To car collectors around the globe, it is something akin to Willy Wonka’s golden ticket. It is rare and hard to come by and the competition for it can often be fierce. It is an invitation to show an automobile at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.
The Pebble Beach Concours — the actual competition held annually on the 18th fairway of Pebble Beach Golf Links— will take place on Sunday, August 26, 2018.
The receipt of an invitation is not a matter of luck and the selection process is not a lottery; it involves a thorough vetting process. Hopeful owners often begin by sending a simple description of their car to Pebble Beach Concours. These submissions are quickly reviewed and discussed, and although many owners receive a gentle decline, those with automobiles that merit a more careful and complete look are sent a formal application, which is due in early January.
Each year the Concours agrees to formally vet about 1,000 cars. Members of the Concours Selection Committee, a group of 15 automotive experts guided by Concours Chairman Sandra Button, spend the early months of the year researching these cars, sometimes even visiting them to ascertain their authenticity and condition. Each car is then discussed during a two- or three-day Selection Meeting in the spring.
Ultimately about 200 cars are invited to compete at Pebble Beach. The 2018 Concours feature Motor Cars of the Raj, Rollston Coachwork, OSCA, Postwar Custom Citroën, Sporting Vintage Cars and Tucker.
MOTOR CARS OF THE RAJ
Cars with a history tied to India. Most of these cars were sold into India when they were new, during the period of British rule, and many remain there.
ROLLSTON COACHWORK
Rollston was among the finest coachbuilders of the Classic Era, often building one-of-a-kind bodies on chassis built by Packard, Minerva and others.
OSCA
Founded in 1947 by three of the Maserati brothers, OSCA built sports racing cars that competed on road and track through the ensuing two decades.
TUCKER
Seventy years back Preston Tucker created the torpedo-shaped sedan that bears his name. Just 51 Tuckers were made and 47 are known to exist today.
POSTWAR CUSTOM CITROËN
Car enthusiasts have increasingly recognized the style inherent in many postwar custom-built Citroëns.
This year, for the first time ever, Citroën will grace the 18th fairway as a featured marque at the 2018 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance on August 26th. The Pebble Beach Tour d’Elegance poster, painted by Barry Rowe, commemorates this historic moment.
Citroën’s iconic spaceship-like DS made its debut at the 1955 Paris Auto Show, where the unmistakable sheet metal garnered over 80,000 orders by the end of the week. The futuristic DS platform featured revolutionary hydro-pneumatic suspension, as well as hydraulic systems for the brakes, steering, and transmission. These groundbreaking advancements made the DS one of the most stable autobahn cruisers ever created. Moreover, the unique style of the DS made it an attractive canvas for coachbuilders such as Henri Chapron; custom Citroëns subsequently sustained the art into the 1970s.
At the forefront of the poster is the two-tone blue 1966 Citroën DS 21 Chapron Le Léman Coupé, one of roughly 24 produced. This very car (chassis no. 4350020) graced the stage at the 1966 Geneva Motor Show and represents the pinnacle of Citroën custom coachwork. The green 1967 DS 21 Chapron Cabriolet d’Usine was transformed to convertible specification straight from the factory while the Yellow DS 19 exemplifies the essence of the original DS saloon. All three of these Citroëns have been fully restored by renowned Citroën expert Vincent Crescia, who currently operates out of the very building that housed his father’s Citroën dealership.
Barry Rowe, a member of the Automotive Fine Arts Society (AFAS), explores the evolving relationship between the automobile, society, and daily life. In portraying cars, he is lauded for his use of light and color. With Rowe’s work, the Concours celebrates the debut of Citroën as a featured marque.
VINTAGE SPORTING CARS
The 2018 Vintage class will focus on early sporting cars built from 1916 to 1924.
The following cars top the list of featured Lots to watch at the upcoming Pebble Beach Auctions that take place August 24 & 25, presented by Gooding & Company:
1935 Duesenberg SSJ
- The Ultimate Model J Duesenberg; One of Only Two SSJs Built
- Special Short-Wheelbase Chassis and Supercharged, Twin-Carb Engine
- Sporting Open Coachwork Designed by J. Herbert Newport Jr.
- Originally Delivered to Hollywood Legend Gary Cooper
- Unrestored Condition; Retains Original Chassis, Engine, and Bodywork
- Just Two Owners – Briggs Cunningham and Miles Collier – since 1949
- Presented at the 2007 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance
1966 Ferrari 275 GTB/C
- One of Only 12 GTB/Cs Built; the Ultimate Evolution of the Single-Cam Berlinetta
- Originally Owned and Campaigned by Legendary Racing Driver Pedro Rodríguez
- Two-Time North American Racing Team Entrant at the 24 Hours of Daytona
- Well-Documented Provenance; Formerly Part of the Famed Albert Obrist Collection
- 1990s Restoration by Cognolato and Michelotto; Retains Matching-Numbers Engine per Factory Build Sheets
- Extensive History File Includes Marcel Massini Report
1958 Ferrari 250 GT Tour de France Berlinetta
- The Fifth of 36 Single-Louvre Examples Built
- Over 52 Years of Ownership by Noted Ferrari Collector Fred Peters
- Unique Competition and Coachwork Features
- Raced in the 1958 Targa Florio and the Trieste-Opicina Hillclimb
- Exceptional Concours-Quality Restoration in Distinctive Original Colors
- Participant in the Colorado Grand, Monterey Historics, and the Shell Historic Ferrari-Maserati Challenge
1955 Maserati A6GCS/53 Spider
- One of Only Three Frua Spiders Built on Maserati’s A6GCS/53 Chassis
- A Masterpiece of Italian Design; Among the Most Beautiful Sports Cars of the 1950s
- Displayed at Numerous California Concours in Period Including Pebble Beach
- Provenance Includes Noted Collectors Ken Hutchison, Bill Jacobs, and Bob Rubin
- Awarded the Coppa d’Oro at the 2010 Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este
- Documented by Respected Maserati Historian Adolfo Orsi Jr.
- Shown at the 1964 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance
1955 Porsche 550 Spyder
- Campaigned Successfully by Privateer Racer Eldon C. Beagle from 1955–1956
- Offered from Current Ownership of Nearly 20 Years
- Engine and Gearbox Numbers Match the Porsche Kardex
- Benefits from Recent Mechanical Work by Four-Cam Expert Jeff Adams
- Documented with Original Bill of Sale and Delivery Letter from John von Neumann
- Accompanied by Numerous Original Racing Photographs Along with Period
- Service Records and Video Footage Won 9th in Class at the Pebble Beach Road Races in 1956 (No. 12F)
- Participated in the 1956 Pebble Beach Road Races
1929 RollsRoyce Phantom I Ascot Tourer
- Springfield Phantom I Chassis Tailored for the US Market
- One of 28 Brewster Ascots Produced; Among the Most Beautiful Designs of the Classic Era
- A Correct and Well-Documented Example, Faithfully Presented in Original Colors
- Meticulous Multiyear Restoration by Marque Specialist Jeff McDonald
- Won Second in Class and the Lucius Beebe Trophy at the 2017 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance
- Won First in Class at the 2017 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance
1955 Ferrari 500 Mondial Series II
- Rare Series II 500 Mondial; Campaigned by Scuderia Ferrari in 1955
- Illustrious Competition Record Includes Class Wins at Caracas and Sebring
- Raced in Period by Famous Drivers Including Munaron, Schell, Castellotti, and Rubirosa
- Exacting 100-Point Restoration; Presented in 1955 Grand Prix of Venezuela Livery
- Concours Awards Include First in Class at Pebble Beach and Best of Show at Cavallino
- Offered Directly from Rear Admiral Robert Phillips, Owner for the Past 58 Years
- Won First in Class and the Enzo Ferrari Trophy at the 2008 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance
- Won First in Class & the Enzo Ferrari Award at the 2008 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance
1950 Ferrari 166 MM/195 S Berlinetta Le Mans
- A Historically Important, Even Serial Number Ferrari
- One of Just Six Touring Berlinettas Built on the 166 MM Chassis
- The 1950 Paris Salon Car, Sold New to Briggs Cunningham Impressive Three-Year International Racing History
- Ticket to major events from the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance to the Mille Miglia
- Won Second in Class at the 2001 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance
- Won Second in Class at the 2001 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance
