After an intense competition that drew diverse cars from around the globe, the coveted gold Best of Show ribbon was placed on the deep blue bodywork of a 1937 Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B Touring Berlinetta at the 2018 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. It was a match meant to be.
“As a Zagato collector, I broke the rules and bought a Touring-bodied car because this Alfa Romeo is very special,” said longtime entrant David Sydorick of Beverly Hills, California. “It is a piece of automotive architecture mounted on a Grand Prix chassis that has technology that was top of the line for prewar cars. It’s a wonderful combination. It’s beautiful from top to bottom.”
His Alfa Romeo won its class before competing for Best of Show, and took home two other awards: it received the Charles A. Chayne Trophy and was named the J. B. & Dorothy Nethercutt Most Elegant Closed Car.
This Alfa Romeo 8C differs from later 8Cs with its more steeply raked grille and lack of running boards. In 2001, this very car was named Most Elegant Closed Car at the Concours, but since Sydorick’s acquisition, it has received a full restoration and been returned to its 1938 Berlin Motor Show specification.
“This Alfa Romeo 8C 2.9 has all that one would wish for in a car—speed, style and, frankly, sex appeal,” said Concours Chairman Sandra Button. “The Touring styling is simply magical, and to top it off it makes all the right noises!”
The Pebble Beach Concours gathered 209 cars from 17 countries and 31 states on the 18th fairway of Pebble Beach Golf Links. This year, the Concours also raised an incredible $1.8 million for charity. Through the Pebble Beach Company Foundation, the primary charitable partner of the Concours, these funds will benefit over 80 local charities, impacting the lives of more than 10,000 children annually in Monterey County.
The race for Best of Show this year featured two other strong contenders: a 1929 Duesenberg J Murphy Town Limousine owned by the Lehrman Collection of Palm Beach, Florida; and a 1948 Talbot-Lago T26 Grand Sport Figoni Fastback Coupé owned by Robert Kudela of Chropyne, Czech Republic.
The 69th Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance returns to its usual third Sunday of August next year; it takes place on Sunday, August 18, 2019, and will celebrate the centennials of Bentley and Zagato.
For more information on the Pebble Beach Concours visit www.pebblebeachconcours.net.
COMPLETE LIST OF 2018 WINNERS
Best of Show
1937 Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B Touring Berlinetta
David & Ginny Sydorick, Beverly Hills, California
Best of Show Nominees
1929 Duesenberg J Murphy Town Limousine
Lehrman Collection, Palm Beach, Florida
1948 Talbot-Lago T26 Grand Sport Figoni Fastback Coupé
Robert Kudela, Chropyně, Czech Republic
Elegance Awards
Gwenn Graham Most Elegant Convertible
1937 Cadillac Series 90 Hartmann Cabriolet
Jim Patterson/The Patterson Collection, Louisville, Kentucky
J. B. & Dorothy Nethercutt Most Elegant Closed Car
1937 Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B Touring Berlinetta
David & Ginny Sydorick, Beverly Hills, California
Jules Heumann Most Elegant Open Car
1929 Rolls-Royce Phantom I Brewster York Roadster
John & Heather Mozart, Palo Alto, California
Strother MacMinn Most Elegant Sports Car
1970 Ferrari 512 S Modulo Pininfarina Coupe
MJJV Cars, Rye, New York
Special Awards
Alec Ulmann Trophy
1926 Hispano-Suiza H6B Rollston Convertible Victoria
Jorge Fernandez, Marbella, Spain
Ansel Adams Award
1910 Pope-Hartford Model T 5 Passenger Touring
Gary & Sheryl Hunter, Arcadia, California
ArtCenter College of Design Award
1947 Cisitalia 202 SC Vignale Cabriolet
Janice Feldman, Singapore
Briggs Cunningham Trophy
1955 Maserati A6GCS Frua Spyder
Jonathan Feiber & Heather Buhr, Atherton, California
Center for Automotive Research at Stanford (CARS) Award
1959 Citroën DS 19 Berline d’Usine
Jeffrey & Frances Fisher, Palm Beach, Florida
Chairman’s Trophy
1965 Hong Qi CA72
Zongmin Huang & Xiaoling Sun, Chengdu, China
Charles A. Chayne Trophy
1937 Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B Touring Berlinetta
David & Ginny Sydorick, Beverly Hills, California
Classic Car Club of America Trophy
1931 Minerva Type AL Rollston Convertible Sedan
The Stephens Family, San Francisco, California
Elegance in Motion Trophy
1939 Lagonda V12 Le Mans Rapide Drophead Coupé
The Hon. Sir Michael Kadoorie, Hong Kong
Enzo Ferrari Trophy
1958 Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa Scaglietti Spyder
Chris & Ann Cox, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
FIVA Postwar Trophy
1955 OSCA MT4 2AD Vignale Berlinetta
Roger Hoffmann, Point Reyes Station, California
FIVA Prewar Trophy
1921 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost James & Co. Open Tourer
Kesri Dev Singh, Wankaner, India
The French Cup
1935 Delage D8-85 Henri Chapron/Clabot Cabriolet
Linda & Paul Gould, Pawling, New York
Gran Turismo Trophy
1966 All American Racers Eagle Special
Bruce Canepa, Scotts Valley, California
Lincoln Trophy
1926 Lincoln Brunn Cabriolet
Dana & Paula Morgan, Scotts Valley, California
Lorin Tryon Trophy
His Highness Rana Manvendra Singh Barwani
Lucius Beebe Trophy
1935 Rolls-Royce Phantom II Continental Gurney Nutting Streamline Coupé
Amir & Wendy Jetha, Mumbai, India
Mercedes-Benz Star of Excellence Award
1929 Mercedes-Benz 710 SS Barker Tourer Race Car
The Keller Collection at The Pyramids, Petaluma, California
Montagu of Beaulieu Trophy
1927 Rolls-Royce Phantom I Windovers Limousine
His Highness Maharaja Gaj Singhji of Marwar-Jodhpur, Jodhpur, India
The Phil Hill Cup
1954 OSCA 2000 S Frua Spider
Michael Trösser, Germany
Tony Hulman Trophy
1961 Bryant Heating & Cooling Epperly Special
Bill Akin, Hermitage, Tennesse
The Vitesse ~ Elegance Trophy
1948 Talbot-Lago T26 Grand Sport Figoni Fastback Coupé
Robert Kudela, Chropyně, Czech Republic
CLASS AWARDS
Class A: Antique
1st: 1910 Thomas Flyer M 6-40 5 Passenger Touring, Joe & Janice Conzonire, San Marino, California
2nd: 1910 Pope-Hartford Model T 5 Passenger Touring, Gary & Sheryl Hunter, Arcadia, California
3rd: 1911 Pierce-Arrow 48-SS 7 Passenger Touring, Sunlight Classics, Key Largo, Florida
Class B: Vintage Era Sporting
1st: 1921 Kissel 6-45 “Gold Bug” Speedster, Andrew & Tanya Heller, Fort Lauderdale, Florida
2nd: 1921 Paige Model 6-66 Daytona Speedster, Tom & Joann Martindale, Santa Cruz, California
3rd: 1923 Steyr Type VI Targa Florio Rennwagen, Jaap Braam Ruben, Maastricht, The Netherlands
Class C-1: American Classic Open
1st: 1937 Cadillac Series 90 Hartmann Cabriolet, Jim Patterson/The Patterson Collection, Louisville, Kentucky
2nd: 1935 Auburn 851 Supercharged Speedster, Lou & Kathy Ficco, Wheat Ridge, Colorado
3rd: 1932 Auburn 12-160A Phaeton, Davis & Lorraine McCann, Parker, Colorado
Class C-2: American Classic Closed
1st: 1938 Packard 1604 Super Eight Mayfair Coupe, Ralph & Adeline Marano, Westfield, New Jersey
2nd: 1930 Ruxton C Edward G. Budd Mfg. Co. Sedan, Evelyn & Jim Fasnacht, Houston, Texas
3rd: 1931 Marmon Sixteen Sedan, Gary Severns, Long Beach, California
Class D: Packard
1st: 1931 Packard 845 Deluxe Eight Derham Convertible Roadster, Elizabeth Ghareeb and Michael Petty, Birmingham, Alabama
2nd: 1932 Packard 904 Deluxe Eight Dietrich Convertible Victoria, John D. Groendyke, Enid, Oklahoma
3rd: 1937 Packard 1508 Twelve Convertible Sedan, Larry & Carol Pumphrey, Greensburg, Indiana
Class E: Rollston Coachwork
1st: 1934 Duesenberg SJ Rollston Convertible Victoria, Bob, Sandy & Gary Bahre, Paris, Maine
2nd: 1931 Minerva Type AL Rollston Convertible Sedan, The Stephens Family, San Francisco, California
3rd: 1935 Duesenberg SJN Rollston Convertible Coupe, Bill & Barbara Parfet, Hickory Corners, Michigan
Class F-1: Motor Cars of the Raj—Rolls-Royce & Bentley
1st: 1935 Rolls-Royce Phantom II Continental Gurney Nutting Streamline Coupé, Amir & Wendy Jetha, Mumbai, India
2nd: 1937 Rolls-Royce 25/30 HP Gurney Nutting All Weather Tourer, Roshini Jaiswal, New Delhi, India
3rd: 1935 Bentley 3½ Litre Antem Drophead Coupé, Jagdish Thackersey, Mumbai, India
Class F-2: Motor Cars of the Raj
1st: 1931 Cadillac 452A Pinin Farina Boattail Roadster, Anne Brockinton Lee/Robert M. Lee Automobile Collection, Reno, Nevada
2nd: 1936 Alvis Speed 25 Vanden Plas Tourer, Nishant Dossa, Mumbai, India
3rd: 1930 Stutz M LeBaron 4 Passenger Speedster, Diljeet & Anurita Titus, New Delhi, India
Class G: Duesenberg
1st: 1929 Duesenberg J Murphy Town Limousine, Lehrman Collection, Palm Beach, Florida
2nd: 1935 Duesenberg JN Bohman & Schwartz Convertible Coupe, Sam & Emily Mann, Englewood, New Jersey
3rd: 1929 Duesenberg J Derham Sport Phaeton, Roger P. Willbanks, Denver, Colorado
Class H: Rolls-Royce Prewar
1st: 1938 Rolls-Royce Phantom III James Young Drophead Coupé, Zongmin Huang & Xiaoling Sun, Chengdu, China
2nd: 1928 Rolls-Royce Phantom I Barker Dual Cowl Phaeton, Irving Jensen III, Dakota Dunes, South Dakota
3rd: 1929 Rolls-Royce Phantom I Brewster York Roadster, John & Heather Mozart, Palo Alto, California
Class J-1: European Classic Early
1st: 1928 Minerva Type AF Hibbard & Darrin Transformable Town Car, Jack Boyd Smith Jr., Elkhart, Indiana
2nd: 1932 Maybach DS 8 Zeppelin Spohn Cabriolet, The Nethercutt Collection/Helen & Jack Nethercutt, Sylmar, California
3rd: 1933 Delage D8 S Freestone & Webb Coupé, Blake & Lauren Atwell, Buda, Texas
Class J-2: European Classic Mid
1st: 1936 Mercedes-Benz 540K Cabriolet A, Hans T. Hulsbergen, Freienbach, Switzerland
2nd: 1937 Bugatti Type 57S Vanden Plas Sports Tourer, Robert Kauffman, Charlotte, North Carolina
3rd: 1935 Delage D8-85 Henri Chapron/Clabot Cabriolet, Linda & Paul Gould, Pawling, New York
Class J-3: European Classic Late 1st: 1939 Lagonda V12 Rapide James Young Drophead Coupé, Alan Tribe, Mosman Park, Australia
2nd: 1939 Lagonda V12 Le Mans Rapide Drophead Coupé, The Hon. Sir Michael Kadoorie, Hong Kong
3rd: 1938 Bugatti Type 57C LeTourneur et Marchand 3 Position Cabriolet, Jim & Tonya Hull, Malibu, California
Class J-4: Italian Classic
1st: 1937 Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B Touring Berlinetta, David & Ginny Sydorick, Beverly Hills, California
2nd: 1928 Alfa Romeo 6C 1500 S WC & RC Atcherley Open Sports Car, Dave & Lisa Atcherley, Throop, Pennsylvania
3rd: 1932 Lancia Dilambda Viotti Torpedo, Albert Kalimian, New York
Class L-1: Prewar Preservation
1st: 1929 Mercedes-Benz 710 SS Barker Tourer Race Car, The Keller Collection at The Pyramids, Petaluma, California
2nd: 1910 Regal Model N Underslung Fisher Roadster, Louwman Museum, The Hague, The Netherlands
3rd: 1913 Stevens-Duryea C-Six Five Passenger Touring, Stephen & Susan Babinsky, Lebanon, New Jersey
Class L-2: Postwar Preservation
1st: 1970 Ferrari 246 GT Dino Scaglietti 2 Door Coupe, Brian & Randy Pollock, Mercer Island, Washington
2nd: 1954 Studebaker Commander Starliner Coupe, Wayne & Laura Carini, Portland, Connecticut
3rd: 1955 OSCA MT4 2AD Vignale Berlinetta, Roger Hoffmann, Point Reyes Station, California
Class M-1: Ferrari Grand Touring
1st: 1957 Ferrari 250 GT Pinin Farina Cabriolet Series I, William H. & Cheryl K. Swanson, Boston, Massachusetts
2nd: 1962 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Scaglietti Spyder California, Oscar Davis, Elizabeth, New Jersey
3rd: 1958 Ferrari 250 GT LWB Scaglietti Spyder California, David MacNeil, Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Class M-2: Ferrari Competition
1st: 1955 Ferrari 500 Mondial Scaglietti Spyder, Thomas R. Peck, Irvine, California
2nd: 1958 Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa Scaglietti Spyder, Chris & Ann Cox, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
3rd: 1953 Ferrari 250 MM Pinin Farina Coupe, Brian Ross, Cortland, Ohio
Class N-1: OSCA Pre-1955
1st: 1949 OSCA MT4 Siluro, Elad & Ronit Shraga, Savyon, Israel
2nd: 1954 OSCA 2000 S Frua Spider, Michael Trösser, Germany
3rd: 1952 OSCA MT4 Prototype Frua Spider, Dario Calandra, White Rock, Canada
Class N-2: OSCA 1955–1960
1st: 1955 OSCA MT4 1500 Morelli Spider, Jack & Kingsley Croul, Corona del Mar, California
2nd: 1960 OSCA 750 S Morelli Sports Racer, Bill Pope, Scottsdale, Arizona
3rd: 1956 OSCA MT4 TN Morelli Spider, Mitch Eitel, Kent, Connecticut
Class O-1: Postwar Touring
1st: 1948 Talbot-Lago T26 Grand Sport Figoni Fastback Coupé, Robert Kudela, Chropyně, Czech Republic
2nd: 1957 BMW 507 Series II Convertible, Larry & Jane Solomon, California
3rd: 1950 Talbot-Lago T26 Grand Sport Pennock Coupé, Steve & Marilee Hamilton, Washoe Valley, Nevada
Class O-2: Postwar Grand Touring
1st: 1949 Delahaye 135 M Pourtout Malmaison Cabriolet, Meg McCarthy, Chatham, Massachusetts
2nd: 1957 Bentley S1 Continental Park Ward Drophead Coupé, Priscilla Brewster and Susan Brewster McCarthy, St. Paul, Minnesota
3rd: 1956 Cadillac Hess & Eisenhardt Presidential Parade Car, Harry Yeaggy, Cincinnati, Ohio
Class O-3: Postwar Sports
1st: 1966 Ford GT40 Mark IIB Coupe, Robert Bishop, Palm Beach, Florida
2nd: 1955 Maserati A6GCS Frua Spyder, Jonathan Feiber & Heather Buhr, Atherton, California
3rd: 1952 Porsche Type 540 Heuer Sport Roadster, Robert Ingram/The Ingram Collection, Durham, North Carolina
Class P: Eisenhower Era Dream Convertibles
1st: 1959 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz Convertible, Lawrence M. Camuso, San Jose, California
2nd: 1953 Packard Caribbean Convertible, Dr. Peter Heydon, Michigan
3rd: 1953 Oldsmobile Fiesta Convertible, Roy Asbahr, Gresham, Oregon
Class Q: Postwar Custom Citroën
1st: 1966 Citroën DS 21 Chapron Le Léman Coupé, Jeffrey & Frances Fisher, Palm Beach, Florida
2nd: 1965 Citroën DS 19 Chapron Majesty Chapron Saloon, Merle & Peter Mullin/Mullin Automotive Museum, Oxnard, California
3rd: 1967 Citroën DS 21 Cabriolet d’Usine, Jeffrey & Frances Fisher, Palm Beach, Florida
Class T: Tucker
1st: 1948 Tucker 48 Sedan, George Lucas, Nicasio, California
2nd: 1948 Tucker 48 Sedan, Howard & Rosalind Kroplick, East Hills, New York
3rd: 1948 Tucker 48 Sedan, Mary & Ted Stahl, Chesterfield, Michigan
Class V: 1960s Indianapolis 500 Revolution
1st: 1965 Dean Van Lines Brawner Special Hawk 1, Ray Evernham Enterprises, Mooresville, North Carolina
2nd: 1961 Bryant Heating & Cooling Epperly Special, Bill Akin, Hermitage, Tennessee
3rd: 1966 All American Racers Eagle Special, Bruce Canepa, Scotts Valley, California