Stuff: 2010 Pebble Beach Concours D’Élégance

[svgallery name="2010_Pebble_Concours_hirez"] Story and photos by John LeBlanc PEBBLE BEACH, Calif.–If interest in the automobile is waning, don’t tell any of thousands of enthusiasts who made their way out to the annual Pebble Beach Concours d’Élégance this year. Between the new, the old, the classic, the survivors, and the just plain odd cars on display on the famous last hole of the golf course of the same name, the celebration of the automobile looked as strong as ever. This year marks the 60th time for Pebble Beach, or “Pebble” for short. It’s the final event on the Sunday of a week of classic car enthusiasts’ events in and around the Monterey Peninsula area that also includes the Quail Lodge concours in Carmel Valley, and the Monterey vintage races at Laguna Seca Raceway. Like most any other vintage car show, the cars at the Pebble are displayed in competing classes, organized by the usual classifications, like brand, coachbuilder, country of origin, or age. This year, organizers included centennial celebrations of the Indianapolis 500 race and Italy’s Alfa Romeo, 75 years of Britain’s Jaguar, and 50 years of Ferrari 250 GT Short Wheel Base Berlinettas: • Ray Harroun, an engineer at the Marmon Motor Car Co., was not only the first winner of the Indianapolis 500, driving the company’s Wasp, but was the first driver in a single seater to employ a rear-view mirror, a job normally overseen by a riding mechanic. Powered by a unique 477 cu.-in. six-cylinder, Harroun and the Wasp averaged 120 km/h, crossing the line first after 6 hours and 42 minutes. • The 1965 Lotus 38 “Powered by Ford” Indy car on display on the shores of the Pacific can also claim a gaggle of “firsts.” Driven by the legendary Jim Clark, the 38 was the first mid-engine, British and Ford-powered race car to win the 500. • Although better known for its longstanding winning ways on the Formula One Grand Prix circuit, Britain’s McLaren also raced at the Indy 500 between 1970 and 1982. The blue and yellow liveried 1972 McLaren Sunoco Special, seen here at Pebble, was driven by Mark Donohue to victory that year, and was the first of three McLaren wins at The Brickyard. • Alfa Romeos are always a staple at classic car shows like Pebble. But the decision to bring the Italian automaker’s latest show car, the Bertone-designed Pandion, first seen at this year’s Geneva Motor Show, was a stunning move. Despite several fine examples of the Italian marque on hand, every time the Pandion’s scissor doors were open or closed, it drew plenty of crowds. • Along with a long line of classic Jaguar XKSS’s lined up between the 17th and 18th holes, several racing Jags were also on display to celebrate 75 years of making cars. A good example was the blue-and-white 1955 D-type, sporting the uncharacteristically non-British racing green paint job from the famous Scottish Ecurie Ecosse race team, which ran D-types between 1956 and ’60. With sleek, aerodynamic lines created by Jaguar engineer Malcolm Sayer, this D-type won Le Mans in 1955, driven by Mike Hawthorn. • Although better known for its smaller two-seat sports cars, Ferrari’s 250 GT (Grand Touring) SWB (Short Wheel Base) Berlinetta (hardtop) has become a significant car for the Italian automaker. To say the least, Ferrari got a lot of mileage out of the 250 GT SWB, both as a race and road car. While road versions had a steel body and detuned V12 race engine, the race cars featured alloy bodies and slightly smaller-in-dimension frames. You may already know the result: several class victories at the biggest sports car events of the ‘60s, including Le Mans and the Tour de France Automobile. Beyond the special anniversary celebrations this year at Pebble, there were still a few rare and interesting cars that deserve special mentions: • Looking like it just leaped off the cover of a contemporary Popular Mechanics magazine cover, the 1955 Ghia Streamline X “Gilda” 2 door Fastback Coupe’s smooth, jet-wing body looks like the car of the future we’re all still waiting for. Named “Gilda” after the actress Rita Hayworth, who was called La Vedette Atomique, the Streamline X has been described by some in the industry as one of the 10 most significant show cars ever designed. Replacing its original gas engine, a single-stage AiResearch turbine has been retrofitted to complete the designer’s vision. • Pop quiz: What was the third oldest automaker after Mercedes-Benz and Peugeot when it stopped production in 1999? Give up? It’s the Czech Republic’s Tatra, which started building cars in 1897. First shown in 1934, the Tatra Type 77a Limousine on display was a showcase of the company’s engineering courage: the world’s first series-production aerodynamic car, a central headlight that was linked to the steering, and a rear-mounted 3.0 L air-cooled V8. Only 255 of the type shown at Pebble were ever made. • While Porsche’s first car, the 356 models aren’t a rare sight at events or California roads during the Pebble Beach weekend, the race-bred 1956 550 RS Spyder are. Developed for the privateer racer of the time, the 550 RS Spyder, nicknamed Giant Killer for its ability to beat larger and more powerful sports cars, ended up being driven by such U.S. drivers like Phil Hill and Dan Gurney. The ‘56 550 Spyder shown at Pebble this year is the very last example to come out of the Porsche factory. • Classic motorcycles are also a highlight of any Pebble show. And the torpedo-bodied 1920 Indian Scout Munro Special, portrayed in the movie The World’s Fastest Indian, certainly stood out. The bike had an original top speed of just less than 90 km/h. But owner/driver, New Zealander Burt Munro, enlarged its displacement from 600 cc to 950 cc. And in 1967, at the age of 68, set an under-1000 cc record of 295.453 km/h at the Bonneville speed trials. Even more impressive, to make that time official, Munro had to make a one-way run of 305.888 km/h, the fastest ever officially recorded speed on an Indian.

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