Alfa Romeo 8C triumphs at Pebble Beach
The sporting 1937 Alfa Romeo 8C-2900B Touring Berlinetta of David and Ginny Sydorick won the top award at the 68th Pebble Beach Concours d’elegance, beating stiff competition on 26 August from a supremely sophisticated 1948 Talbot-lago T26 Grand Sport and a 1929 Duesenberg Model J.
The victory came 60 years after the Alfa was exhibited at the Berlin Motor Show, and was particularly fitting because the car has recently been returned to its historic specification following an impeccable restoration by its current owners. Previously victorious in the Most Elegant Closed Car category in 2001, it proved a popular winner as it roared onto the ramp at the famous California golf club.
The 1929 Duesenberg J Murphy Town Limousine of the Lehrmann Collection was also making a return to Pebble Beach, having first taken to the fairway in 1971. The defunct manufacturer has scored six wins since the concours’ inception in 1950 – two examples of which were bodied by Murphy – but this year settled for victory in the hotly contested Duesenberg class.
The final Best of Show nominee was Robert Kudela’s 1948 Talbotlago T26 Figoni Fastback Coupé, bodied for the Paris Auto Salon and one of just 26 surviving Grand Sports. First owned by Mr Fayolle – best known as the ‘Zipper King’ – it features horizontal chrome strips across its bonnet. Kudela acquired the Lago in 2015 before undertaking a fastidious rebuild.
Away from the top three, this year’s concours featured a number of special classes dedicated to Osca, Post-war Custom Citroëns, Eisenhower Era Dream Convertibles, 1960s Indianapolis Racers and Tucker 48 Sedans.
One of the most eye-catching classes gathered a set of Motor Cars of the Raj, with a glittering selection of rarely seen machines making the journey from India. Class honours went to the 1931 Cadillac 452A Pinin Farina Boattail Roadster of Anne Brockinton Lee, while the incredibly well preserved, 3000-mile 1921 Rollsroyce Silver Ghost James & Co Open Tourer of Kesri Dev
Singh also proved a hit.