1924 Hispano-Suiza wins best of show at 2025 Pebble Beach

Evoking an era when automotive coachbuilding was considered a true art form, Hispano-Suiza stood as a symbol of exclusivity, elegance, and engineering excellence. Commonly favored by royalty and the world’s most affluent clientele who demanded nothing but the very best.

It was founded in Barcelona in 1904 by Damià Mateu and Marc Birkigt. The brand is best known for its legendary H6 series and the majestic J12, with the H6C "Tulipwood" Torpedo that’s widely considered as its most iconic creation. The brands history of producing cars in limited numbers during the pre-World War II era makes them quite rare and even more difficult to come across an owner who’s willing to let go.

Being renowned for such, it came as no surprise when Penny and Lee Anderson of Naples, Florida, immediately snapped up the chance to purchase such an example three years ago at the Sotheby's auction in Pebble Beach. This provenance of this particular 1924 Hispano-Suiza H6C Nieuport-Astra Torpedo, or more commonly referred to as the Tulipwood Torpedo, started when it was commissioned by André Dubonnet, a World War I ace fighter pilot, Olympic bobsledder, racecar driver and heir to the Dubonnet aperitif fortune. The Tulipwood was built on the famed Hispano Suiza Boulogne chassis and powered by an 8.0-liter H6C inline-six engine good for 45 hp.

But what truly sets this Tulipwood apart is its literally stunning, boat-inspired mahogany bodywork designed by Henri Chasseriaux and built by Nieuport-Astra. It is made up of dozens of eighth of an-inch-thick pieces of wood secured over three-quarter-inch ribs with thousands of aluminum rivets. The body was extremely lightweight and weighed just 72.5 kg. This combination helped Dubonnet to place sixth in the 1924 Targa Florio and fifth in the same year’s Coppa Florio.

Upon their purchase, the Anderson’s Tulipwood was sent over to RM Auto Restoration, where it underwent an expensive and meticulous restoration effort. Faced with a century-old body and made from wood, this was no ordinary job that normally involves shaping metal or aluminum. According to RM, the multi-year project required more than 12,000 hours and nearly two years of research and restoration to exacting specifications.

While a major portion of the mahogany was intact, RM was able to source 100-year-old wood for the restoration. After two years of meticulous craftsmanship, the yacht-like, mahogany-bodied, aluminum-riveted, torpedo-shaped sporting cruiser was finally done, and the results speak for themselves. The Tulipwood bested other million-dollar candidates as it won Best of Show in the 2025 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.

Coincidentally, the Andersons purchased this Hispano-Suiza at the 2022 RM Sotheby’s auction at Pebble Beach because they were told the car had a good chance of winning Best of Show. Asked what he thought of the Tulipwood Torpedo when he first saw it pre-restoration, Anderson Sr. said, “It’s a beautiful piece of furniture.”