Pebble Beach Best of Show-Winning Mercedes-Benz 680's brings style and elegance to RM's Monterey Auction stage

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BLENHEIM, Ontario, 3 July, 2013

From concours stage to auction podium, an exquisite, multi-award-winning 1928 Mercedes-Benz 680S Saoutchik Torpedo, judged Best of Show at the 2012 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, returns to California’s Monterey Peninsula, from August 16–17, as a premiere offering at RM Auctions’ flagship Monterey sale.

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Considered the fastest sports car in the world at its time, the stunning, supercharged Mercedes-Benz 680S, chassis 35949, is a magnificent example of automotive artistry and the perfect combination of German engineering and French Avant-Garde design. Featuring a low-slung torpedo roadster body by J. Saoutchik Carrosserie, it is arguably one of the renowned coachbuilder’s most striking pre-war designs. Devoid of any running boards, from a visual perspective, it effortlessly combines swooping front fenders with highly polished German Silver trim, a low windshield, and a disappearing convertible top for dramatic effect; while inside, the reptile-skin seats and intricate wood accents, including a large wood-rimmed steering wheel, give a heightened sense of luxury.

In addition to its spectacular design, 35949 boasts a fascinating provenance. Originally custom ordered by a Mr. & Mrs. Charles Levine, the customer failed to take delivery of the car upon its arrival in New York for reasons thought to be “business reversals” prior to the market crash. Instead, the vehicle was exhibited on the Mercedes-Benz stand at the 1929 New York Auto Salon, before going on display at the company’s New York showroom. It was later sold to its first owner, Frederick Henry Bedford Jr., a director of the Rockefeller’s Standard Oil Company of New Jersey, and went on to play a major role in the courtship of his wife. Following Mr. Bedford’s untimely passing in 1952, chassis 35949 went into storage in the family garage for almost 30 years. It emerged in the early 1980s, when Bedford’s widow commissioned a restoration to bring the car back to life before putting it on display at the Owl’s Head Transportation Museum in Maine, where it remained a prized exhibit for the next two decades. After more than 75 years of single-family ownership, 35949 was eventually sold by the family in 2006 and came into the hands of its current owners in early 2008.

Upon purchase of the vehicle, the current owners engaged esteemed restoration firm Paul Russell & Company to complete a comprehensive, body-off restoration of the highly original car. With a strong emphasis on authenticity, the restoration team completed extensive, worldwide research as part of the restoration process, with the car returned to its period correct Dove Grey with dark red accents and chassis and a reptile-skin interior. The supreme quality of the restoration was recognized at last year’s Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, where the car was awarded 100 points before going on to claim the coveted Best of Show title. Additional accolades bestowed on the stunning Mercedes-Benz include Restoration of the Year at the 2012 International Historic Motoring Awards and, more recently, First in Class at the celebrated 2013 Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este on the shores of Lake Como, Italy. Presented for auction as not only historically accurate and mechanically perfect, but also visually breathtaking, the upcoming sale of this custom 1928 Mercedes-Benz 680S Saoutchik Torpedo is expected to capture the attention of the world’s elite collectors (Estimate available upon request).

“We are truly honored to offer the 2012 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance Best of Show winner at our upcoming Monterey sale,” says Rob Myers, Chairman and Founder, RM Auctions. “Magnificent in every respect, the 680S Saoutchik Torpedo is a stunning work of art that blends superb design with high performance, making it an ideal candidate for the world’s leading events, including long-distance touring. It’s the perfect fit for our Monterey sale—an event held during a week that celebrates the best in design—and we’re thrilled that Paul Russell’s renowned restoration team will be on hand to help present this exceptional automobile at our Monterey auction next month .”

The stunning Mercedes-Benz 680S Saoutchik Torpedo joins a spectacular roster of more than 100 blue-chip automobiles slated for RM’s Monterey sale. A longstanding tradition for collectors spanning more than 25 years, the flagship RM sale, during the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance week, returns to the Portola Hotel & Spa and Monterey Convention Center in downtown Monterey, California, August 16–17. In 2012, RM’s Monterey auction generated a remarkable $96 million in sales and established numerous world records in the process.

Star Automobiles set to Astonish and Amaze at 7th Annual Barrington Concours d’Elegance

BARRINGTON, ILL. – July 3, 2013

The 7th Annual Barrington Concours d’Elegance will feature a wide variety of vehicle classes, including some of the most celebrated pre and post war collectible cars in the world, with stars and stunning examples from each group. An array of exquisite examples of automotive excellence will be shown on July 12-14, 2013, at the Makray Memorial Golf Club in Barrington, Ill. The Concours will celebrate over 100 fine autos with displays detailing the history of these cars and their makers.

“We believe we’ve assembled one of the finest groups of important automobiles and motorcycles in the Midwest this year,” said David Cooper, Concours Co-Chair and Chief Executive Officer. “From Duesenbergs to Delahaye and Vincent motor bikes, vehicles selected for the show field represent key milestones in design and engineering. The breadth will range from the brass period and great classics to post war works of art.”

One of the brightest stars will be a rare Avions Voisin C27 Roadster. It was created by Gabriel Voisin, a brilliant French designer, engineer and aircraft pioneer. After WWI, Voisin turned to automobiles, following a design path that made his creations truly unique with innovations like Knight sleeve valve engines. The 1934 Voisin Type C27 Roadster is one of only two C27 cars ever made; this one has a special Figoni coach built roadster body that was originally delivered to Reza Pahlavi, the Shah of Iran.

Another marvel on display will be the innovative 1936 Stout Scarab. Designed by William Stout, an aircraft engineer and close friend of Henry Ford, the car was styled by John Tjaarda. Unique in its era, it is a streamlined rear-engined, spacious open cabin touring vehicle with a fully independent suspension. It was constructed more like an aircraft fuselage than a car. They were quite expensive and reportedly only nine were made. The example on display at the Concours was fully restored by the owner, who has driven it across the United States twice on the Great American Race. 

Although many assume that only pre war classics and European exotics are the only vehicles to be displayed on such a show field, the Barrington Concours is breaking with that tradition.

“Each of these vehicles is held in high esteem for their contributions to automotive history,” said Cooper. “We’re thrilled to tell the story of vehicles that span several generations. It’s as important to recognize the impact of iconic cars like the Ford Mustang as it is to celebrate the greats like Auburns and Packards.”

The Concours will indeed celebrate the pop culture favorite pony car with one of the most important ones ever built.  Among the headlining cars is believed to be the first 1964 Ford Mustang sold. Reports long claimed that Ford’s first Mustang was sold before midnight on April 16, 1964, with April 17 being the official start date. Gail Brown knew nothing of the most eagerly awaited new model in Detroit history when she went shopping on April 15, 1964. The salesman let Ms. Brown drive off in her Skylight Blue droptop two days before he was supposed to sell it. Meticulously restored in 2007, this convertible remains in Gail’s hands today.

The Concours is a year-long celebration of automotive excellence featuring more than ten events. These special cars will be displayed at the Concours’ capstone event on July 12-14 along with 100 of the world’s finest and rarest vehicles, including a collection of Avions Voisins, Duesenbergs, Corvettes, Porsches, Indy cars and Vincent motorcycles. General admission tickets are available for purchase at www.barringtonconcours.org/home/tickets-for-all-events/.

Vernasca Silver Flag 2013

Castell´Arquato, 28th-30th of June  

Every year the small village of Castell´Arquato and the road up the hill to Vernasca are setting for the Vernasca Silver Flag. The traditional hill climb was part of the Italian hill climb championship in the 1950s and 1960s before reappearing in the mid-nineties as a historic car event. Now in its 18th edition this weekend became a fixed date in the classic car calendar for those who love to drive their cars rather than just show them and although growing over all these years the event kept an character that was described by a regular entrant as “refreshing amateurish” in the best possible sense. Unlike many huge commercial events in the summer season dominated by main sponsors, professional organisation teams and media crowd the Vernasca Silver Flag is organized by the passionate Piacenza Historic Car & Motorcycle Club for like-minded to enjoy a weekend in comfortable ambience and as the three runs up the hill are not timed there is not even a sporting ambition the driving force of the participants but just the fun of it.

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On Friday afternoon the registration takes place at the “centre” of Castell´Arquato, for the next three days the small parking lot becomes the paddocks, the papers could be collected under the banner of the event in a small tent in a lovely alley. As (including some support cars and a parade of Porsche 911) more than 200 cars had to find a place in the centre the paddocks were extended to the piazza in front of one of very few hotels in the village, the Hotel Leon D´Oro is the place to stay for the regular entrants who tend to book their room years in advance. When talking to the concierge of the hotel he pointed out that they have almost every year the same guests but always with different cars, this year the line-up in front of the entrance was a row of four early racing Ferrari. Three 12 cylinder Ferrari from the 1950s and a 500 Mondial were set up in the sun that just came out this afternoon after a few cloudy days. All the three 12 cylinder started life bodied by Touring and whereas the two cars with the consecutive number, the 212 Export (0112E) and the 340 America (0114A) still have their Berlinetta and Barchetta body the third one (0102E) became famous as movie car at “The Racers” starring Kirk Douglas. For the movie it was rebodied by Autodromo with a new body, after a restoration a few years ago it was seen in this configuration at various events including the 2009 Mille Miglia where it was parked alongside the second car of the movie.

Two more Ferrari could be admired over the road with a 250 GT SWB (replica) and the 166P/206P Prototype (0834). The later could look back on a long racing history starting as a 166P Berlinetta in long distance races including the 1000km at Monza and the Nürburgring plus an unsuccessful outing at Le Mans in 1965 before it was converted to a 206P to be run in the European hill climb championship giving Ludovico Scarfiotti the title at the end of the year. In the next years it ran no less than three times the Targa Florio finishing 4th in 1967 in the hands of Vittorio Venturi and Jonathan Williams. The Vernasca Silver Flag saw the reunion of the car with Williams after 46 years, Williams took place on the small passenger seat on the last of the three runs up the hill.

The main rival of the 1950s, the marque with the trident was represented by four cars of this era with a Maserati 300 S (1840), a A6 GCS, a 150 S (1659) and a 200S (2402) plus a 1933 8 CM (3015) remembering that Maserati was already successful before the war.

But it was not just Ferrari, Maserati and Alfa Romeo holding up the Italian flag in the years after the war but numerous small displacement cars built by enthusiasts and small companies. Most of these barchettas and single seaters were based on parts of the mass production Fiat and built around light chassis with spartan aluminium body to compete in the smaller race car classes with huge success. Due to the ending “ini” (the Italian diminutive) these popular racers are today known as the Etceterini, names included Ermini, Stanguellini, Bandini or Siata. Many of these cars could be seen every year at the Mille Miglia and this year's Vernasca Silver Flag had them as main theme after Abarth, Ferrari and “Best of British” in previous editions. No less than 37 examples were entered in the class “piccolo bolidi, grandi passioni” (small racers, great passion), most of them for sure in Italian racing red. Beside the more common names mentioned above Gilco, Giaur, Taraschi or Volpini might by unknown to some of the spectators who lined up mainly at the start in Castell´Arquato during the weekend. It is always a pleasure to see the enthusiasm of the drivers and co-drivers in these very small cars waving and smiling all the way up the hill and one can hardly imagine what it means to ride for 1000 miles under these circumstances.

Further classes included the Tourismo class with several Alfa Romeo GTA, the Gran Tourismo featuring some Abarth, the Ferrari Export, Alfa Romeo Giulietta and TZ1 but also Lancia Rally and Stratos and a Porsche 935 Fabcar. The sports car class saw the Jaguar, Maserati and Lotus from the 1950s and early 1960s, the Prototype class McLaren, Chevron, Porsche and Abarth followed by single seaters and pre-war cars.

The pre-war cars included several Bugatti going up the hill in very different speed, whereas some were more touristic others took the hairpins in full drift. Two Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 with beautiful coachwork by Zagato and Castagna were followed by some fast blown MG. The two last cars were a duo of Fiat 501 from the 1920s and these were by far the slowest car taking the hill in a low gear to get to the top. 

Fortunately the weather forecast was wrong this weekend with predicted low temperatures and barely sun. Even the opening dinner was relocated to the inside as the traditionally intended location at the archaeological area of Velleia Romana was expected to be too cold that evening but during the Friday afternoon the sun was out and especially the Sunday was very pleasant both for the drivers waiting in their cars at the start and the spectators.

The weekend ended Sunday afternoon after the last climb up the hill with a lunch taken on top of Vernasca overlooking the entire area with a great visibility. The lunch taken under the tent on ale-benches showed once more that most of the owners and drivers of these cars do not need a high-toned setting to enjoy themselves as long as the atmosphere is friendly and the day could be spent with like-minded. The event is a very familiar one with most entrants knowing each other for years and most of them certainly will come back as long as it is kept down-to-earth.

But also for the spectators the Vernasca Silver Flag was again a very interesting weekend with cars spanning 7 decades ranging from the small Peugeot Bebé to a duo of Lancia Rally Group B and one can be curious what feature we will see next year and what cars the regular entrants will bring along.

Report & images ... Peter Singhof www.classiccarphotography.de