August 22, 1902 is considered the official founding date of Cadillac in brand literature. This makes the General Motors subsidiary, which claimed to have set the "Standard of the World" in automotive engineering for decades, one of the oldest car manufacturers still in existence in the world. Almost exactly 120 years later, on August 17, 2022, the anniversary was honored at the Zurich Classic Car Award on Bürkliplatz with a special class of eleven vehicles.
Even though no cars from the first two decades of the company's history were present, the oldest participant - a racing car based on a Cadillac Series 314 - was already a respectable 96 years old. The more recent past in Detroit's luxury department was represented by a Cadillac Eldorado from 1994 and the ambitious but unfortunately unsuccessful intercontinental project Cadillac Allanté from 1987. Of course, the most famous tail fins of the 1950s were also present: a 1959 Coupé de Ville in "Wood Rose", typical of the time, stretched its projectile-decorated fins into the air.
However, a more restrained model was chosen as the most beautiful car in the special "120 years of Cadillac" class. The 1939 Cadillac Sixty-One Convertible Coupé, which was chosen by the jury, wore plain black with its dark red interior. It was followed by the aforementioned 1926 Series 314 Racer, while third place went to an immaculate 1979 Seville Elegante, which disproved the prejudice of the "Malaise Era", at least in this case. However, nobody had the courage to drive up a Cadillac Cimarron. Too bad.
Winner in long-term ownership
Victory in the pre-war car class went to Ulrich Signer, who has been loyal to his 1934 Mercedes-Benz 320 Cabriolet B for 56 years. The four-seater, painted in two shades of gray, was the first car he owned at the time. Second place went to a 1934 Lagonda M 45 Open Tourer ahead of a 1923 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost with Brewster bodywork, which, together with an Itala 21 S, was the oldest car on Bürkliplatz.
Cars from the late 1940s were grouped together with those from the 1950s in a class for post-war vehicles. Here, a BMW 507 from 1957 was able to convince the jury quite clearly. The white convertible was first-hand until 2014 and is still unrestored despite a mileage of almost 300,000 kilometers. Ironically, the first prize was sponsored by Mercedes-Benz. Nevertheless, owner Manfred Schweri was happy to accept it.
The second-placed vehicle, on the other hand, was stripped down to the last screw and repaired. It was definitely worth the effort, as the 1958 Plymouth Fury is one of the 25 cars purchased by Columbia Pictures in 1983 for the film "Christine" and one of only four real Furys among them. Third place went to a detailed replica of the lost 1947 MG TC "George Phillips Special", in which the namesake competed in the 1949 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Gray, green, hazelnut
With 31 registered cars, the sixties class had the largest field. It was correspondingly difficult to choose a winner here. In the end, Carlo Bianchi's 1964 Aston Martin DB 4 Convertible prevailed against the competition - not only in its own category, but across the entire field. The English car in a subtle gray metallic was also named "Best of Show".
Lovers of off-color cars, on the other hand, will have been delighted with the runner-up: the 1969 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 was one of only 27 cars that were once ordered in the color "Nocciola Metallizzato". Third place went to another Rolls-Royce, this time a 1961 Silver Ghost II with a green Sedanca De Ville body by Gulbenkian. A curiosity of its design is the electrically opening roof above the chauffeur's compartment.
The car with the best documented history also came from the 1960s. The judges of "The Motor Chain" chose the sage green 1966 Aston Martin DB6 from Martin Iten as their winner. Last year's winner in this category - a Mercedes-Benz 300 SL - was chosen as the best unrestored vehicle this year. The coupé, now painted in a tired silver metallic, was delivered new to Zurich in 1955 and has remained in Switzerland ever since. The current owner bought the Gullwing from the first owner together with his father in 1974 when his wife felt the need for a new Porsche in the garage.
Young old and old young
Things were comparatively down-to-earth on the winners' podium in the Seventies class, the oldest classic car class on Bürkliplatz. A Porsche 911 S from 1972 and an MGB GT from 1971 took first and third place. Only in between did things get expensive: second place went to a Ferrari 365 GTC/4. Apparently, its owner was not expecting an award, as he had already left by the time the prize-giving ceremony started.
The youngest participating vehicles were logically found in the Youngtimer class, whose upper limit of 2005 was almost exhausted by the silver-colored Alfa Romeo Spider type 916. Together with a Jaguar XJR from 2002, it was the only representative of the 21st century. However, the jury preferred the more classic models. The first prize went to an unrestored BMW M 635 CSi from 1985 in vintage condition. It was followed by a Lamborghini Countach LP 5000 S Quattrovalvole of the same year, which has been in the owner's garage for 30 years. At 37 years old each, they were the oldest among the youngest.
The Automobil-Illustrierte special prize, which the magazine awards for young classics that are particularly worthy of preservation, went this year to Alex Sala and his 1987 BMW 325iX. The small four-wheel-drive saloon has not yet been driven 40,000 kilometers. The public voted Hansjörg Tschudin's 1965 Austin Mini pick-up as their favorite.
Away from the red carpet
Even though most of the award winners were rightly allowed to receive their trophies, it does somewhat distort the perception of the event. After all, there were also high-caliber cars such as the Iso Grifo, Ferrari 275 GTB and Maserati 3500 GT away from the winners. And then, of course, there were the often overlooked gems such as a 1959 Chevrolet Corvette from a Californian first-hand owner, an Austin-Healey Sprite Mk I that had been accurately restored right down to the stickers on the air filters or a remarkably immaculate VW 1300 in its original condition.
In automotive terms, the Zurich Classic Car Award was once again a splendor. Only the weather was a curse and a blessing in equal measure. The predicted thunderstorm held off until the Concours was over. However, the rain the night before had rekindled the olfactory signature of the "Street Parade" from the previous weekend. Occasionally you wished you had a few more running engines and exhaust fumes in your nose.
