Hispano-Suiza was restored by two previous Best of Show winners, Phil Hill and Ken Vaughn, for owner Robert L Meyer.

Now it’s part of the world-famous Keller Collection.

The car’s nautically inspired Skiff body was the invention of Jean-Henri Labourdette, grandson of company founder Jean Baptiste Labourdette. The eponymous French marque started out making horse-drawn carriages during the middle of the 19th century, run initially by former blacksmith Jean Baptiste and later by his son Henri Labourdette. Its designs were noted for their lightweight construction.

As the dawn of motoring began, Labourdette became one of the first independent car-body makers, creating its first example—a Georges

Prior to its historic Pebble Beach win, this Labourdette ‘Skiff’-bodied Hispano-Suiza had been restored by the legendary Phil Hill and Ken Vaughn

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Richard with back-to-back seats—in 1896. It went on to build what is thought to have been the first fully closed automobile body in 1899, for Louis Renault. Henri passed away in 1910, and his 22-year-old son Jean-Henri inherited the company, which was by then well established in the automobile world.

In 1912, Jean-Henri designed the first Skiff body, basing it on a Panhard 20HP chassis for pioneer racer René de Knyff. Using traditional naval carpentry methods, the body was shaped as a boat, without doors, in beautifully finished mahogany. This first body weighed just 180kg including windshield, fenders and four seats.

Labourdette’s Skiff bodies soon became popular, and they were commissioned for many different marques including Rolls-Royce and, as seen here, Hispano-Suiza. They remained popular with luxury-car buyers right into the 1920s.

Jean-Henri Labourdette went on to invent the Vutotal system, eliminating the windshield mounts and side-window frames for improved visibility. Having debuted the idea at the 1936 Paris Motor Show, eventually more than 100 cars and six 35-seat buses were equipped with the Vutotal system.

This boat-inspired model was beautifully finished in mahogany.

‘Using traditional naval carpentry methods, Skiff bodies remained popular right into the 1920s’ 1 74

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Skiff bodies were commissioned for many different marques, including Hispano-Suiza.

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From more recent Porsche sports cars such as the 959 (above) to the original 356 (below), every collectible model from Stuttgart is catered for by Porsche Classic, providing help and peace of mind for owners the world over.

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The 1990s Traditions Old and New

Guest of honor Sergio Scaglietti witnessed several of his creations on the ramp as Concours went from strength to strength in the 1990s.

TOWARD THE END OF THE CENTURY, SEVERAL CONCOURS customs became firm traditions. To compete, entries had long been required to drive in under their own power. Entrants would compete to be first onto the show field, spectators gathered to see them, and Dawn Patrol was born. This tradition was well established by the late 1990s, but McKeel Hagerty would take it to the next level in the early 2000s.

Meanwhile, the Dream Cars display evolved into the Concept Lawn. The show field expanded, too, moving onto the 18th fairway and including exhibits such as hot rods and microcars at the urging of enthusiasts.

Focus was increasingly on authenticity, originality and preservation, and points were more consistently deducted for over-restoration. A

growing emphasis on driving led to the Pebble Beach Tour d’Elegance.

Lorin and J celebrated their 25th year as co-chairmen in 1996, with the strong support of Sandra Button. Sandra had first witnessed the Concours in 1986 while overseeing Special Events for Pebble Beach Company. She soon joined the Executive Committee, and in 1992 was named its first executive director, serving as the liaison between the co-chairmen and the Company, and overseeing all entrant and judge communications, sponsor relations, logistics and marketing efforts.

Tragically, Lorin took ill in 1998 and passed away the next winter.

J served as sole chairman in 1999, then moved to an emeritus position.

Glenn Mounger and Ed Gilbertson became chairman and chief judge.

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Top A growing emphasis on driving led to the Pebble Beach Tour.

Above Dawn Patrol traditionally welcomes Concours early arrivals.

Top In 1997, the Concours recognized historic hot rods for the first time.

Above Lorin and J were central to the event’s success for over 25 years.

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Early 1990s

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The Concours and its patrons establish an endowment fund named for Strother MacMinn to provide scholarships to students at ArtCenter College of Design in Pasadena, California.

Concours annual donations surpass $100,000. Twenty years prior, they averaged $5000.

And ten years into the future, they will exceed $500,000.

JB and Dorothy Nethercutt earn their sixth Best of Show trophy at the Pebble Beach Concours—a winning record that is unlikely to be equaled.

Jay M Eitel’s 1933 Marmon V16 LeBaron Victoria wins the first FIVA Trophy for best unpreserved car. The first Lorin Tryon Trophy, which recognizes a person rather than a car, goes to Don Williams.

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1990 Fashion design icon Ralph Lauren’s decision to change the color of his Bugatti Atlantic was sanctioned with a Best of Show accolade

WITH A DRAMATIC RIVETED SEAM SCALING ITS TOP, THE Bugatti Atlantic is one of the most recognizable creations in the collector car world. The original concept for the model, the Aérolithe, was designed by Ettore Bugatti’s son Jean and built on a shortened Type 57 chassis. It debuted in 1935, and four Atlantic Coupés followed.

This 1938 Type 57SC Atlantic (chassis 57591), the last built, was originally delivered to British tennis player Richard B Pope. Ensuing owners included Barrie Price, Anthony Bamford and Tom Perkins, who shared the car at the 1985 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance when all six Bugatti Royales were showcased with two dozen additional Bugattis surrounding them. The car placed Third in Class and also garnered the Briggs Cunningham Trophy on that occasion.

BEST OF SHOW

1938 Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic Shown by Ralph Lauren

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Lauren changed the color to black, like Jean Bugatti’s own long-lost ‘La Voiture Noire’.

Ralph Lauren purchased the Atlantic in 1986 and asked Paul Russell to restore it, opting to change its exterior color amidst the process. The car was originally a French racing blue, but Lauren felt it would look better in black—and his decision was rewarded when the Bugatti was named Best of Show at Pebble Beach in 1990.

“Some might object to altering anything about such a rare car,” Lauren acknowledged in an essay he wrote for Art & Antiques a few months after the model’s win. “I sought to maintain the accuracy of the details of the body, the interior and the engine, but to give the car a new sense of purity by making everything black.”

“The Bugatti still takes my breath away every time I see it... At age 60 it still looks as futuristic as ever. The shape is like no shape I’ve ever seen—the bold contours, the studded seam along the top. I sometimes think it belongs in a museum, but when it’s out on a racetrack it can still hit 110mph.”

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Celebrating Our Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance Best of Show Winners

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PaulRussell.com

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Photography by Michael Furman

Pebble Beach® and Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance® are trademarks and service marks of Pebble Beach Company. Used by permission.

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1991 Originally built for Walter P Chrysler himself, this 1932 Chrysler CH Imperial Speedster boasts many experimental engineering features

THIS 1932 CHRYSLER (CHASSIS 7900470) IS A ONE-OFF special created in-house for Walter P Chrysler. The Speedster was likely penned by lead stylist Herb Weissinger, who also designed several other avant-garde Chrysler concepts, and rather than being constructed on the longer 146-inch CL Imperial platform, it was built on the shorter CH platform with a 135-inch wheelbase.

In addition to its unique design, the car includes many experimental engineering features, including a high-compression aluminum head boosting the output of the 385ci straight-eight powerplant from 125bhp to 160bhp, a gas pedal-actuated starter with automatic stall restart, an automatic choke with a solenoid-operated gas-dump valve for use if the engine flooded, a pendulum-actuated valve to disengage the clutch amidst a sudden stop, a high-speed rear end, and a spare tire mounted on sliding rails for easy access.

The car passed from Walter P Chrysler Sr to Walter Jr, and then to Albert Nippert. Sam and Emily Mann acquired it in 1988, and restored the car in their own shop before showing it at the 1991 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, where it took top honors.

The Manns have since garnered three more Best of Show trophies with a trio of other cars—a Voisin and two Delages—tying them with William Harrah for the second-most wins at Pebble Beach.

BEST OF SHOW

1932 Chrysler CH Imperial Speedster Shown by Sam and Emily Mann

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BEST OF SHOW

1929 Rolls-Royce Phantom II Brewster Town Car Shown by JB Nethercutt

ACTRESS CONSTANCE BENNETT FIRST LAID EYES ON THIS Rolls-Royce at the 1936 New York Automobile Show. She immediately bought it. It is said that she recouped the $17,000 cost by renting it to filmmakers. It had a substantial role in The King and the Chorus Girl starring Carole Lombard, and appeared in several other films.

“It had quite a ‘movie career’,” wrote Bennett in a note to one of the Phantom II’s later owners. “For its ‘acting services’ it was a standing joke in Hollywood that the car received more salary than many players.

Its salary was $250 a day with a minimum guarantee of three days.”

The Rolls-Royce was certainly adept at changing roles. Chassis 69 WJ was an experimental chassis produced for 1930, and the factory kept it for more than a year. In 1931, with a Trouville Town Car body, it was sent to a Mr Fitkin of New York, but was rebodied by Brewster in 1935, prior to its appearance at the 1936 auto show. Bennett’s ownership ended in the late 1940s—it is said that her husband lost it in a poker game—and the car then passed from owner to owner.

JB Nethercutt purchased the car in the late 1980s and completely restored it. The intricate caning effect on the sides was recreated just as it was initially; each line was drawn by hand with a bead of paint. The running boards were fashioned from steam-bent mahogany. Upon its debut at the 1992 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, the car won Best of Show. It has since garnered many awards and accolades, including Best of Shows at the Amelia Island Concours and the San Marino Motor Classic.

From experimental factory chassis to Hollywood film star to poker chip to Pebble Beach winner, this 1929 Rolls-Royce has lived quite a life

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In its ‘film star’ days, this Rolls-Royce was said to receive a higher salary than many players.

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1930 Mercedes-Benz SSK ‘Count Trossi’ Roadster Shown by Ralph Lauren

COMPLETED AS THE GREAT DEPRESSION TOOK HOLD, THE running chassis for this Mercedes-Benz SSK languished unsold until 1932 when Count Carlo Felice ‘Didi’ Trossi, an Italian sportsman who was president and primary driver at Scuderia Ferrari, purchased it. It came complete with many SSKL race-chassis features such as highercompression pistons and a big ‘elephant’ blower. According to his family, the Count personally sketched the lines for the body of this car and then commissioned little-known independent coachbuilder Willie White to build it to his specifications. The body was constructed of hand-hammered aluminum over oak frames without filler.

The Count sold and repurchased the car three times before 1949, when death forced him to part with it irrevocably. The SSK then went to Argentinian racer Ricardo Polledo, but the Perón government refused to allow him to import it into that country. Polledo eventually sold the SSK to automotive dealer Charlie Stitch, and it passed thereafter to Carter Schaub, Ray Jones, Anthony Bamford and Tom Perkins.

Ralph Lauren bought the car from Perkins in 1988, after which it was restored with the guidance and craftsmanship of Paul Russell

First created for Scuderia Ferrari’s star driver Count Trossi, this exotic Mercedes-Benz SSK was Ralph Lauren’s second Pebble Beach winner

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This Mercedes-Benz has many SSKL race-chassis features including a big ‘elephant’ supercharger.

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‘This Mercedes-Benz SSK is both gorgeous and monstrously powerful.

It’s a lot of car to handle’ and Company. The Mercedes-Benz SSK won Best of Show at the 1993 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.

“It’s both gorgeous and monstrously powerful,” said fashion icon Lauren at the time. “It’s a lot of car to handle.”

Famed Mercedes-Benz designer Bruno Sacco listed the car among his favorites. “It has a soul,” he said simply. “It’s different from other Mercedes—completely different—but it’s still a Mercedes, and it’s good.”

In 1995, two years after its win at Pebble Beach, the SSK was named Best of Show at the Meadow Brook Hall Concours d’Elegance, and it appeared in the Moving Beauty exhibit at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts. The following year it won the Star of Excellence Trophy at the 1996 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance.

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1994 This unique Duesenberg J Rollston Torpedo Convertible Victoria started life under a different guise, which saw it wearing 2000lbs of armor plating

THIS DUESENBERG BEGAN ITS LIFE IN 1929 WHEN IT WAS delivered to Philadelphia, although its original owner is something of a mystery. A Chicago man bought the car a few years later, but its performance was an immediate disappointment. Driving home he detoured to Indianapolis to visit the Duesenberg Motors Company, and factory mechanics quickly diagnosed the problem; about 2000lbs of armor plating had been added to the car.

While the car was at the factory, noted designer Gordon Buehrig sketched a unique new body for it—a Torpedo Convertible Victoria with unusually long doors and a disappearing top. The new owner asked the Rollston Company of New York to build this Buehrig body, which was installed on the factory-refurbished chassis, with interior designed by J Herbert Newport. The car was then redesignated as a 1933 model.

Over ensuing decades the Duesenberg remained in the Midwest, switching owners from time to time. In the 1960s, then-owner William White of Libertyville, Illinois, took it apart, intending to restore it, but he didn’t progress far. When Terence Adderley purchased the car in 1972, it was in pieces, in piles and boxes—with more than a few parts in shops scattered across several states. Its full restoration under the care of Bill Bizer finally began in 1988 and was completed in 1994.

The car went on to win three Best of Show awards that summer; in addition to its victory at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, it also took the top award at both the Meadow Brook Hall Concours d’Elegance and at the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Festival. The Adderleys continued to show the Duesenberg for years.

BEST OF SHOW

1933 Duesenberg J Rollston Torpedo Convertible Victoria Shown by Terence and Mary Beth Adderley

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1995 This high-performance Isotta Fraschini Tipo 8B is one of only three remaining examples—and its one-off Danish body makes it unique among that number THIS 1931 ISOTTA FRASCHINI FEATURES A RARE BLEND OF Italian engineering and Danish design. The marque was manufactured in Milan’s via Monterosa from 1900 through 1950, and was long a symbol of aristocratic dignity. Its famed 1919-1921 Tipo 8 is said to be the world’s first production straight-eight engine. The ultimate highperformance version, the Tipo 8B, was cataloged in 1931. It is believed that just under 30 Tipo 8Bs were built, and only three examples are known to have survived to see the 21st century.

This example bears a singular body designed by Viggo Jensen and built by Dansk Karosseri Fabrik of Copenhagen for the then-Consul General of Denmark, Carl Glad. Although Isotta Fraschini officials categorize the body as a Cabriolet d’Orsay, it is actually a Sedanca de Ville with a fixed rear windshield and wind-up windows.

It was often used by Glad and other Danish officials and royalty— most notably Prince Henrik—for ceremonial parades and long-distance tours. It visited the Arctic Circle in 1939, and by the turn of the decade it was recognized throughout Scandinavia.

The Isotta Fraschini remained with the Glad family until 1968, when it was sold to their neighbor Erik Orth. The Orth family kept the car for another two decades, until WK Haines acquired it. Restoration began in 1991 and was completed in 1995, just prior to the Tipo 8B’s appearance and win at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.

The car went on to win at Louis Vuitton events in London and Paris, and was exhibited at the Centre Internationale de l’Automobile in Paris.

It is now with The Keller Collection at The Pyramids.

BEST OF SHOW

1931 Isotta Fraschini Tipo 8B Viggo Jensen Cabriolet d’Orsay Shown by WK Haines

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1938 Delage D8-120 de Villars Cabriolet Shown by Sam and Emily Mann

RENÉ DREYFUS ONCE CALLED DELAGE AND DELAHAYE “France’s two glamour-pusses”, and in the mid-1930s the two merged.

The last of the ‘Delahaye’ Delages, model D8-120, made its appearance in 1937. It had the independent suspension and hydraulic brakes introduced on previous models, but the engine size had increased to 4.7 liters and it had a Cotal electromagnetic four-speed gearbox.

This wonderfully flamboyant Cabriolet, reflecting the Art Deco era, was built in 1938 by de Villars, a French coachbuilder with strong American ties. Roland de Gaffenreid de Villars was the son-in-law of US billionaire Jay Gould, and it is said that Gould established him in business and continued to guide the shop through the years.

After this example—which is neither a Roadster nor a Speedster— was introduced at the last pre-war Salon de l’Automobile in Paris, it quickly became the queen of the international concours circuit. Either M de Montesquious or Armand Beressi, its first two owners, had the fenders cut down. It is possible that the guilty party felt the car was a bit too flamboyant. More likely, the fins were damaged in an accident, and were too difficult and expensive to repair, so they were severed. Later restoration efforts did uncover signs that such an incident had occurred.

The car was brought to the US in 1957 by Otto Zipper. In 1993 it was purchased and then restored by Sam and Emily Mann. It took the top award at Pebble Beach in 1996. It has also won Best of Show at Amelia Island, Greenwich and the Concours d’Elegance of the Eastern US. It is now in the care of Fritz Burkard / The Pearl Collection in Switzerland.

Boasting Art Deco styling at its best, this 1938 Delage D8-120 de Villars Cabriolet was originally created by the son-in-law of US billionaire Jay Gould

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Fenders were originally cut down in period, possibly due to accident damage.

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Technology evolves. But beauty is timeless.

The Delage D12 in Dubai with a Delage D8-120 by Henri Chapron (1937).

The Delage D12 – voted most beautiful car in the world.

(Automobile Awards 2020/2021)

Discover the Delage D12 Hypercar : www.delage-automobiles.com

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1937 Talbot-Lago T150C Figoni et Falaschi Coupé Shown by William E ‘Chip’ Connor II

THE COMBINED EFFORTS OF TALBOT-LAGO AND FIGONI ET Falaschi resulted in many wondrous automotive creations, including the T150C with goutte d’eau (teardrop) body. Fourteen of these cars were created between 1937 and 1939, and 13 survive. Just four of the 14, including this T150C, have a notched back, making them rare indeed.

This Talbot-Lago, owned by William E Connor, was the first car to win Best of Show at both the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance and the Concours Automobile Classiques at Bagatelle. The latter accomplishment came first, after Connor’s initial renovation of the car.

Remarkably, the T150C was completely re-restored for Pebble Beach.

“Pebble Beach is not about over-restoration and embellishment,” Connor told one reporter. “If anything, we had to de-embellish the Talbot. In addition to being about elegance, Pebble Beach is about historical accuracy and originality.”

Among other things, the motor was rebuilt, non-original components were taken off, proper parts were sought out or created, proper pebblegrained leather replaced flamboyant ostrich-skin trim, and the exterior was repainted from dark aubergine to the car’s original blue and silver.

After two years and 4000 hours of work by restorer Bob Mosier, Connor felt the car was once again ready for a concours—ready specifically for Pebble Beach. He was right; despite a close field, this teardrop came out on top in 1997.

Wearing unmistakable Figoni et Falaschi lines, this 1937 Talbot-Lago T150C was the first car to win Best of Show at both Pebble Beach and Bagatelle

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THE ORIGIN OF THE PEBBLE BEACH TOUR D’ELEGANCE With an emphasis on driving Concours cars, the Tour lets owners get behind the wheel and the local community get involved. Here’s how it came about B y C r a i g Dav i s , T o u r F o u n d e r

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The crowds turn out to wave off the prestigious Tour, which takes in the sights of the Monterey Peninsula.

THE IDEA FOR THE PEBBLE BEACH TOUR D’ELEGANCE CAME from my enjoyment in actually using my cars. In addition, it came from my participation in driving events while living in Europe.

I grew up in California and was into hot rodding as a teenager. I’d owned a number of automobiles by the time I was 16. This was the start of a lifelong passion for cars. When I first started buying them, I purchased mostly 1960s and 1970s Italian post-war models—exotica such as Ferrari, Lamborghini, Iso and so on. Then I realized that, although many of those cars were wonderful and nice to drive around town, their use was limited. As my interests evolved, I wanted to be able to use my vehicles and participate in driving events. So I started moving toward older cars—early 1950s and pre-war examples.

I started showing cars at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in mid-1985, and I began judging in 1989. Initially, I did more showing than I did in later years. After I had been involved with the Concours for some time, first as an entrant and then as a judge, my wife and I moved to Europe—we lived in Switzerland for a number of years— and I quickly found out that classic cars were used much more over there than they were in the US. People were less concerned about getting them dirty or pranging them. They drove them! There was far more emphasis on driving the vehicles.

During my time in Europe I participated in many driving events, including the Mille Miglia Storica in Italy, the Tour Auto in France, and the Le Mans Cavalcade. When we returned to the US, I went on the California Mille. I decided it would be fabulous to create a driving event linked to the Pebble Beach Concours.

One of the criticisms of the Concours at that time, especially by the

‘It would show that the cars are driveable—and that’s what they’re meant for, not a static display’ 205

Bixby Creek Bridge on California’s Big Sur coast provides a spectacular vantage point for the Pebble Beach Tour.

Europeans, was that the cars here were widely considered to be ‘trailer queens’. They could make it onto the show field to be judged, and up over the ramp to pick up their prize. But they weren’t really used—in fact, they were rarely driven.

Lorin Tryon and J Heumann were co-chairmen of the Concours at the time—and Sandra Button was involved as well. And I met with them and said: “Why don’t we start a Pebble Beach Tour for the cars?

Why don’t we get the Concours cars out on the road and drive them around the Monterey Peninsula? It would show that, in fact, the cars are driveable—and that’s what they’re meant for, not a static display.”

I also thought a Tour would be a good thing for the local community.

Many people are inconvenienced by the Concours in some way— this is a very small community, and Car Week brings a mass of people our way—and I thought it would be nice to let them see the cars. So that was the basic impetus for it to begin. Lorin, J and Sandra thought it was an interesting idea, and said that if I would organize it, they would give it a try.

Before the first Tour, to tie it to the Concours and give it some importance, I said: “Let’s add a point to a car’s score if they do the Tour.” Of course, competition is tight and scores are often very close

at Pebble Beach—and one whole point was considered to be rather too radical by J and Lorin. So we decided to make the Tour a tie-breaker.

If cars are tied in class competition, and one has done the Tour while the other hasn’t, the vehicle that completed the Tour wins. This can, and has, determined not only which automobile wins a class, but also which one wins Best of Show.

People feared that no one would come to the Tour, or that it would detract from the Concours itself, but the opposite was true; it added more interest in both the cars and the Concours. And entrants really enjoyed it. After the first Tour, a man came up to me and said: “I’ve owned this car for 15 or 20 years, and until today I had never put more than 15 miles on it—and I’ve never had more fun with it than I did today.” That was rewarding. That was one of the main reasons for starting the Tour.

At that time, there was not a single concours in the world that hosted a tour. Now it seems that every concours offers a tour, but Pebble Beach started that concept.

The car has been an integral part of our history for the past 100 years.

Eventually we probably won’t be able to buy fuel for these vehicles anymore, and they may have to become static displays. But in the meantime, let’s drive them—at the concours and everywhere.

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Enjoying life on the road during the Tour, which was founded by Craig Davis (on the left, above left).

Sir Stirling Moss regularly led the Tour in recent years; here he is in 2011 on the Benz Patent-Motorwagen.

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1998 Complete with exotic alligator interior trim, this Type 57SC Corsica Roadster was originally built for a founding member of the Bugatti Owners Club

THIS SUPERB BUGATTI WAS BUILT INITIALLY FOR BRITISH Colonel GM Giles, who was one of the original founders of the Bugatti Owners Club and served as its chairman. Colonel Giles purchased this Type 57SC chassis (57593), took it home to England and had Corsica of London build the body for it. In an early piece in Bugantics, he describes how crowds would gather around the car whenever it was parked, admiring all aspects of it—including its exotic alligator interior.

A later owner, Irwin Goldschmidt, apparently brought the car to the US in the late 1950s, and Richard Paine acquired it some years later. John Mozart purchased the Bugatti in the mid-1980s and put about 5000 miles on it before beginning to restore it. The renovation, which was done by Mike Hemus, focused simply on returning the Type 57SC to its original state. “Great cars like this are what they are,” said Mozart. “You can’t embellish them.”

Perhaps the biggest task involved replicating the complex and repeated ‘scraping’ pattern on the engine that was, in effect, the signature of its builder. The car was named Best of Show at the 1998 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. It has also won key awards at the former Meadow Brook Hall Concours d’Elegance and other classic car events.

BEST OF SHOW

1938 Bugatti Type 57SC Corsica Roadster Shown by John Mozart

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1999 Wearing an elephant-head grille mascot and twin spare tires at the rear, this huge Daimler Double-Six is one of three to win at Pebble Beach over the years TODAY, THE DAIMLER COMPANY MIGHT BE LESS WELL known than other early British luxury motor manufacturers such as Rolls-Royce or Bentley. But in its time it was equally well regarded— and, in fact, it pre-dated many of those competitors. Daimler was also awarded a royal warrant to provide motor cars to the Royal Family as early as 1902, and that continued well into the 1950s.

The Daimler marque—and the Double-Six model in particular— has also been well recognized on the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance competition field. Three Double-Sixes have taken the top prize at the event. The Nethercutts’ Double-Six Limousine won in 1970, and Robert M Lee’s Corsica-bodied Drophead Coupé was awarded top place in 2006.

This massive Double-Six bears a Sport Saloon body designed by HR Owen and built by Martin Walter for British film star Anna Neagle. It was named Best of Show at the 1999 Pebble Beach Concours when shown by George Lingenbrink and Charles Bronson. Among its many notable features are its low windshield, large wire wheels, suicide rear doors, twin spare tires at the rear and an elephant-head mascot.

BEST OF SHOW

1932 Daimler Double-Six Martin Walter Sport Saloon Shown by George Lingenbrink and Charles Bronson

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A DV E RT IS IN G

FEAT URE

PETERSEN’S CLUB OF CONCOURS WINNERS Checkered Flag 200 members have a remarkable number of Pebble Beach wins between them IF WE WERE TO SAY THAT THERE’S AN ORGANIZATION THAT is independent of the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance but that happens to have 12 Best of Show winners from the past two decades alone within its membership... well, it would seem barely believable, surely?

It’s true, though, and it goes much further than Best of Show winners; in 2021 alone there were 28—yes, twenty-eight—members who won awards at the Pebble Beach Concours. That’s a simply remarkable haul in a single year.

Welcome to Checkered Flag 200. There’s no other such organization that we know of to have so many top-flight car collectors within its membership. Checkered Flag 200 was formed by Bruce Meyer, founding chairman of the Petersen Automotive Museum in LA and universally known as ‘the car guy’s car guy’. During the early days of turning the car collection of Robert E and Margie Petersen into a public, nonprofit museum, it became clear that some serious fundraising was required, and Bruce came up with the idea of Checkered Flag 200. The aim was to bring together 200 enthusiasts to each donate a sum towards the running of the Museum—and in return they would become members of the Checkered Flag 200.

Did it work? Did it ever! There are now nearly 700 members, and more recently it was the Checkered Flag 200 that helped to raise a significant proportion of the funds for the Museum’s striking $125 million renovation and relaunch in 2015.

Even within Checkered Flag 200’s board of directors, there are several Pebble Beach winners. Bruce Meyer, well known for his part in introducing the crowd-pleasing—and important—hot rods to Pebble Beach, is a class winner himself; co-vice chairmen Peter Mullin and David Sydorick won Best of Show in 2011 and 2018 respectively; secretary William ‘Chip’ Connor took Best of Show in 1997. It’s perhaps a good time to mention that Wolfgang Porsche and the Duke of Richmond are honorary board members, too... This organization keeps good company.

But what’s fascinating is that the emphasis of Checkered Flag 200 isn’t even on concours; it’s all about bringing enthusiasts together, whether that’s for social events, exclusive viewings, cruise-ins and car gatherings at the Museum, or rallies and events around the world, visits to fellow members’ collections and more.

Are you now thinking ‘sign me up’? Of course you are... Annual membership costs $1700 or life membership is $30,000, much of which is tax deductible in both cases. Membership entitles you to receive a quarterly magazine, Finish Line, free entry to the Museum and Vault, private event and merchandise discounts, a letterman-style jacket and much more. Best of all, you’ll be supporting arguably the greatest automotive museum in the world.

For more details on Checkered Flag 200, please call +1 (323) 964-6366 or email membership@petersen.org.

‘In 2021 alone there were 28 members who won awards at the Pebble Beach Concours’

Opposite from top Petersen Automotive Museum’s striking new exterior by architect Kohn Pedersen Fox was part-funded by Checkered Flag 200; interior designed by Scenic Route—this is the 90 Years of Pininfarina exhibit; education and interaction play a big part, as shown by this Pixar Cars Mechanical Institute.

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The 2000s Ongoing Expansion

In 2002 , the Barenaked Chassis class spawned a Co-Chairmen’s Trophy win for this 1940 Bugatti Type 64, presented by Glenn and Sandra.

GLENN MOUNGER’S TENURE AS CHAIRMAN WAS RELATIVELY brief—he stepped up in 2000, asked Sandra Button to serve as cochairman in 2002, and resigned, choosing instead to be chief honorary judge, in 2005—but he was a keen advocate for preservation cars, instituting dedicated classes for them, and he also exhibited a creative spark, offering exciting new classes such as Barenaked Chassis.

In seeking to expand the expertise and reach of the Concours while providing a more stringent entry process, Sandra formed a Car Selection Committee. This reviews 1000-plus applications annually, members meet to discuss them, and about 220 invitations go out. Committee members also work with keen enthusiasts to curate special classes.

Pebble Beach Automotive Week was expanding in other ways, too.

Over the prior 15 years, an auction, an exposition and an art exhibition had all joined the festivities, in addition to the Tour. In 2005, new pairings included the Pebble Beach Motoring Classic and Pebble Beach RetroAuto—and interviews at the latter with Phil Hill, Sir Stirling Moss and Patrick Delage led to the Pebble Beach Classic Car Forums. With the Concept Lawn in place, manufacturer displays also multiplied.

Events outside of Pebble Beach sought to pair themselves with the Concours. A few, such as Concorso Italiano, date back to the mid- or late 1980s, but the early 2000s witnessed a host of new local offerings, from The Quail: A Motorsports Gathering to Concours d’Lemons.

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Top Bentley Speed Six Old Numbers 1, 2 and 3 gather together in 2009.

Above Motoring Classic cavalcade makes a Concours grand entrance.

Top Ernie Nagamatsu’s famous Old Yeller II Buick special on display.

Above Leno and Schwarzenegger raise money for charity in 2006.

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2006

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After years of mistaken identity, the more likely true Bentley Blue Train is unveiled.

The very first Tesla, the Roadster prototype, makes its public debut at Pebble Beach.

Jay Leno invites Arnold Schwarzenegger to join him on the ramp for the charity drawing—then he auctions off Arnold’s bomber jacket.

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1937 Delahaye 135 M Figoni et Falaschi Cabriolet Shown by Jacques and Betty Harguindeguy

PICKING BEST OF SHOW AT THE FIFTIETH CELEBRATION of the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance was no easy task. In addition to the most superlative examples of teardrops and boat-tails being featured, 20 previous Best of Show winners sat flanking Carmel Bay, available for quick comparison.

Ultimately the confetti flew over a car that dared to exhibit both dramatic flair and whimsy. The model, a 1937 Delahaye 135 M Figoni et Falaschi Cabriolet owned by Jacques and Betty Harguindeguy was a delectable gray pearl and bing-cherry-red affair with no end to its luscious swoops and swirls. It would be equally admired at the Court of King Louis or the Mad Hatter’s Tea. “This was no ordinary win—and in more ways than one,” said Jules J Heumann, who had just added ‘emeritus’ to his title of chairman. “For starters, Jacques did much of the work himself after finding and buying a rare car that posed a more than formidable restoration. The win was also special in that Claude Figoni, the son of the designer of the body, was there to share in the pride.”

Harguindeguy, known as ‘Frenchy’ to his friends, immigrated to the United States from France back in 1947, and he first attended a concours d’elegance in the late 1960s, drawn by the French words. By 1997, he had purchased and restored dozens of different cars, often coming close to winning our top award, but his heart was set on owning a very specific model—the only known surviving example of 11 Delahayes designed by Geo Ham and built by Figoni et Falaschi between 1936 and 1938.

Regrettably, that survivor wasn’t for sale.

Then a friend called to say a similar car had just turned up in Czechoslovakia. Philippe Looten, then president of the Club Delahaye,

This Geo Ham-designed Figoni et Falaschi Delahaye underwent a resurrection in the hands of its owner, and won the 50th anniversary event

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The owner did much of the renovation work himself on this “basket case”.

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This Delahaye won Best of Show at the 50th anniversary Pebble Beach Concours.

was sent to check on it and advised against buying it, stating it was a “basket case”. Frenchy bought it anyway: “I have a tendency to look at something that is kind of beat up, and envision it when the thing is done—and I had that vision for this car.”

Describing it, he talked his way through the automobile’s flowing lines, its low carriage, the collapsible windshield with the perfect V-shape (“not too little, not too much”), the convertible top that looks good up or down, and the tiny tail on the trunk. And then, of course, there was his favorite detail: “The piece I like best is the spear that starts at the side of the front of the hood, going all the way down it, then continuing in a circle to the bottom of the door, and concluding with the little spear on top... That’s real Geo Ham artistry. That’s what makes the car.”

The Delahaye returned to the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in 2021 in the hands of Mark Hyman.

‘I have a tendency to look at something that is kind of beat up, and envision it when the thing is done’ 220

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BEST OF SHOW

1930 Mercedes-Benz SS Erdmann & Rossi Roadster Shown by Arturo and Deborah Keller

WHEN THIS MERCEDES-BENZ SS BODIED BY ERDMANN & Rossi was named Best of Show, the Kellers joined the ranks of those few entrants who have earned the top Pebble Beach prize multiple times.

Designed by Ferdinand Porsche, the supercharged SS helped garner racing fame and fervent support for Mercedes-Benz. Production ended in 1930, so very few exhibit the beautiful coachwork we now associate with mid- to late 1930s classics—but this June ’30 car, rebodied in 1934, is an exception with its unique Erdmann & Rossi special sport roadster body.

With its two-seat racing body, lowered radiator, pointed tail and abbreviated fenders, chassis no. 36348 was clearly built for motor sport.

The factory initially loaned the car to Rudolf Caracciola, and then it was passed to teammate Hans Stuck. In 1932 it was sold to Wilhelm Merck in Germany, and two years later new owner Werner Lüps commissioned Erdmann & Rossi to build the fresh body. Eventually an Englishman purchased the SS and installed a right-hand-drive set-up.

In the 1930s the car won the Prix d’Honneur at the Cannes Concours d’Elegance. Soon thereafter, Bud MacDougall bought it for his private museum in Canada, and there it remained for nearly six decades. Arturo Keller, who has perhaps the world’s best collection of Mercedes-Benz cars, had long sought it out, and was finally able to purchase it in 1999.

Wearing a special sport roadster body

by Erdmann & Rossi, this unique SS was also once driven by racing legends Hans Stuck and Rudolf Caracciola

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2OO OO2 2 Genuine surprise and delight were the reactions of the owners when their flamboyant Saliot custombodied 1934 Voisin came out on top

THE 2002 BEST OF SHOW TROPHY WAS AWARDED TO A stunning French-built, custom-bodied 1934 Voisin C15 ETS Saliot Roadster owned by well known collectors Sam and Emily Mann, bringing their total wins to three.

Sam admitted to some surprise at the 2002 verdict: “There were cars whose pedigrees were far more important than that of the Voisin, and whose design was exquisite; cars whose contributions to automotive engineering and automotive history stand much taller than Voisin’s. And Saliot, the coachbuilder of our example, was not at all significant. He built only a few cars. He is hardly in the pantheon of legendary coachbuilders.”

Yet the win for the Voisin was a win for pure style—with a dash of drama and a bit of flamboyance. When Emily first saw the car, her eyes were drawn to its very long hood: “There was something incredible

BEST OF SHOW

1934 Voisin C15 ETS Saliot Roadster Shown by Sam and Emily Mann

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Their 2002 victory bought Sam and Emily Mann’s total Pebble Beach wins to three.

and outrageous about it,” she said. “After driving the car, we opened that seven-foot hood, and under it there was a small engine and a lot of space. I just had to laugh. There was no reason the hood had to be that long. It was just there to make a design statement.”

In addition, Sam mentioned the way the hood’s long length is further accented by a dramatic line that curves across the doors. He also noted the way the rear fenders curve up—“like a duck’s tail”—avoiding any termination to ground. The rear fenders echo the front, which flow right into the body without the interruption of running boards, while the curve on the door mirrors the fenders as well. Even small details, such as the starter cover and the chrome trim of the front fender step, repeat and oppose surrounding forms.

“A lot of cars are static,” said Sam. “You view the front, the back, the side, and you might see interesting design elements, but they don’t necessarily wrap around. They don’t move, they don’t flow, the proportions don’t excite. On truly wonderful cars, everything transitions; the design has totality.”

‘The win for the Voisin was a win for pure style—with a dash of drama and a bit of flamboyance’ 226

Restoring beautiful cars since 1975

Proud winners of Best of Show Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance

2002 1934 Voisin C-15 Saliot Roadster

2005 1937 Delage D8-120 Pourtout Aero coupe

201 1 1934 Voisin C25 Aerodyne

Photography Courtesy of Michael Furman

Stone Barn has had three Best of Show winners, 4 runners up to Best of Show and 1st place winners nearly every year since the 80’s.

In 2011 when we won with the 1934 Voisin, we also had a 1929 Bentley Speed Six, which won runner up. We are a full service restoration shop including fabrication, engine rebuilds, paint finishing and complete interiors. We are specialists in American Classics such as Packards, Cadillacs, Auburns, Cords, Duesenbergs and other fine marques. We also have many years of knowledge of restoration and the experience of winning with many European models such as Bentley, Delage, Delahaye, Hispano Suiza, Mercedes, Voisin, and many others.

The passion and love of these special automobiles have always been an important part of our shop, staff, and clients.

We have unique relationships with our clients, where respect and understanding of their needs are most important to us.

We all take pride in the winners’ circle, together.

Stone Barn Inc. Automobile Restoration

www.stonebarnclassiccars.com

908 637 4444

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2OO OO3 3 Upon restoration, this already very rare Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic revealed a deep secret—and solved a decades-old mystery at the same time THE BUGATTI MARQUE WAS FEATURED AT THE 2003 PEBBLE Beach Concours, and when the competition reached its peak, the Best of Show trophy was awarded to one of the featured cars—a 1936 Type 57SC Atlantic owned by Peter D Williamson, a respected neurologist with one of the best Bugatti collections on the planet.

Back in the mid-1930s, Jean Bugatti sought to build the ultimate high-speed, high-performance sports cars—and it has been said that he went beyond that objective with his designs for the Type 57S and SC automobiles. Exactly 42 such chassis were sold, and just three of these bore the now-legendary Atlantic body, which derived from the Aérolithe prototype originally shown in Paris in 1935 and then again in London the following spring.

This particular Atlantic, which is the oldest of the original three (built on chassis 57374), was first registered to Lord Victor Rothschild in London, UK, in September 1936. It was initially a Type 57S with a shimmering silver-blue body and a dark blue interior—undeniably a real beauty. However, it had some problems; the side windows didn’t open and there were no vents on the hood, which meant it was impossibly hot to drive. To rectify this situation, the car was returned to the factory and front-facing louvers were cut into the doors.

Subsequent Atlantics did without the louvers, but did have ‘real’ windows as well as vents and cowlings. These items were later added

BEST OF SHOW

1936 Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic Shown by Peter D Williamson

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This Atlantic was restored to early configuration for the 2003 Bugatti celebration.

to this Atlantic, but the louvers remained in place for years. In 1939, the factory added a supercharger and hydraulic brakes.

At a later point still, the louvers were removed, the headlights were faired into the front fenders, a Cotal transmission was added, the rear windows were enlarged and the back fender skirts were changed. To top it all off, the Bugatti was repainted—first a bright tomato red and then a medium blue.

Williamson purchased the car in 1971, and the Atlantic remained as it was until he decided to restore it to its early configuration in time for the 2003 celebration of Bugatti at Pebble Beach. That renovation offered clues to a decades-old mystery regarding the loss of an important piece of Bugatti history.

“The first clue came when we noticed that the stanchion for the spare tire has ‘Aérolithe’ written on it,” said Williamson afterwards. “And then we discovered a lot of the wooden body parts have a number one [for the Aérolithe] crossed out, and a number two [denoting the Atlantic] stamped in place of it.”

When the Aérolithe and then the Atlantic were built, the Great Depression held sway and the Bugatti company was struggling financially. It now seems likely that the prototype Aérolithe, which disappeared immediately after its London showing, was cannibalized to build the first Atlantic. Mystery solved at long last!

This Atlantic is now in the care of Merle and Peter Mullin, and Melani and Rob Walton.

‘It seems likely that the prototype Bugatti Aérolithe was cannibalized to build the first Atlantic’ 230

2003

Only 42 Type 57S and SC chassis were sold; just three of these bore the Atlantic body.

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BEST OF SHOW

1938 Horch 853A Erdmann & Rossi Special Roadster Shown by Joseph and Margie Cassini III

TOP HONORS AT THE 2004 PEBBLE BEACH CONCOURS d’Elegance went to this 1938 Horch 853A with a Special Roadster body created by Erdmann & Rossi. The 853A was designed by Fritz Fiedler, of later BMW 315 and 328 fame. It featured a 5-liter straight-eight engine delivering 120 horsepower, and included such modern features as power steering, vacuum-assisted hydraulic brakes and a four-speed transmission with overdrive. It was the most expensive car then offered

by Auto Union, which eventually became Audi.

Two first-series 853s were built, and both survive today. This special roadster (chassis 854275A with engine 852006) is one of five secondseries 853s built, of which just three are extant.

As for the coachbuilder Erdmann & Rossi, the Berlin-based company has an equally impressive history. It dates back to around 1897, when Willi Erdmann opened a coachbuilding firm for carriages on Berlin’s

Auto Union’s range-topper in period, this 1938 Horch 853A was coachbuilt by Erdmann & Rossi for owners who were as discerning then as they are today

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RM Restorations restored this 1938 Horch 853A for the Pebble Beach Concours.

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More than 12,000 restoration man-hours resulted in victory at Pebble Beach and other concours, too.

Luisenstraße. In 1906 he was joined by Eduard Rossi, who already had experience in the fledging automotive industry, and the pair decided to branch out into producing bodies for motor cars.

Sadly, Rossi was killed in an accident in 1909. Erdmann handed the company over to his chief accountant, Friedrich Peters, who steered the company over the following three decades. During that time, Erdmann & Rossi gained a reputation for high quality, initially working with Benz, Daimler and Hispano-Suiza, and becoming purveyor to the court of the Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz and, later, the Count of Schwerin.

German Emperor Wilhelm II also regularly ordered vehicles from Erdmann & Rossi. When the company took over fellow German coachbuilder Jos, it gained the young Johannes Beeskow, whose daring Art Deco styling went on to shape future designs, including the Horch.

Joseph Cassini purchased this automobile in 2001, and he then commissioned RM Restorations to prepare it for the Pebble Beach Concours. More than 12,000 hours went into its restoration. It has since gone on to record concours wins at New York City, Meadow Brook, the Glenmoor Gathering, Ault Park and Greenwich.

‘Johannes Beeskow’s daring Art Deco styling went on to shape future designs, including the Horch’ 234

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BEST OF SHOW

1937 Delage D8-120 S Pourtout Aéro Coupé Shown by Sam and Emily Mann

WHEN THE CONFETTI FLEW OVER THE AWARDS RAMP AT the 55th Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, it descended on a one-off Delage owned by Sam and Emily Mann. The winning car was a prototype originally commissioned by Louis Delage, the man who founded the French automobile company bearing his name in 1905.

By 1937 that firm had been purchased by Delahaye, but Delage was still involved. He wanted to show off the innovative new D8-120 chassis, so he approached Marcel Pourtout to create a very special coupé for the Paris Auto Salon that October.

A streamlined body was penned by Pourtout’s chief stylist Georges Paulin, who was at the forefront of aerodynamic design, and it was built in aluminum on an experimental D8-120 S (for surbaissé, or ‘lowered’) chassis with a 4.7-liter engine. The windshield, just one of the coupé’s notable components, is a curved ribbon of glass that wraps around the car. It was among the first vehicles to be tested in a wind tunnel. And it is said to be a delight to drive at speeds of up to 100mph.

After the automobile was shown, Louis Delage opted to keep it as his personal car. It was the epitome of the simple tagline his company

A prototype originally commissioned

by Louis Delage was the star of the 1937 Paris Auto Salon – and is now a winner at the world’s most prestigious concours

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This Delage was the fourth car shown by the Manns to come out on top at the Concours.

had used for years—“A Beautiful French Car”. The model’s history after Delage is little known, but prior to the Manns, it was owned by Manny Dragone and Alfredo Brenner.

“When I originally received this car years ago, it was shipped in crates and was literally in pieces,” explained Sam Mann, on the awards ramp. “It took two years to put the Delage back together, so this win is exceptionally gratifying.”

The occasion marked the fourth car shown by the Manns to take our top award. The Manns are now tied with William Harrah for having the second-most wins here of any entrants; only the Nethercutts have surpassed that number, with six in total.

The spring after its win at Pebble Beach, the Delage was presented with the first Louis Vuitton Classic Concours Award, confirming it as the ‘Best of the Best’.

“It took two years to put the Delage back together,” said Sam Mann. “So this win is exceptionally gratifying” 238

the world’s oldest independent Rolls-Royce and Bentley specialist

1909 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost H.J.Mulliner Style Balloon Car

1929 Bentley 6 ½ Litre Vanden Plas Open Tourer

1931 Rolls-Royce Springfield Phantom I Playboy Roadster by Brewster

1934 Rolls-Royce Phantom II Continental Owen Sedanca Coupe by Gurney Nutting

1936 Bentley 4 1/4 Litre Three Position Drophead Coupe by Veth & Zoon

1938 Rolls-Royce Phantom III Coupe by Hooper

1948 Bentley Cresta Coupe

by Facel/Farina

1953 Bentley R Type Continental Fastback by H.J.Mulliner

1956 Bentley S1 Continental Fastback

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2OO OO6 6 Slightly sinister but oh-so-sophisticated body styling gives this 1931 Daimler Double-Six 50 Corsica just what it takes to earn the top accolade

DAIMLER, ONE OF THE EARLIEST BRITISH MARQUES, initially offered cars under license from Gottlieb Daimler. It quickly earned a reputation for excellence, serving as transport for the British Royal Family, and it was one of the first automobiles to adopt sleeve valves, offering a quieter ride.

The company introduced the Double-Six at the 1926 Olympia Motor Show, just a year after Rolls-Royce launched its Phantom. The Daimler was a masterwork of engineering; chief engineer Laurence Pomeroy joined two six-cylinder blocks to a common aluminum crankcase, and refined the sleeve-valve system to reduce oil consumption and smoke.

This V12 engine was available in a range of displacements, but the top-of-the-line was the 7-liter Double-Six 50. The 50 referenced the taxable horsepower rating, but the actual output was around 150bhp.

Fewer than ten cars were produced with the 7-liter V12. This Daimler

BEST OF SHOW

1931 Daimler Double-Six 50 Corsica Shown by Robert M Lee Best of show nominees

1938 Alfa Romeo Tipo 8C 2900B Touring Berlinetta Shown by Miles C Collier 1939 Mercedes-Benz 540K Autobahn Kurier Shown by Arturo and Deborah Keller 1939 Bugatti Type 57C Voll & Ruhrbeck Cabriolet Shown by The Patterson Collection

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This slightly menacing Double-Six 50 Corsica might have suited Cruella de Vil.

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‘I bought this car because it made my heart skip a beat. I guess the judges agreed with my heart’ Double-Six 50 (chassis 30661) rests on a special platform modified by Reid Railton, the renowned chief designer at Brooklands-based raceengineering company Thompson & Taylor, to allow for the lowestpossible profile. The car is underslung with a compact rear and elongated front, and so low that the fenders reach above the hood line.

It was initially thought that perhaps two or three such chassis were created, but newer research suggests there was just this one—and it has born three bodies. An initial open tourer was rapidly followed by a close-coupled closed body when the car was returned to the factory in the winter of 1930-31. Then, after an early accident, the model was rebodied by Corsica with this Drophead Coupé—a magnificent, slightly menacing creation that might have suited Cruella de Vil. The Daimler was restored in the 1950s and passed into the hands of the Burnett family, which owned it for more than four decades. RM Restorations performed a concours-worthy renovation for its next owner, Robert M Lee, and the Daimler remains in his collection, looked after by his widow Anne Brockinton Lee. “I bought this car because it made my heart skip a beat,” said Robert on the awards ramp. “I guess the judges today agreed with my heart.”

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2OO OO7 7 Record-breaking Duesenberg-based Special was a speed legend in period; no wonder it made such an impact upon its debut at Pebble Beach

IN THE MID-1930S, DUESENBERG—LONG A WINNER ON THE track—decided to make a concerted push for speed. So this extraordinary Special was conjured into being.

It is powered by a supercharged SJ engine with special camshafts and huge duplex Stromberg UU-3 carburetors, all developed by Augie Duesenberg. Its body is a massive yet streamlined creation, with steeply angled radiator up front and tapered tail at back. A single headlight illuminated its way through the darkness of night.

In October 1935, Ab Jenkins set a one-hour record of 153.97mph and a 24-hour record of 135.57mph in the car at a circuit on the Bonneville Salt Flats. Following this, the Special was fitted with a Curtiss aircraft engine, the work overseen by Augie Duesenberg and Marvin Jenkins,

BEST OF SHOW

1935 Duesenberg SJ ‘Mormon Meteor’ Speedster Shown by Harry Yeaggy Best of show nominees

1930 Duesenberg J Murphy Torpedo Convertible Coupe Shown by The William Lyon Family 1930 Minerva Type AL Vanden Plas Cabriolet Shown by Paul Emple 1938 Alfa Romeo 6C 2300B Touring Mille Miglia Coupé Shown by David B Smith

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Harry Yeaggy returned the Mormon Meteor to its early race configuration.

son of Ab. The car became known as the ‘Mormon Meteor’ due to Ab Jenkins being a member of the Latter-day Saints organization.

As the quest for speed continued, Ab had an all-new chassis built.

The Curtiss aero engine was fitted to that, while the original Special was refitted with its Duesenberg engine and modified for road use. The new aero-engined car was named Mormon Meteor III; the original Special tends to be known as the Mormon Meteor I in its Duesenbergengined form and Mormon Meteor II in Curtiss-engined form. With the Duesenberg engine refitted, the Special was used by Ab and Marv Jenkins on the street over the following years, clocking up more than 20,000 miles until the mid-1940s.

The car was first shown at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance under the ownership of Knox Kershaw. It sold for a record $4.45 million at the 2004 Pebble Beach Auctions conducted by Gooding & Company.

The car’s new owner, Harry Yeaggy, returned it to its early race configuration. “In my opinion, this is the most significant American car ever built,” said Yeaggy at the time. The Duesenberg’s win at Pebble Beach underscored the judges’ understanding of its historic importance in addition to their appreciation of its style.

‘The Duesenberg’s win underscored the judges’ understanding of its historic importance’ 246

PUTTING CONCOURS WINNERS IN DRIVEWAYS SINCE 1997

2017 Class M-1 Ferrari Grand Touring Winner 1962 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Scaglietti Berlinetta - 2nd Place

Thank you to Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance for 70 years of automotive excellence.

BEST OF SHOW

1938 Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B Touring Berlinetta Shown by Jon and Mary Shirley Best of show nominees

1934 Packard LeBaron Sport Phaeton Shown by Jack and Helen Nethercutt 1935 Hispano-Suiza K6 Brandone Cabriolet Shown by Sam and Emily Mann

THE ALFA ROMEO 8C 2900B, WITH ITS STRAIGHT-EIGHT 2.9-liter engine with twin superchargers and twin overhead camshafts, is considered by many collectors to be the ultimate classic touring car.

This very special 8C 2900B (chassis 412035 and engine 422030) with its superleggera (super-lightweight) body first appeared in several Alfa Romeo advertisements. It is one of six similar coupés, but is subtly different from the other five. Moreover, the car holds an important place in US racing history; it won the very first event at Watkins Glen, in 1948—a full decade after its creation.

“It takes an amazing level of elegance for a closed car such as this Alfa to win at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance,” said chairman Sandra Button. “It requires the ultimate in style, grace and proportion.

This car has all of that. It has exquisite lines, balance and all of the excitement that only an 8C Alfa can provide.”

The car was first registered to the Societa Anonima Montecatini in Milan, then passed through the hands of M Wehrli, M Berchtold, Adolf Scherz, Frank Griswold (who brought it to the US from Switzerland and piloted it to the win at Watkins Glen), David Park, Paul Hatmon, Donald Veshley and David Cohen, before being purchased by Jon Shirley in 2005. And it just recently passed to a new owner.

“This car has an intriguing history,” said Shirley. “And although the car has been driven quite a bit, it’s never been wrecked. I’ve always been an Alfa fan, so winning at Pebble Beach doesn’t get much better.”

For many, Alfa’s 8C 2900B is the ultimate classic touring car, and this exquisite superleggera closed example has a particularly intriguing history

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Alfa Romeo won the very first motor sport event at Watkins Glen, in 1948.

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1937 Horch 853 Voll & Ruhrbeck Sport Cabriolet Shown by Robert M Lee Best of show nominee

1953 Siata 208CS Farina Spyder Shown by David B Smith

AUGUST HORCH WAS INITIALLY EMPLOYED BY KARL BENZ, but founded his namesake company in 1899 and Audi a decade later.

Horch would eventually merge with Audi, DKW and Wanderer, forming the four rings of Auto Union (now again called Audi).

The 850, with a 5.0-liter straight-eight engine delivering about 100bhp, was first offered in 1935. The shorter, sportier 853, with de Dion rear suspension, followed about a year later, while the 853A, with an engine delivering 120bhp, debuted in 1937. Although these cars were not supercharged, their transmissions were equipped with overdrive, so they competed for market share with the Mercedes-Benz 540K. Sadly, war stopped their production. About 950-1000 853s and 853As were made.

This car (chassis 853558 with engine 851186) is believed to be the second Horch bodied by the German company of Voll & Ruhrbeck. The

This 1937 Horch 853 Voll & Ruhrbeck went from the hands of the French Army during World War Two to those of one of the world’s foremost car collectors

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This Sport Cabriolet is believed to be the second Horch bodied by the German company of Voll & Ruhrbeck.

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early ownership of this model is unknown, but it was claimed at one point by the French Army during World War Two and was found thereafter in Switzerland. It was largely complete when acquired by Robert M Lee, but new fenders and hood had to be recreated in accord with period photographs—and the long sweep of the front fender line is a wonder to behold. The body’s dull metallic finish seeks to replicate the look of the reflective paint that Horch made of fish scales.

“This was extra special for us,” said Anne Brockinton Lee, “as the restoration of the Horch was done in house, by our team, our family.

Every nut and bolt, every detail. It was the equivalent of your home football team winning the Super Bowl.”

The car was first shown at Pebble Beach in 1988 by Dr Herbert Boyer.

‘The dull metallic finish seeks to replicate the look of the reflective paint that Horch made of fish scales’ 253

A DV E RT IS IN G

FEAT URE

FRENCH CONNECTION Hyman Ltd has become one of the foremost dealers in Concours winners

“TO BE INVITED TO SHOW A CAR ON THE LAWN AT PEBBLE Beach is an immense privilege,” says Mark Hyman. “We’ve been showing there for nearly 20 years, and it still feels like that. We’ve won our class several times, we’ve placed in our class many, many times and we’ve bought and sold, or brokered and sold, four Best of Show winners.”

Mark and the team at Hyman Ltd are best known at Pebble Beach for the pre-war French-bodied beauties that sit so well on the famous fairways, but the company’s eclectic inventory of cars for sale spans all ages and genres, from brass era to modern classics.

“We’re car dealers, but we really are enthusiasts, so we take the concours scene very seriously,” says Mark. “We always restore a car, and then after I’m done playing with it, we do the concours thing because we’re very involved with that scene. Eventually I end up selling the car; I can’t keep everything! I’m a big pre-war fan, but concours need to balance pre-war and post-war well. If we’re talking Pebble Beach Best of Show, there are fewer options of post-war cars that are special enough, but that doesn’t mean one taste has more weight than the other.”

The question comes up whether a car is worth more or less after winning at Pebble Beach, given that it won’t be able to win again. After brief discussion, Mark and sales manager Shawn Dougan agree that it’s worth more, because there are more people who just want the best.

“We have people who call us to say they’re looking for a car for Pebble Beach,” says Mark. “They want to buy the car, restore the car, they want to make applications for the car and they want to go through the process of hopefully winning at Pebble Beach, which is arguably every car collector’s and car aficionado’s dream. It doesn’t get any better—but it’s harder today than ever before to come up with a contender for Best of Show at Pebble Beach.

“We also have clients who are not interested in the process, they just want the best of the best. And if I can say ‘It’s won its class at Pebble Beach, are you interested?’ they will immediately say yes. There’s always, always a buyer for the best—and that’s where we come in.”

For more information on Hyman Ltd visit www.hymanltd.com.

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The 2010s A Global Exchange

The Rolls-Royce 20 HP of Arvind Singh Mewar, the Maharana of Udaipur in India, took home the Lucius Beebe Trophy in 2012.

RECENT YEARS HAVE SEEN MANY JAW-DROPPING DISPLAYS on the 18th fairway: 22 Ferrari 250GTOs posed together in 2011, every winning Ford GT40 was present in 2016, and Bentleys—which were at the event en masse in 2009 (with all four Blowers as well as Old Numbers 1, 2, and 3)—were on repeat for the marque’s 2019 centennial.

Simultaneously, the Concours has spotlighted clever groupings such as three racing Scarabs or all four final Bugatti Type 59 Grand Prix cars.

Unexpected delights have included rainbow-hued Ruxtons, aerodynamic Tatras, post-war Tuckers, Mercury Customs and even motorcycles.

The biggest story has been the ever-expanding reach of the Concours and the collector car hobby. In addition to their proliferation in North

America and Europe, new concours have now taken place in India, Japan, China, the Middle East, Australia and South Africa. Sandra and Martin Button have given these events all the support they can.

Knowledge, skills and even cars have been shared. The Concours has hosted classes for Cars of the Maharajas and of the Raj, and has featured its first display of Chinese models. We have also welcomed entrants from New Zealand, Malaysia, the Czech Republic, Singapore and Thailand.

In a quiet revolution, the number of post-war cars has slowly been growing as organizers seek to mirror enthusiasts’ interests. Mid-decade, post-war cars became the majority, and in 2014, for the first time in nearly five decades, a post-war car—a 1954 Ferrari 375 MM—took Best of Show.

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Top Every winning Ford GT40 made an appearance on the fairway in 2016.

Above In 2019, Bentley’s 100th anniversary was celebrated in style.

Above No fewer than 22 Ferrari 250GTOs posed together at the edge of the Pacific Ocean in 2011—just one of numerous jaw-dropping displays.

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Jaguar test driver Norman Dewis, who has just turned 90, is on hand to celebrate Jaguar’s 75th anniversary, along with a collection of historic cars and a dozen examples of the XKSS.

Paul Hageman, our youngest judge to date, begins to serve among our class judges at age 25.

Meanwhile, our longest-tenured judge, Jerry Rosenstock, surpasses 40 years of service.

The Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance surpasses 10,000 cars shown.

Elvis Presley’s long-lost 507 is unveiled after being found and restored by BMW.

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2O1O The style, speed and comfort embodied by this rakish de Villarsbodied Delage led to its win at the Concours’ 60th anniversary event

THIS DELAGE D8 S DE VILLARS ROADSTER, WHICH ONCE graced the Salon de Paris at the Grand Palais, is the unique masterwork of two firms—Delage and Carrosserie de Villars. Delage added the sports version to its D8 range in 1930. To make the S more quick and aerodynamic than its predecessors, the chassis was not only shortened but also lightened and lowered. The suspension, back axle and differential were revised, the engine upgraded and a new radiator shell requiring a special hood and firewall was used.

The body was the creation of de Villars, a boutique coachbuilder specializing in one-offs and financed largely by Frank Jay Gould. The son of tycoon Jay Gould had moved from the US to France to start an empire of hotels and casinos, as well as a chocolate factory and a paper mill.

Elite clients ranged from Prince Aly Khan to the Arpels of jewelry fame.

Chassis 38021 debuted at the Paris Salon de l’Automobile and was then displayed in the Delage showroom on the Champs-Élysées.

The roadster was first purchased by Aurelio Lerroux, son of Spain’s prime minister, who then passed it to Sr Rico, the brother of Madrid’s mayor. In the 1950s, painted red, it was used by the Gran Hotel Velázquez in Madrid to transport discerning guests. It was purchased

by Jim Patterson in 2007, and had been freshly restored and returned to its original stunning white when it was named Best of Show in 2010.

Patterson noted that some people had told him white cars rarely won beauty contests, but the D8’s originality and authenticity won out. It looked splendid on the awards ramp, which was bedecked in red rather than the usual white flowers for the Concours’ 60th celebration.

Best of Show

1933 Delage D8 S de Villars Roadster Shown by Jim Patterson/The Patterson Collection Best of show nominees

1930 Duesenberg J Graber Cabriolet Shown by Sam and Emily Mann 1929 Bentley Speed Six Park Ward Open Two Seater Shown by Arturo and Deborah Keller 1939 Delage D8-120 Chapron Cabriolet Shown by Daniel Sielecki

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BEST OF SHOW

1935 Voisin C25 Aérodyne Shown by Peter and Merle Mullin Best of Show nominees

1938 Talbot-Lago T150-C Figoni et Falaschi Coupé Shown by Richard Stephens 1929 Bentley Speed Six Gurney Nutting Fixed Head Coupé Shown by Daniel Sielecki

RESTORING THIS VOISIN C25 AÉRODYNE WAS A LABOR OF love for Peter and Merle Mullin, who have focused much of their collection on French coachwork and Art Deco design. They spared no expense in making certain that even the signature pattern of the interior cloth was faithfully recreated via loom.

“The Voisin is a four-door closed car, so it’s an unexpected winner,” said Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance chairman Sandra Button in 2011. “However its remarkable attention to detail brought it forward during the judging, and it became a real crowd-pleaser.”

Gabriel Voisin was among the earliest aviators, developing an airplane that undertook a controlled and circular flight as early as 1908. He is also credited with creating the first commercial aircraft factory, with his brother Charles. Voisin turned its hand to producing cars after World War One, but he continued to put his aeronautic expertise to good use; his company specialized in crafting models of lightweight materials and exhibiting streamlined designs. The C25 Aérodyne was his ‘car of the future’, and its avant-garde design drew both admirers and curiosity seekers when it debuted at the 1934 Salon de l’Automobile in Paris.

A total of 28 C25s were built, but just six were Aérodynes and only four are thought to have survived. This particular car (chassis 50010), with its two-tone paint, high belt-line, pontoon fenders, faired-in headlights and retractable roof, was displayed at the 1935 Lyon Fair and the Concours d’Elegance at Place Bellecour.

Art Deco elegance and remarkable attention to detail made this Aérodyne an unusual four-door closed-car winner

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The C25 Aérodyne was early aviator Gabriel Voisin’s ‘car of the future’.

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This 680S was called “a marvelous embodiment of everything that is Mercedes-Benz”.

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2O12 Combining German engineering and avant-garde French styling by Saoutchik, this 680S Torpedo Roadster is a spectacular luxury sports tourer

THIS 1928 CAR MARRIES A SPECTACULAR MERCEDES-BENZ 680S chassis with the latest avant-garde coachwork. Jacques Saoutchik made perhaps a dozen Torpedo Roadster bodies, each differing in their details, and chassis 35959 is thought to be the only remaining survivor of three low-windshield Torpedo Roadsters. The combination of chrome accents with that neat windshield make this Torpedo, shown first at the 1928 New York Auto Show, both a sports car and a luxury tourer.

“The car is really everything,” said Concours chairman Sandra Button in describing the Torpedo’s win. “It has fantastic German engineering, elegant French styling and a wonderful restoration by Paul Russell. It’s a car you can imagine racing as well as touring. It’s just a marvelous embodiment of everything that is Mercedes-Benz.”

Paul Andrews, the Mercedes-Benz’s owner when it was named Best of Show at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in 2012, stressed the whole package: “There’s not a bad line on this car. It was the sports car, the high-performance car of its era, and then Saoutchik gave it style and grace. It has power and it has beauty.”

The 680S was initially ordered by Charles Levine, but he refused the car upon delivery, so it was then shown at the New York Auto Show and purchased by Standard Oil director Henry Frederick Bedford Jr, who used it to court his wife Margaret. It is said that he met her at a party and enticed her to ride in it, speeding away from Margaret’s date at the time—much to her delight.

After Henry’s early death in 1953, the car was put away for nearly three decades. It was then restored, and it was eventually loaned to the Owls Head Transportation Museum for display. Ultimately, it was retained by the Bedford family for over 75 years before it was sold at auction in 2005. Peter Ministrelli purchased the 680S there and kept it just a few years, and then it passed to Paul and Judy Andrews, who shared it at the 2012 Pebble Beach Concours. It is now in the care of Craig McCaw.

BEST OF SHOW

1928 Mercedes-Benz 680S Saoutchik Torpedo Shown by Paul and Judy Andrews Best of show nominees

1935 Duesenberg J Gurney-Nutting Speedster Shown by the William Lyon Family 1931 Duesenberg J Derham Tourster Shown by Joseph and Margie Cassini III 1933 Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 Gran Sport Figoni Coupé Shown by David and Adele Cohen

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BEST OF SHOW

1934 Packard 1108 Twelve Dietrich Convertible Victoria Shown by Joseph and Margie Cassini III Best of show nominees

1932 Lincoln KB Murphy Roadster Shown by John and Heather Mozart 1934 Hispano-Suiza J12 Vanvooren Coupé Shown by The Honorable Sir Michael Kadoorie 1914 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost Van den Plas Belgium Torpedo Shown by Dr Terry Bramall CBE

2O13 As a star of Packard’s ‘Traveling Salon’ and a long-time past inhabitant of Puerto Rico, this 1934 Twelve Dietrich Convertible Victoria has a tale to tell

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THE TWELVE IS CONSIDERED TO BE ONE OF THE FINEST automobiles manufactured by Packard and one of the most significant creations of the Classic Era. More than 35,000 examples were produced between 1933 and 1939, and most of these Twelves were bodied by the factory. A mere a handful received custom coachwork by such great names as LeBaron and Dietrich.

This unique example (1108-65) is one of just four existing Dietrich Custom Convertible Victorias built on the 11th series Twelve of 1934.

Its features include distinctive Raymond Dietrich-styled teardrop fenders and a vee-windshield. Dietrich used a Custom Victoria body as a starting point for the design, which was then built by Packard as an in-house special.

It is thought that the car was showcased in Packard’s ‘Traveling Salon, and its first owner, Ricardo LaCosta II, an attorney who would become a judge, purchased it at the end of that tour. LaCosta lived in Puerto Rico, and the car remained there for many years, braving the sun and sand of that island. At one point, repainted bright red and orange, it even served as a taxi. It was later abandoned at Ramey Air Force Base, and a young American serviceman eventually shipped it home. From there, it passed to owners in Ohio and Oklahoma.

The Packard was in the hands of another judge, Joseph Cassini, and his wife Margie, when it was named Best of Show at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in 2013, and it is now in the care of Rob and Kim Coretz.

William Perocchi (Pebble Beach Company CEO) and Sandra Button with owner Joseph Cassini.

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BEST OF SHOW

1954 Ferrari 375 MM Scaglietti Coupé Shown by Jon Shirley Best of show nominees

1934 Hispano-Suiza J12 Fernandez et Darrin Coupé de Ville Shown by Robert M and Anne Brockinton Lee 1934 Packard Twelve Dietrich Convertible Victoria Shown by Frank and Milli Ricciardelli 1937 Rolls-Royce Phantom III Vanvooren Sports Cabriolet Shown by Lord Bamford

THIS HISTORIC 375 MM MADE HISTORY AGAIN, IN MORE WAYS than one, when it was named Best of Show at the 2014 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. It was the first Ferrari to take the top prize in that competition. Moreover, with the exception of just one Maserati back in 1968, it was the first car from the post-war era to claim that award since 1954—the very year of its own creation.

With the underpinnings of a race car, it has speed. With a unique oneoff body by Scaglietti, it has style. And it has a storied provenance, too. This particular 375 MM (0402AM) started life as a Pinin Farinabodied competition spyder, and its first owner was film director Roberto Rossellini, one of Ferrari’s best customers. Rossellini was paired at the time with Ingrid Bergman, who was said to have had an aversion to both this car and to speed—perhaps rightly so, because Rossellini soon wrapped the spyder around a tree.

The original body was beyond saving, so Rossellini sent the chassis to Carrozzeria Scaglietti in Modena, Italy for a replacement. The resulting creation was Scaglietti’s first passenger-car design for Ferrari, a unique and finely sculpted Coupé Speciale. This example is one of

This Ferrari had a new lease on life courtesy of Carrozzeria Scaglietti after Roberto Rossellini wrapped it around a tree—and its story didn’t end there...

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just five road-going 375 MMs created. In 1964, Rossellini sold the Ferrari to Mario Savona of Palermo in order to raise the funds for a movie. While under Savona’s ownership, the car was stolen, and when it was recovered 11 months later it had been repainted in a military green color. The car passed to Charles Robert of Paris in 1970, who retained it up until the mid-1990s.

Jon Shirley purchased the Ferrari in 1995, at which point a threeyear restoration under the auspices of Butch Dennison began. It debuted at the Ferrari Club of America’s International Concours in Toronto in early 1998, where it won Best of Show. Then it appeared at the Pebble Beach Concours, where it won numerous awards, including a First in Class. Although it didn’t capture the top award on that particular occasion, it did capture the eye of Sergio Scaglietti, who was being celebrated at the event and who spent several quiet moments sitting in the car, relishing the reunion with one of his first creations.

Thereafter, the Ferrari was often used and shown.

Meanwhile, ongoing research turned up details of the car that were previously unknown, and Shirley determined to restore it again before bringing it back to Pebble Beach in 2014. He even did the unthinkable, tearing out fine leather seats and replacing them with vinyl ones, as on the original. Ed Gilbertson, former chief judge at the Concours, said such an effort was a clear indication of Shirley’s “serious intent to do right” by the car. And Jon’s efforts were rewarded with the top prize— the first given to a post-war model in well over four decades.

The Ferrari now resides in a private collection in Switzerland.

This 1954 375 MM earned the Concours’ first Best of Show award for a post-war car since 1968.

‘Sergio Scaglietti spent several moments sitting in the car, relishing the reunion with one of his first creations’ 2 74

Congratulations Congratulations to to Our Our Clients!

Clients!

The 1966 Ferrari 275 GTB and the 1952 Ferrari 340 Mexico received 1st place in their classes. Congratulations John Paul Rowan and Les Wexner!

The 1966 Ferrari 275 GTB and the 1952 Ferrari 340 Mexico received 1st place in their classes. Congratulations John Paul Rowan and Les Wexner!

The 1953 Ferrari 375 America received 1st place in its Brian Ross and his passenger enjoying the Brian Ross andtour hisinpassenger enjoying The 1953 Ferrari 375 America 1st place in its Pebble class.

Congratulations Jamie &received Cecilia Muldoon!

Beach a 1949 Ferrari 166the MM. class. Congratulations Jamie & Cecilia Muldoon!

Pebble Beach tour in a 1949 Ferrari 166 MM.

Jack and Kingsley Croul taking off in a 1953 Maserati Jack and Kingsley taking a 1953 Maserati A6GCS after the firstCroul pit stop on off theintour.

A6GCS after the first pit stop on the tour.

Jack and Debbie Thomas had their 1955 Ferrari JackAmerica and Debbie Thomasthis hadyear. their 1955 Ferrari 375 on display 375 America on display this year.

Motion Products, Inc. would like to congratulate all of our clients who participated in the 70th Annual Pebble Beach Motion Products, Inc. would like to congratulate all of our clients who participated in the 70th Annual Pebble Beach Concours de Elegance. We were thrilled to be back assisting our clients through the tour, auctions, and of course show day.

Concours de Elegance. We were thrilled to be back assisting our clients through the tour, auctions, and of course show day.

We thank each of our clients for giving us the opportunity to bring their cars to the highest level of authenticity. We also We thank each of our clients for giving us the opportunity to bring their cars to the highest level of authenticity. We also thank Sandra Button and her team at the Pebble Beach Concours for organizing one of the best automotive events for thank Sandra Button and her team at the Pebble Beach Concours for organizing one of the best automotive events for enthusiests and organizations such as MPI year after year. enthusiests and organizations such as MPI year after year.

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2O15 This Isotta Fraschini Tipo 8A Cabriolet won the Grand-Prix d’Honneur at Cannes in 1933, and in 2015 it returned to Best of Show glory at Pebble Beach

BEST OF SHOW

1924 Isotta Fraschini Tipo 8A F Ramseier & Cie Worblaufen Cabriolet Shown by Jim Patterson/The Patterson Collection Best of show nominees

1953 Abarth 1100 Sport Ghia Coupé Shown by Grant Kinzel 1914 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost Kellner Torpedo Phaeton Shown by Doug Magee Jr 1937 Delahaye 145 Franay Cabriolet Shown by Sam and Emily Mann

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This Isotta Fraschini was on just its fourth owner in 91 years when it won Best of Show.

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‘Even when resting on stage, this Isotta Fraschini seems to be in motion.

And it’s filled with emotion’ AN ITALIAN ISOTTA FRASCHINI TIPO 8A CABRIOLET THAT once turned heads and garnered top prizes in the classic era glided to victory at the 65th Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, besting 219 competitors from 16 countries and 29 states.

The winning car was built on an extremely long 145-inch 1924 Tipo 8A chassis, which was acquired in the early 1930s, amidst the Great Depression, by Swiss Carrosserie Worblaufen to be used as the basis for a new sport cabriolet. The finished car was first shown at the Geneva Auto Show in 1932. Then it appeared at Cannes in 1933, where it was awarded the Grand-Prix d’Honneur.

The Isotta Fraschini passed through the hands of just three owners prior to being purchased by current keeper, Jim Patterson of Louisville, Kentucky. It was with the Leuba family of Geneva, Switzerland, from 1932 to 1960; with Yves Dalmier in Saint-Féliu-d’Avall, France, from 1960 to 1966, and with Albert Prost and his family in Roanne, France from 1966 to 2014, at which point Patterson purchased it.

Asked what he loved most about the massive cabriolet, Patterson chose to focus on its small details. “I love the cigarette lighters,” he said.

“You should see them! I wondered a while ago if they worked, and I’ve got a blister on my finger to show they do.”

Concours chairman Sandra Button said the Isotta Fraschini’s win wasn’t a surprise given its provenance. “From the moment that Cesare Isotta and the Fraschini brothers founded their company, they were known for building prestigious cars, and this particular model is very stylish and very powerful. Even when resting on stage, it seems to be in motion. And it is filled with emotion; there is a lot of passion in this car.”

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2O16 From ignominy in a hedge to a rock star ex-owner, this Astura Pinin Farina Cabriolet has certainly lived a life. Its Pebble Beach win is its crowning glory

ALTHOUGH PININFARINA HAS BEEN MOST FREQUENTLY affiliated with Ferrari in recent years, Battista ‘Pinin’ Farina made his name creating luxurious bodies for the chassis constructed by his dear friend Vincenzo Lancia, and some of his greatest pre-war creations rest on a lengthy 18-foot Lancia Astura foundation.

The Bocca Brothers, Lancia dealers in Biella, Italy, ordered this Pinin Farina Cabriolet, along with five similar yet slightly different cars, which are often referred to as the ‘Bocca’ Asturas. Their clean, long lines and power cabriolet tops were the talk of their day at shows and concours. This particular Tipo Bocca also features skirted rear fenders, intricately engraved side mouldings, a basket-woven interior and wood-grained instruments.

The car’s early history is not known, but it is believed to have been sent to an owner in England, because its gauges are not metric. And it was there, in a hedge in Surrey to be exact, that the car was located in 1962. The finder was a young engineer and enthusiast named Michael Scott, who had an affinity for Lancias and had been looking for a car to provide spare parts for his own shortened Astura. When Battista ‘Pinin’ Farina heard about the find, he offered to restore

BEST OF SHOW

1936 Lancia Astura Pinin Farina Cabriolet Shown by Richard Mattei Best of show nominees

1938 Delahaye 165 Figoni et Falaschi Cabriolet Shown by the Anne Brockinton Lee / Robert M Lee Automobile Collection 1931 Stutz DV-32 LeBaron Convertible Victoria Shown by Joseph and Margie Cassini III

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The car’s clean lines are as striking today as when Battista Farina created the Bocca Astura.

the body if Scott would first return it to driving condition. So that is exactly what happened.

The car was later purchased from Scott by guitarist Eric Clapton, who declared it to be “the most fun I’ve had off stage and out of bed”.

He sold it back to Pininfarina in the 1980s, and it was displayed in the company’s museum for years.

Richard Mattei purchased the Lancia in 2010 and set about restoring it with the help of Jeff McDonald. Mattei first submitted an entry application for the car to 2012 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, thinking the restoration would be done by then. But the tiniest details can subvert the best of intentions and efforts, and that was true in this situation. The car was finally close to being finished by 2014 but for one last detail—the intricate engravings on the side mouldings, which turned up wrong time and again. The car finally pulled onto the show field at Pebble Beach in 2016, and it bested the competition.

‘When Battista ‘Pinin’ Farina heard about the 1962 find, he offered to restore the body’

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This restored 680S is resplendent in Earl Howe’s signature ‘Curzon Peacock Blue’ paintwork.

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2O17 With its aircraft-inspired design cues and historic ties to two racing greats, this supercharged 1929 Mercedes-Benz 680S Barker Tourer is dashingly unique

A UNIQUE MERCEDES-BENZ 680S WITH SPEED AND STYLE as well as strong historic ties to two racing greats took top prize at the 2017 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.

This 1929 example was delivered to Mercedes-Benz of London as a Model S before being uprated to full SS specifications, with a 7.0-liter supercharged engine, and then fitted with lightweight tourer coachwork

by Barker of London. Included on the car are several features more often found on aircraft, such as an altimeter and aluminum torpedostyle running boards that double as kits for tools and other ancillary equipment. A naval motif is also present: the spare tire is tucked inside a gleaming boat-tail.

The car’s first owner was Francis Curzon, The Right Honorable Fifth Earl Howe, who served as a British naval officer and in the British Parliament, in addition to racing cars and co-founding the British Racing Drivers’ Club. Earl Howe was a regular Le Mans entrant between 1929 and 1935, winning his class in 1930 and taking victory in the 24-hour race outright in 1931. He was well known for having one of Europe’s finest collections of racing cars, and this SS perfectly suited his sporting lifestyle.

Soon after the car’s receipt in June 1929, Earl Howe showed it at the Brighton Concours and tested it in the Accretion time trials. Thereafter, he often toured with it on the Continent in addition to competing with it in hillclimbs and time trials—and the car, dressed in Howe’s signature rich ‘Curzon Peacock Blue’, inspired by a dress made of peacock feathers in the 1850s, was a magnate for attention wherever it went.

Howe sold the car in 1933, and it passed through the hands of several other owners—perhaps most notably Indianapolis Motor Speedway owner Tony Hulman—before being purchased in 2011 by Bruce McCaw. “The question was whether or not to restore it,” said McCaw. “I always hate to restore something that doesn’t need it. But we finally found enough pictures that we knew the car needed to be restored.”

He had the work done by Stephen Babinsky, who is also a strong advocate for preservation when possible.

“This Mercedes-Benz S Barker Tourer is a combination of speed, style and power,” said Concours chairman Sandra Button on the car’s win. “Somehow these three elements—along with those fantastic torpedo running boards—become the very definition of elegance.”

BEST OF SHOW

1929 Mercedes-Benz 680S Barker Tourer Shown by Bruce R McCaw Best of show nominees

1957 Ferrari 315 S Scaglietti Spider Shown by John and Gwen McCaw 1932 Packard 906 Twin Six Dietrich Convertible Victoria Shown by William E ‘Chip’ Connor

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2O18 Touring cited this seminal car as the start of its ‘Superleggera’ coachwork, while Alfa referred to it as the ultimate expression of the marque’s mystique

BEST OF SHOW

1937 Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B Touring Berlinetta Shown by David and Ginny Sydorick Best of show nominees

1929 Duesenberg J Murphy Town Limousine Shown by the Lehrman Collection 1948 Talbot-Lago T26 Grand Sport Figoni Fastback Coupé Shown by Robert Kudela

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DAVID SYDORICK, ONE OF THE CONCOURS FAITHFUL, IS passionate about cars bodied by Zagato, and that’s what he most often shares on the famed 18th fairway. But in 2018, he broke with his foremost love to display an Alfa Romeo bodied by Touring—and that model was the one accompanied by pyrotechnics and confetti as it pulled onto the apex of the awards ramp to receive the Best of Show trophy at the event’s conclusion.

The 8C 2900 was probably the most technically advanced, modern and compelling sports car that money could buy in the 1930s; at its core is an inline eight-cylinder engine with double overhead camshafts and twin superchargers, producing 180bhp. This particular 8C 2900B (chassis 412020) was a seminal creation for both Alfa Romeo and Carrozzeria Touring. It was one of five Berlinettas built by Touring on a lungo (long-wheelbase) 8C 2900B chassis by Alfa Romeo—but more importantly, it was the first of these Berlinettas and it was built on the first of these chassis. It differs from the later 8C 2900 Berlinettas by having a more steeply raked aerodynamic grille and no running boards.

This is the very car that Touring cited as the start of its ‘Superleggera’ coachwork. And Alfa Romeo referred to it as the ultimate expression of the marque’s mystique. It was unveiled at the 1937 Paris Auto Salon, then appeared at the 1937 Milan Auto Show and the 1938 Berlin Motor Show. It was also featured in many period magazines.

The car is believed to have remained in Germany to the mid-1950s; it was brought to the United States in 1956. This historic Alfa Romeo was first restored in the 1990s and was named Most Elegant Closed Car when shown by then-owner William Connor at the 2001 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. The Sydoricks took possession of the Alfa in 2015 and, working with RX Autoworks and many historians and experts, restored it to its 1938 Berlin Motor Show specification.

Working with RX Autoworks, the Sydoricks restored their car to 1938 Berlin show spec.

‘Probably the most technically advanced, modern and compelling sports car money could buy’ 288

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BEST OF SHOW

1931 Bentley 8 Litre Gurney Nutting Sports Tourer Shown by The Honorable Sir Michael Kadoorie Best of show nominees

1938 Talbot-Lago T150C-SS Figoni and Falaschi Teardrop Cabriolet Shown by Richard and Melanie Lundquist 1936 Mercedes-Benz 540K Erdmann and Rossi Special Cabriolet Shown by The Keller Collection at The Pyramids 1962 Aston Martin DB4GT Zagato Coupé Shown by David F MacNeil

THE SHOW FIELD OF THE 2019 PEBBLE BEACH CONCOURS d’Elegance was awash with Bentleys—six full classes of them—as the marque celebrated its centennial. And when Best of Show was announced, it was an 8 Litre owned by The Honorable Sir Michael Kadoorie that had risen to the top of the competition.

The 8 Litre, just 100 of which were made, was basically an enlarged version of Bentley’s Le Mans-winning Speed Six, with a new and lower chassis. Designed to go head-to-head with the new Rolls-Royce Phantom II, the first 8 Litres appeared at the Olympia Motor Show in October 1930 and created a sensation. At the time of the 8 Litre’s launch, WO Bentley wrote: “I have always wanted to produce a completely silent, 100mph car, and now I think we have done it.”

Such was the power of the model’s 7983cc straight-six engine that the company guaranteed it would be capable of more than 100mph regardless of the coachwork. The winning 8 Litre (YF 5011) is one of just two short-chassis 8 Litres that Gurney Nutting bodied as a Sports Tourer, with dual cowl and detachable rear windscreen. The body of the

Rising to the top of six full classes of Bentleys, this unique 8 Litre’s win at Pebble Beach in 2019 marked the company’s centennial in style

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other car was transferred to a Rolls-Royce Phantom chassis many years ago, making Kadoorie’s car the sole-surviving example.

“The centennial of Bentley may have played a role in this award,” noted Sir Michael, “but the 8 Litre is the ultimate WO Bentley-era automobile. This is the model that represents Bentley at its finest, and I have been very fortunate to have a car that has this elegance and finish, and that the Pebble Beach Concours feels is worthy.”

The car was first delivered to a Sir H Holder in April 1931. It then passed through various owners, many who toured with it and participated in rallies and hillclimbs over the decades. In 2004 it found its way into the hands of Peter Livanos, who had P & A Wood fully restore it. The car passed into the hands of The Honorable Sir Michael Kadoorie in 2010, who also turned to P & A Wood for restoration work and who has continued to use and care for it.

“This Bentley exudes strength and confidence, and that translates into elegance,” said Concours chairman Sandra Button. “Yes, this is a fast, strong, sturdy car, but it also has perfect proportions, a stunning stance, and a boldness that draws you to it. When you drive it, it does everything you ask of it.”

This winning Bentley 8 Litre was restored

by British specialist P & A Wood.

Kadoorie’s car is the sole-surviving Gurney Nutting-bodied 8 Litre Sports Tourer.

‘The ultimate WO Bentleyera automobile; this is the model that represents Bentley at its finest’ 292

rollS-royce and Bentley Heritage dealerS

SaleS, Service, repairS, Spare partS and c omplete r eStorationS “Attention to Detail”

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The Year 2021: Past, Present and Future

A parade of former Road Race winners and a display of Porsche 917s (plus Derek Hill in his father’s Pierce-Arrow, previous pages): what a way to celebrate an anniversary.

THE 70TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE PEBBLE BEACH CONCOURS d’Elegance was a year late in arriving, but when the faithful were able to gather once again on the 18th fairway, the celebration was more than memorable. Over half of the prior Best of Show cars (38 of 69!) waited to welcome the 70th winner to their midst. To signal the start of the awards ceremony, soon after midday, they marched across the ramp one-by-one—a parade of elegance that won’t soon be equaled.

All five early Pebble Beach Road Race winners were united for the first time, gathering initially along the old course where they’d made history and driving to the show field. Similarly, a class of La Carrera Panamericana cars echoed the Concours’ very first special exhibit back

in 1953. The earliest car competing on this occasion was an 1896 Riker Electric Roadster, a one-seater featured alongside other early electrics.

Also exhibited was an early electric charger. The most recent car was the 2003 Ferrari P4/5 Pininfarina Coupé previously shown on the Concept Lawn but now taking its place on the main competition field with a host of Pininfarina cars. Additional features celebrated the Porsche 917, the creations of Harry Miller, Iso, the Lamborghini Countach’s golden anniversary, and 1921 French Grand Prix centennial.

Yet in this post-pandemic year it was the people who mattered most: the ones who gathered with us at last, the ones missing across oceans or years, and the ones we look forward to seeing in the future. Soon!

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Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance: By the Numbers 11,000+

150

The number of cars that have been celebrated at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance to date

The average number of judges at the Pebble Beach Concours in recent years

$2,089,450

1000+

The amount raised for charity by the 2021 Pebble Beach Concours

Entrant applications received per year in recent years

$32 million+

220

The total raised to date by the Concours to help people in need

Average number of entries accepted in recent years

Wi n n i n g e st own e rs at P e b b l e B e a c h

Winningest marques at P e b b l e B e a c h

6 wins

9 wins

JB and Dorothy Nethercutt / The Nethercutt Collection

Bugatti, Mercedes-Benz

4 wins William Harrah, Sam and Emily Mann

3 wins

1200+ The average number of volunteers at the Pebble Beach Concours in recent years

6 wins Duesenberg

5 wins Rolls-Royce

Arturo and Deborah Keller / The Keller Collection at The Pyramids

4 wins

2 wins

Packard

Mr and Mrs Phil Hill, John Mozart, Ralph Lauren, Joseph and Margie Cassini III, Robert M Lee, Jon Shirley, Jim Patterson / The Patterson Collection

3 wins Alfa Romeo, Daimler, Delage, Isotta Fraschini, Jaguar

2 wins Bentley, Chrysler, Hispano-Suiza, Horch, Pierce-Arrow, Voisin

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BEST OF SHOW

1938 Mercedes-Benz 540K Autobahn Kurier Shown by The Keller Collection at The Pyramids Best of show nominees

1937 Bugatti Type 57S Corsica Drophead Coupé Shown by Joanie and Scott Kriens 1966 Ferrari 365 P Pininfarina Berlinetta Speciale Shown by RQ Collections 1956 Maserati A6G Zagato Coupé Shown by Jonathan and Wendy Segal

2O21 This Mercedes-Benz 540K Autobahn Kurier has certainly lived a life well travelled. And in 2021 it became a Pebble Beach Concours winner, too

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2O21

WHEN THE FINAL ANNOUNCEMENT WAS MADE AT THE 2021 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, a 1938 Mercedes-Benz 540K Autobahn Kurier was called forward as the 70th Best of Show winner.

As its name makes clear, the Autobahn Kurier was designed by Hermann Ahrens to travel at speed on the then-new superhighways of Germany, and its aerodynamic form delighted attendees at the 1938 Berlin Motor Show where the model was first introduced. Positioned at the very top of Mercedes-Benz offerings, it is thought that a mere four Autobahn Kuriers were built on 500K chassis, and it is known that just two were created on 540Ks. The winning car, owned by The Keller Collection at The Pyramids, is the second of the two Mercedes-Benz Autobahn Kuriers built on a 540K chassis. Moreover, it is the only Autobahn Kurier still in existence and still retaining all of its original equipment.

Because the car dates to the coachbuilt era, some commentators quickly pegged it as a somewhat traditional choice for concours judges.

But the choice made history in many ways. The win was the third for Arturo and Deborah Keller of Petaluma, California. It was also the ninth for Mercedes-Benz, bringing it into a tie with Bugatti for the most wins by a marque. But the selection was unusual in one more very important respect; the car was the first Best of Show winner in decades that was not recently restored for the event.

“The choice makes the point that we are a concours of elegance, not a concours of restoration,” said Sandra Button a short while later.

“It is the car itself that matters most.”

The Kellers are the Autobahn Kurier’s second owners from new. This 540K example was first purchased by Professor Ignacio Barraquer, a Spanish ophthalmologist and one of the foremost cataract surgeons of his day, who soon took it on a lengthy driving tour from Spain to North Africa, passing through Egypt and Libya, then shipping the car home. In the early 1950s, he also used the Autobahn Kurier to tour Austria and Switzerland. The car remained with the Barraquer family until 2003, when they sold it to the Kellers.

After a careful restoration by Paul Russell, the car debuted at the Pebble Beach Concours in 2006, where it won its class, was awarded both the Mercedes-Benz Trophy, was named Most Elegant Closed Car, and was a nominee for Best of Show.

In the ensuing 15 years, the Kellers have used the car extensively on tours and rallies, including another trip through the Alps, and they have shared it with enthusiasts at several other events, often winning notable awards. The Autobahn Kurier was carefully prepared, but as noted it was not re-restored for the 2021 Pebble Beach Concours.

The Keller family celebrates as their Autobahn Kurier is named Best of Show.

‘The car was the first Best of Show winner in decades that was not recently restored for the event’ 300

A DV ERTI SI N G

FEATUR E

THE HIDDEN POWER Speed Digital’s software is behind many dealers, auctions and concours

IF YOU’RE A COLLECTOR CAR ENTHUSIAST IN THE US, YOU’LL probably have interacted with a Speed Digital website or service at some point—but you might not have realized it.

The Charlotte-based company is best known as the supplier of software for collector car dealers and auction houses, providing a platform for all those vehicles for sale that we love to browse. But there’s far more to Speed Digital than that. The most obvious example here relates directly to the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance because Speed Digital developed and supplied the software to allow the viewing of the thousands of applications for collector cars entered for consideration for the event.

Previously those initial entries had to be printed out and sent around the world to the Selection Committee members in order to select the final entries. Now, using the Speed Digital custom platform, those same members are able to make their initial choices online before meeting to decide final selections.

However, Speed Digital software isn’t just for car dealers and event organizers. One version of its platform can be specially customized for private collections, allowing managers to collate and retain all the information relating to each car in their collections in one place and to share it securely where necessary—for example with event organizers—using bank-level encryption for security.

The company is managed by CEO Neil Pitt, working with owner Rob

Kauffman, who’s well known in collector car circles for his regular Pebble Beach entries, his historic racing and his specialist company RK Motors. Rob is also behind the investment firm that partnered with Hagerty ahead of its launch on the New York Stock Exchange.

As for Neil, he already had a long history of working in automotive logistics when he teamed up with Rob, having been president of Passport Transport and managing director of FedEx Auto Transport.

Rob had been one of Neil’s transportation clients, for RK Motors and his own car collection, and had started developing dealer-management software; seven years ago Neil joined Rob to help develop the platform, and the current Speed Digital company grew from the partnership.

Now Speed Digital has more than 200 dealer clients as well as the private collection and concours management systems—and it also owns the popular Motorious news and cars for sale website, which it continues to grow. Used in combination, the various platforms take on extra powers: for example, a Motorious write-up on a car for sale from one of the dealer clients can prompt successful sales. When Motorious featured a 99-mile Corvette pace car for sale with GT Motor Cars, the dealer received more serious inquiries in two days than it had experienced in the previous two months. Now that’s power! www.speeddigital.com #PoweredbySpeedDigital #AmplifiedbyMotorious

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SPECIALISTS IN DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL TRANSPORTATION

CONTACT US TO LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR SERVICES 800-748-3160 609-386-0600 mccollisters.com/services/auto-transport

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