When the final four contenders for Pebble Beach Best of Show are a 1970s concept car, a post-war coachbuilt and an unrestored race machine, alongside the more typical 1930s luxury tourer, you know things have changed. This was the sight that amazed us all at the 2024 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.
Which car would win? All were entirely worthy – but remember that only two post-war models have ever won at Pebble Beach, and one of those was in 1968, when contemporary cars were still included in the competition.
So, for the first time in the history of Pebble Beach, Best of Show was awarded to a Preservation car: the 1934 Bugatti Type 59 of popular Swiss enthusiast Fritz Burkard’s Pearl Collection.
It's long been speculated that a strong Preservation class car could win
The runners-up were the stunning 1948 Talbot-Lago T26 Grand Sport Saoutchik Fastback Coupé presented by Robert Kudela of Chropyně in the Czech Republic; the 1934 Packard 1108 Twelve LeBaron Sport Phaeton presented by Harry Yeaggy of Cincinnati, Ohio; and the crowd-pleasing 1970 Lancia Stratos HF Zero Bertone Coupé, which was presented by Phillip Sarofim of Beverly Hills, California.
Anyone of those contenders would have made a worthy Best of Show, but it’s long been speculated that a strong Preservation class car could win, as we explained in this article following the inclusion of the 1932 8C 2300 Corto Figoni Cabriolet in the 2023 Best of Show contenders. Preservation cars have appeared on the showfield for decades, and Pebble Beach has hosted formal classes for them since 2001.
The assorted Best of Show contenders reflects what was the most varied line-up in the history of the Pebble Beach Concours, with a class for 1990s BPR & FIA GT Race Cars and a spectacular line-up of Land Rovers and Range Rovers used by the late HM Queen Elizabeth II.
However, it was the two amazing classes of Wedge-Shaped Concept Cars & Prototypes from the 1950s-on that seemed to catch the most attention, with Phillip Sarofim’s Stratos Zero the most crowd-pleasing of all.
Not all visitors understood the Best of Show-winning choice among so many perfectly restored cars on the 214-strong field, but its history tells all: the Bugatti won the 1934 Belgian Grand Prix driven by René Dreyfus, and finished third in the Monaco Grand Prix in the same year.
Despite selling four of his Type 59 Works race cars, Ettore Bugatti kept this car, removing the supercharger and converting it to a sports car with a new two-seater body with doors and motorbike wings. It was registered as a Type 57, chassis number 57248, and took victories at Pau in 1937, followed by a win at the Algerian and Marne French Grand Prix in the hands of Jean-Pierre Wimille.
It was then bought by Prince Leopold III of Belgium, and redressed in black with a Belgian yellow stripe – and that is how it remains, original and unrestored. It was bought by Fritz Burkard in 2020 at the Gooding & Company Passion of a Lifetime sale at the UK’s Concours of Elegance Hampton Court. Gooding & Company described it at the time as: “One of the most significant and original competition Bugattis extant.”
A delighted Fritz arrived on the winner’s ramp wearing one smart shoe and one moccasin, with one trouser leg tugged into his sock, as precaution against the oil that these cars spray from the exposed mechanical workings. He had driven the car for three hours on each of several days preceding the Concours, including on the 70-mile Pebble Beach Tour – just as he drove his 2023 Audrain Concours-winning 1938 Delage D8-120 De Villars Roadster for hundreds of miles before taking Best of Show there.
“I’m so happy for the car, so happy for Bugatti,” said Fritz after the win. “This car is incredible. It has so much history – one of the most successful Bugattis in history – and to win with this car means a lot to me. First time a Swiss wins, first time a European wins – first time a Preservation wins. It’s important that Preservation also gets recognition, because a car can only be original once. And it drives so beautifully.”
Concours chairman Sandra Button noted: “This storied Bugatti, the first Type 59 built, is a rare factory race car that recorded multiple Grand Prix victories at the hands of several important racing greats – and it also has ties to royalty. Perhaps most importantly, it wears all of its history to this day, having been preserved in the livery it was given when redressed by King Leopold of Belgium.”
With this win, Bugatti and Mercedes-Benz are tied for the most Best of Show awards at Pebble Beach, with ten wins each. Meanwhile, the Concours has already raised more than $3 million for charity this year, bringing the event’s total charitable donations to over $41 million to date. Through the Pebble Beach Company Foundation, the primary charitable partner of the Concours, these funds will benefit nearly 100 local non-profits focused on youth education, impacting the lives of more than 10,000 children annually in Monterey County.
The 74th Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance will take place on Sunday, August 17, 2025, and will celebrate the respective centennials of Chrysler and Invicta, the creations of Virgil Exner and the 75th Anniversary of Formula 1 – with more features to be announced in the fall. For more information on the Pebble Beach Concours, see here.
BEST OF SHOW
1934 Bugatti Type 59 Sports
The Pearl Collection/Fritz Burkard, Zug, Switzerland
BEST OF SHOW NOMINEES
1948 Talbot-Lago T26 Grand Sport Saoutchik Fastback Coupé
Robert Kudela, Chropyně, Czech Republic
1934 Packard 1108 Twelve LeBaron Sport Phaeton
Harry Yeaggy, Cincinnati, Ohio
1970 Lancia Stratos HF Zero Bertone Coupé
Phillip Sarofim, Beverly Hills, California
ELEGANCE AWARDS
Gwenn Graham Most Elegant Convertible
1934 Packard 1108 Twelve Dietrich Convertible Sedan
The JBS Collection/Jack Boyd Smith Jr, Elkhart, Indiana
JB & Dorothy Nethercutt Most Elegant Closed Car
1934 Packard 1108 Twelve Dietrich Sport Sedan
Lehrman Collection, Palm Beach, Florida
Jules Heumann Most Elegant Open Car
1955 Maserati A6G/54 2000 Zagato Spyder
Chris Shane, Manhattan Beach, California
Strother MacMinn Most Elegant Sports Car
1955 Maserati A6GCS Frua Spyder
Jonathan and Wendy Segal, San Diego, California
SPECIAL AWARDS
Alec Ulmann Trophy
1934 Hispano-Suiza J12 Vanvooren Cabriolet
The Hon Sir Michael Kadoorie, Hong Kong
Ansel Adams Award
1962 Land Rover Series IIA 109″ Special Station Wagon
Anne Brockinton Lee/The Lee Collection, Sparks, Nevada
ArtCenter College of Design Award
1956 Maserati A6G Zagato Berlinetta
Jonathan and Wendy Segal, San Diego, California
Briggs Cunningham Trophy
1934 Packard 1108 Twelve Dietrich Convertible Sedan
The JBS Collection/Jack Boyd Smith Jr, Elkhart, Indiana
Center for Automotive Research at Stanford (CARS) Award for Automotive Innovation
1934 Bugatti Type 59 Sports
The Pearl Collection/Fritz Burkard, Zug, Switzerland
Chairman’s Trophy
1967 Ferrari 330 GTC Coupé Speciale
Heinecke Family, Bangkok, Thailand
Charles A Chayne Trophy
1931 Marmon Sixteen LeBaron 2-4 Rumble Seat Coupe
Gary Severns, Long Beach, California
Classic Car Club of America Trophy
1930 Packard 734 Speedster Eight Victoria Coupe
The Nethercutt Collection/Helen and Jack Nethercutt, Sylmar, California
Dean Batchelor Trophy
1966 Cannara Roadster
Guy Dirkin, Clermont, Florida
Elegance in Motion Trophy
1954 Lagonda V12 Race Car (DP115/2)
Lawrence Stroll, Warwickshire, UK
Enzo Ferrari Trophy
1973 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Scaglietti Competizione Berlinetta
David MacNeil, Fort Lauderdale, Florida
FIVA Prewar Trophy
1928 Aston Martin Sports Model ‘Feltham Flyer’ Bertelli Two-Seater
Paul and Deirdre Lee, Studio City, California
FIVA Postwar Trophy
1964 Ferrari 250 GT Scaglietti Berlinetta Lusso
Earl Waggoner and Tony Owen, Manhattan Beach, California
The French Cup
1937 Bugatti Type 57SC Corsica Roadster
John Rich, Gilberton, Pennsylvania
Gran Turismo Trophy
1970 Lancia Stratos HF Zero Bertone Coupé
Phillip Sarofim, Beverly Hills, California
Lincoln Trophy
1930 Lincoln Model L Locke Sport Roadster
Stan Lucas, Long Beach, California
Lorin Tryon Trophy
Phillip Sarofim, Beverly Hills, California
Lucius Beebe Trophy
1931 Rolls-Royce Phantom II Continental HJ Mulliner Close-Coupled Weymann Saloon
Rajiv Kehr Aditya Dispomed Products Pvt Ltd, IMT Manesar, India
Mercedes-Benz Star of Excellence Award
1928 Mercedes-Benz 710 SSK Corsica Drophead
William E (Chip) Connor, Hong Kong
Montagu of Beaulieu Trophy
1993 Jaguar XJ220C Le Mans Coupé
Henry Pearman – Historic Classics Collection, Heathfield, UK
The Phil Hill Cup
1957 Maserati 450S Zagato Berlinetta
Rob Walton, Scottsdale, Arizona
Tony Hulman Trophy
1956 Maserati 250F Open-Wheel Race Car
Lawrence Auriana, Greenwich, Connecticut
CLASS AWARDS
A-1: Antique
1st: 1916 Pierce-Arrow 48 B-4 Vestibule Suburban, Bradley and Andrew Greene, Portola Valley, California
2nd: 1906 Mercedes 70 HP Rothschild and Fils Triple Phaeton, The Keller Collection at the Pyramids, Petaluma, California
3rd: 1909 Alco 40 HP Runabout, Bruce McCaw, Redmond, Washington
A-2: Packard Early (Pre-Twin Six)
1st: 1914 Packard 4-48 Seven-Passenger Touring, Ross and Beth Myers, Boyertown, Pennsylvania
2nd: 1903 Packard Model F Rear Entrance Tonneau, Joe and Janice Conzonire, San Marino, California
3rd: 1907 Packard 30 Runabout, Steven Adler, New Vernon, New Jersey
C-1: American Classic Open
1st: 1933 Chrysler CL Imperial Custom LeBaron Phaeton, Academy of Art University, San Francisco, California
2nd: 1937 Cord 812 Phaeton, Donald and Paula Beck, Tulsa, Oklahoma
3rd: 1931 Stutz DV-32 LeBaron Speedster, Larry Carter, Los Gatos, California
C-2: American Classic Closed
1st: 1934 Packard 1108 Twelve Dietrich Sport Sedan, Lehrman Collection, Palm Beach, Florida
2nd: 1934 Nash 1297 Ambassador Eight Brougham, Nicola Bulgari/The NB Center for American Automotive Heritage, Allentown, Pennsylvania
3rd: 1937 Chrysler Imperial C-15 LeBaron Town Car, Howard and Roz Kroplick, East Hills, New York
D-2: Packard 125th Anniversary Open Custom Coachwork
1st: 1934 Packard 1108 Twelve LeBaron Sport Phaeton, Harry Yeaggy, Cincinnati, Ohio
2nd: 1934 Packard 1106 Twelve LeBaron Runabout, Harry Yeaggy, Cincinnati, Ohio
3rd: 1933 Packard 1006 Custom Twelve Dietrich Convertible Victoria, The Singleton Collection, Newport Beach, California
G: Duesenberg
1st: 1933 Duesenberg SJ LaGrande Phaeton, Thomas Maoli, Whippany, New Jersey
2nd: 1932 Duesenberg J Rollston Victoria Coupe, Donald Ghareeb, Vestavia Hills, Alabama
3rd: 1935 Duesenberg J Walker Torpedo Phaeton, Anne Brockinton Lee/The Lee Collection, Sparks, Nevada
H: Rolls-Royce Pre-War
1st: 1938 Rolls-Royce Phantom III James Young Coupé, Stephen F Brauer, St. Louis, Missouri
2nd: 1927 Rolls-Royce Phantom I Piccadilly Roadster, Kendall Rosemeyer, Prescott, Arizona
3rd: 1925 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost Oxford Touring, Heather and Harry Clark, Paradise Valley, Arizona
I: Mercedes-Benz Pre-War
1st: 1928 Mercedes-Benz 710 SSK Corsica Drophead, William E (Chip) Connor, Hong Kong
2nd: 1936 Mercedes-Benz 540K Special Roadster, William U Parfet, Hickory Corners, Michigan
3rd: 1935 Mercedes-Benz 500/540K Cabriolet A, John D Groendyke, Enid, Oklahoma
J-1: European Classic Touring Early
1st: 1923 Hispano-Suiza H6B Fernandez et Darrin Cabriolet, Sam and Emily Mann, Englewood, New Jersey
2nd: 1934 Hispano-Suiza J12 Vanvooren Cabriolet, The Hon Sir Michael Kadoorie, Hong Kong
3rd: 1932 Röhr 8 Type F Streamliner, Mary and Ted Stahl, Punta Gorda, Florida
J-2: European Classic Touring Late
1st: 1938 Delage D8-120 Letourneur et Marchand Aérosport, Dana and Patti Mecum, Geneva Lake, Wisconsin
2nd: 1938 Bugatti Type 57C Gangloff Aravis, Gwen and Tom Price, Belvedere, California
3rd: 1939 Lagonda V12 Drophead Coupé, Nishant Dossa, Mumbai, India
J-3: European Classic Sport
1st: 1933 Bugatti Type 55 Roadster, Robert Bishop, Palm Beach, Florida
2nd: 1926 Bentley 3 Litre Super Sport Surbico Tourer, Miles Collier Collection @ Revs Institute, Naples, Florida
3rd: 1936 Delahaye 135 S Figoni et Falaschi Coupé, David F D’Addario Family, Jupiter Island, Florida
L-1: Pre-War Preservation
1st: 1934 Bugatti Type 59 Sports, The Pearl Collection/Fritz Burkard, Zug, Switzerland
2nd: 1938 Mercedes-Benz 770 Pullman Limousine, VA Collection, Battenberg, Germany
3rd: 1928 Aston Martin Sports Model ‘Feltham Flyer’ Bertelli Two-Seater, Paul and Deirdre Lee, Studio City, California
L-2: Post-War Preservation
1st: 1965 Serenissima 308V Fantuzzi Spyder, Tom McGough Sr/Tom McGough Jr, Shoreview, Minnesota
2nd: 1967 Lamborghini Miura P400 Coupé, Nicholas and Shelley Schorsch of the Audrain Collection, Newport, Rhode Island
3rd: 1962 Land Rover Series IIA 109” Special Station Wagon, Anne Brockinton Lee/The Lee Collection, Sparks, Nevada
M-1: Ferrari Early
1st: 1954 Ferrari 375 MM Ghia Coupé, Tom and Jill Peck, Irvine, California
2nd: 1952 Ferrari 212 Inter Ghia Coupé Speciale, Dennis and Susan Garrity, De Pere, Wisconsin
3rd: 1951 Ferrari 212 Export Vignale Cabriolet, Michael and Jillion Weisberg, Los Angeles, California
M-2: Ferrari Late
1st: 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO Scaglietti Coupé, Tom Hartley Jnr, Swadlincote, UK
2nd: 1958 Ferrari 250 GT Pinin Farina Cabriolet Series I, Jerry Roehl, Los Ranchos, New Mexico
3rd: 1959 Ferrari 410 Superamerica Pinin Farina Coupé, Sam Lombardo, Vero Beach, Florida
O-1: Post-War Sports Racing
1st: 1955 Jaguar D-type Race Car, Mark Haddawy, Los Angeles, California
2nd: 1956 Fiat 8V Zagato Berlinetta, Private Collection, Knokke, Belgium
3rd: 1960 Porsche 356B 1600GS Carrera GTL Abarth Coupé, Jack and Kingsley Croul, Corona del Mar, California
O-2: Post-War Sports
1st: 1971 Lamborghini Miura P400 SV Bertone Coupé Speciale, Devon MacNeil, Wellington, Florida
2nd: 1967 Bizzarrini 5300 GT Strada Series I Coupé, William H and Cheryl K Swanson, Pebble Beach, California
3rd: 1960 Aston Martin DB4 Coupé, Richard and Peggy Preiser, Delray Beach, Florida
O-3: Post-War Touring
1st: 1948 Talbot-Lago T26 Grand Sport Saoutchik Fastback Coupé, Robert Kudela, Chropyně, Czech Republic
2nd: 1956 Mercedes-Benz 300 SC Cabriolet, Todd Blue/LAPIS, Malibu, California
3rd: 1947 Bentley Mark VI Figoni et Falaschi Grand Touring Coupé, John Shaloub, Festus, Missouri
P-1: Maserati Road Cars
1st: 1955 Maserati A6G/54 2000 Zagato Spyder, Chris Shane, Manhattan Beach, California
2nd: 1972 Maserati Ghibli 4.9 SS Ghia Coupé, Peter Wilde, Brookline, Massachusetts
3rd: 1965 Maserati Sebring II Vignale Coupé, John Clark and Gayle Pirie, Berkeley, California
P-2: Maserati Race Cars
1st: 1956 Maserati 300S Fantuzzi Spyder, Robert Davis, New York, New York
2nd: 1960 Maserati Tipo 61 Birdcage, Thomas Mittler, Santa Fe, New Mexico
3rd: 1957 Maserati 450S Spyder, Fastwelve, Redmond, Washington
Q-1: Maserati Frua
1st: 1951 Maserati A6G 2000 Frua Spyder, Henrik Jorst/Cool Classics International, Reno, Nevada
2nd: 1964 Maserati Mistral Frua Coupé, Timothy G and Cara R Hoxie, and Michael Rubinstein, Orinda, California
3rd: 1955 Maserati A6G/54 Frua Berlinetta, Lawrence Auriana, Greenwich, Connecticut
Q-2: Frua
1st: 1973 Momo Mirage Frua Coupé, Peter Kalikow, New York, New York
2nd: 1953 Nardi 750 Frua Barchetta, Edward Gregory, Bernardsville, New Jersey
3rd: 1946 FIAT 1100 C Frua Barchetta, Don Bernstein and Patt Taylor, Clark’s Summit, Pennsylvania
R: 1990s BPR & FIA GT Race Cars
1st: 1996 Ferrari F40 GTE Michelotto, Jacob Brunsborg, Silkeborg, Denmark
2nd: 1995 Bugatti EB110 Sport Competizione, Chris Hrabalek, Berlin, Germany
3rd: 1997 Mercedes AMG CLK GTR Coupé, The Irish Family, Los Angeles, California
V-1: Wedge-Shaped Concept Cars & Prototypes Early
1st: 1970 Lancia Stratos HF Zero Bertone Coupé, Phillip Sarofim, Beverly Hills, California
2nd: 1955 Ghia Streamline X ‘Gilda’ Coupé, Bradley and Buzz Calkins, Englewood, Colorado
3rd: 1960 Plymouth XNR Ghia Roadster, Linda and Paul Gould, Pawling, New York
V-2: Wedge-Shaped Concept Cars & Prototypes Late
1st: 1979 Aston Martin Bulldog, Phillip Sarofim, Beverly Hills, California
2nd: 1993 Vector W8 Coupé, Private Collection
3rd: 1991 Lotec C1000 Coupé, Jonathan Weizman, Mountain Lakes, New Jersey
