A rare and exclusive aero-inspired 1924 Hispano-Suiza H6C Nieuport-Astra Torpedo took the Best of Show trophy at the 2025 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.
This is the third time Hispano-Suiza wins Pebble Beach
The car had been restored by RM Restoration in Canada
The body of this Hispano-Suiza is made of wood
This year’s edition welcomed 229 cars to the famed 18th fairway of Pebble Beach Golf Links, including 55 international entries representing 22 countries and 174 vehicles from across 31 U.S. states. The standout was a 1924 Hispano-Suiza H6C Nieuport-Astra Torpedo, presented by Penny and Lee Anderson Sr. of Naples, Florida.
1924 Hispano-Suiza H6C Nieuport-Astra TorpedoA Masterpiece of Design and Heritage
“This Hispano-Suiza ticks every possible box,” said Concours Chairman Sandra Button. “Its underpinnings are technically advanced, the body is meticulously hand-crafted, light, and lovely. Commissioned by apéritif heir André Dubonnet, it even competed in the legendary Targa Florio and Coppa Florio races.”
Dubbed the “Tulipwood” Torpedo, the car is built from thin mahogany strips, each individually carved and secured to the frame by some 8,500 rivets. Weighing a mere 160 pounds at the time of construction, the bodywork represents both elegance and engineering audacity.
1924 Hispano-Suiza H6C Nieuport-Astra TorpedoAlthough later owners modified the car with pontoon fenders, the Andersons chose to restore it to its original, dramatic torpedo shape.
RM Restoration: Masters at Creating Winners
The extensive restoration was carried out in Canada by RM Restoration, based in Blenheim, southern Ontario. The car had been sold by RM Auctions during the 2022 Pebble Beach festivities. Bringing it back to life took 20 months and more than 12,000 hours of painstaking work by some of the finest craftsmen, following the highest standards of authenticity and detail.
This marks the ninth Best of Show title for RM Restoration, confirming its status as the world’s ultimate benchmark in high-end restoration of rare and historically significant automobiles. Remarkably, the shop has captured the top prize three times in the past four years: in 2025 with the 1924 Hispano-Suiza H6C Nieuport-Astra Torpedo, in 2023 with the 1937 Mercedes-Benz 540K Spezial Roadster by Sindelfingen, and in 2022 with the 1932 Duesenberg Model J Figoni Sport Torpedo.
A Collector’s Passion
For Lee Anderson, the Hispano-Suiza was a natural fit. “I like wood! I’m an antique wood boat collector—I’ve been at it for 40 years, long before it became trendy. I’ve always loved varnished wood, and when I saw this, I thought, my gosh! This is what I really like.”
His wife Penny admitted the win came as a surprise. “We had no idea, but we were dreaming about it!”
Lee added, “Winning Pebble Beach is probably the highest award in automobile collecting. We’re very fortunate to have done it twice.” The Andersons previously earned Best of Show in 2022 with a Figoni-bodied 1932 Duesenberg J.
For Hispano-Suiza, this marks the marque’s third Pebble Beach victory, the last one dating back to 1989.
2025 Pebble Beach final four for Best of ShowA Field of Worthy Contenders
The road to Best of Show was fiercely contested. Among the finalists were a 1939 Maybach SW38 Spohn Sport Zweisitzer owned by Dana and Patti Mecum of Geneva Lake, Wisconsin; a 1933 Invicta 4½ Litre S Type Corsica Drophead Coupé presented by SBH of Riffa, Bahrain; and a 1956 Maserati 200SI Fantuzzi Open Sports Racer shown by Phillip Sarofim of Beverly Hills, California.
Festivities began earlier in the week with the 27th Pebble Beach Tour d’Elegance, a 70-mile drive along the Monterey Peninsula’s coastal roads. Cars that successfully complete the Tour gain an edge in case of a tie during the Concours judging.
