Showstars at the 2016 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance

The Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance is the finest annual display of historic cars that highlight the craftsmanship from another era. Held each year in August at the famed Pebble Beach golf links, the idea originally stemmed from what used to be a small social event paired with a road race through the pine and cypress forests of Pebble Beach. Today, the Concours d'Elegance has grown into a top-ranking collector car competition in the world.

Here is a look at a few cars that caught our attention.  

1966 Bizzarrini P538 Italdesign Manta concept

Giorgetto Giugiaro, Italy's most famous automobile designer, drew the Bizzarrini Manta concept soon after he set up his own studio. The Manta concept is what paved the way for the design cues evident in the Ferrari Modulo of 1970. Armed with a Bizzarrini Le Mans chassis, this car uses a Chevy V8 that sits behind the seats.  

1965 Ford GT40 P/1015 Mark II

What you see in the picture is a freshly restored 1965 Ford GT40 Mark II, done by ‘Rare Drive’ (vintage car restorer) in the UK. Ford’s GT40 won the Daytona 24 Hours in 1966, and it was displayed this year at Pebble Beach as one of 17 Ford GTs celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Le Mans triumph. 

1962 Ferrari 250GTE Police car

History says that a few cops were awarded with a pair of Ferrari 250GTE patrol cars, in lieu of their commitment towards reducing crime in Rome. However, only one of them made it to serve their cop-time until it was removed from service in 1969. The Ferrari 250GTE was a firm competitor to all sorts of racing at the time. 

1936 Lancia Astura Pinin Farina cabriolet

This Lancia Astura Pinin Farina cabriolet is a great example of exquisite detailing. It features a hydraulic power top, curved side glass, and a 19 degree V8. When this car was discovered in the 1960s, Pininfarina offered to get a restoration done to keep the car intact. This car went through a thorough nut-and-bolt restoration recently. It is this Lancia that took home the ‘Best of Show’ prize. 

1932 Stutz DV-32 LeBaron Speedster

The “V-32” badge on the Stutz DV-32 LeBaron Speedster grille refers to the DV-32 series, the last series of automobiles produced by Stutz  Motor Company (American producer of luxury cars 1911-1935). Powering this car is a straight-eight motor. It is claimed that the car was bought at the 1932 New York auto show for 5200 USD (Rs 3.49 lakh).