Concourses d’elegance will never get rid of all their stigmas about piano-gloss paint jobs shining deeper than the Kaspian sea and waxed tyres on glass plates. But then you may like to know that Pebble Beach – the concours of concourses that took place yesterday – every year submits their participators and their vehicles to the ‘Pebble Beach Tour d’elegance’ – a 65 mile drive along the winding roads of Carmel-by-the-Sea, with bonus lap at Laguna Seca raceway. Entrants are not obliged to do the tour, but the organization of the concours states ‘If two vehicles tie in class competition at the concours, the vehicle that has successfully completed the Tour gets the nod."
And so a most extraordinary range of cars could be seen along the California coastal roads last weekend, ranging from early steam cars to bright coloured Ruxtons - both featured classes for this year. Or how about this 1934 Hispana-Suiza K6 Fernandez et Darrin Coupe? It’s one of two cars commissioned by Anthony Gustav de Rothschild, and this one actually was for his wife! Another 1934 Hispano-Suiza with Fernandez et Darrin Coupé de Ville body – this time a J12 – was for himself. In true American fashion co-owner Anne Brockinton Lee said: “This is the most interesting, breathtaking, swoopy pair of formal cars ever built. For anybody. By any coachbuilder.” We’re not too sure, but she has a point!
Interestingly, the 'Best of Show' award went to a not quite so swoopy post war car for the first time since 1968. The silver grey Ferrari 375 MM of former Microsoft-boss John Shirley was given top honours. See the footage and Shirley's reaction here.
(Picture courtesy Kimball Studios)