A Showcase of Rare Vehicles

An annual summer event that draws the attention of car lovers not only from the United States but from around the globe: Monterey Car Week. In 2016, it was held in August. One of its highlights was the " Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance", a concours for the "most beautiful cars," including pre-war models.

Held on Sunday, August 21, 2016, this event marked its 66th year. In Europe and America, appreciating automobiles as works of art, evaluating them based on aesthetics and rarity, is a common pastime. Considering that the Pebble Beach event has been held since 1950, one can only admire the depth of automotive culture in that region.

The "FIVA (the international federation of historic vehicles) Trophy" for the post-war division, awarded to vehicles maintained in original condition and used daily, went to a 1969 Lamborghini Miura S Bertone Coupé. Copyright © Kimball Studios / Courtesy of Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance

The 1956 Ferrari 290 MM Scaglietti Spider, winner of the "Enzo Ferrari Trophy" for the best Ferrari in existence. Copyright © Kimball Studios / Courtesy of Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance

What makes the Pebble Beach concours so fascinating is how clearly it highlights the differences between automotive cultures. After all, Europe and America produced many high-performance, high-quality, and aesthetically refined models in the 1930s. This was a time when the concept of domestic cars barely existed in Japan. I am personally reminded of this whenever I consider that when Leo Tolstoy was writing "War and Peace," Japan was in the Keio era, still part of the Edo period. It's not a matter of good or bad, but rather a significant difference in the pace of cultural maturation.

The "Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance" in 2016 saw over 200 cars gathered. As it is also a pursuit of the affluent, a strong emphasis is placed on rarity. Cars such as the "greatest American sports car," of which only six were ever built, or a model once owned by Albert Speer, the architect who served as Minister of Armaments under the Nazi regime and was Hitler's closest confidant, or a car built as a university graduation project by Gioachino Bizzarrini, the genius Italian sports car engineer behind designs like the Ferrari 250 GTO, are brought here, offering a different kind of allure beyond mere beauty – the allure of history.

First place in Class R (Bizzarrini) was awarded to the 1969 American Motors AMX/3 Auto Costruzioni S.D. Coupé, designed by Giotto Bizzarrini, who established his own company, at the request of an American automotive firm. Copyright © Kimball Studios / Courtesy of Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance

The "Fiat 500 Bizzarrini Marinetta Berlinetta" (1953) was created by Giotto Bizzarrini as his university graduation project. Based on a Fiat 500, he built a custom frame, crafted an aluminum body, and tuned the engine.

Monterey Car Week is composed of countless events held in an area about two and a half hours south along the coast from San Francisco, a region favored by the wealthy. These include driving events on public roads and swap meets brimming with a handmade feel, set up in rented parking lots. Among these, the most prominent are the "The Quail, a Motorsport Gathering" and the event sponsored by a renowned Swiss luxury watch manufacturer, "Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion". However, the "Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance" possesses a unique and strong appeal due to its emphasis on displaying rare vehicles.