A 1935 Duesenberg SJ won the Best of Show award at the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este 2023, one of the most prestigious classic car events in the world that BMW Group Classic, in collaboration with the Grand Hotel Villa d’Este , organized in Cernobbio on Lake Como from 19 to 21 May.
The prize awarded by a jury of experts was presented to the American collector William Lyon by Helmut Käs, head of the BMW Group Classic and president of the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este. The winner was also awarded a white gold 1815 chronograph created by A. Lange & Söhne.
The Duesenberg SJ, designed by Gurney Nutting, is equipped with a longitudinally mounted 6900cc 320hp 8-cylinder engine capable of reaching a speed of 220km/h, a true record for a pre-war car. The owner is the American collector William Lyon. The winning example is the last of 36 units produced, but only on this one was the spectacular “Boat-Tail-Speedster” bodywork installed in London.
The car was ordered by Maharaja Holkar of Indora from the Duesenberg dealership in London. The chassis and engine were shipped from Indianapolis to London, where the “Boat-Tail-Speedster” body was fitted in Indora’s state colors of black and orange. It was supposed to be delivered to India, but after Japan invaded China, there was a fear that the country might also invade India. The Maharaja eventually took delivery of this car in Santa Ana, California, only to have it transferred to India when the situation calmed down again. In 1959 Duesenberg SJ returned to the United States and in the late 1980s entered the collection of William Lyon.
50 cars divided into 8 classes took part in the Concorso d’Eleganza of Villa d’Este. A particular award concerned the best engine sound which was chosen by the tenor Jonas Kaufmann: the Trophy ‘Il Canto del Engine’ was won by Christophe Count d’Ansembourg from Belgium as a tribute to the sound of his 1970 Porsche 917 K .
Source: Ansa
I am an author at Global happenings and I mostly cover automobile news. In my time working in the automotive industry, I have developed a keen interest in the latest developments and trends. My writing skills have also allowed me to share my knowledge with others through articles and blog posts.
