One of the greatest cars in the world has just taken top honours at one of the greatest car events in the world. A unique aero-inspired Hispano-Suiza was awarded the top prize at the 2025 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.
This year, 229 cars—including 55 international entries from 22 countries and 174 US entries from 31 states—pulled onto the competition field, and the car named Best of Show was a 1924 Hispano-Suiza H6C Nieuport-Astra Torpedo shown by Penny and Lee Anderson Sr. of Naples, Florida. “This Hispano-Suiza ticks every possible box,” said Concours Chairman Sandra Button. “The underpinnings are technically advanced. The body is meticulously hand-crafted, light, and lovely. It was, notably, commissioned by aperitif scion André Dubonnet, and he raced it in both the Targa Florio and the Coppa Florio. A later owner added pontoon fenders to the car, but the Andersons sought to return the car to its original form so you can see and truly appreciate its torpedo shape.”
Known as the “Tulipwood” Torpedo, the car is in fact constructed of strips of mahogany, each individually carved to shape and joined to the inner ribs by 8,500 rivets. It reportedly weighed just 160 pounds when first built.
Also picking up prizes at Pebble Beach were some good friends of the Sydney Harbour Concours d’Elegance. Regular attendees and twice winner of Best in Show in Sydney, Peter and Jan Harburg were awarded the Enzo Ferrari Trophy for their 1964 Ferrari 250 LM Scaglietti Berlinetta which was the champion on Cockatoo Island in 2024.
Simon Kidston came second in class behind the winning Best in Show Hispano with a 1924 Hispano Suiza H6C Hooper Saloon Limousine which was also awarded the Alec Ullmann Trophy, and his 1964 Ferrari 250 LM Scaglietti Berlinetta won the Ferrari Competition class. The Postwar Luxury Touring class was won by Anne Brockinton Lee with the 1959 Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith Hooper All Weather Tourer which was one of the cars used on visits to Australia by Queen Elizabeth II.
