National Tour d'Elegance

There is beauty associated with competition cars, the form following function and purpose. Aerodynamic considerations are born from the insight of an individual who can "see air" and devise artistic ways to minimize its disruption. Other automobiles are conceived and bodied as seminal works of art, dramatic statements of exclusivity, even fantasy. Rarely do the two come together in a single car.

This long wheelbase 1936 Delahaye 135 Competition Disappearing Top Convertible by Figoni et Filachi was created to do just that: to be a styling statement for his friend, a Mr. Wolf of Paris, while allowing for subsequent competition, thus requiring both competition engine and chassis. This is the beginning of the famous streamlined cars of Figoni, considered to be one of his finest creations in the genuine genius of wind-cheating luxury coachworks.

Mohammed Reza Pahlavi, the Prince of Persia and future Shah of Iran, received this striking supercharged 1939 Bugatti Type 57C as a gift from the French government on the occasion of his first wedding. The dramatic body was constructed by Vanvooren of Paris in the style of Figoni & Falaschi, one of the most progressive coachbuilders of the day. Advanced features include fully skirted fenders, a top that conceals beneath a metal panel when down, and a windshield that can be lowered into the cowl by means of a hand crank mounted under the dashboard. In 1959 the Bugatti was sold out of the Shah's Imperial Garage for a sum equivalent to approximately 275 U.S. dollars. It was subsequently owned by a succession of Bugatti enthusiasts, but never publicly shown until after receiving a complete restoration in 1983. It is currently owned by Mrs. Petersen of the Petersen Automotive Museum.

Built for 1939 World's Fair in New York, this 1939 Delahaye 165 was kept in U.S. Customs until 1946, when it was bought by Roger Barlow, who installed a Cadillac V-8 engine. It was found in Fresno, California in 1981 and underwent an eight-year restoration, during which it was remarried to original V-12 engine acquired from Count Doenhoff in Germany. Now owned by the Peter Mullin Automotive Museum Foundation, this vehicle features a fully skirted fender, and has won numerous awards from car shows across America.

The Cadillac V16, launched as Cadillac’s top-of-the-line car in January, 1930, is recognized as one of the finest automobiles of the prewar era by many authorities and was the first V16 powered car to reach production status in the United States. It features overhead valves with twin carburetors, dual exhaust, and a beautifully finished exterior design, delivering 175 horsepower from 452 cubic inches.

This particular car also has a pseudo celebrity status as its original owner was Atwater Kent, a prolific inventor & engineer who was a giant in the field of automobile advancement, and was the inventor of radio in the 1920s.

This unique vehicle was created specially for Fiat heir Gianni Agnelli by Pinin Farina. Starting with a 1956 Fiat 600 Multipla, Farina's craftsmen completely reworked the car to the point that it more resembled a roofless, miniaturized Volkswagen Type II Transporter than a Multipla. The vehicle was stretched 5 inches in length and 5.5 inches in width, and the rear seat was replaced with a wraparound bench of teak. The entire body was replaced with hand-fabricated panels and trimmed with mahogany bumpers. The finished product made its world debut at the 1956 Paris motor show. Some historians credit the Eden Roc with igniting the beach car craze of the late 1950s popularized by the Fiat Jolly, built by rival coachmaker Ghia, and widely coveted by Europe's wealthy elite. The Eden Roc's original purchase price has been lost to history, but later Ghia-built Fiat Jollys typically sold for the equivalent of $2600 or more new. According to Pininfarina's files, only two of these cars were ever built.

Freshly restored out of Escondido, CA, this 1954 Mercedes 300SL Gullwing recently won Best of Class at the 2011 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance.

This is the last 427 Cobra built by A.C. Cars, chassis CSX 3360, invoiced to Shelby American on December 14th, 1966. Currently owned by Bruce Canepa, this vehicle has been restored mechanically and cosmetically 100%, every nut and bolt, while maintaining all of its original components, hardware, wiring, vinyl, leather, etc. It features a 427 cubic inch V8 engine, a single 4V carburetor, independent front and rear suspension, a four-speed transmission, four wheel disc brakes, and rack-and-pinion steering. Its curb weight is 2355 lbs, it puts out 410 horsepower and 480 lb-ft of torque, and it does 0-60mph in 4.2 seconds, with a top speed of 165mph.

This 1977 Penske PC-6 Norton-Gould Indy Car is featured here being driven my Motorsports Hall of Fame inductee Tom 'The Gas Man' Sneva in his final race for Team Penske at the 1978 Indianapolis 500.

In qualifying for the 1978 Indy 500 race, in this Penske, Sneva gets the crowd on its feet with a first lap of 203.620 mph. His next three laps are slower, be he makes 'history' as the first driver to make a 'four-lap' average qualifying run at 202.156 mph.

Flying Merkel is one of the highest performance motorcycles of the early 20th century. With advanced suspension and a powerful roller bearing engine, these bikes dominated early racing. Not too many are known to survive. This 1910 example was purchased as a fairly complete "barn find" in early 2011 and restored by Timeless Motors in El Paso, Texas.