2026 PEBBLE BEACH CONCOURS d’ELEGANCE

This section of the guide presents a combination of narrative and numbers to illustrate selected factoids concerning the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. Since the nature of the concours does not warrant a detailed breakdown that is such a vital aspect of professional sports today, the metrics information in this section can also be described as fun facts or data that in some cases confirms some common observations of the event.

An image of Best Of Show awards that include a Rolex watch and winner information inscribed on a permanent trophy are surrounded by a bevy of fine automobiles from previous Pebble Beach Concours. (Wikimedia)

— Application Process —

The Concours Selection Committee adheres to stringent criteria in deciding to accept or reject prospective entrants who were approved to receive an admission application after the same committee approved the candidate’s initial request for consideration. (Author)

Considering the high value of the vast majority of the cars that compete in such an event, and their undoubted very well-heeled owners, it is easy to assume that the payment of a tidy admission fee is the major item that a potential participant would need to take care of to enter the competition. Anyone in the hobby who has attended and/or participated in relatively formal shows has experienced such an occurrence. Unlike a standard Car Show, Cars & Coffee, Cruise Night, or other classic car gathering, it takes more than money to be an entrant in the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. In conjunction with the grandeur and prestige of such an event, and perhaps to emphasize its importance, participants are selected to compete through a formalized and lengthy process.

The whole thing kicks off each November, when entry applications go to many annual participants with a due date at the beginning of January for all completed applications. The Concours Selection Committee reviews the material over several weeks, then meets in late February to determine which cars to invite to the contest.

Most of the applicants are notified of the committee’s decision by April. Logically, one would expect a key factor in their decision to be that (just as in life) experience is an advantage, therefore giving previously successful applicants an edge over first-timers. Once again, the Concours application process does not follow convention. In this case, cars that have not previously been shown at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance or another major Concours are given preference. Additionally, cars are usually screened out by the Concours Selection Committee for a period of ten years unless they have 1) changed ownership, and 2) are freshly restored, or they are an original preservation car.

After acceptance to the Concours there are more conditions for owners to adhere. The first is that cars cannot be entered during the month of August at any other event prior to the Concours, with the possible exception for certain cars that are participating in the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion. A second condition is that Concours personnel request that they be informed before a car accepted for the Concours is shown at another venue earlier in the year. The reason for this request is that the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance has a strong desire to be unique. A car shown in another event may diminish its rarity by just being seen too often, which subsequently may diminish the Concours team’s interest in its display at Pebble Beach.

— Judging Process —

Winners of First, Second and Third in Class are selected by the Concours’ Class Judges, led by the Chief Judge, based on originality, authenticity, and proper and excellent preservation or restoration. A team of Honorary Judges, headed by the Chief Honorary Judge, then approach the field with an eye on elegance.

Both Class and Honorary Judges work in tandem to review and oversee their designated classes. Eligibility to win the top award of Best of Show a car must first win its class. Once all of the Class winners are announced and reviewed, a team consisting of the following personnel casts their vote for their choice for Best of Show, and the car with the most votes wins the award:

• Chief Judge
• Chief Honorary Judge
• Each Chief Class Judge
• Each Honorary Judge team leader
• Selected Class Judges

Identification and information concerning each of this year’s featured classes is in the next section.

One former Honorary Judge whose eye for elegance was undisputed was nature photographer, environmental activist, and Monterey resident Ansel E. Adams (February 20, 1902 – April 22, 1984). In an interesting connection with automobiles at bottom right, Ansel outfitted his 1947 Pontiac Streamliner wagon with a custom camera platform that helped him capture his famous images in Yosemite National Park and other locations. Adams continued to use this modification on later vehicles in carrying out his subsequent work. (Left; Los Angeles Times Photographic Collection at the UCLA Library / CC-BY SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons; top right, program from 1975 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance; bottom right, National Records and Archives Administration)

— The Green Ribbon —

A 1929 DuPont Model G sports a green ribbon after driving the route of the Tour d’Elegance and confirming that it is not a “trailer-queen”. (Jay Cross / CC-BY SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons)

A glance across the show field on Concours Sunday will yield a host of cars sporting bright green ribbons — proof that they’ve participated in one of the time-honored traditions, the Pebble Beach Tour d’Elegance presented by Rolex. The Tour affirms one important fact in that automobiles are not merely objects of beauty; they are designed to transport people from one place to another.

Faced with criticism that concours beauties were too seldom driven, Concours Co-Chairmen Lorin Tryon and Jules “J.” Heumann (at the urging of local car guy Craig Davis), decided in 1998 to ask Concours entries to prove themselves. They invited them to participate in a tour of the area — part driving test, part social outing — just a few days prior to the Concours. As incentive, they stipulated that cars that participated in the Tour would have the advantage if they tied in Concours class competition. Also on offer was a new Elegance in Motion trophy.

Seventy cars, about a third of the entrants, participated in that first Tour, and it was deemed a grand success. Today, about 80 percent of Concours competitors traverse the scenic 70-mile route of the Tour — and they are cheered by spectators all along the way.

The route has changed over the years, variously incorporating a trip along Cannery Row, climbing steep Laureles grade, taking a turn at the track, or tracing the coast to Big Sur. But always waiting at the finish line are glasses of champagne and the gift of a green ribbon to mark each car’s successful completion of the Tour.

— 2026 Class List —

* Denotes Featured Class described in detail starting on the following page.

This 1921 Kissel 6-45 Gold Bug Speedster was featured in the 2018 TV show Long Road to Monterey on MotorTrend. The photograph captures the moment that it was awarded a trophy and blue ribbon denoting Best-In-Class at the 2018 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. This status qualified it for consideration for the Best Of Show award, which it did not win in that year’s event. (Classicsworkshop / CC-BY SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons)

— 2026 Featured Class Descriptions —

Ferrari

When Jim Kimberly, heir to the Kimberly-Clark Kleenex fortune, raced his 1949 Ferrari 166 MM Touring Barchetta in the 1951 Pebble Beach Road Races, it was the first Ferrari to appear at Pebble Beach. Ferraris went on to win four of the seven Pebble Beach races from 1950-1956. In addition, over 900 Ferraris have been displayed at the Pebble Beach Concours since their introduction in 1951. Their popularity helped Ferrari to become the first ongoing postwar featured marque at the Concours beginning in 1973, with the result that each Concours often has two or three Ferrari classes. Interestingly, despite their numbers at the Pebble Beach Concours, only one Ferrari has been awarded Best Of Show: a 1954 375 MM Scaglietti Coupe took the top award in 2014. For the Concours’ 75th anniversary, the focus of this class will be Chinetti and NART (North American Racing Team) competition cars.

The 1949 Ferrari 166 MM Touring Barchetta, chassis number 0010M, was driven to class wins at the Mille Miglia, Le Mans, and a first-place finish at the 24 Hours of Spa in 1949. This is the same car that Kimberly-Clark heir Jim Kimberly raced in the 1951 Pebble Beach Road Races where it was damaged in a rollover accident. After a succession of later owners, it is now owned by Jon Shirley and was exhibited at the 2015 Pebble Beach Concours as seen at left. At right, an oblique view of 1950 chassis number 0040M at the Museo Ferrari in 2024 provides a better look at its pleasing lines. (Left, Jay Cross / CC-BY SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons; right, Author)

Carrozzeria Alfredo Vignale

Alfredo Vignale was born in Turin, Italy in 1913 into a family of seven children whose father led the Stabilimenti Farina paint shops. At the age of 11 he dropped out of school to begin an apprenticeship as a sheet metal worker with De Gregori before joining Stabilimenti Farina and working there until 1940. In 1946, he started his own Carrozzeria, translated as “body shop” and defined by the industry as coachbuilder, with brothers Guglielmo and Guiseppe in Via Cigliano in Turin. With Alfredo leading the creative side, the company prospered in the 1950s by producing bodies for Ferrari, FIAT 8V, Lancia, Maserati and others, totaling about 1000 bodies per year. The company’s success resulted in a move to a much larger new manufacturing facility at Grugliasco in 1961 and a lasting legacy of producing prime examples of Italian styling that continue to be sought after by collectors today.

Shortly after Alfredo Vignale (left) formed Carrozzeria Vignale, the company produced the body for the unique 1951 Fiat 1400 Cabriolet that was designed by the legendary Giovanni Michelotti specifically for the 1952 Turin Motor Show. The Fiat was later driven by actor Kirk Douglas in the 1955 movie The Racers. It was subsequently registered in 1964 but was unseen until being discovered in 2015 and returned to Italy for a complete restoration. It is shown on display at the 2018 Pebble Beach Concours. (Left, Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons; right, Sicnag / CC-BY SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons)

Early American Speedsters (Pre-World War I)

This class of mostly pre-World War I designs commemorates arguably the most significant vehicles to travel American roads and racetracks. Speedsters were the country’s first sports cars, thus becoming the most glamorous automobiles of their era. Speedsters were owned by entertainers, captains of industry, the wealthy, and in some cases, ordinary people as well. They were often expensive, but they delivered at a worthwhile price what their owners most desired: going fast and looking good while dashing to the beach, golf links, a house party, or country club function. Features such as rakish windshields and wind-deflectors, wire wheels on the ground and flanking the minimalist hood, individual fenders, and sloped seat cushions created the mood for full enjoyment and confident accomplishment upon reaching a destination. This class will display several of the most famous American Speedsters such as the Stutz Bearcat and Mercer Raceabout plus several lesser-known contemporaries.

An example of a lesser-known vehicle of this type of vehicle is this 1912 Haynes Model 20 Great Race Speedster. It is a veteran of one of America’s most demanding endurance rallies after competing in the Great Race of 1988 (being almost rebuilt overnight after a crash during the event) and participating again in 1993. Originally in the Frank Kleptz Collection in Terre Haute, Indiana and now resident in the Elwood Haynes Museum in Kokomo, this classic vehicle is a rolling tribute to early American motoring and the press-on-regardless spirit of vintage competition. (Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

The Birth Of The Streamliner

The Great Depression of the 1930s negatively impacted the U.S. and many parts of the world, but the decade is also associated with a venerated industrial design movement known as Streamline Moderne. This new look, more commonly called streamlining, was a subdued form of the Art Deco style that began to flourish in the 1920s. Its origin in the aviation industry was spurred by the need to reduce drag in aircraft designs as an integral component of the endless pursuit of increased speed and efficiency.

Starting with the sleek Boeing 247 airliner and its immediate competitor, the curvaceous Douglas DC-3, streamlining was soon permeating everyday life. It was embodied in the streamlining of railway trains like the Burlington Zephyr and the Union Pacific City of Salina, and extended to office buildings, service stations, theaters, diners, household appliances like toasters and vacuum cleaners, and even women’s apparel. In the automotive industry, classic examples include land speed racers at Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah and El Mirage Dry Lake in California, along with passenger cars like the Chrysler Airflow and Lincoln Continental. The swooping lines of flowing fenders, sloping grilles, and fastback rear ends that were prevalent on cars of the period and that still fascinate collectors today will be on full display with three other Streamliners of 1933: Duesenberg SJ Arlington Torpedo Sedan, Packard Sport Sedan, and Cadillac Aerodynamic Coupe.

One of three surviving Pierce-Arrow Silver Arrows of a total of five is chassis number 2575018 that was displayed at the 2010 Pebble Beach Concours. This particular car was the first of the line to be seen by the public upon its debut at the New York Auto Show in January 1933. It will return to the Pebble Beach Concours in 2026 for display with three other Streamliners of 1933. (Public Domain)

Pebble Beach Road Racing Greats

The first Pebble Beach Road Race was held on November 5, 1950, and occurred through the efforts of two local organizers. John B. (Jack) Morse, president of Del Monte Properties and son of Samuel F. B. Morse, was a distant cousin of the Samuel Morse who invented the telegraph. Morse was trying to attract tourists to stay at his company’s Del Monte Lodge and entice them to purchase property in the area. Sterling Edwards, a good friend of Morse, was seeking a location in which to hold sports car races on the west coast. As a result, Edwards persuaded Morse to hold a race on the company’s property to attract visitors, as sports car racing was rapidly rising in popularity. It was a win-win situation. The race would generate publicity for the Lodge and real estate, and the location would become the first sports racing venue on the west coast.

After establishing a 1.8-mile race course through the Del Monte Forest on public roads, they decided to include a concours d’elegance to give racers and attendees a chance to socialize in a classy atmosphere. Concours cars were shown and judged in a field near the tennis courts and then paraded down the start-finish straight of the racecourse.

The race attracted many of the top racers of the time, including Phil Hill, Ken Miles, and Carroll Shelby, along with celebrities such as Jackie Cooper. After a fatal accident in 1956, the race moved in 1957 to a dedicated track built on land obtained from nearby Fort Ord army base. Per the Pebble Beach Concours’ website, the 2026 celebration will showcase the evolution of racers from the early 1950s, pairing top models from manufacturers with some of the most iconic one-off specials.

Ferrari 750 Monza chassis 0510M was displayed at the Pebble Beach Concours in 2019. It has a distinguished racing history that includes repeat wins in the 1955 Pebble Beach Road Races (Phil Hill) and in 1956 (Carroll Shelby). All winning drivers were awarded the Del Monte Trophy. (Courtesy of Genau Autoworks)

Japanese Motorsports: The Rising Sun At Le Mans

Like their counterparts at Alfa Romeo, Bentley, Ferrari, Ford, Porsche and others, in years past Japanese companies also were eager to win at Le Mans. In recognition of industry consensus that the 24 Hours of Le Mans is the most challenging endurance contest anywhere, Japanese automakers knew that winning it would provide international acknowledgement of the quality of their products.

Toyota was the first to enter the Le Mans competition in 1985. After a number of attempts over the years, they finally achieved an overall win in 2018, then won the next four races in a row. A sixth victory followed in 2026, thus confirming their near dominance of the event in recent years utilizing a variety of hybrid configurations.

Nissan was the next Japanese company to enter Le Mans by fielding its R85V which finished 16th in 1986. Since then, Nissan has never won overall at Le Mans, but it has taken a class victory in the Le Mans LM P2 category in 2011.

In 1991, Mazda entered the contest and won with their 787B, becoming the first rotary engine manufacturer in the world and the first Japanese manufacturer to take overall victory in this prestigious event. Honda also ran cars at Le Mans from 1994 to 2006, winning the GT2 Class in 1995. From this ascending history, the concours will display an exquisitely curated assortment of Le Mans cars from a number of Japanese manufacturers.

The Mazda 787B during the 1991 Le Mans race enroute to its historic win in 1991. (JP Roche – Danyele / CC-BY SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons)

Class Awards And Trophies

Class award trophy by French sculptor Emanuel Zurini. (Courtesy of Bonhams Cars)

As noted in the list below, there are many other awards besides Best of Show given to Pebble Beach participants. Special committees of Honorary Judges select Special Awards and Elegance Awards winners per the stated criteria.

Interestingly, the Concours website notes that most Special Award Trophies are perpetual and are maintained at Pebble Beach. As a result, winners receive a suitable trophy often based on the Pebble Beach Concours Trophy.

Special Awards and Established Dates

Alec Ulmann Trophy (2012): Awarded to the car that best embodies the combination of excellence in performance and elegance in design.

Ansel Adams Award (1984): Named for the famous photographer who was a frequent Honorary Judge at Pebble Beach, this award is given to the most desirable touring car in its era.

Art Center College of Design Award (2002): Awarded to the car that showed the best use of new technology in its era, had groundbreaking style and engineering, and has had the greatest impact on car design today.

Briggs Cunningham Trophy (1978): Well-known automobile creator and collector Briggs Cunningham donated this trophy to recognize the most exciting open car at the Concours.

Cars At Stanford Award (2013): The winner of this trophy is determined to be the most technologically advanced automobile of its time on the show field by students and professors from The Center of Automotive Research at Stanford University (CARS).

Classic Car Club of America Trophy (2000): Awarded to the most significant classic car at the show.

Chairman’s Trophy (1983): This award is for the most deserving car in the show as selected by the Chairman.

Charles A. Chayne Trophy (1978): Named for a former General Motors Vice President of Engineering and noted supporter of the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, this is another award to the car with the most advanced engineering of its era.

Dean Batchelor Trophy (1977): In homage to the noted automotive writer and historian, this award to the most significant car associated with Hot Rod heritage was donated by Ford Motor Company.

Elegance in Motion Trophy (1988): Recognizes the car deemed to be the most elegant participant that successfully completed the Pebble Beach Tour d’Elegance.

Enzo Ferrari Trophy (2005): As an award to the best Ferrari in the show, the name speaks for itself. The trophy also has its own history in that it was preceded by the Hans Tanner Trophy from 1974 – 1995 and the Luigi Chinetti Trophy from 1996 – 2004.

FIVA Awards (1999): Presented to the best preserved and regularly driven cars as determined by a special committee guided by FIVA regulations.

Gran Turismo Trophy (2008): Awarded to the most significant car balancing both artistic beauty and performance at the highest level and most desired for inclusion in the Gran Turismo game series.

Lincoln Trophy: This award goes to the most significant Lincoln at Pebble Beach.

Lorin Tryon Trophy (1999): Named for the long-time and dedicated Co-Chairman of the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance who was a significant contributor in the successful efforts to attract the most elegant cars to the event. As a result, the award recognizes an automotive enthusiast who has contributed significantly to the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance and the car collector world.

Lucius Beebe Trophy (1966): Given in recognition of the Rolls-Royce considered most in tradition of Lucius Beebe, a show judge in the Concours’ early years who contributed greatly to its success, and is also the first perpetual trophy established at the Concours.

Mercedes-Benz Star of Excellence Award (1987): Donated by Mercedes-Benz and presented to the most significant example of its products in the show field.

Montagu of Beaulieu Trophy (1982): Donated by noted English vintage car collector and hobby supporter Edward John Barrington Douglas-Scott-Montagu, more familiarly known as Lord Montagu, this award is presented to the most significant car of British origin.

Road & Track Trophy (1989): Donated by one of the industry’s leading publications and awarded to the car that the editors of that magazine would most like to drive.

The French Cup (Mid-1980s): Awarded to the most significant car of French origin.

The Phil Hill Cup (2005): In its original incarnation this award was called The Pebble Beach Cup and given to the winner of the Pebble Beach Road Races, which was the marquee event from which stemmed the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. With the end of the road races after 1956 it transitioned to a Concours award for the most significant race car. Since 2005 it takes its name from the celebrated racer who also participated in the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance as a two-time winner of Best of Show as well as being a longtime judge.

Tony Hulman Trophy (1993): Awarded to the most significant open wheel race car by the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Foundation in honor of the man who owned the iconic race track for decades.

Elegance Awards

J.B. & Dorothy Nethercutt Most Elegant Closed Car: This award given to the most elegant closed car in the show is particularly noteworthy as a recognition of excellence in that it is named for the owners who accumulated the highest number of Best of Show awards (6) at Pebble Beach.

Gwenn Graham Most Elegant Convertible: Named for one of the event’s founders, this award goes to the most elegant convertible at the Concours.

Jules Heumann Most Elegant Open Car: Annually awarded to the most elegant open car in the show, competing amongst other cars of its type classified by not having side windows.

Strother MacMinn Most Elegant Sports Car: This award to the most elegant sports car in the show field is named for a respected automotive designer, instructor, and historian who served for years as Chief Honorary Judge at this event.

Winning a class award at the Pebble Beach Concours is a notable achievement as evidenced by the reactions of the owners of a 1953 Stanguellini 750 Bialbero in 2007. (Classicsworkshop / CC-BY SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons)

Complete List Of Best of Show Winners

The table below is a complete list of winners of the ultimate prize at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. Each car is identified by the year that it won Best Of Show, marque and model, and owner. This information is the basis for presentations of the results of analyses that illustrate other breakdowns of Best Of Show winners as listed below:

• Owners who have garnered more than one Best Of Show award are listed in Owners with Multiple Best of Show Wins.
• Marques with multiple Best Of Show awards and their total wins are listed in Marques With Multiple Best Of Show Wins.
• Two tables that summarize the number of Best Of Show winners by model year within each decade in which cars have earned the top award are in Best Of Show Winners By Model Year Per Decade.

— Owners with Multiple Best of Show Wins —

— Marques With Multiple Best Of Show Wins —

The tables below summarize the number of Pebble Beach Best Of Show awards individually by model year and grouped together within each decade.

Confirmation of the general observation that cars from the 1930s have predominated as winners of Best Of Show at Pebble Beach is clearly illustrated in the total of 51 cars from that decade taking the top prize.

Two further notes are that 1930s cars received the award in consecutive years from 1993-2011 (19 awards) and 2018-2024 (6 awards), which are the longest win streaks of any of the decades containing show entries.