1924 Hispano Suiza Wins Pebble Beach Best of Show Award
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The 1924 Hispano Suiza H6C Nieuport-Astra Torpedo has been crowned Best of Show at the 74th Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance this summer. Announced from Barcelona on September 16, 2025, it is the sort of result that makes serious collectors mutter with satisfaction and casual spectators feel faintly guilty for driving anything with a hatchback.
A Legendary Commission
This car was not plucked off a showroom floor. It began life as a personal commission from an aviator and race driver who wanted a machine that could perform on brutal endurance races and still look outrageously elegant while doing it. Hispano Suiza teamed up with aircraft maker Nieuport-Astra to produce what became affectionately known as the “Tulipwood Torpedo.” The body is built from three millimeter mahogany strips, held together with thousands of aluminum rivets and finished by hand. The result weighs just 70 kilograms, which, for the 1920s, was nothing short of witchcraft.
Beneath that featherweight body sits an H6C chassis with an eight liter overhead cam Type Sport engine in a lowered surbaissé setup. The car had a lower radiator and an enlarged fuel tank to survive the demands of rallies such as the Targa Florio. Those choices were not cosmetic. They helped the car finish respectably in the punishing races of the era, proving that beauty and purpose can, sometimes, be the same thing.
From Track To Road
After its competition career the vehicle was adapted for road use with practical additions like a windshield and headlights. It then drifted through the hands of various collectors around the world, surviving a brush with damage during the Second World War and the slow creep of time. Remarkably much of its original fabric and craftsmanship remained intact, a factor that turned it into a headline-maker when it went under the hammer in 2022.
An American Appreciation
This is the third time the marque has taken top honors at Pebble Beach, underlining a long-standing affection from American collectors and enthusiasts. The car was entered at the concours by its present private owners from Florida, who were drawn to its improbable combination of aeronautical thinking and artisanal elegance. Pebble Beach, with its manicured lawns and discerning judges, is a place where such pedigree is applauded loudly.
The Legacy Lives On
The spirit that produced the Tulipwood Torpedo is not a museum piece. It lives on in the company’s current range of electric hypercars, led by the Carmen Sagrera, an astonishing 1,114 horsepower machine unveiled to mark the brand’s 120th anniversary. Alongside the Carmen and the Carmen Boulogne, these hypercars marry craftsmanship, luxury, and cutting-edge technology in a way that mirrors the balance of art and engineering seen in the 1924 model. Customization remains central, so customers still get something made to their tastes rather than a cookie cutter.
True elegance, it seems, ages well. This Pebble Beach triumph reminds us that innovation, handcrafting, and a bold design vision can bridge a century, connecting a wood-skinned racer with the electric hypercars of today.
Zachary Skinner is the editor of TechDrivePlay.com, where tech, cars and adventure share the fast lane.
A former snowboarding pro and programmer, he brings both creative flair and technical know-how to his reviews. From high-performance cars to clever gadgets, he explores how innovation shapes the way we move, connect and live.
