Arizona, 11 January, 2015

A 1937 Mercedes-Benz 540 K Sport Cabriolet A has won Best of Show at the second annual Arizona Concours d’Elegance, held Sunday, January 11, at the Arizona Biltmore Resort.

The spectacular pre-war cabriolet, owned by Thomas Taffet of Chatsworth, California, was brought to the Arizona Concours by the Mercedes-Benz Classic Center.  The 540 K earlier won Best of Class in the European Classics group.

The Arizona Concours stepped up for its second year, building on the strong success of its inaugural 2014 event, and with the historic Arizona Biltmore again providing the stunning Art Deco backdrop.  Sunday’s attendance was a sellout for the 2015 Concours, and the two Saturday seminars - the Phoenix Automotive Press Association auction preview and the Elegance at Speed racing-car design forum - were very well attended.

The beneficiary of the Arizona Concours, Make-A-Wish Arizona, raised more than $70,000 in donations.  The Arizona organization is the founding chapter of the national foundation that grants wishes for children with life-threatening medical conditions.

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The class winners and special award winners are

Pre-1915 Antique
1903 Pope-Hartford Model B, John Konwiser, Scottsdale, AZ

Pre-war sports and racing
1932 MG F1 Magna, Malcolm and Barbara Appleton, Waitsfield, VT

Post-war American-powered sports cars
1952 Cunningham C-3 convertible, Rich and Karen Atwell, Phoenix

Post-war American race cars
1959 Watson “Simoniz Special” Indy roadster, Larry and Jan Pfitzenmaier, Sonoita, AZ

Post-war European sports cars
1962 Jaguar E-type OTS, Randall Smalley, Paradise Valley AZ

American Classic Open
1933 Packard 1005 convertible coupe, Aaron and Valeria Weiss, San Marino CA

Post-war European Race Cars
1956 Ferrari 500 Testarossa, Linda and Bill Pope, Scottsdale, AZ

American Classic Closed
1937 Buick 91F formal sedan, Lee Gurvey, Scottsdale. AZ

European Classic
1937 Mercedes-Benz 540K Sport Cabriolet A, Thomas Taffet, Chatsworth, CA

Preservation
1965 Ferrari 275 GTB, Terry Maxon, Glendale. AZ

Avant-Garde
1949 Volkswagen Hebmuller cabriolet, Ron Clarke, Paradise Valley, AZ

Exotic
1967 Ferrari 330 GTS, Philippe and Francoise Reyns, Chandler, AZ

Post-war Mercedes-Benz
1961 300D sedan, Barry Sohnen, Los Angeles

Pierce-Arrow
1916 Model 48, Clive Cussler, Paradise Valley, AZ

Ghia
1952 Fiat 8V Supersonic, David Sydorick Beverly Hills, CA


Special Awards

Make-A-Wish Kids
Jaguar XK120C, Bill and Linda Pope, Scottsdale, AZ

Hagerty Young Judges
1927 Marmon E-75 Speedster, Ed Boice, Los Ranchos, NM

Historic Vehicle Association
1949 Crosley Hot Shot (Frank Lloyd Wright), Auburn Cord Duesenberg Museum, Auburn IN

Historic Vehicle Association
1937 AC 16/80 “Ace” roadster, David and Rochelle Buice, Dallas

Phoenix Automotive Press Association
1972 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona, Todd and Stan Reeg, Paradise Valley, AZ

Most elegant pre-war
1933 Pierce-Arrow Silver Arrow, Academy of Art University, San Francisco

Most elegant post-war
1956 Ferrari 250 GT Zagato, Rocky Mountain Auto Collection, Scottsdale, AZ

Director’s award
1953 Cadillac Series 62 Ghia (Rita Hayworth Cadillac), Petersen Automotive Museum, Los Angeles

Director’s award
1951 OSCA MT4, T.G. Mittler, Santa Fe NM

Director’s award
1957 Dual-Ghia, Curt and Carole Ziegler, Denver

Most significant race or sports car
1954 Ferrari Europa 250 GT, Budd and Laurie Florkiewicz, Scottsdale, AZ

Significant design of its era
1937 Cord 812 SC Custom Beverly, Bruce Hanson, Phoenix

Special award
1956 Ferrari 500 Testarossa, Bill and Linda Pope, Scottsdale, AZ

Report& images: Peter Singhof
www.ClassicCarPhotography.de