Last summer, a Ferrari became the first post-war car in many decades to drive off with the best of show honors at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. In 2015, Ferrari will be the featured marquee at the 65th annual event held on the 18th fairway overlooking the famed bay.
“Our plans to feature Ferrari have been many years in the making,” Concours chairman Sandra Button said in a news release. “But it seems particularly appropriate to be showcasing this marque now, since a Ferrari earned our top award this past year.”
Jon Shirley’s 1954 Ferrari 375 MM Scaglietti coupe not only was the first Ferrari ever to win best of show honors at Pebble Beach, but the first post-war winner in nearly 50 years.
Ferraris will be featured at Pebble Beach in August 2015 in several classes, including a special preservation class and another for Ferraris that participated in the Pebble Beach Road Races in the 1950s.
Button also announced other special classes to be featured at the concours this year:
Designs by Carrozzeria Touring: The Italian coachbuilder founded in 1926 is known for its designs and coachbuilt chassis on the Alfa Romeo 8C, Ferrari 166 MM Barchetta, Ferrari 212 Inter/Export, the Hudson Jet, Frazer-Nash and many other vehicles.
DuPont: The duPont family is known for munitions, textiles, paint and its chemical company, but it also was involved in the early financial preservation of General Motors, though there was no connection between GM and the car company started in 1920 by family member E. Paul DuPont. DuPont built cars until 1932. Although 537 were produced, fewer than 40 are known to still exist.
Mercury Customs: In the late 1940s and early ’50s, Mercury was the marque of choice for car customizers, several of which will be featured on the 18th fairway of the Pebble Beach Golf Club.
Pope: Col. Albert August Pope created the world’s largest bicycle-manufacturing company and from 1903-1915 produced automobiles. He also was a founder of the Good Roads Movement, which led to the improvement and paving of many roads across the United States.
Postwar Cunninghams: American sportsman Briggs Cunningham not only won the America’s Cup in sailing and built cars that raced at Le Mans, he worked with Italian coach builder Vignale on a series of Cunningham C3 sports cars, which will be exhibited at Pebble Beach.
Japanese motorcycles: Motorcycles produced in Japan gained world-wide prominence in the 1960s and then dominated the market in the 1970s. They will be featured in a special class at Pebble Beach.
Also to be featured are pre-war British sports cars, the 75th anniversary of the Lincoln Continental, and the 50th anniversary of the Shelby GT350 Mustang.
