An Alpha Alfa
An iconic Alfa Romeo won The Peninsula Classics Best of the Best Award after being named “Best of Show” at the 2018 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance.
An iconic Alfa Romeo won The Peninsula Classics Best of the Best Award after being named “Best of Show” at the 2018 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance
Arguably one of the most desirable cars of all time, the remarkable 1937 Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B Berlinetta was revealed at The Peninsula Paris on 7 February 2019 as winner of the fourth annual The Peninsula Classics Best of the Best Award.
While eight stunning ‘Best of Show' winners from the top concours around the world competed for the accolade, the Alfa Romeo, already named ‘Best of Show' at the 2018 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, was the stand-out choice among the judges.
“The winning Alfa Romeo is a perfect example of the type of car that inspired us to create this award,” said William E. (Chip) Connor, Chairman and CEO of William E Connor II, co-founder of The Peninsula Classics Best of the Best Award. “To provide an opportunity for car lovers to pause a moment and celebrate flawless design and engineering of this calibre is truly an honor each year.”
The Alfa Romeo is owned by David and Ginny Sydorick of Beverly Hills, California. Passionate car collectors, the couple also owns one of two Ferraris shortlisted for the award– a 1956 Ferrari 250 GT Coupé by Zagato, which was named ‘Best of Show' at Cavallino Classic. Reflecting on the car's recent recognition, David said: “As an avid auto collector, having two cars in the running for this year's award was truly remarkable. It goes without saying that Ginny and I are ecstatic at the result – a proud moment for us both.”
The winning car was unveiled using a shutter effect, whereby individual slats turned in sync to reveal the Alfa Romeo standing proudly within a bespoke designed box. Following the big reveal, guests at the party, including ‘Beauty and the Beast,' ‘The Alienist,' and ‘Girl on a Train' actor Luke Evans, were further treated to a music set from notable DJ Hannah Bronfman, who was joined by husband, DJ and entrepreneur, Brendan Fallis.
An automotive jewel engineered by Ingegner Vittorio Jano, the 8C 2900 was designed to compete in sports car races, specifically the Mille Miglia, which it won outright in 1935, 1936, 1937, 1938 and 1947. In racing trim, it dominated all the major competitions, and in road trim, it was the fastest grand touring car.
Established in 1925 in Milan, Italian coachbuilder Carrozzeria Touring had first licensed Charles Weymann's system of fabric-covered lightweight frames and then developed its own ‘Superleggera' construction. Patented in 1936, the Superleggera system consisted of a structural framework of small diameter steel tubes that conformed to the automobile's body shape and were covered by thin alloy body panels that strengthened the framework.
The winning vehicle, 412020, is the first of only five known Berlinettas built on the Lungo chassis and is the car that Touring refers to as the beginning of Superleggera.