This year, 229 cars — including 55 international entries from 22 countries and 174 US entries from 31 states — pulled onto the competition field at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance 2025. In the end, the car named "Best of Show" was a 1924 Hispano-Suiza H6C Nieuport-Astra Torpedo shown by Penny and Lee Anderson Sr. of Naples, Florida.
Commissioned in 1924 by aviator, Olympic athlete and aperitif heir André Dubonnet, the Hispano-Suiza H6C “Tulipwood” Torpedo was built on a rare surbaissé Type Sport chassis with an 8-litre straight-six. Seeking a feather-light yet aerodynamic body, Dubonnet turned to aircraft maker Nieuport-Astra, where Henri Chasseriaux designed a skin of thin mahogany strips (misleadingly called tulipwood) riveted over a light frame. Weighing barely 160 lb, the body allowed this giant of a car to perform with remarkable agility. Dubonnet proved its worth at the 1924 Targa Florio, finishing 6th overall, then taking 5th in the Coppa Florio despite tire failures — turning the largest car in the field into a true competitor.
After its racing debut, the Torpedo was converted for the road with fenders, lamps and doors, passing through the hands of prominent owners including Roland Coty, Scottish marmalade heir Alexander Keiller, and later Standard Oil heir Gerald Albertini. Surviving wartime storage with only minor damage, it was kept in private collections for decades and became a legend of both Hispano-Suiza and early aerodynamic coachbuilding. In 2022, it headlined RM Sotheby’s Monterey sale, achieving $9.245 million — securing its place as one of the most significant and spectacular Hispano-Suizas ever built.
“This Hispano-Suiza ticks every possible box,” said Concours Chairman Sandra Button. “The underpinnings are technically advanced. The body is meticulously hand-crafted, light, and lovely. It was, notably, commissioned by aperitif scion André Dubonnet, and he raced it in both the Targa Florio and the Coppa Florio".
By picking the "Tulipwood Torpedo", the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance jury has held on to its tradition of selecting pre-war cars for the "Best of Show" trophy. Mercedes-Benz and Bugatti have been the most successful brands so far, each claiming 10 top trophies, while this was the third win for a Hispano-Suiza, and the first since 1989.
Photos: Rémi Dargegen
