Greystone Mansion Concours d’Elegance
Beverly Hills, California, USA 7 May
GREYSTONE MANSION played a part in a real-life murder-suicide back in 1929 and has been used as a filming location for countless productions. It has now hosted seven annual concours d’élégance events too, this year’s honouring the 100th anniversary of Lincoln Motors and the 70th of Ferrari.
Although there was a threat of rain, unusual for Southern California at this time of year, the show field was full. When the dust settled after judging, the two big winners were Stan Lucas with his 1929 Lincoln Aero-Phaeton taking Best of Show, Concours d’Elegance. Fittingly, the winner of Best of Show, Concours de Sport, was the 1954 Ferrari 500 Mondial displayed by A&A Premier Classics.
The oldest car at the show, the 1911 Mercedes-Benz 50hp Victoria owned by Gerhard and Adrienne Schnuerer, was the winner of the pre-war Classics class. Winner of the Special Interest class was the stunning and rare Ford-powered Israeli-English 1962 Sabra roadster, owned by Stanley Gold.
Special awards included the Director’s Choice, going to William Heinecke for his 1965 Ferrari 500 Superfast; the Friends of Greystone (the event beneficiary) award for Outstanding Restoration to Roland Scott for his 1954 Buick Skylark; the Mayor’s Choice award to Alexandra Geremia, who displayed her 1935 Adler Trumpf Junior Sports Roadster; the People’s Choice prize to Francophiles Peter and Merle Mullin with their 1963 Citroën Dandy; and, finally, the Spirit of Greystone Award to Thomas and Robert Russell with their imposing 1926 Lincoln 149-A.
With a strong selection of pre- and post-war cars, all displayed in the magnificent Beverly Hills grounds of Greystone Mansion, and having attracted visitors such as Jay Leno and entrants such as the Mullins, the event is surely joining the ranks of California’s top tier.