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2004 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance
By: Drew Phillips
Photos by the author
September 16, 2004

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There is always a lot of anticipation for the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, starting as early as the day after the show has ended. With the 100th anniversary of Rolls Royce and Hispano-Suiza, along with Ferrari's 50 year presence in the USA, many people predicted it would be the best show of all time. The organizers of the show aimed to put on an event that no one would forget, and no one could complain at the end result. "Our goal each year is to produce a concours that doubles as an automotive time capsule," said event Co-Chairman Glenn Mounger. "We're blessed to have the Pacific Ocean as our backdrop and one of the most spectacular parcels of golf real estate as our host. Combine this setting with a show that attracts a worldly crowd and the finest craftsmanship from more than 100 years of the automobile, and you've created the Kentucky Derby of classic car shows."

Greetings for the show are done by the concept cars displayed on the lawn in front of the Pebble Beach lodge. This year's array of modern machinery was as impressive as ever and included models from Spyker, Lexus, Toyota, Mercedes, and Chrysler. Ford had a display all their own, with a gorgeous production version of the 200 mph GT and the new Mustang GT. Also on display was the Shelby GR-1 Concept that debuted just two days before.

After Concorso Italiano and the first day of the Monterey Historics, everyone thought they had their fill of Ferrari. But those feelings were pleasantly shattered with the first glimpse of the cars of the amazing machinery on the lawn. "There have been events featuring more Ferraris, but nothing like this, where so many rare exotics are displayed at the same time" said Glenn Mounger, Co-Chairman of the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance. "This is a Ferrari collection like no other. It's unprecedented and probably will never happen again." There were so many Ferraris that five different classes were needed to group all the cars: Open, Speciale Closed, Competition, Major Race Winners, and the Formula 1 Display. Included in the groups were a 1967 330 P4 that won the Luigi Chinetti Trophy, 1949, 1960, 1961, and 1964 Le Mans-winners, class-winning TR59/60 Fantuzzi Spyder, and too many one-off Ferraris to list. "It's the greatest assembly of some of the rarest vehicles in the world in one location. There are one-offs that you'll probably never see together again in a lifetime. This is the kind of significant collection that you know you'll never see again," said Ferrari Club of America President Rick Race. The collection of Ferraris was truly the pinnacle of this year's Monterey weekend.

Rolls Royce, one of the most distinguished marques at Pebble Beach, celebrated its 100th anniversary in grand style on the rocky beaches of the 18th fairway. Participation in the Concours started well before the gates opened on Sunday, with several of the cars driving in the "Silver Ghost Train," a 3,700 mile cross country starting in Baltimore and ending in Monterey for the weekend events. There were just as many Rolls as Ferraris, with five classes of their own. Two Silver Ghost classes, a Phantom class, a Small-Horsepower group, and finally a Postwar Custom Coachwork class compiled an amazing collection of the world's most renowned luxury cars. Also making an appearance at the show was the first Rolls-Royce ever built, the original Silver Ghost.

The French car company Hispano-Suiza is also celebrating its 100th anniversary this year, and the rare cars competed in their own class. The top three cars a 1926 H6B Chapron Cabriolet owned by Frank and Milli Ricciardelli, a 1919 Hispano-Suiza H6 Duvivier Torpédo owned by Jorge and Monica Fernandez which also won the Alec Ulmann Trophy, and a 1935 Hispano-Suiza J12 Van Vooren Cabriolet owned by Peter and Merle Mullin.

Automotive Designer Georges Paulin was honored at the show with a tribute to several of his legendary automotive designs. The Georges Paulin and Peugeot Design Class featured some of the most beautiful automobiles of the show including a pair of 1938 Bentleys - a 4 1/2 litre Van Vooren Saloon and a 4 1/2 litre Pourtout Coupe - a 1938 Peugeot Darl'mat 402 Pourtout Coupe, and a stunning 1938 Peugeot Darlmat 402 Pourtout Roadster that stood out with its azure paint scheme.

There were so many possibilities for the "Best of Show" award, and there was a buzz on the green while the class awards were being announced about which car would win the coveted overall victory. Cars from Rolls Royce, Hispano-Suiza, and Ferrari (who has never claimed a Best of Show win at Pebble Beach) were all guesses from knowledgable showgoers. The panel of judges, which included the likes of Phil Hill, Sir Stirling Moss, Andrea Pininfarina, and Giorgetto Guigiaro, had a tough job deciding upon perhaps the best selection of cars to ever attend the show's fifty-four year history. They eventually decided upon the 1938 Horch 853A Erdmann & Rossi Sport Cabriolet owned by Joseph C. Cassini, III. Competing in the European Classic 1925-1939 Open Class, this amazing automobile features a 5-liter straight-8 engine and rare convertible coach work from one of Germany's finest coachbuilder's at the time. With extensive restoration done by RM Auctions and a beautiful flowing body, the Horch was well-deserving of its "Best of Show" award.

After the show had ended, there was a tired but satisfied atmosphere, almost like the feeling you get after eating a huge Thanksgiving dinner. A gathering of more than 200 of the world's finest automobiles made for many tough decisions by the class judges. It was the year of not only Ferrari, but Rolls Royce and Hispano-Suiza as well. With record attendance and an unbeatable line up of cars, this year's show will be one to remember. Being the highlight of the weekend, the Pebble Beach Concours capped off an amazing few days of automotive nirvana like no other could. It completed what will be fondly remembered as the best Monterey weekend to date.