Ferrari ‘finally’ wins Pebble Beach

It’s that time of year again, when more than 200 of the most prized collector automobiles from around the globe gather at the world’s most famous 18th hole of motoring (and, arguably, golf as well) – the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.

The Concours is not a contest of speed, but of excellence. Automobiles and motorcycles are judged for their historical accuracy, their technical merit, and their style — and the best garner reward and recognition. The Concours d’Elegance also attracts the world’s most exclusive automakers, and the winner of the Best in Show award attains ‘legendary’ status.

In what can best be referred to as a strange aberration, a Ferrari has never won the ‘Best in Show’ award at Pebble Beach. So, for the first time in its 64-year history, this year the celebrated ‘Best in Show’ award at Pebble Beach was conferred to a car with a prancing horse on the bonnet. The winner was a stunningly beautiful 1954 375 MM Scaglietti Coupe, which, of course, has an illustrious history. The car, which is one of only five current road-going 375 MM’s, and was ordered by an Italian film director. It was initially designed as a Pininfarina competition Spyder. The car, however, was severely damaged in an accident, and the body couldn’t be saved. The chassis, though, was sent to Carrozzeria Scaglietti in Modena for repairs, and the finished product became the company’s first passenger car design for Ferrari. The car has since passed through multiple owners, until one day the current owner – Jon Shirley of Medina in Washington, USA – stumbled upon it in an underground garage in Paris.

To further add to the significance of the award, the 375 MM is also the first post-war car to take ‘Best in Show’ since 1968. Needless to say, the owner – a former director at Microsoft – has, over the years, invested a lot of effort to restore the car to its current condition.

Television host and comedian, Jay Leno, who is also an avid car collector, handed over the Best in Show award to Jon Shirley.