Luxury Leader

Pebble Beach Automotive Weekend dazzled participants and spectators with an array of celebratory events including exhibits, auctions, and the Tour d’Elegance before culminating in the Concours d’Elegance, where more than 200 breathtakingly beautiful classic cars from 19 countries gathered along the 18th fairway of Pebble Beach Golf Links. Proceeds helped contribute more than $1 million to charity for the fourth consecutive year

A 1937 Horch 853 Voll & Ruhrbeck Sport Cabriolet, owned by Robert M. Lee of Sparks, Nevada, was named Best of Show. “The Horch has wonderful lines, a great proven chassis, and all the beauty that make it the whole package,” notes Lee, who also won Best of Show at Pebble Beach in 2006. “This Horch is an incredibly beautiful open car with stunning styling,” agrees Concours chairman Sandra Button. “It’s very Teutonic, but also almost French. It’s fantastic. Bob certainly knows how to prepare cars for competition.”

This year, Bentley had the largest presence on the Pebble Beach show field. The Concours also celebrated the centennials of Bugatti, Audi, and Morgan, and highlighted the styling of Zagato. Motorcycles were displayed for the first time in a class of British bikes built through 1959. In total, more than 200 cars and motorcycles were present, encompassing more than 100 years
of the automobile.

Talk show host Jay Leno brought along his 1928 Bugatti Type 37A two-seater, and was a guest auctioneer. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger also participated, auctioning a signed bomber jacket, which raised $30,000 for charity. Comedian Jerry Seinfeld collected second place in the Porsche class with his 1970 Porsche 908/03 Spyder. (www.pebblebeachconcours.net)   JANE SHIOMI