Mercedes-Benz 540K Named Best of Show at the 72nd Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance

PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. (August 20, 2023) — A prewar Mercedes-Benz roadster that was first owned by the Shah of Afghanistan—one of just three similar cars surviving in the world today—was awarded the top prize at the 2023 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.

This year, 216 cars from 18 countries and 30 states pulled onto the competition field of the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, and the car named Best of Show was a 1937 Mercedes-Benz 540K Special Roadster presented by Jim Patterson of the Patterson Collection in Louisville, Kentucky.

“This 540K balances strength with sweeping lines and style, and its history is unique,” said Concours Chairman Sandra Button. “In talking with Jim about this car, I was impressed by the time and thought invested in this restoration. Every piece of this beautiful Mercedes-Benz was researched so carefully to honor its history.”

Prior to this win, the marques of Bugatti and Mercedes-Benz were tied with the most Best of Show wins at Pebble Beach. This win puts Mercedes-Benz in the lead, with 10 wins in total.

“In Kentucky, you know, we talk about winning the Derby. Well, there’s such a thing as winning the Triple Crown,” said Jim Patterson. “And so I’ve won this Concours twice before today. This is a Triple Crown for me.”

This year’s race for Best of Show featured other strong contenders, including the Auriga Collection’s 1930 Mercedes-Benz 710 SS Special Roadster, the 1932 Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 Corto Figoni Cabriolet shown care of Gregor Fisken, and the 1939 Delahaye 165 Figoni et Falaschi Cabriolet owned by the Peter Mullin Automotive Museum Foundation.

The competition got underway on Thursday when the majority of Concours entries participated in the 25th Pebble Beach Tour d’Elegance, which traces about 70 miles of scenic coastal roads. Entries that complete the Tour have the advantage if they tie in the Concours class competition.

The Pebble Beach Concours raised more than $2.68 million for charity this year, bringing the event’s total charitable donations to over $37 million to date. Through the Pebble Beach Company Foundation, the primary charitable partner of the Concours, these funds will benefit more than 90 local charities, impacting the lives of more than 10,000 children annually in Monterey County.

Gooding & Company, the official auction house of the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, hosted its 19th sale at the venue, presenting its largest catalog to date and grossing over $92 million in sales. The top lot of the weekend was the unrestored 1962 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta, which sold for $9,465,000. The auction house also set a new world record for the Mercer marque with the sale of a 1914 Type 35-J Raceabout for $4,790,000.

The 73rd Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance will take place on Sunday, August 18, 2024, and will celebrate the marques of Packard and Maserati as well as the creations of Italian coachbuilder Pietro Frua—with more features to be announced in the early fall. For more information on the Pebble Beach Concours visit www.pebblebeachconcours.net.

Complete List of 2023 Winners

BEST OF SHOW

1937 Mercedes-Benz 540K Special Roadster
Jim Patterson/The Patterson Collection, Louisville, Kentucky

 

BEST OF SHOW NOMINEES

1930 Mercedes-Benz 710 SS Special Roadster
Auriga Collection, Germany

1932 Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 Corto Figoni Cabriolet
Care of Gregor Fisken, Private Collection, London, United Kingdom

1939 Delahaye 165 Figoni et Falaschi Cabriolet
Peter Mullin Automotive Museum Foundation, Oxnard, California

 

ELEGANCE AWARDS

Gwenn Graham Most Elegant Convertible

1950 Talbot-Lago T26 Grand Sport Saoutchik Cabriolet

Steve & Marilee Hamilton, Washoe Valley, Nevada

J. B. & Dorothy Nethercutt Most Elegant Closed Car

1937 Bugatti Type 57S Atalante

William E. Connor Family, Hong Kong

Jules Heumann Most Elegant Open Car

1937 Bugatti Type 57S Corsica Open Sports

Lord Anthony Bamford, Rocester, United Kingdom

Strother MacMinn Most Elegant Sports Car

1960 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Competition Scaglietti Berlinetta

Rob Kauffman/RK Motors, Charlotte, North Carolina

 

SPECIAL AWARDS

Alec Ulmann Trophy

1936 Hispano-Suiza J-12 Saoutchik Cabriolet

The Keller Collection at the Pyramids, Petaluma, California

Ansel Adams Award

1923 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost Pall Mall

Laura & Jack Boyd Smith Jr., Elkhart, Indiana

ArtCenter College of Design Award

1963 Porsche 901 Prototype "Quickblau" Karmann/Reutter Coupe

Alois Ruf, Pfaffenhausen, Germany

Briggs Cunningham Trophy

1954 Edwards America Convertible

Gary & Cathy Edwards, Spring Branch, Texas

Center for Automotive Research at Stanford (CARS) Award for Automotive Innovation

1928 Mercedes-Benz 710 SSK Sport Two Seater

John Houlihan, Ireland

Chairman’s Trophy

1952 Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 SS Touring Spider

Matthias Metz, Rosengarten, Germany

Charles A. Chayne Trophy

1968 Lamborghini Miura P400 Bertone Coupé

Raphael Gabay, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Classic Car Club of America Trophy

1930 Cadillac 452 Fleetwood All Weather Phaeton

Hans Emerén, Nadar, Malta

Elegance in Motion Trophy

1947 Delahaye 135 MS Figoni et Falaschi Narval Cabriolet

Dana & Patti Mecum, Geneva Lake, Wisconsin

Enzo Ferrari Trophy

1950 Ferrari 166 MM Touring Barchetta

Clive & Alison Beecham, London, United Kingdom

FIVA Prewar Trophy

1933 Duesenberg SJ Weymann Speedster

The Anne Brockinton Lee/Robert M. Lee Automobile Collection, Sparks, Nevada

FIVA Postwar Trophy

1956 Ferrari 410 Superamerica Pinin Farina Coupe

Alex & Judy Albarian, San Clemente, California

The French Cup

1927 Bugatti Type 38/49 Figoni Cabriolet Philadelphia

Luc Slijpen, Maastricht, The Netherlands

Gran Turismo Trophy

1933 Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 Gran Sport Figoni Coupé

David & Adele Cohen, West Vancouver, Canada

Lincoln Trophy

1932 Lincoln KB LeBaron Convertible Roadster

Larry Carter, Los Gatos, California

Lorin Tryon Trophy

John Bentley

Lucius Beebe Trophy

1933 Rolls-Royce Phantom II Brewster Special Permanent New Market

Lehrman Collection, Palm Beach, Florida

Mercedes-Benz Star of Excellence Award

1937 Mercedes-Benz 540K Special Roadster

Jim Patterson/The Patterson Collection, Louisville, Kentucky

Montagu of Beaulieu Trophy

1965 McLaren M1A Race Car

Egon & Birgit Zweimüller, Ennsdorf, Austria

The Phil Hill Cup

1957 Maserati 200SI Fantuzzi Spyder

Jonathan & Wendy Segal, San Diego, California

Tony Hulman Trophy

1988 McLaren MP4/4-2 Formula 1 Race Car

Mouse Motors, Chicago, Illinois

 

CLASS AWARDS

Class A-1: Antique

1st: 1910 Stearns 30/60 Touring, Stu Laidlaw & Kirk Bewley, Bolivia, North Carolina

2nd: 1912 Simplex 50 HP Quinby 5 Passenger Torpedo Tourer, The Singleton Collection, Newport Beach, California

3rd: 1910 Pope-Hartford Model T Touring, Joe & Janice Conzonire, San Marino, California

Class A-2: Vanderbilt Cup Era Race Cars

1st: 1910 Fiat S61 Grand Prix, William Evans, San Diego, California

2nd: 1911 Fiat S74 Grand Prix, George F. Wingard, Eugene, Oregon

3rd: 1908 Benz 105 HP Prinz Heinrich Two Seat Race Car, Bruce McCaw, Redmond, Washington

Class C-1: American Classic Open

1st: 1929 Cord L-29 Cabriolet, Greg Ornazian, Troy, Michigan

2nd: 1937 Cord 812 Sportsman Convertible Coupe, Dr. Scott & Susy Spiro, Livingston, New Jersey

3rd: 1931 Cadillac 452 Fleetwood Convertible Coupe, Bill & Patti Spurling, Evansville, Indiana

Class C-2: American Classic Closed

1st: 1932 Pierce-Arrow 51 LeBaron Sport Coupe, Ross & Beth Myers, Periomenville, Pennsylvania

2nd: 1934 Cadillac 452D Fleetwood Coupe, Donald Ghareeb, Vestavia Hills, Alabama

3rd: 1931 Packard 840 Custom Eight All Weather Town Landaulet, Mark & Vicki Smucker, Goshen, Indiana

Class D: Packard

1st: 1930 Packard 734 Speedster Phaeton, John D. Groendyke, Enid, Oklahoma

2nd: 1934 Packard 1106 Twelve LeBaron Runabout Speedster, William Lyon Family, Coto de Caza, California

3rd: 1933 Packard 1005 Twelve Convertible Victoria, Chuck Spielman, La Jolla, California

Class E-1: Figoni Centennial 1923-1937

1st: 1937 Talbot-Lago T150 C-SS Figoni et Falaschi Teardrop Coupé, Lee R. Anderson Sr., Naples, Florida

2nd: 1933 Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 Gran Sport Figoni Coupé, David & Adele Cohen, West Vancouver, Canada

3rd: 1937 Delahaye 135 MS Figoni et Falaschi Special Roadster, Miles Collier Collection at Revs Institute, Naples, Florida

Class E-2: Figoni Centennial 1938 – 1948

1st: 1939 Delahaye 165 Figoni et Falaschi Cabriolet, Peter Mullin Automotive Museum Foundation, Oxnard, California

2nd: 1938 Talbot-Lago T150 C Figoni et Falaschi Coupé, Academy of Art University, San Francisco, California

3rd: 1947 Delahaye 135 MS Figoni et Falaschi Narval Cabriolet, Dana & Patti Mecum, Geneva Lake, Wisconsin

Class G: Duesenberg

1st: 1929 Duesenberg J Murphy Dual Cowl Phaeton, Rob & Jeannie Hilarides, Visalia, California

2nd: 1936 Duesenberg SJN Rollston Convertible Coupe, The Nethercutt Collection/Helen & Jack Nethercutt, Sylmar, California

3rd: 1929 Duesenberg J Murphy Convertible Sedan, Thomas Maoli, Mendham, New Jersey

Class H: Rolls-Royce Prewar

1st: 1930 Rolls-Royce Phantom II Barker Torpedo Sports, Bradley Greene, San Carlos, California

2nd: 1923 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost Pall Mall, Laura & Jack Boyd Smith Jr., Elkhart, Indiana

3rd: 1930 Rolls-Royce Phantom II Continental Vanden Plas Torpedo, John & Mary Campbell, Woodinville, Washington

Class I-1: Mercedes-Benz S

1st: 1928 Mercedes-Benz 680 S Gläser Sports Tourer, John Bentley, Harrogate, United Kingdom

2nd: 1928 Mercedes-Benz 680 S Murphy Speedster, John Rich, Gilberton, Pennsylvania

3rd: 1929 Mercedes-Benz 680 S Gangloff Tourer, Robert Kudela, Chropynĕ, Czech Republic

Class I-2: Mercedes-Benz SS & SSK

1st: 1930 Mercedes-Benz 710 SS Special Roadster, Auriga Collection, Germany

2nd: 1929 Mercedes-Benz 710 SSK Barker Roadster, Miles Collier Collection at Revs Institute, Naples, Florida

3rd: 1928 Mercedes-Benz 710 SSK Sport Two Seater, John Houlihan, Ireland

Class J-1: European Classic Sport

1st: 1932 Talbot AV105 Fox and Nicholl Vanden Plas Tourer, Richard Lisman, New York, New York

2nd: 1937 BMW 326 Erdmann & Rossi Cabriolet, Karra L. Canum, San Jose, California

3rd: 1937 Talbot BI 105 Darracq Airline Saloon, Charlie Elliott, Chelmsford, United Kingdom

Class J-2: European Classic Touring

1st: 1937 Mercedes-Benz 540K Special Roadster, Jim Patterson/The Patterson Collection, Louisville, Kentucky

2nd: 1936 Hispano-Suiza J-12 Saoutchik Cabriolet, The Keller Collection at the Pyramids, Petaluma, California

3rd: 1938 Horch 855 Special Roadster, PS-Speicher Einbeck, Einbeck, Germany

Class K: Bugatti Type 57

1st: 1937 Bugatti Type 57SC Atalante, The Pearl Collection/Fritz Burkard, Switzerland

2nd: 1937 Bugatti Type 57S Vanvooren Cabriolet, Bill Pope, Scottsdale, Arizona

3rd: 1937 Bugatti Type 57S Atalante, William E. Connor Family, Hong Kong

Class L-1: Prewar Preservation

1st: 1932 Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 Corto Figoni Cabriolet, Care of Gregor Fisken, Private Collection, London, United Kingdom

2nd: 1924 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost Barker Tourer, Theodore Reimel, Wayne, Pennsylvania

3rd: 1914 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost Brewster Tourer, David & Dawn Gooding/Ahrens, Santa Monica, California

Class L-2: Postwar Preservation

1st: 1962 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster, Ann M. Fagan, Briarcliff Manor, New York

2nd: 1958 Ferrari 250 GT Pinin Farina Cabriolet, The Anne Brockinton Lee/Robert M. Lee Automobile Collection, Sparks, Nevada

3rd: 1967 Shelby Cobra 427 Roadster, Peter Klutt, Halton Hills, Canada

Class M-1: Ferrari Grand Touring

1st: 1953 Ferrari 212 Inter Vignale Coupe, Kim & Stephen Bruno, Boca Raton, Florida

2nd: 1961 Ferrari 400 Superamerica Pininfarina Coupe Aerodinamico, Kevin Cogan/Cogan Collection, Louisville, Kentucky

3rd: 1966 Ferrari 330 GTC Pininfarina Coupe Speciale, Lee & Joan Herrington/The Herrington Collection, Bow, New Hampshire

Class M-2: Ferrari Competition

1st: 1957 Ferrari 500 TRC Scaglietti Barchetta, Andrew Pisker, Principality of Monaco

2nd: 1952 Ferrari 225S Vignale Coupe, Arnold Meier, Zollikon, Switzerland

3rd: 1957 Ferrari 250 GT Scaglietti Berlinetta, Stu Carpenter, Needham, Massachusetts

Class N: Pegaso

1st: 1952 Pegaso Z-102 Tibidabo Touring Spyder, Daniel Sielecki, Punta del este, Uruguay

2nd: 1954 Pegaso Z-102 Touring Coupe, Robert Bishop, Palm Beach, Florida

3rd: 1953 Pegaso Z-102 Touring Coupe, Nicholas & Shelley Schorsch, Newport, Rhode Island

Class O-1: Postwar Sports Racing

1st: 1965 Ford GT40 Mk I, William H. & Cheryl K. Swanson, Pebble Beach, California

2nd: 1957 Maserati 200SI Fantuzzi Spyder, Jonathan & Wendy Segal, San Diego, California

3rd: 1955 Jaguar D-type, Bill Rooklidge, Laguna Beach, California

Class O-2: Postwar Touring

1st: 1954 Aston Martin DB2/4 Bertone Coupé, Alberto Gutierrez, Albuquerque, New Mexico

2nd: 1959 Maserati 3500 GT Bertone Coupé, Jim Utaski, Skillman, New Jersey

3rd: 1954 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing, Dr. C.R. Bonebrake & Hon. Rebecca Crotty, Topeka, Kansas

Class O-3: Postwar Luxury

1st: 1955 Imperial Convertible, David & Teresa Disiere, Southlake, Texas

2nd: 1953 Mercedes-Benz 300 S Cabriolet, McPherson College, McPherson, Kansas

3rd: 1954 Mercedes-Benz 300 S Cabriolet, Craig Kappel & Meg McCarthy, Chatham, Massachusetts

Class O-4: Postwar British Luxury

1st: 1958 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud I "Honeymoon Express" Freestone & Webb Drophead Coupé, The Anne Brockinton Lee/Robert M. Lee Automobile Collection, Sparks, Nevada

2nd: 1956 Bentley S1 Continental Park Ward Drophead Coupé, David Wilkie, Sydney, Australia

3rd: 1952 Bentley R-Type Continental H.J. Mulliner Fastback Saloon, Charles L. Marshall II, Dayton, Ohio

Class P: Lamborghini 60th Anniversary

1st: 1968 Lamborghini Miura P400 Bertone Coupé, Raphael Gabay, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

2nd: 1971 Lamborghini Espada Series 2 Bertone Coupé, Steve Girard, Pewaukee, Wisconsin

3rd: 1994 Lamborghini Diablo SE30 Coupé, Robert Cleary, Elmira, New York

Class R: McLaren 60th Anniversary

1st: 1967 McLaren M6A Can-Am Race Car, Richard Griot, Tacoma, Washington

2nd: 1988 McLaren MP4/4-2 Formula 1 Race Car, Mouse Motors, Chicago, Illinois

3rd: 1995 McLaren F1 Coupe, Chris & Ann Cox, Chapel Hill, North Carolina

Class S: Porsche 75th Anniversary

1st: 1963 Porsche 901 Prototype "Quickblau" Karmann/Reutter Coupe, Alois Ruf, Pfaffenhausen, Germany

2nd: 1972 Porsche 916 Karmann Coupe, Todd Blue/LAPIS, Malibu, California

3rd: 1973 Porsche 911 Carrera RS Touring Coupe, Private Collector, Memphis, Tennessee

Class V: American Dream Cars of the 1950s

1st: 1953 Kurtis Sorrell SR-100 Roadster, Mark & Newie Brinker, Houston, Texas

2nd: 1954 Edwards America Convertible, Gary & Cathy Edwards, Spring Branch, Texas

3rd: 1952 Fageol Pataray Roadster, Mark & Newie Brinker, Houston, Texas