Elegant Duesenberg Wins 2022 Pebble Beach Concours Best of Show

© Rod Hatfield, Automotive Content Experience Best of Show Winner
Sunday, August 21, ended up being a chilly day on the Monterey Peninsula for the 2022 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. However, the radiant, appreciative smile on Lee R. Anderson’s face upon winning the coveted Best of Show trophy certainly warmed the crowd eagerly anticipating the annual collector car show’s ultimate winner. Anderson took top honors with his rare 1932 Duesenberg J Figoni Sports Torpedo, and he couldn’t have been more pleased.

© Rod Hatfield, Automotive Content Experience Only Figoni-Bodied Duesenberg
This 1932 Duesenberg was originally shipped to E.Z. Sadovich Motors Deluxe in Paris as a chassis only. Once the chassis arrived in France, famed coachbuilder Joseph Figoni created its unique Sports Torpedo body. In the collector car world, Figoni is known as one of the greats of car design; he only built this one Duesenberg body, making this vehicle as exclusive as it gets.

© Perry Stern, Automotive Content Experience Another Duesenberg Win
Duesenberg automobiles have won more Pebble Beach Concours Best of Show trophies than any other American marque. Today’s win is the seventh for this celebrated brand. The last time an American brand took the top honor was in 2013, when a 1934 Packard Twelve took the prize as Best of Show.

© Perry Stern, Automotive Content Experience Runners Up
Three other cars sat on the 18th fairway of the Pebble Beach Golf Links alongsice Anderson’s Duesenberg, with the assembled concours attendees waiting with bated breath to see which incredible vehicle would be called as Best of Show. The three runners up were Fritz Burkard’s 1937 Talbot-Lago T150C-SS Figoni & Falaschi Teardrop Coupe, Sam and Emily Mann’s 1930 Duesenberg J Graber Cabriolet, and Merle and Peter Mullin’s 1951 Talbot-Lago T26 Grand Sport Stabilimenti Farina Cabriolet. All were amazing vehicles, but only one could be ultimate winner at the 71st Pebble Beach Concours.

© Rod Hatfield, Automotive Content Experience Elegant Body
The Deusenberg’s body features a hood that extends back to a low vee windshield. The design flows around the cabin to a sleek, tapered tail, flanked by large, elegant fenders.

© Rod Hatfield, Automotive Content Experience Origins
This car was driven by Sadovich in the 1932 Paris-Nice Rallye before being delivered to first owner Antonio Chopitea, a Peruvian sugar heir who owned several Duesenbergs. He later showed the car at Cannes, and shortly after that the car made its way to America.

© Perry Stern, Automotive Content Experience Split Apart
In the 1960s the car and chassis parted ways; the prized Figoni coachwork was removed from the chassis and mounted onto another Duesenberg chassis. It would be many decades before the current owner was able to find both pieces and return the car to its original glory. “That’s part of the story behind this car that is appealing to the judges,” said a jubilant Anderson after his 2022 Pebble Beach Concours Best of Show win.

© Rod Hatfield, Automotive Content Experience Pure Passion
“This rare Duesenberg marries American might with European style,” said Concours Chairman Sandra Button. “It did well in some early rallies and concours. Then, its history took a turn, with chassis separated from body. The story of its resurrection is one of pure passion,” noted Button.

© Perry Stern, Automotive Content Experience Restoration
The car was restored by RM Sothebys, with the work taking about three painstaking years. Anderson told us the team working on the car did a fantastic job at every level of meticulous detail. As the car was being put back together after so many years, Anderson relayed to us, it didn’t have the original crank. Anderson told us that RM found the original in a Duesenberg in Vancouver British Columbia, of all places, and was able to obtain it to keep Anderson’s car completely original.

© Perry Stern, Automotive Content Experience Stars Aligned
Anderson told us, “We knew we had a nice car, and a lot of people told us we had the best of show, but I’ve had cars here before where people have said the same thing.” He added, “The stars have to align to make it happen.” Apparently the stars were aligned today, and this first-time Best of Show winner was clearly thrilled to have his car sitting among the celebratory confetti, confirming the 1932 Duesenberg J Figoni Sports Torpedo as the 2022 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance Best of Show.