Automotive

Pictorial: 2019 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance

Pictorial: 2019 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance
The Best of Show award at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in 2019 went to the 1931 Bentley 8 Litre Gurney Nutting Sports Tourer of Sir Michael Kadoorie of Hong Kong, founder of The Quail, and Peninsula Classics Best of the Best award.
The Best of Show award at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in 2019 went to the 1931 Bentley 8 Litre Gurney Nutting Sports Tourer of Sir Michael Kadoorie of Hong Kong, founder of The Quail, and Peninsula Classics Best of the Best award.
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Dawn at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance saw this pair of Bugatti Type 57SC Atalantes together awaiting the festivities of the day. At right is the winner of the K-1 Class for Bugattis, a 1937 model from a private New York Collection, while at left is a 1936 model owned by Rob and Melanie Walton of Scottsdale Arizona.
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Dawn at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance saw this pair of Bugatti Type 57SC Atalantes together awaiting the festivities of the day. At right is the winner of the K-1 Class for Bugattis, a 1937 model from a private New York Collection, while at left is a 1936 model owned by Rob and Melanie Walton of Scottsdale Arizona.
The winner of the J2 Class for European Classic Closed cars was this 1937 Delahaye 145 Chapron Coupe owned by Merle & Peter Mullin of Los Angeles, California
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Thw inner of the J2 Class for European Classic Closed cars was this 1937 Delahaye 145 Chapron Coupe owned by Merle & Peter Mullin of Los Angeles, California
This 1936 Mercedes-Benz 540K Erdmann and Rossi Special Cabriolet was the winner of Class I for Mercedes-Benz Prewar cars. The supercharged 5.4 liter Mercedes is part of the Keller Collection at The Pyramids, Petaluma, California
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This 1936 Mercedes-Benz 540K Erdmann and Rossi Special Cabriolet was the winner of Class I for Mercedes-Benz Prewar cars. The supercharged 5.4 liter Mercedes is part of the Keller Collection at The Pyramids, Petaluma, California
The Best of Show award at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in 2019 went to the 1931 Bentley 8 Litre Gurney Nutting Sports Tourer of Sir Michael Kadoorie of Hong Kong, founder of The Quail, and Peninsula Classics Best of the Best award.
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The Best of Show award at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in 2019 went to the 1931 Bentley 8 Litre Gurney Nutting Sports Tourer of Sir Michael Kadoorie of Hong Kong, founder of The Quail, and Peninsula Classics Best of the Best award.
The Best of Show award at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in 2019 went to the 1931 Bentley 8 Litre Gurney Nutting Sports Tourer of Sir Michael Kadoorie of Hong Kong
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The Best of Show award at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in 2019 went to the 1931 Bentley 8 Litre Gurney Nutting Sports Tourer of Sir Michael Kadoorie of Hong Kong
The 1931 Bentley 8 Litre Gurney Nutting Sports Tourer of Sir Michael Kadoorie of Hong Kong, winning Best of Show award at the 2019 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance
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The 1931 Bentley 8 Litre Gurney Nutting Sports Tourer of Sir Michael Kadoorie of Hong Kong, winning Best of Show award at the 2019 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance
The Best of Show award at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in 2019 went to the 1931 Bentley 8 Litre Gurney Nutting Sports Tourer of Sir Michael Kadoorie of Hong Kong
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The Best of Show award at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in 2019 went to the 1931 Bentley 8 Litre Gurney Nutting Sports Tourer of Sir Michael Kadoorie of Hong Kong
This 1914 Pathfinder 14A Touring was an entrant in the Prewar Preservation Class (Class L-1). Owned by Clive Cussler of Paradise Valley, Arizona, the Pathfinder was produced in Indianapolis.
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This 1914 Pathfinder 14A Touring was an entrant in the Prewar Preservation Class (Class L-1). Owned by Clive Cussler of Paradise Valley, Arizona, the Pathfinder was produced in Indianapolis.
This 1960 Porsche Carrera Abarth GTL Coupe by Viarenzo & Filliponi comes from the Robert Ingram Collection in North Carolina.
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This 1960 Porsche Carrera Abarth GTL Coupe by Viarenzo & Filliponi comes from the Robert Ingram Collection in North Carolina.
The winner of Class L-1, the Prewar Preservation Class, was this 1907 Renault XB Labourdette Transformable Landaulet owned by Steve & Marilee Hamilton of Washoe Valley, Nevada
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The winner of Class L-1, the Prewar Preservation Class, was this 1907 Renault XB Labourdette Transformable Landaulet owned by Steve & Marilee Hamilton of Washoe Valley, Nevada
An entrant in the Class F-2: Bentley Centennial 4 1/2 Litre Class (Class F-2), this 1930 Bentley 4 1/2 Supercharged Gurney Nutting Drophead Coupe comes from the Anne Brockinton Lee / Robert M. Lee Automobile Collection of Reno, Nevada.
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An entrant in the Class F-2: Bentley Centennial 4 1/2 Litre Class (Class F-2), this 1930 Bentley 4 1/2 Supercharged Gurney Nutting Drophead Coupe comes from the Anne Brockinton Lee / Robert M. Lee Automobile Collection of Reno, Nevada.
An entrant in the Class F-2: Bentley Centennial 4 1/2 Litre Class (Class F-2), this 1930 Bentley 4 1/2 Supercharged Gurney Nutting Drophead Coupe comes from the Anne Brockinton Lee / Robert M. Lee Automobile Collection of Reno, Nevada.
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An entrant in the Class F-2: Bentley Centennial 4 1/2 Litre Class (Class F-2), this 1930 Bentley 4 1/2 Supercharged Gurney Nutting Drophead Coupe comes from the Anne Brockinton Lee / Robert M. Lee Automobile Collection of Reno, Nevada.
This 1927 Bentley 3 Litre Speed Six Vanden Plas Open Sports is owned by Peter Goodwin of Charlottesville, Virginia, and was the winner of the Bentley Centennial 3 Litre Class. This car, known as "Old Number 2" is one of the most famous Bentleys, having finished second in the 1930 24 Hours of Le Mans, just behind, just behind Speed Six 'Old No 1'.
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This 1927 Bentley 3 Litre Speed Six Vanden Plas Open Sports is owned by Peter Goodwin of Charlottesville, Virginia, and was the winner of the Bentley Centennial 3 Litre Class. This car, known as "Old Number 2" is one of the most famous Bentleys, having finished second in the 1930 24 Hours of Le Mans, just behind, just behind Speed Six 'Old No 1'.
The winner of the Ferrari Competition Class (Class M-2), this 1955 Ferrari 750 Monza Scaglietti Spyder is owned by Patrick & Carolyn Ottis of Berkeley, California
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The winner of the Ferrari Competition Class (Class M-2), this 1955 Ferrari 750 Monza Scaglietti Spyder is owned by Patrick & Carolyn Ottis of Berkeley, California
An entrant in the Zagato Centennial Postwar Class (Class P-2), this 1965 Lamborghini 3500 GTZ Zagato Coupe is owned by Bill Pope of Scottsdale, Arizona.
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An entrant in the Zagato Centennial Postwar Class (Class P-2), this 1965 Lamborghini 3500 GTZ Zagato Coupe is owned by Bill Pope of Scottsdale, Arizona.
An entrant in the Zagato Centennial Postwar Class (Class P-2), this 1965 Lamborghini 3500 GTZ Zagato Coupe is owned by Bill Pope of Scottsdale, Arizona.
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An entrant in the Zagato Centennial Postwar Class (Class P-2), this 1965 Lamborghini 3500 GTZ Zagato Coupe is owned by Bill Pope of Scottsdale, Arizona.
The 1932 Mercedes-Benz SSKL Avus was entered in Class I for Mercedes-Benz Prewar cars.
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The 1932 Mercedes-Benz SSKL Avus was entered in Class I for Mercedes-Benz Prewar cars.
The 1932 Mercedes-Benz SSKL Avus during the Pebble Beach Tour d’Elegance. The SSKL was entered in Class I for Mercedes-Benz Prewar cars. On the highway, it made a fearsome sound.
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The 1932 Mercedes-Benz SSKL Avus during the Pebble Beach Tour d’Elegance. The SSKL was entered in Class I for Mercedes-Benz Prewar cars. On the highway, it made a fearsome sound.
The 1932 Mercedes-Benz SSKL Avus was entered in Class I for Mercedes-Benz Prewar cars.
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The 1932 Mercedes-Benz SSKL Avus was entered in Class I for Mercedes-Benz Prewar cars.
The Norm Grabowski “Kookie Kar” 1922 Ford Roadster Pickup took out Class R that was framed for historic Hot Rod Cover cars.
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The Norm Grabowski “Kookie Kar” 1922 Ford Roadster Pickup took out Class R that was framed for historic Hot Rod Cover cars.
The Norm Grabowski “Kookie Kar” 1922 Ford Roadster Pickup took out Class R that was framed for historic Hot Rod Cover cars.
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The Norm Grabowski “Kookie Kar” 1922 Ford Roadster Pickup took out Class R that was framed for historic Hot Rod Cover cars.
The Norm Grabowski “Kookie Kar” 1922 Ford Roadster Pickup
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The Norm Grabowski “Kookie Kar” 1922 Ford Roadster Pickup
The 1907 Thomas Flyer 35 which won 1908 New York to Paris Race. The car normally resides in the National Automobile Museum (The Harrah Collection) in Reno, Nevada
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The 1907 Thomas Flyer 35 which won 1908 New York to Paris Race. The car normally resides in the National Automobile Museum (The Harrah Collection) in Reno, Nevada
1933 Bugatti Type 59 owned by Ralph Lauren
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1933 Bugatti Type 59 owned by Ralph Lauren
1927 Ford Ed Roth Roadster - The Outlaw
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1927 Ford Ed Roth Roadster - The Outlaw
1927 Ford Ed Roth Roadster - The Outlaw
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1927 Ford Ed Roth Roadster - The Outlaw
1927 Ford Ed Roth Roadster - The Outlaw
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1927 Ford Ed Roth Roadster - The Outlaw
1932 Ford Bob Weinberg Roadster owned by Matt & Vicki Jones of Livingstone, Texas
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1932 Ford Bob Weinberg Roadster owned by Matt & Vicki Jones of Livingstone, Texas
1932 Ford Bob Weinberg Roadster owned by Matt & Vicki Jones of Livingstone, Texas
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1932 Ford Bob Weinberg Roadster owned by Matt & Vicki Jones of Livingstone, Texas
1932 Ford Bob Weinberg Roadster owned by Matt & Vicki Jones of Livingstone, Texas
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1932 Ford Bob Weinberg Roadster owned by Matt & Vicki Jones of Livingstone, Texas
1938 Bentley 4 1/4 Litre Pourtout Aerodynamic Coupe from the Keller Collection at The Pyramids
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1938 Bentley 4 1/4 Litre Pourtout Aerodynamic Coupe from the Keller Collection at The Pyramids
1938 Bentley 4 1/4 Litre Pourtout Aerodynamic Coupe
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1938 Bentley 4 1/4 Litre Pourtout Aerodynamic Coupe
1939 Bentley Vanden Plas
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1939 Bentley Vanden Plas
1939 Bentley Vanden Plas
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1939 Bentley Vanden Plas
1938 Mercedes Benz 320 Combination Coupe during the Pebble Beach Tour d’Elegance
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1938 Mercedes Benz 320 Combination Coupe during the Pebble Beach Tour d’Elegance
1938 Mercedes Benz 320 Combination Coupe
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1938 Mercedes Benz 320 Combination Coupe
1929 Duesenberg J Murphy Torpedo Convertible
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1929 Duesenberg J Murphy Torpedo Convertible
1929 Duesenberg J Murphy Torpedo Convertible
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1929 Duesenberg J Murphy Torpedo Convertible
1955 Ferrari 750 Monza Scaglietti Spyder
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1955 Ferrari 750 Monza Scaglietti Spyder
1929 Ford Eddie Dye Roadster
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1929 Ford Eddie Dye Roadster
1965 Alfa Romeo TZ2 Zagato Berlinetta
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1965 Alfa Romeo TZ2 Zagato Berlinetta
1965 Alfa Romeo TZ2 Zagato Berlinetta
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1965 Alfa Romeo TZ2 Zagato Berlinetta
1954 Ferrari 375 Plus Pinin Farina Spyder owned by Les Wexner
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1954 Ferrari 375 Plus Pinin Farina Spyder owned by Les Wexner
The 1927 Ford Ed Roth Roadster from the Historic Hot Rod “Cover Cars”
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The 1927 Ford Ed Roth Roadster from the Historic Hot Rod “Cover Cars” Class
Dawn at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance as this 1929 Talbot M75 enters the concours
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Dawn at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance as this 1929 Talbot M75 enters the concours
Opening the long, elegant hood to gain access to the engine bay of Peter Mullin's 1937 Delahaye 145.
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Opening the long, elegant hood to gain access to the engine bay of Peter Mullin's 1937 Delahaye 145.
Ambiance at Dawn
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Ambiance at Dawn
Dawn at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance
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Dawn at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance
The Bentley Centennial 6 1/2 Litre Class lines up (Class F-3)
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The Bentley Centennial 6 1/2 Litre Class lines up (Class F-3)
Love being liberally applied
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Love being liberally applied
1929 Bentley Speed Six
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1929 Bentley Speed Six
Lining up for the prize giving
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Lining up for the prize giving
It happens once a year for Pebble Beach, and it is something every automotive enthusiast should experience a
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It happens once a year for Pebble Beach, and it is something every automotive enthusiast should experience at least once
Every car has its own history. The Bristol 407 Zagato was one of just a handful of cars to receive Zagato bodywork, and was the inspiration and forerunner to the Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato
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Every car has its own history. The Bristol 407 Zagato was one of just a handful of cars to receive Zagato bodywork, and was the inspiration and forerunner to the Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato
Dawn at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance as a 1953 Alfa Romeo 1900 CS runs the gauntlet of press photographers and die-hard enthusiasts
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Dawn at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance as a 1953 Alfa Romeo 1900 CS runs the gauntlet of press photographers and die-hard enthusiasts
The ambiance on the 17th and 18th fairways of the Pebble Beach Golf Course is quite different once a year
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The ambiance on the 17th and 18th fairways of the Pebble Beach Golf Course is quite different once a year
Ambiance at Dawn of Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance
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Ambiance at Dawn of Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance
Rolex is one of the prime forces behind the entire Monterey Car Week, sponsoring the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, the Tour d’Elegance, the Monterey Motorsports Reunion and The Quail. It also provides plenty of colour by providing its ambassadors such as Sir John "Jackie" Stewart, Mark Webber
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Personality, Mark Webber
This 1937 Bugatti Type 57SC was award best in the Bugatti Type 57 class (Class K-1)
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This 1937 Bugatti Type 57SC was award best in the Bugatti Type 57 class (Class K-1)
This 1937 Bugatti Type 57SC was award best in the Bugatti Type 57 class (Class K-1)
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This 1937 Bugatti Type 57SC was award best in the Bugatti Type 57 class (Class K-1)
The 1932 Ford Bob Morris Roadster at the start of the Pebble Beach Tour d’Elegance
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The 1932 Ford Bob Morris Roadster at the start of the Pebble Beach Tour d’Elegance
A 1952 Siata 208S on the Bixby Bridge during the Pebble Beach Tour d’Elegance
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On the Bixby Bridge at the Pebble Beach Tour d’Elegance presented by Rolex O1-02 1952 Siata 208S
A 1930 Stutz MB at the finish of the Pebble Beach Tour d’Elegance
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The finish of the Pebble Beach Tour d’Elegance presented by Rolex C1-03 1930 Stutz MB
The 1932 Maserati V4 Zagato Spider of Lawrence Auriana Ocean Ave during the Pebble Beach Tour d’Elegance. It was Zagato's centennial and the Maserati took out the best in class award for the Zagato Centennial Prewar Class (Class P-1)
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The 1932 Maserati V4 Zagato Spider of Lawrence Auriana Ocean Ave during the Pebble Beach Tour d’Elegance. It was Zagato's centennial and the Maserati took out the best in class award for the Zagato Centennial Prewar Class (Class P-1)
One of the four finalists from which the Best of Show was chosen: the 1938 Talbot-Lago T150C-SS Figoni and Falaschi Teardrop Cabriolet, winner of the European Classic Open (Class J-1) owned by Richard & Melanie Lundquist of Palos Verdes Estates, California. The Talbot-Lago is pictured during the Tour D'Elegance.
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One of the four finalists from which the Best of Show was chosen: the 1938 Talbot-Lago T150C-SS Figoni and Falaschi Teardrop Cabriolet, winner of the European Classic Open (Class J-1) owned by Richard & Melanie Lundquist of Palos Verdes Estates, California. The Talbot-Lago is pictured during the Tour D'Elegance.
View gallery - 65 images

Bentley celebrates 100 years by taking the world's most prestigious concours.

The Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance is the world's most prestigious and best known concours event by some margin, having grown out of the post-war Pebble Beach races on the Monterey Peninsula, and since then it has created its very own ecosystem in the form of Monterey Car Week.

Last Sunday, August 18, 2019 saw 216 classic cars from 17 countries and 31 states assembled on the 17th and 18th holes of the Pebble Beach Golf Course for the 69th annual Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, and not surprisingly, Bentley triumphed in its centenary year, with a 1931 Bentley 8 Litre Gurney Nutting Sports Tourer, owned by Sir Michael Kadoorie of Hong Kong, taking out the Best of Show award.

The winner of Best Of Show at the Pebble Beach Concours D'Elegance was this 1931 Bentley 8 Litre Gurney Nutting Sports Tourer, owned by The Hon. Michael Kadoorie of Hong Kong.
The winner of Best Of Show at the Pebble Beach Concours D'Elegance was this 1931 Bentley 8 Litre Gurney Nutting Sports Tourer, owned by The Hon. Michael Kadoorie of Hong Kong.

"The Centennial of Bentley may have played a role in this award," Kadoorie said, "but the 8 Litre is the ultimate W. O. Bentley–era automobile. This is the car 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."

Sir Michael hopes and imagines W. O. Bentley was looking down on the 18th fairway at Pebble Beach, feeling proud of his accomplishment and his company’s centennial celebration. “This is a high I have not known before,” he said.

The Best of Show award contenders come from the class winners (listed below), and those cars were distilled down to four contenders for the world's best known award, though there is some irony that the man whose car won the award, Sir Michael Kadoorie, is the co-founder of The Quail, a motorsport Gathering, which is held in Monterey on the Friday prior to the Pebble Beach Concours, and the Peninsula Classics Best-of-the-Best Award, which is in effect fast becoming the defacto world concours championship.

Sir Michael is now in the position to win the award he founded, as a win in Pebble Beach makes him one of the eight entrants in the Peninsula Classics Best of the Best award next February in Paris.

1938 Bentley 4 1/4 Litre Pourtout Aerodynamic Coupe from the Keller Collection at The Pyramids
1938 Bentley 4 1/4 Litre Pourtout Aerodynamic Coupe from the Keller Collection at The Pyramids

Bentleys were in plentiful supply at Pebble Beach with some gorgeous examples gracing the lawns and taking part in the Tour D'Elegance, with this 1938 Bentley 4 1/4 Litre Pourtout Aerodynamic Coupe from the Keller Collection at The Pyramids being one of the stand-outs, ...

1939 Bentley Vanden Plas
1939 Bentley Vanden Plas

and this golden 1939 Bentley Vanden Plas another picture of elegance and beauty.

One of the four finalists from which the Best of Show was chosen: the 1938 Talbot-Lago T150C-SS Figoni and Falaschi Teardrop Cabriolet, winner of the European Classic Open (Class J-1) owned by Richard & Melanie Lundquist of Palos Verdes Estates, California. The Talbot-Lago is pictured during the Tour D'Elegance.
One of the four finalists from which the Best of Show was chosen: the 1938 Talbot-Lago T150C-SS Figoni and Falaschi Teardrop Cabriolet, winner of the European Classic Open (Class J-1) owned by Richard & Melanie Lundquist of Palos Verdes Estates, California. The Talbot-Lago is pictured during the Tour D'Elegance.

The other finalists for Best of Show at Pebble Beach this year featured other strong contenders, including Richard and Melanie Lundquist’s 1938 Talbot-Lago T150C-SS Figoni & Falaschi Teardrop Cabriolet (pictured above); David F. MacNeil’s 1962 Aston Martin DB4GT Zagato Coupé; and The Keller Collection at The Pyramids’ 1936 Mercedes-Benz 540K Erdmann & Rossi Special Cabriolet (pictured below).

1936 Mercedes-Benz 540K Erdmann and Rossi Special Roadster

From the Keller Collection comes this 1936 Mercedes-Benz 540K Erdmann and Rossi Special Cabriolet which won the Mercedes-Benz Prewar class in Pebble Beach, and was one of the four cars from which the Best of Show was chosen in 2019
From the Keller Collection comes this 1936 Mercedes-Benz 540K Erdmann and Rossi Special Cabriolet which won the Mercedes-Benz Prewar class in Pebble Beach, and was one of the four cars from which the Best of Show was chosen in 2019

Pebble Beach is one place where, at least sometimes, you can judge a book by its cover. Sometimes it is possible to have both brawn and beauty and this Kompressor (supercharged) 5.4 liter straight-eight 1936 Mercedes-Benz 540K Erdmann and Rossi Special Roadster is a prime example.

The car nearly pulled off another Keller family win at Pebble Beach. Originally curated by Arturo Keller, the Keller Automobile Collection is now a family affair and encompasses a variety of marques and countries of manufacture. Its size and breadth is astonishing, and Arturo Keller has long been one of the recognized mega car collectors, in the same category as Ralph Lauren, Rob Walton, John Mozart, Fred Simeone, Peter Mullin, Miles Collier, Chip Connor, Evert Louwman, Larry Auriana, Albert Spiess, the Wangs and the McCaws. Within the Keller Collection is a collection of Mercedes-Benz, which is second to only one - the Mercedes-Benz factory museum in Stuttgart.

Located on the family's 600 acre property in Petaluma, California, the Keller Collection at the Pyramids is a private collection housed among the family wineries. The Kellers have been regular Pebble Beach Concours contestant since the very beginnings of the event, when contestants drove in and put down a rug and picnic basket on the lawns. The family has also been regularly challenging for “Best of Show” for half a century, winning in 1986 with a 1936 Mercedes-Benz 500K Special Roadster and 2001 with a 1930 Mercedes SSL that was also bodied by Erdmann & Rossi.

If you look back across the major Concours events, the Keller name regularly crops up in the winner’s circle, most recently when the Collection’s Autobahn-Kurier took out Best-of-Show at Amelia Island earlier this year. The Autobahn-Kurier is a special built specifically for Germany’s then-new high-speed autobahn system, and like the family's winning car from 1986, it runs the Mercedes-Benz Kompressor (supercharged) straight-eight, though in 5.4 liter guise. There's a great story on the Keller family at Haute Living magazine.

The 1937 Delahaye 145 Chapron

The winner of the J2 Class for European Classic Closed cars was this 1937 Delahaye 145 Chapron Coupe owned by Merle & Peter Mullin of Los Angeles, California
Thw inner of the J2 Class for European Classic Closed cars was this 1937 Delahaye 145 Chapron Coupe owned by Merle & Peter Mullin of Los Angeles, California

Another example is this 1937 Delahaye 145 with its gorgeous valenced art deco Chapron body that challenges you to get past the pretty face before you can fully appreciate what it is. It triumphed over one of the hottest Class fields in the paddock by winning the European Classic Closed Class (Class J-2) against a 1927 Minerva Le Baron, an Alfa 6C 2500 SS coupe and a Bugatti T23 Figoni & Falaschi. It looks like a concours car, but as is so often the case at Pebble Beach, the inside is just as good as the outside. Indeed, it is BETTER than the outside.

Opening the long, elegant hood to gain access to the engine bay of Peter Mullin's 1937 Delahaye 145.
Opening the long, elegant hood to gain access to the engine bay of Peter Mullin's 1937 Delahaye 145.

That long, elegant hood houses a jewel of an engine capable of quite literally giving it Grand Prix performance, let alone the high-speed touring it looks like it was designed for. It's a race-bred V12 engine with space-age specifications for its time, equally ahead of its time as a road car engine as the W16 Bugatti engine which powered the third coming of Bugatti in the 21st century.

The engine was conceived to take on the French Million France Race, itself a catalyst for French companies to take on the might of the German Government-sponsored Mercedes-Benz and Auto Union racing cars. Grand prix racing had been dominated by the German Mercedes-Benz straight eight and Auto Union V16 Kompressor cars which produced more than 500 horsepower.

On August 27, 1937, French driver Rene Dreyfus lapped the Montlhéry circuit in a Delahaye Type 145 at an average 146.7 km/h for 200 km, to win the million francs on offered and that same engine is in this car. The 12 cylinders displace just 4½-liters, but thanks to three camshafts and four overhead rocker-shafts, a dual Bosch magneto ignition, and triple Stromberg carburettors, it provided exceptional performance and on street circuits could match the German horsepower monsters.

Our image gallery contains most of the class winners, but beyond those near perfect examples of automotive excellence, Pebble Beach is one of those places where you see cars that have near priceless provenance.

The winner of the 1908 New York to Paris "Great Race"

The 1907 Thomas Flyer 35 which won 1908 New York to Paris Race. The car normally resides in the National Automobile Museum (The Harrah Collection) in Reno, Nevada
The 1907 Thomas Flyer 35 which won 1908 New York to Paris Race. The car normally resides in the National Automobile Museum (The Harrah Collection) in Reno, Nevada

One such example in 2019 was the 1907 Thomas Flyer which won the 1908 New York to Paris "Great Race," one of the legendary races in automotive history. Held at a time when the automobile was in its infancy, the road infrastructure for much of the course was little more than dirt tracks, and as the dirt tracks thawed with the coming of summer, the terrain was nearly impassable, with large tracts being traversed at walking pace averages. Only three contestants completed the 16,700 km course, and the time warp Thomas Flyer above presented exactly as it had finished the journey, 111 years ago.

The Great Race began in Times Square on February 12, 1908 and George Schuster in the Thomas Flyer was leading by the time San Francisco was reached 41 days, 8 hours, and 15 minutes later, the first crossing of the US by an automobile in winter. The race had to be re-routed because the roads in Alaska were impassable, so the race cars were then shipped to Japan, and then across the Sea of Japan by boat and on to Vladivostok.

Once on dry land, it was almost a straight line through Manchuria to Siberia and all the way to Europe, with Paris reached on July 30, 1908. The German team had arrived in Paris four days earlier, but had been penalized a total of 30 days for skipping going to Japan and for loading its Protos car onto a steam train for part of the journey. That gave the win to the American team, with the third placed Italian team arriving two months later in September. So not only did the Thomas Flyer win, it also holds the world record for the greatest winning margin in motorsport history: 26 days.

The Hot Rod Cover Class

Another example of the inclusiveness of all aspects of automotive culture by the Pebble Beach organisation was the appearance of the Hot Rod cover car class. The Hot Rod, like the chopper, is a distinctly American art form, and framing a class to bring together some of the most iconic hot rods of all time worked a treat. It is testament to the deep thought that goes into framing each new edition of the Pebble Beach Concours D'Elegance. The elegance is more than skin deep.

The Norm Grabowski “Kookie Kar” 1922 Ford Roadster Pickup took out Class R that was framed for historic Hot Rod Cover cars.
The Norm Grabowski “Kookie Kar” 1922 Ford Roadster Pickup took out Class R that was framed for historic Hot Rod Cover cars.

The winner of the class was Kookie's Kar, the Norm Grabowski 1922 Ford Roadster Pickup which helped to popularize hot rod culture by appearing in the American TV drama series 77 Sunset Strip. The car was driven in the series by Edd Byrnes as “Kookie” Kookson III and became known in popular culture as Kookie's Kar, and became a poster car and a catalyst for an entirely new branch of the automotive family tree. The T-bucket craze seemingly doubled the size of the American custom auto industry in the late-1950s and early-1960s.

Americans are blind to the global influence of American culture, but television shows such a 77 Sunset Strip were the conduits for American culture to the rest of the world. Shows such as 77 Sunset Strip were syndicated onto television sets globally, and this car saw enough screen time over the 206 one-hour episodes of the hit TV drama series, to become the first and only prime-time hotrod.

Kookie's Kar is an important part of global culture, much less automotive culture.

1927 Ford Ed Roth Roadster - The Outlaw
1927 Ford Ed Roth Roadster - The Outlaw

Some of the other hot rods on show in the class included

1932 Ford Bob Weinberg Roadster owned by Matt & Vicki Jones of Livingstone, Texas
1932 Ford Bob Weinberg Roadster owned by Matt & Vicki Jones of Livingstone, Texas

This year the concours raised more than $2 million for charity. Through the Pebble Beach Company Foundation, the primary charitable partner of the Concours, these funds will benefit more than 80 local charities, impacting the lives of more than 10,000 children annually in Monterey County.

The winners list is below. Click on the gallery at the top of this article to enjoy a photo tour.

Best Of Show

1931 Bentley 8 Litre Gurney Nutting Sports Tourer

The Hon. Michael Kadoorie, Hong Kong

Best Of Show Nominees

1938 Talbot-Lago T150C-SS Figoni & Falaschi Teardrop Cabriolet

Richard & Melanie Lundquist, Palos Verdes Estates, California

1936 Mercedes-Benz 540K Erdmann & Rossi Special Cabriolet

The Keller Collection at the Pyramids, Petaluma, California

1962 Aston Martin DB4GT Zagato Coupé

David F. MacNeil, Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Elegance Award Winners

Gwenn Graham Most Elegant Convertible

1938 Talbot-Lago T150C-SS Figoni & Falaschi Teardrop Cabriolet

Richard & Melanie Lundquist, Palos Verdes Estates, California

J. B. & Dorothy Nethercutt Most Elegant Closed Car

1950 Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 Ghia Supergioiello Coupé

Jonathan & Wendy Segal, San Diego, California

Jules Heumann Most Elegant Open Car

1929 Rolls-Royce Phantom I Brewster York Roadster

Lehrman Collection, Palm Beach, Florida

Strother MacMinn Most Elegant Sports Car

1956 Ferrari 250 GT Zagato Berlinetta Speciale

David & Ginny Sydorick, Beverly Hills, California

Special Award Winners

Alec Ulmann Trophy

1929 Hispano-Suiza H6C Saoutchik Cabriolet

Charles & Karen Nearburg, Dallas, Texas

Ansel Adams Award

1910 Marmon 32 Five Passenger Touring

Mike & Sharon Silvera, Minden, Nevada

Presented by Matthew Adams, grandson of Ansell Adams

ArtCenter College of Design Award

1967 Ferrari 412 P Coupe

MJJV Cars, Rye, New York

Briggs Cunningham Trophy

1932 Maserati V4 Zagato Spider

Lawrence Auriana, Greenwich, Connecticut

Center for Automotive Research at Stanford (CARS) Award

1921 Bentley 3 Litre Harrison Open Two Seater Sports

Private Collection, Switzerland

Chairman's Trophy

1968 Howmet TX Coupe

Andreas Mohringer, Salzburg, Austria

Charles A. Chayne Trophy

1925 Lancia Lambda 5th Series Torpedo

Stanley & Merle Bauer, Beverly Hills, California

Classic Car Club of America Trophy

1930 Duesenberg J Murphy Disappearing Top Roadster

Paul & Cheryl Petrovich, Pebble Beach, California

Dean Batchelor Trophy

1932 Ford Bob Morris Roadster

Bruce Meyer, Beverly Hills, California

Elegance in Motion Trophy

1937 Horch 853 Gliser Sport Cabriolet

Valerie & Aaron Weiss, San Marino, California

Enzo Ferrari Trophy

1954 Ferrari 735 S Monza Scaglietti Spyder

Thomas Peck, Huntington Beach, California

FIVA Postwar Trophy

1965 Aston Martin DB5 Vantage Coupé

William & Christopher Sharples, New York, New York

FIVA Prewar Trophy

1907 Renault XB Labourdette Transformable Landaulet

Steve & Marilee Hamilton, Washoe Valley, Nevada

The French Cup

1950 Talbot-Lago T26 Grand Sport Rocco Motto Barchetta

Ralph & Marion Stadler, Meggen, Switzerland

Gran Turismo Trophy

1931 Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 Zagato Spider

Jonathan Feiber and Heather Buhr, Atherton, California

Lincoln Trophy

1941 Lincoln Continental Brunn Town Car

Marshall Miller, Kansas City, Missouri

Lorin Tryon Trophy

Bob Cole

Bob Cole, the fellow who oversaw the set up of the new track at LKaguna Seca

Lucius Beebe Trophy

1937 Rolls-Royce Phantom III Inskip Special Henley Coupé

Class Winners

Class A-1: American Antique

1910 Marmon 32 Five Passenger Touring

Mike & Sharon Silvera, Minden, Nevada

Class A-2: European Antique

1907 Napier 60 HP Roi des Belges

Louwman Museum, The Hague, The Netherlands

Class B: Thomas Flyer (Exhibit Only)

1907 Thomas Flyer 35 New York to Paris Race Car

National Automobile Museum (The Harrah Collection), Reno, Nevada

Class C-1: American Classic Open

1936 Cadillac Series 90 Fleetwood Convertible Coupe

John D. Groendyke, Enid, Oklahoma

Class C-2: American Classic Closed

1933 Packard 1006 Twelve Dietrich Stationary Coupe

Academy of Art University, San Francisco, California

Class D: Packard Open

1934 Packard 1108 Twelve Dietrich Convertible Sedan

Ralph Marano, Westfield, New Jersey

Class F-1: Bentley Centennial 3 Litre

1927 Bentley 3 Litre Speed Model Vanden Plas Open Sports

Private Collection, England

Class F-2: Bentley Centennial 4 1/2 Litre

1930 Bentley 4 1/2 Litre Supercharged Vanden Plas Open Sports

Private Collection, Switzerland

Class F-3: Bentley Centennial 6 1/2 Litre

1929 Bentley Speed Six H. J. Mulliner Open Two Seater Sports

Private Collection, Switzerland

Class F-4: Bentley Centennial 8 Litre

1931 Bentley 8 Litre Gurney Nutting Sports Tourer

The Hon. Sir Michael Kadoorie, Hong Kong

Class F-5: Bentley Centennial Derby

1939 Bentley 4 1/4 Litre Vanvooren Drophead Coupe

Michel Doret, Lasne, Belgium

Class F-6: Bentley Centennial Postwar

1952 Bentley R-Type Continental Mulliner Sports Saloon

Anne Brockinton Lee / Robert M. Lee Automobile Collection, Reno, Nevada

Class G: Duesenberg

1930 Duesenberg J Murphy Disappearing Top Roadster

Paul & Cheryl Petrovich, Pebble Beach, California

Class H: Rolls-Royce Prewar

1937 Rolls-Royce Phantom III Inskip Special Henley Coupe

Lord Bamford, United Kingdom

Class I: Mercedes-Benz Prewar

1936 Mercedes-Benz 540K Erdmann and Rossi Special Cabriolet

The Keller Collection at The Pyramids, Petaluma, California

Class J-1: European Classic Open

1938 Talbot-Lago T150C-SS Figoni and Falaschi Teardrop Cabriolet

Richard & Melanie Lundquist, Palos Verdes Estates, California

Class J-2: European Classic Closed

1937 Delahaye 145 Chapron Coupe

Merle & Peter Mullin, Los Angeles, California

Class K-1: Bugatti Type 57

1937 Bugatti Type 57SC Atalante

Private Collection, New York

Class K-2: Bugatti Type 59

Exhibit Only

Class L-1: Prewar Preservation

1907 Renault XB Labourdette Transformable Landaulet

Steve & Marilee Hamilton, Washoe Valley, Nevada

Class L-2: Postwar Preservation

1965 Aston Martin DB5 Vantage Coupe

William & Christopher Sharples, New York, New York

Class M-1: Ferrari Grand Touring

1960 Ferrari 250 GT Scaglietti Spyder California

Lee & Joan Herrington / The Herrington Collection, Bow, New Hampshire

Class M-2: Ferrari Competition

1955 Ferrari 750 Monza Scaglietti Spyder

Patrick & Carolyn Ottis, Berkeley, California

Class N: Lamborghini Miura

1968 Lamborghini Miura SV Coupe

Lamborghini Polo Storico Private Owner, Sant'Agata Bolognese, Italy

Class O-1: Postwar Sports

1960 Porsche Carrera Abarth GTL Viarenzo and Filliponi Coupe

Robert Ingram / The Ingram Collection, Durham, North Carolina

Class O-2: Postwar Touring

1950 Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 Ghia Supergioiello Coupe

Jonathan & Wendy Segal, San Diego, California

Class P-1: Zagato Centennial Prewar

1932 Maserati V4 Zagato Spider

Lawrence Auriana, Greenwich, Connecticut

Class P-2: Zagato Centennial Postwar

1962 Aston Martin DB4GT Zagato Coupe

David F. MacNeil, Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Class R: Historic Hot Rod Cover Cars

1922 Ford Norm Grabowski "Kookie Kar" Roadster Pickup

Ross & Beth Myers / m,3 Dog Garage, Bayertown, Pennsylvania

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