Why Pebble Rocks.(News)(Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance)

Byline: Mark Vaughn, Roger Hart

Best of Show

After the fact, there were plenty of people claiming they ``knew'' Sam and Emily Mann's 1934 Voisin C-15 Etablissement Saliot Roadster was going to win. But before the fireworks went off and the Voisin rolled onto the ramp as Best of Show, there were contenders. Like William Lyon's 1937 Mercedes-Benz 540K or J.B. Nethercutt's 1932 Maybach DS 8 Zeppelin Spohn Cabriolet. Even Bob Lee's 1933 Duesenberg J Fernandez & Darrin Cabriolet was worthy, as was Otis Chandler's 1933 Packard 1006 Dietrich Convertible Victoria. But only a handful told us they thought it would be the Voisin before the fact, including auctioneers Craig Jackson (now six for six in Best of Show picks) and Don Williams of the Blackhawk Collection, along with GM's auto exec icon Bob Lutz.

There was precedent for the Voisin.

``This car was made by a guy who wanted to win the Paris Concours,'' said owner Sam Mann, speaking of early 20th century French industrialist Gabriel Voisin. ``As near as we can tell from our research, he won.''

That was in 1934. Williams spent 10 years trying to buy the car from its French owner, who had brought it up to running condition but no further. When Williams finally got hold of it, he showed it to the Manns first. What made them buy it?

``The form,'' said Sam. ``Just look at that bodywork.''