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For 2020, the Concours d’Elegance went digital with the inaugural Concours Virtual, due to the tight grip the COVID-19 pandemic still has on the world. Now, the winners of all 18 classes of the Concours Virtual have been announced, and we have compiled them below.
- 2020 Concours Virtual comprised of 245 cars, spread over 18 Classes.
- Best in Show was won by the Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR '722' race car.
- 1948 Talbot Lago T26 Grand Sport won People Choice Best of Show.
What is the Concours Virtual?
The Concours Virtual is essentially a new, standalone Concours d’Elegance event being held completely online, not to be confused with an online version of other Concours, like the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance – which was cancelled for 2020, or Villa d'Este Concours.
The proceeds of this event will be provided to UNICEF’s pandemic response in order to help children affected by the COVID-19 crisis worldwide.
On display this year were 245 immaculate automobiles that were open for viewing from the safety and convenience of your home on the Concours Virtual website.
Which car won Best in Show at the Concours Virtual?
The Best in Show was won by the famous Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR '722' race car that Sir Stirling Moss and Denis 'Jenks' Jenkinson (co-driver), drove to victory in the 1955 Mille Miglia road race around Italy. This win is often referred to as the greatest ever single day's drive in motor sport history and the car is owned by the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Germany.
The extremely rare 1970 Lancia Stratos HF Zero – working concept car, narrowly missed out on first place and was the runner up in this category. Coming in third was the equally impressive 1970 Porsche 917K Salzburg car that won the 1970 Le Mans 24 Hours (driven by Richard Attwood and Hans Herrmann).
Which car won the People Choice Best of Show at the Concours Virtual?
The way this award worked is that each class was open to a People's Choice award, and those winners would go through to a People's Choice Best of Show. The car that claimed this year’s award was the 1948 Talbot Lago T26 Grand Sport by Figoni & Falaschi – a unique car built for zip manufacturer Mr Fayolle – featuring a chrome 'zip' above the central cyclops headlight.
Second and third place in this category were taken by the 1961 Ferrari 400 Superamerica SWB Coupe Aerodynamico by Pininfarina, Kevin Kogan and the 1933 Thomas & Taylor Napier-Railton Special, respectively.
What were the other awards and their winners at the Concours Virtual?
The Best in Show and People’s Choice are just some of the awards that were distributed at the 2020 Concours Virtual. There were 12 awards in total, which have been listed below along with their winners.
| 2020 Concours Virtual Awads | |
|---|---|
| Award | Winning Car |
| Best in Show Presented by Hagert | 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR '722', Mercedes-Benz Museum |
| People's Choice Award (Best of show) | 1948 Talbot Lago T26 Grand Sport by Figoni & Falaschi, Robert Kudela |
| Hagerty Junior Judges Award | 1939 Delahaye 165 Cabriolet by Figoni & Falaschi, Mullin Automotive Museum |
| Most Historically Significant Car, presented by Creative Workshop | 1907 Thomas Flyer Model 35, National Automobile Museum |
| Most Ingenious Car, presented by Loop | 1963 Rover-BRM Gas Turbine, British Motor Museum |
| The Inspiration in Motoring Award for the Most Fascinating Vehicle presented by the Petersen Automotive Museum | 1970 Porsche 917 LH ‘Hippie Car', Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum |
| The Best Car to Start A Collection With, presented by Classic Trader | 1934 Alfa Romeo Gran Sport Zagato Testa Fissa, Mark Gessler |
| The Spirit of Speed presented by Rodin | 1960 Bluebird CN7, National Motor Museum |
| The Most Technologically Advanced Automobile, sponsored by BRM | 1978 JPS Team Lotus 79/3, Classic Team Lotus |
| The Sports Car Market Choice, presented by Sports Car Market magazine | 1967 Ford GT MkIV, The Henry Ford |
| The Magneto Editor's Choice, presented by Magneto magazine | 1973 Porsche 917/30 CanAm, Rob Kauffman |
| The Keeper of the Flame, presented by Collier Auto Media | 1913 SCAT 25/35hp Landaulette/Limousine, Lopresto Collection |
What were the Concours Virtual’s other Classes and their winners?
There were a total of 18 separate classes, with cars ranging from pre-war preservation to 1980s supercars. Here are the class wise winners.
| 2020 Concours Virtual Classes | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Class | Category | Judge's Vote | People’s vote |
| Class A | Pre-War Preservation | 1893 Salvesen Steam Wagonette (Duncan Pittaway) | 1932 Bentley 8 Litre HJ Mulliner (Mihai Negrescu) |
| Class B | Hollywood Legends | 1967 BMW 507 Elvis Presley (BMW Classic) | Duesenberg Model J Greta Garbo (Anne Brockinton Lee / Robert M. Lee Automobile Collection) |
| Class C | Cars Of The Aet Deco Era | 1939 Delahaye Figoni & Falaschi 135 Competition Disappearing Top Convertible (Mullin Automotive Museum) | 1933 Minerva Type AL Landaulette (Mr. Diljeet Titus) |
| Class D | Pre-War Supercars | 1932 Duesenberg Model J Torpedo Convertible Coupe (Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automobile Museum) | 1904 Napier L 49 (Sirdool Singh) |
| Class E 45-59 | Post War Grand Tourers 1945 - 59 | 1955 Bentley R-Type Continental Fastback | 1953 Ferrari 250 Europa Vignale |
| Class E 60-69 | Post War Grand Tourers 1960 - 69 | 1961 Jaguar E-Type Coupe #885005 | 1961 Ferrari 400 Superamerica SWB Coupé Aerodinamico |
| Class F | The Golden Aage Of Detroit | 1949 Cadillac 62 Club Coupe | 1949 Cadillac 62 Club Coupe |
| Class G | Concept Cars Of The 1970's | 1970 Lancia Stratos Zero | 1971 Alfa Romeo Caimano |
| Class H | The Outlaws: Modified German Aircooleds | 1952 Porsche Streamliner | 1967 VW Beetle Cal look ‘Red Zeppelin’ |
| Class I | Poster Cars Of The 60s, 70s and 80s | 1973 Lamborghini Countach LP400 | 1964 Bill Thomas Race Cars Cheetah |
| Class J | 70 Years Of Formula 1 | 1962 BRM P578 Grand Prix Car | 1950 BRM Type 15 V16 |
| Class K | Banzai! Group A Homologation | 1985 Audi Quattro Sport | 1992 Lancia Delta Integrale |
| Class L | Crumpet Cars: A Tribute To Stirling Moss | 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR | 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR |
| Class M | Le Mans 1961 - 1970 | 1970 Porsche 917K | 1966 Ford GT40 |
| Class N | Salt Flat Heroes: Eearly Bonneville Racers | 1957 MG EX-181 | 1933 Napier Railton Special |
| Class O | Junior Concours | 1927 Bugatti Baby | 1927 Bugatti Baby |
| Class P | The Winner Takes It All: Best Of 2019 | 1948 Talbot Lago T26 Grand Sport Fastback Coupe by Figoni & Falaschi | 1948 Talbot Lago T26 Grand Sport Fastback Coupe by Figoni & Falaschi |
| Class Q | Isolation Island Models | 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR | 1960 Mercedes Race Car Transporter |
The Indian contingent
There are a number of cars with an Indian connect that participated at the 2020 Concours Virtual. The 1933 Minerva Type AL – Seven Passenger Landaulet de Ville by Carrosserie Van Den Plas, belonging to Diljeet Titus, is believed to be one of two of its kind in the world, and is the winner on the ‘People’s Vote’ in the Class C – “Cars of the Art Deco Era” category.
Also, a winner of the ‘People’s Vote’ in the Class D – Pre-War Supercars Class is Sirdool Singh’s 1904 Napier L49, Semi-Limousine by H.J. Mulliner believed to have once belonged to the Nizam of Hyderabad.
Yohan Poonawalla’s stunning 1949 Bentley Mark VI Touring Saloon by Hooper also participated in the event and came in second in the People’s Choice award in its class. It was originally owned by the Maharaja of Mysore and it had also won the Best of Show award at the 21 Gun Salute Concours d’Elegance in New Delhi earlier this year.
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