The choice of the Jon Shirley’s 1954 Ferrari 375 MM Scaglietti Coupe was not a total surprise given its provenance, quality of restoration and undisputed elegance. It still sent a ripple through the knowledgeable crowd gathered before The Lodge overlooking the 18th green of one of the world’s most famous golf courses. This is the first time since 1954 that a Post-War era vehicle has won the top prize, namely Best of Show, at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in Monterey.
How to reduce 218 cars from 15 countries divided across 27 classes down to one Best of Show? That is the task set before Chief Judge Chris Bock and his team of experts. Armed with a combined total of 1,893 years of experience there is every chance that their final decision will be the correct one. According to Nic Waller, a member of the Concours Selection Committee, it was a close run thing but a fine decision:
“It could not go to a better or more unique Ferrari. It’s been to Pebble before about 15 years ago [when it won First in Class], but it’s since been re-restored and a lot of time and effort taken to bring it back to exactly as it was when it was first delivered to Roberto Rossellini. In Ferrari language, in any language it ticks all the boxes.”
954 Ferrari 375 MM Scaglietti CoupeRossellini is perhaps as good a testimony for the car’s elegance as one could need. As a filmmaker, whose Roma città aperta won the Palme d’Or at Cannes in 1946 and who was married to Ingrid Bergman, he knew a thing or two about art and beauty. Jon Shirley, owner of the Ferrari, is another aficionado of the finer things in the automotive world. For him the reasoning behind his success was obvious.
“It has super elegant lines and elegance is usually what ends up here on the ramp as Best of Show,” he said. “As someone who collects Ferraris I always thought that one day it had to happen; there are a lot of great Post-War cars and I never quite understood why one had never managed to win!”
Shirley is first to admit he is very fortunate to own the car. Not just because of its revered features, but also the story behind its acquisition: “It was found in Paris in pieces, I was lucky to have the help of a young Englishman – who spoke French fluently – in the middle of the negotiations. Plus, we had lived in Belgium for a number of years and my late wife spoke a little French which all helped charm the owner. He wasn’t going to sell to someone he didn’t like.”
The Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance is much more than just a competition to find the most beautiful car. It is a celebration of the passion and dedication of an elite group of individuals dedicated to preserving automotive history.
To become an entrant at Pebble Beach Concours you have to be invited. Each car is vetted and considered by a committee before it is selected for entry. The vehicles chosen have either been painstakingly restored or carefully preserved over time. According to Sandra Button, the Concours Chairman: “All are [here], thanks to the dedicated and passionate enthusiasts who want to be the best possible stewards of these vehicles – not only caring for them, but sharing them with others.” These are qualities that Rolex greatly admires.
The list of marques represented at the event is a who’s who of the historic automotive world. Vehicles which in their day were leaders in their class, and which today are some of finest remaining examples. Cars from the golden age of coachwork – the 1920s and 30s – including famous names such as Duesenberg, Cadillac, Packard, Chrysler Imperial, Pierce Arrow, Hispano-Suiza, Rolls Royce, Bugatti, Mercedes-Benz, Bentley, Talbot-Lago, Delage, and Delahaye spread across the green sward. Elsewhere, Post-War sporting giants such as Ferrari, Aston Martin, Alfa Romeo, Maserati, BMW, Riley and Jaguar.
1939 Talbot-Lago T150C-SS Pourtout CoupePresent, too, were some lesser known, though no less significant names. Pebble Beach had chosen 2014 to recognize the contribution of Hans Ledwinka and the progressive Czechoslovakian Tatra together with the all-American Ruxton and Cord.
Jim Fasnacht is an authority on the Ruxton and the driving force behind a collection of 16 out of the 19 surviving models from the 96 built being on the field: “It was a team effort with a lot of wonderful people involved to get them here. I was captured a long time ago by the car’s silhouette and its technology. The engineering of the gearbox was revolutionary. It enabled the car to be lower, shorter, lighter and more nimble than other front-wheel drive cars of the era.” Fasnacht and his wife own seven Ruxtons. He admits this is partly obsession, but mostly enthusiasm to preserve the history of a car where “so few were made it almost fell through the crack.” Fasnacht was presented with a Rolex timepiece in recognition of his dedication during the Pebble Beach Tour d’Elegance lunch stop in Carmel.
Coincidentally another car that has caught Fasnacht’s imagination is the Cord. Another front-wheel drive car, the Cord was the brand name for an innovative car manufactured by Auburn Automobile under the stewardship of Errett L. Cord, who twice appeared on the cover of Time magazine. Chris Cord, the grandson of Errett and a highly-regarded racing driver with appearances at 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Rolex 24 Hours At Daytona, was exhibiting an immaculate 1937 Cord 812 SC Cabriolet at this year’s Concours.
“The car is a wonderful car to drive, it is such a modern car despite its age. Gordon Buehrig’s design is considered iconic. It is front-wheel drive, it has no running boards and it’s disappearing headlights make the car extremely streamlined, and good-looking,” explained Cord. Cord is a huge supporter of the Concours, what it stands for and the opportunity to share his car: “Ours is a very personal story and we love coming to events like this talking about our family’s automotive history. These cars are a remembrance of that time, and my grandfather, and give us an immense sense of pride.”
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