The Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance is the pinnacle of the American collector car scene. Every year, the rarest and finest vintage and historic machines make the journey to Pebble Beach during Monterey Car Week for adoring crowds eager to explore speed’s history.
Now, in addition to seeing the Best in Show crowned at the Concours, car lovers will have the chance to see a new winner chosen — a sort of “best in a world of shows.” The Peninsula Hotels will bring the Best in Show cars from the world’s six top Concours events together at The Quail in Carmel-by-the-Sea for the first time this year to select the Peninsula Classics Best of the Best Award.
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Here is the lineup of all the contenders assembled from the far corners of the elite automotive world, with commentary direct from the contest organizers:
1903 Mercedes 60HP Simplex: Winner, Royal Concours of Elegance
“One of only four in existence today, preceded by the Mercedes 35hp, which had once been the fastest production car in the world. It remains Mercedes’ top of the range model, having been named Best in Show at the Royal Concours of Elegance.”
1932 Isotta Fraschini Tipo 8A S Sport Cabriolet: Winner, Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance
“Best in Show at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in 2015, this magnificent car has had only four owners from new, and it has lived a quiet life in Switzerland and France its entire life until coming to North America in 2014.”
1930 Cord L29 Brooks Stevens Speedster: Winner, Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance
“Before taking home Best of Show at the 20th Annual Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance, this hot rod was heralded as defining the mid-century American aesthetic in the automotive industry.”
1937 Talbot-Lago T150C SS ‘Goutte d’Eau’: Winner, Goodwood Cartier Style et Luxe
“This masterful coachwork by Figoni et Falaschi has won prizes at every major concours in pre-war Europe and is famed for having both redefined automotive style and having won top-level races. The ‘Teardrop’ became trend setting and motivated many other French manufacturers to consider a similar streamlined design.”
1965 Ferrari 166 P / 206 SP Dino 0834: Winner, Cavallino Classic
“Having most recently won the coveted Scuderia Ferrari Cup for Best of Show at the Cavallino Classic, this one-of-a-kind Dino was first entered by Scuderia Ferrari in 1965 and raced by Giancarlo Baghetti and later by Ludovico Scarfiotti to many wins over its long history.”
1968 Alfa Romeo Tipo 33 Stradale: The Quail, Winner, A Motorsports Gathering
“This model (top image) was derived from the Alfa Romeo 33/2 racing cars with the goal of creating a sports car staying as true to its racing heritage as possible. The Stradale is fitted with a 2 liter DOHC V8 producing 230 BHP, while the chassis was extended 10 centimeters for additional driver comfort from the 33/2. Since its restoration in 2004, this Tipo 33 Stradale has won four top honors, including Best in Show at the 2015 The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering.”
As for choosing the winner, the new award’s organizers assembled a judging committee of 23 experts, designers and celebrities. The panel includes:
- Anne Asensio, best known for her work as former Executive Design Director at General Motors
- Chris Bangle, best known for his work as Chief of Design for the BMW Group
- Singh Manvendra Barwani, known auto enthusiast
- Peter Brock, best known for his work on the Shelby Daytona Cobra Coupe and Corvette Sting Ray
- Ian Callum, Director of Design for Jaguar Cars
- Miles Collier, who spearheaded the design behind the world-class Collier Collection
- Luc Donckerwolke, designer for Hyundai’s Genesis premium brand
- Fabio Filippini, Design Director of Pininfarina
- Henry Ford III, the great-great grandson of Ford Motor founder Henry Ford
- Charles Gordon-Lennox, Lord March, Founder of the Goodwood Festival of Speed and President of the British Automobile Racing Club
- Ralph Lauren, global fashion tycoon
- Jay Leno, who is currently launching the second season of Jay Leno’s Garage on NBC
- Flavio Manzoni, automobile designer best known for his work at Ferrari, Lancia and Volkswagen
- Nick Mason, former Pink Floyd drummer and classic car enthusiast
- François Melcion, Director of Rétromobile chez Comexposium
- Gordon Murray, best known for his work as a designer of Formula One race cars and the McLaren F1 road car
- Shiro Nakamura, the Japanese car designer currently serves as Senior Vice President of Nissan Motor Co. Ltd.
- Ken Okuyama, is widely known for his work with Pininfarina, where he designed and supervised projects such as the Enzo Ferrari and Ferrari P4/5
- Adolfo Orsi Jr., well known auto historian and grandson and son of Adolfo and Omer Orsi, owners of Maserati between 1937 and 1967
- Frank Stephenson, McLaren’s Automotive Design Director
- Jean Todt, after a career as a rally co-driver he worked in motor sport management, first with Peugeot Talbot Sport, then with Scuderia Ferrari, before being appointed Chief Executive Officer of Ferrari before assuming his current role as President of the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile
- Gorden Wagener, Chief Designer of Mercedes-Benz
- Edward T. Welburn, Vice President of Global Design at General Motors
The final victor from these six cars will be announced at a private dinner during Monterey Car Week on August 16, 2016. The Honorable Sir Michael Kadoorie, Chairman of The Hong Kong and Shanghai Hotels, Ltd., and parent company of The Peninsula Hotels, joins award co-founders Christian Philippsen, William E. “Chip” Connor and Bruce Meyer in bringing the award to Monterey and Pebble Beach.
Note: Stay tuned for our “boots on the ground” coverage of the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance and Monterey Car Week beginning August 18.
