The Bentley centenary gained another reason to celebrate this past weekend as they were awarded best of show at the 2019 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. The winning car was a 1931 8.0-liter inline-six Gurney Nutting Sports Tourer owned by Sir Michael Kadoorie.
Winning at Pebble not only adds prestige to this vehicle, but tells a story of the current state of the collector car hobby. This rare 1 of 2 build has bodywork done by bespoke coachbuilder Gurney Nutting, includes a dual cowl and detachable rear wind screen. The Sports Tourer was restored in 2004 and acquired by its current owner in 2010.
“It represents Bentley at its finest— elegance, refinement. This was a 100mph car, guaranteed to travel at 100 regardless of body style… They built only 100 of them, so they’re quite rare.” Kadoorie said.
The Bentley had stiff competition as the finalists included a1938 Talbot-Lago T150C-SS Figoni & Falaschi Teardrop Cabriolet, aa 1936 Mercedes-Benz 540K Erdmann & Rossi Special Cabriolet and a 1962 Aston Martin DB4GT Zagato Coupé It’s Bentley’s first win since 1965.
Photo by: Tony Markovich
