Organised by Thorough Events and compered on stage by Classic Driver CEO J. Philip Rathgen, the event drew record crowds to the Bavarian Alps to admire a breathtaking curated selection of exclusive classics and sports cars. A central theme of this year's edition was the 100th anniversary of Maserati's iconic Trident emblem, first adopted by the brand back in 1926. The Italian marque proved to be among the most successful of the weekend, with its models securing awards in multiple categories. The dedicated Maserati Award went to a 3500 GT Convertible Prototype, designed in 1959 by Michelotti for Vignale, which travelled all the way from Texas alongside its owner for the occasion.
The highly coveted Best of Show prize, which is traditionally chosen by the car owners themselves, was awarded to the magnificent 1939 Horch 855 Special Roadster by Gläser. Regarded as a pinnacle of the German pre war luxury automotive industry, this specific vehicle is the sole known surviving production example out of an estimated five to seven ever built, and impresses with an exceptionally long bonnet and dramatically sweeping pontoon wings. Its history is as remarkable as its looks: originally delivered to the Netherlands, the car later made its way to the United States, where it passed through several celebrated collections, featured in Road & Track magazine in 1954, and was even driven on screen by Hollywood star Rock Hudson. After a restoration in Germany, it spent years on display at Audi's museum in Ingolstadt before being acquired at RM Sotheby's in 2024. Furthermore, a 1933 Armstrong Siddeley Special Six received the Chairman's Award, while the Patron's Award, selected by Prince Leopold of Bavaria, was presented to a 1955 Maserati 150S/200S Prototype.
The handpicked class winners on the immaculate lawn reflected the diversity of automotive history across various decades. A 1928 Bentley 4½ Litre Open Tourer by VDP won the 1920s class, and a largely unrestored 1931 Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 Gran Sport Spyder triumphed in the category for cars from the thirties. The victory for 1940s models went to a 1947 Delahaye 135 MS Roadster, followed by a 1955 Maserati 300 S taking the prize in the fifties segment. An exclusive 1962 Maserati 5000 GT by Allemano decided the 1960s in its favour, being one of only 30 ever built and a car with a colourful past of its own, having once been owned by rock 'n' roll singer Little Tony before passing to Eagles guitarist Joe Walsh, whose ownership famously inspired the lyric "My Maserati does 185". A European specification 1971 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona won in the segment for the following decade. A 1985 Aston Martin V8 Vantage once ordered new by Sir Elton John secured the 1980s, while a 1995 Lamborghini Diablo SE30 was crowned the Future Classic.
Away from the main competition, the RM Sotheby's auction generated great interest with twenty world class lots going under the hammer. The absolute highlight was a 2015 Koenigsegg One:1, one of only six customer examples ever produced and the world's first road legal car that can boast an exact one to one power to weight ratio. Other notable auction results included a 2009 Ferrari 599XX Evo, a Mercedes Benz CLK DTM AMG Cabriolet, and a Ferrari 458 Speciale Spider, all of which achieved comparatively high sums.
