An extremely rare 1939 Horch 855 Special Roadster , bodied by Gläser, won the prestigious Best of Show title at the second annual Concours of Elegance Germany.
The event returned to the evocative setting of Gut Kaltenbrunn , on the shores of Lake Tegernsee, bringing together a refined selection of road and racing cars from nine different decades. What made the main prize unique was the way it was awarded: the winner was chosen directly by the competition participants.
The award-winning Horch represents one of the most important surviving examples of pre-World War II German luxury automobile production. It is believed that only five to seven examples were built, with chassis number 855007 believed to be the only original production 855 Special Roadster to survive.
Initially delivered in the Netherlands, the car later became part of several important international collections. In 1954, it appeared in the pages of Road & Track magazine and was also driven by actor Rock Hudson in the film “The World Is Ours.”
After a careful restoration carried out in Germany, the Horch was also exhibited for a period in the Audi Museum in Ingolstadt, before entering the current private collection.
Maserati protagonist in the centenary of the Trident
One of the main themes of the 2026 edition was dedicated to Maserati , on the occasion of the hundredth anniversary of the first appearance of the famous Trident symbol.
The Modena-based manufacturer’s vehicles have won several awards. A 1955 Maserati 300S won the 1950s category, while a 1962 Maserati 5000 GT, with bodywork by Allemano, won the 1960s class.
The Maserati Special Prize was awarded to the 1959 3500 GT Convertible Prototype , designed by Giovanni Michelotti and built by Vignale. The car traveled to Germany from Texas specifically to participate in the event.
The winners of the different eras
The Concours celebrated some of the most significant automobiles of the twentieth century, divided by decade.
The award-winning cars include a 1928 Bentley 4½ Litre Open Tourer with bodywork by Van den Plas, a 1931 Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 Gran Sport Spyder and a 1947 Delahaye 135 MS Roadster.
The winner in the 1970s category was a newly restored 1971 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona, while the 1980s category was won by a 1985 Aston Martin V8 Vantage, originally ordered by Sir Elton John.
The Future Classics award went to a 1995 Lamborghini Diablo SE30 .
Among the special prizes, the 1933 Armstrong Siddeley Special Six received the Chairman’s Award, while the Patron’s Award, presented by Prince Leopold of Bavaria, was given to a 1955 Maserati 150S/200S Prototype.
Rounding out the weekend’s program were the RM Sotheby’s Tegernsee auction, the Club Trophy, the Emerging Collectors Concours, the Ladies Concours, and the new free exhibition called Gallery. The highlight of the auction was a 2015 Koenigsegg One:1.