Portfolio - Pebble Beach

It has been a great pleasure to attend the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance 14 times. I have never been disappointed with the cavalcade of beautiful and unusual cars on display.

Buick Concept Cars

Both the current Chairman, Sandra Button and the immediate past Chairman Glenn Mounger became very good friends of mine - and I am always impressed by the 'secret' cars these two people manage to 'wangle' out of private collections.

Cooper Climax F1 raced by Sir Stirling Moss

Often you will see cars on display, which have never been seen in public before.

In addition to the Sunday Concours, there is also the Tour d'Elegance which happens on Friday of the week-long festival in Monterey. The tour involves a selection of the cars on display, which are driven from Pebble Beach, around the 17 Mile Drive, to the beautiful village of Carmel-By-Sea.

Jaguar SS - Tour d'Elegance

It is here that the public get to see some of that year's entries for free. The main street is closed off, and given over to a celebration of beautful machinery.


The significant thing is that every car entered at Pebble Beach (apart from unrestored entries) must be able to be driven, in order to be judged. This avoids 'trailer-queens' being presented.

Then on Sunday, they are all gathered on the 18th Fairway at the Pebble Beach golf course,

Aston Martin One 77

along with a variety of new concepts from current manufacturers like Aston Martin and Bugatti.

Bugatti Veyron Sport

However, it's out on the fairway that you can capture some real gems from the past.

Many of the names have slipped into oblivion, but every one has a special magic.

Ferrari Superleggeras

Others don't really need a badge.

1947 Delahaye

In my opinion Delahaye produced some of the world's sexiest-looking touring cars.

1951 Delahaye

They were the business inside and out.

Delahaye interior

Then there are those cars equipped for only special occasions.

Many are completely over-restored, and you know these cars never looked this good, even on the day they rolled out of the factory!

From polished pipes to super-clean interiors you could eat your lunch off.

The paint job on this Auburn (below) took five months to get right!

But, back to the Modern Concept collection on the practice putting green outside The Lodge. As you know beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but this Chrysler Phaeton concept car (well?)

Then again, I thought that this 'Bob Lutz Special', the Cadillac C16 was just gorgeous!

Of course, and much to Bob's chagrin, GM will never build it. But it was a neat concept!