Classic Mercedes, Maserati cars win top honors at Amelia Island concours

Noted car collectors Sam and Emily Mann won their fourth Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance Best in Show award with a 1937 Mercedes-Benz 540K Special Roadster (with covered spare). This car is one of only three known to have been built.

Originally shipped to the German embassy in Argentina, the Manns have owned the car for about 18 years. This Best in Show from the 15th-annual Amelia Island concours goes with four Best in Shows from the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance and three Bests from the Meadow Brook Concours d'Elegance.

ROGER HART
This 1960 Maserati Tipo 61 was the Best in Show Concours De Sport at Amelia Island.

Winning Best in Show Concours De Sport was a 1960 Maserati Tipo 61 owned by Jonathan Feiber from California. This was Feiber's first appearance at Amelia. His Maserati has significant race history as Stirling Moss drove the car to victory in the 1960 Cuba Grand Prix. It was later raced by Moss and Dan Gurney and after that, Carroll Shelby drove the car to his last win behind the wheel at the Times Grand Prix in 1960.

The Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance was to honor Moss on the 50th anniversary of his win in Cuba, but Moss was injured in a fall at his home last week.

Organizers of the Amelia Island concours always give two Best in Show awards, one to a road car and one to a sporting car.

By Roger Hart