Cars of distinction: all the winners from Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance 2018

A competition like no other

Pebble Beach’s Concours d’Elegance is the jewel in the crown of Monterey Car Week – and this year’s event delivered in spades.

The 2018 competition was the 68th concours to be held on the Pebble Beach Golf Links and, with the Pacific Ocean providing a stunning backdrop, scores of priceless classic cars descended on the greens for judging.

From one-off concepts to rare and storied historic racers, the competition was fierce for both class wins and overall honours.

Want to know who stole the show and which classics turned the most heads? Read on for all the winners and highlights.
 

A win for the Italians

A 1937 Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B Touring Berlinetta stormed to overall victory at the 68th Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, 80 years after causing a stir at the Berlin Motor Show.

Previous winner

First restored in the ’90s, the Alfa had previously won ‘Most Elegant Enclosed Car’ at Pebble Beach. 

Lovely Lago

Subsequently brought back to its best and immaculately finished, it fended off stiff competition from a 1929 Duesenberg J Murphy Town Limousine that topped the Duesenberg class, and an elegant and shapely 1948 Talbot-Lago T26 Grand Sport Figoni Fastback Coupé.

All in the grille

The winning Alfa Romeo 8C Lungo Berlinetta wore stunning Superleggera coachwork by Touring. It differs from other 8C 2900 Berlinettas by virtue of its steeply raked and aerodynamic front grille, and lack of running boards.

It's a Deusy

Also making a return to Pebble Beach was the Lehrman Collection’s Duesy. With a body designed by Franklin Q Hershey that included a strikingly angled windscreen, a beltline of polished aluminium and Murphy’s ‘Clear-Vision’ window pillars, it was shown at Pebble Beach back in 1971.

Concours of many classes

This year’s Concours featured a number of special classes, including categories for OSCAs, post-war custom Citroëns, Eisenhower-era convertibles and 1960s Indianapolis 500 machines.

Gone but not forgotten

There was also a category dedicated to the obsolete Tucker marque, which included examples of the firm’s only model, the 48 Sedan.

Lucky for some

A total of 13 Tucker cars were presented, led by the class-winning silver machine of film director George Lucas. Its first owner ordered the car as soon as it was announced, and it remained in the family until 1959, later being bought by Lucas in 1987.

French contingent

Also drawing plenty of attention was a stunning set of custom Citroëns, which had proved a hit during the Tour d’Elegance earlier in the week. 

Born in Belgium

Third place went to a 1967 Citroën DS21 Cabiolet d’Usine, which was assembled in the French firm’s Belgian factory and cost twice the price of a DS saloon in period.

Coachbuilt winner

The class was won by a 1966 DS 21 Chapron Le Leman Coupé – one of just 27 built by legendary coachbuilder Henri Chapron, who persevered with his work despite the factory offering four-door saloons, two-door convertibles and even a Safari estate.

Welcome to the OSCAs

Classes dedicated to defunct Italian marque OSCA were another highlight, with vehicles split over over two classes – one for pre-’55 machines and one for those built in the subsequent five years.

Spider on the stand

A popular winner in the first category was an MT4 MM Spider of Elad Shraga, who’d brought the car from Savyon in Israel, and proved instrumental in gathering the rest of the cars in the class. 

A California first

It’s the only remaining original MT4 of three Ernesto Maserati-designed Mille Miglia-style cars, and the first to appear on the Californian racing scene.

No plans for retirement

The post-’55 OSCA class was topped by a 1955 MT4 1500 Spider clothed by Italian coachbuilder Morelli – a firm which proved itself indispensable to the Maserati brothers in period, accounting for 25 of the 78 MT4 chassis built.

Big brutes

In contrast to the diminutive Italian racers, the ‘Eisenhower Era Dream Convertibles’ class was dominated by a bevy of behemoths – chief among them the class-winning 1959 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz Convertible, complete with outrageous ’50s fins.

Atlantic challenge

American manufacturers triumphed over Italian in the ‘Postwar Sports’ class, with a 1966 Ford GT40 Mk2B taking the top spot.

Topless excitement

Just edged out by the GT40 was a 1955 Maserati A6GCS Frua Spyder, which also picked up the Cunningham Award for the most exciting open-top car.

Start your engines

One of the most exhilarating moments of the Concours came as the winners of the 1960s Indy cars took to the podium, with each of the three machines being started up in a cacophony of noise before leaving the ramp. 

Hawk on top

Top of the podium went to the Dean Van Lines Brawner Special Hawk 1, which was built by Clint Brawner and Jim McGee in 1965. 

Eagle follows Hawk

It was followed by the 1961 Bryant Heating & Cooling Epperly Special of Bill Akin and the ‘66 All American Racers Eagle Special, which was brought to the event by local dealer, tuning specialist and historic racer Bruce Canepa.

Plenty to peruse

While the winners got the glory, though, there were plenty of other delights and oddities to be found around the Pebble Beach Golf links.

Classic concept

This Ferrari 512S Modulo concept was a head-turner on the golf course. It was built by Italian coachbuilder and long-time Prancing Horse collaborator Pininfarina and first shown at the 1970 Geneva Motor Show.

Supercharged style

Some stunning ’30s classics were in attendance, too, including this lovely 1935 Auburn 851 Supercharged Speedster, complete with iconic boat-tail design.

No flapping about

Several earlier cars could also be found around the greens – such as this 1922 Hispano-Suiza H6B Labourdette Skiff Torpedo from the Keller Collection.

Pretty Prancing Horses

There was no shortage of Ferrari machinery, either – from prize-winning Dinos to pristine 250GT Europas.

From Tour to Concours

Popular on Thursday’s Tour d’Elegance, the Patterson Collection’s 1937 Cadillac Series 90 Hartmann Cabriolet was also a welcome sight on Sunday.

Standout style

Its mammoth fenders were unmistakable as it glided onto the podium in the California sun.

Wrapped up with ribbons

With the Pacific Ocean as its backdrop, Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance drew Monterey Car Week – arguably the world’s biggest and most beautiful automotive extravaganza – to a fitting close for another year.