2025 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance - Presented by Rolex
We don’t often intentionally awaken at 4am, particularly on Sunday mornings, but at least once a year a special opportunity rolls around that makes it all worth it. After waking up, dressed in our Sunday’s finest, we meandered our way, only half awake, through the darkened streets and roads of the Del Monte forest, to head to automotive nirvana, the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.
Why so early?
For the traditional “dawn patrol,” no less, with our intent to make way toward some complimentary high-octane coffee and glaze laden donuts provided by Hagerty and of course the holy grail, a commemorative dawn patrol hat for which even the most proper ladies and gentleman are motivated to engage in hand to hand combat in a scrum that would make a punk rock mosh pit jealous. Yes, hilarity ensues as we witness each year the well-dressed ladies and gentlemen who have braved the dawn hour demonstrate a willingness to engage in all measure of dirty fighting techniques to claim a cap they likely never wear. In the interest of full disclosure, we never “intend” to hurt anyone…so long as we get a hat…cuz you can never have too many hats!
It’s all about the hat….
Unlike the past several years, we got no official warning that the cars were on their way to the 18th fairway where we were meandering around, waiting for the caffeine and sugar to get us firing on all cylinders. Despite the traditional playing of fancy music to announce the true start of the event, we heard the sound of a few cars firing to life from their pre-staging on the other side of the Pebble Beach Lodge buildings. Fancy music or not, the show was about to begin and we had front row seats.
A note before we go on….
On the Thursday before the Concours, we did a first for us…we decided to attend the Pebble Beach Tour d’Elegance, an event also best witnessed early in the morning. If your algorithms are anything like ours, you’ve undoubtedly seen images from the event, and wondered what it’s all about. The Tour is a drive from Pebble Beach, along 17 mile drive, down to Big Sur on highway 1, and then back to Pebble Beach. This free event isn’t just a parade to show off for the masses, participants get an extra “nod” (their word) in the judged concours on Sunday, should there be a tie in class.
After walking among the approximately 150 amazing vehicles with hundreds of other gawkers, we were left wondering if this intimate exposure would detract from seeing them on the lawn just a few days later. The answer is an unequivocal NO! Although the Tour is an absolutely amazing experience that everyone should try, it didn’t detract from our concours experience on Sunday in the least. Witnessing these vehicles roll onto the green is simply unlike any other Car Week event, and every year it delivers a completely new experience.
Each year, the concours features different makes, models or tributes to design or historical automotive eras.
From Great Britain came Invicta, founded in 1925, specializing in powerful touring cars that could conquer long-distance rallies while exuding sporting grace. The celebrated S-Type Low Chassis, low-slung and purposeful, became the company’s calling card, proving nearly unbreakable in the grueling Alpine Trials of the 1930s. On the Pebble Beach lawn, a remarkable lineup of Invictas—including a 1931 S-Type that claimed the Gran Turismo Trophy—brought to life the short but shining chapter of this storied marque.
Across the Atlantic, Chrysler’s centennial underscored the enduring influence of Walter P. Chrysler’s vision. Launched in 1925, the company quickly established itself as Detroit’s engineering powerhouse, offering hydraulic brakes, high-compression engines, and refined styling at a price within reach of everyday Americans. This year’s display ranged from early Imperials to Virgil Exner’s dramatic postwar “Forward Look” concept cars.
Completing the centenarian trio was Italy’s Moretti, a boutique automaker that epitomized small sporty bespoke design. Founded by Giovanni Moretti, the company evolved from motorcycles and microcars into sports cars powered by Fiat engines and clothed in exquisite coachwork from Vignale, Michelotti, and others. On display at Pebble Beach were elegant 750 and 1200 coupes, along with rare roadsters and one-offs, each a testament to the artistry and charm that allowed Moretti to stand apart in Italy’s crowded motoring scene.
Together, the centennial classes illustrated three unique interpretations of automotive ambition: Invicta’s rugged British endurance, Chrysler’s American innovation and scale, and Moretti’s Italian artistry. Their presence on the 18th fairway not only honored a century of history but also reminded enthusiasts why the Concours remains the ultimate stage for celebrating the many faces of automotive excellence.
Formula 1
This year’s Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance paid tribute to one of 75 years of Formula 1. That’s right kids, Formula 1 was a thing long before being popularized by online streaming platforms.
The display brought together an extraordinary timeline of Grand Prix machinery, from the sport’s earliest postwar challengers to the sophisticated hybrids of today. Among the oldest was a 1950 Alfa Romeo 158 Alfetta, the very car that carried Giuseppe Farina to victory in F1’s inaugural championship season.
From there, the exhibit charted the evolution of Formula 1’s design and technology to the modern hybrid era.
The diversity of the display was more than technical—it was human. Each car carried with it the legacy of the drivers who made them legends: Fangio’s precision, Clark’s finesse, Lauda’s resilience. Together, they created a living history lesson on how Formula 1 has pushed the limits of speed, safety, and spectacle for three-quarters of a century.
On a lawn better known for finely crafted coachbuilt bodies, the beauty of F1’s raw, aerodynamic lines and racing pedigree stood out as a testament to engineering precision and the motorsport spirit.
One of Pebble Beach’s most coveted discretionary honors, the Chairman’s Trophy, was awarded to the 1989 Ferrari 640 Formula 1, presented by Simon Furlonger and Egon Zweimüller. Famous as Ferrari’s first semi-automatic paddle-shift F1 car, the 640 carried Nigel Mansell to a debut victory at the Brazilian Grand Prix and set the stage for the modern gearbox era in racing. On the 18th fairway, its presence was impossible to ignore—not just for its radical history, but for the ear-splitting shriek of its 3.5-liter V12, which made it, as many remarked, “the loudest car ever started at Pebble Beach.” Its selection underscored the Concours’ willingness to honor not only elegance but also the raw drama of motorsport innovation.
The 1989 Ferrari 640 Formula 1, Powered by a 3.5-litre, V-12 engine
The Shelby Cobra featured class delivered a powerful tribute to one of America’s greatest sports cars, highlighted by the 60th anniversary of the legendary 427. The display traced the Cobra’s story from the nimble 260 and 289 “slabside” roadsters—in which Carroll Shelby first proved the genius of pairing a lightweight British chassis with American V8 power—to the wider, more aggressive 427s that became icons of brute force and speed.
Casa Ferrari:
Among the many highlights of the 2025 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, few matched the elegance and brand presence of Casa Ferrari, the Prancing Horse’s signature hospitality suite perched just above the show field. Casa Ferrari has become a regular part of the concours and celebrated its tenth year serving as a tribute to the marque’s enduring legacy. It is a curated display of the history of Ferrari unlike any other gathering or display.
Concept Lawn:
On a patch of grass that typically serves as a putting green the future of automotive becomes tangible as each year, spectators get a look at what could come to a road near you. It is rumored and reported that the manufacturers that display cars on the concept make note of spectator reactions and have been known in years past to make changes before mass production based on that feedback.
Headlining the display was the Aston Martin Valhalla, revealed in its production form with over 1,000 horsepower and F1-inspired aerodynamics. Lamborghini’s Fenomeno showed its aggressive design and 1,080 hp hybrid V12, limited to just 29 units. Lucid unveiled its rugged GravityX off-road concept, with dual motors and 450 miles of range to remove any potential range anxiety. From the analog edge of the Nichols N1A, designed by former McLaren engineer Steve Nichols, to the elegance of the Pininfarina Battista Novantacinque, the lawn was a glimpse into what the future may look like.
And the winner is:
Even during the Tour d’Elegance on Thursday we could hear the whispers. While the line up of cars contained numerous potential winners it was one in particular that captured the attention of spectators. On Sunday, its presence was just as pronounced. We are not concours judges so we have no technical knowledge on what makes a winner but we know cars that have that special presence and this time around was no different.
Crowning the 2025 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance was the Best of Show award, presented to the extraordinary 1924 Hispano-Suiza H6C Nieuport-Astra “Tulipwood” Torpedo. Commissioned by French racing driver André Dubonnet, the car’s body is a marvel of aviation-inspired craftsmanship—hand-formed from mahogany panels secured with nearly 10,000 rivets to create an aerodynamic torpedo profile. Originally built for endurance competition at the 1924 Targa Florio and Coppa Florio, it represents both daring engineering and exquisite artistry.
We left the event as we have every year…exhausted, amazed, and satisfied that we got to see and experience as much of the Concours as we possibly could. It confirmed that after about 30 years worth of trips to Car Week in August, we know that this event, coupled with a trip to the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion, are the two best parts of the week that now offers more than 40 other events and happenings.
But wait, it’s not just about the cars….
The Concours is actually two shows in one. Sure, the lawn is populated by hundreds of the world’s most beautiful, rare and expensive cars, but the sartorial expressions on display are just as attention grabbing. Most folks dress up a little for this annual affair, and a subset of them take their fit to 11. Please enjoy this little gallery of the hats and other “fashion” on offer every year.
As usual, we’re pretty sure our meager words don’t do this event any justice. That said, we’ll leave you with a mega gallery to make up for it.
-The Loud Pedal
