The Concours on Bürkliplatz in Zurich differs from most other beauty contests in that, in addition to the professional audience, an above-average number of passers-by pass between the cars. After all, Bürkliplatz is practically in the heart of the city of Zurich, right next to Bahnhofstrasse and just 25 meters from the lake.
And on August 22, 2018, the weather also played along, so that tourists had their photos taken in front of the cars, stuffed their cell phones with countless snapshots and produced selfies en masse. It was sometimes really difficult for the vehicle owners and jury representatives to get through to the car.
Large number of vehicles
With 80 vehicles gathered at Bürkli-Platz, this Zurich Classic Car Award was probably the largest to date.
In addition to 72 cars, there were also eight motorcycles to admire for the first time.
Motorcycles for the first time
The two-wheelers in particular were a real highlight for many Concours visitors, as extremely rare motorcycles were presented to the jury. Some of the brands were probably completely unknown to many viewers - who knows that there were Dollar or Nimbus motorcycles? A Peugeot motorcycle from 1909 was also the oldest vehicle on the course, but the class was won by a Motosacoche Type 402 from 1924.
However, the two-wheeler pilots had a problem at the award ceremony. Where to put the bulky trophy if you have luggage space?
Wonderful unrestored or barely restored cars
What the interested observer noticed while strolling among the elegant classics, or was gladly told by the proud owners, was that many of the cars on Bürkliplatz were largely unrestored and in their original condition.
Of course, the Maserati 3500 GT from 1961, which was once a gift for Kaiser Wilhelm's granddaughter living in exile, took the cake. After her sudden death in a plane crash, the car spent 30 years in a dry underground garage in Zurich. Since then, the car has changed hands twice and still has less than 25,000 km on the clock. It presents itself almost like a new car, which earned it the special "Best Unrestored" award.
A Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow from 1975, in which British Prime Minister Margret Thatcher was chauffeured years ago, was in similarly good condition. Even her husband's glasses are said to have been found in the glove compartment. However, this car has a Swiss history, but has also survived the years without restoration.
Mention should also be made of the Bianchi Tipo 20 from 1925, which certainly required extensive mechanical modifications, but is visually in complete original condition almost 100 years after its completion.
Contested classes
The most beautiful car was chosen in each of nine classes, with some classes being particularly close. For example, there were almost half a dozen candidates for class victory in the group of cars after 1960 and with an engine capacity of over four liters.
In the end, the overall jury decided in favor of the 1968 Lamborghini Espada S1, partly because it was a very early example that not only differed from the later production Espada in various details, but was also still largely unrestored.
But the Lamborghini Jarama with its Swiss history would also have deserved a prize, as would the two Shelby Mustangs, which stood in the line-up looking as good as new.
And an Avanti II certainly has its own special appeal, as its design goes back to Raymond Loewy.
Interesting Porsche class
To mark Porsche's 70th birthday, ZCCA organizers Beat Walti and Christoph Lehmann organized a well-endowed Porsche class with rarities worth seeing. Two of the rare Porsche 911 Carrera RS 3.0s were on display, produced in truly manageable numbers.
The Carrera models of the Porsche 356, two of which found their way to Bürkliplatz, are hardly less sought after by connoisseurs. There were also several Porsche 356 Speedsters, other 356 models, a 911 Targa from 1972 and a 944 Cup, as well as the Zagato creation based on the Porsche 356.
However, the class victory went to an elegant racing car, the Porsche 904 GTS, which is owned by Autobaus Romanshorn.
Best of Show for Ferrari
No Porsche took the overall victory. A completely restored Ferrari 250 GT Pinin Farina from 1959 took it. The blue coupé belongs to restaurant king Rudi Bindella and was painstakingly restored to top condition by Patrice Walter.
But there were also cars among the individual class winners that would have been worthy of a "Best of Show", such as the Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint from 1962 or the BMW 507 from 1957.
And the Hispano Suiza J12 from 1938 also came out on top in its class, but also won the audience award.
Among the other class winners were a pretty 1959 Triumph Italia, a 1928 Rolls-Royce Phantom I with skiff bodywork and the cars already mentioned.
Overall, the standard was high and visitors got to see a lot. The selection of special bodies was a little thin, but a 1956 Ford Thunderbird with a body from the Swiss company Ghia Aigle represented this category for the post-war period excellently.
Participants and awards
The following table shows all the participating vehicles with their classifications and any awards. Of course, the table can be sorted by all visible columns by clicking on the column heading.
| Class | No. | Make | Type | Year | Awards for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Motorcycles | 1 | Dollar | DR3 | 1929 | 2nd place class |
| Motorcycles | 2 | Ducati | 750 Sport | 1972 | |
| Motorcycles | 3 | Motosacoche | Type 402 | 1924 | Class victory |
| Motorcycles | 4 | Nimbus | Luxury Type2 | 1937 | 3rd place class |
| Motorcycles | 5 | Peugeot | Racing | 1909 | |
| Motorcycles | 6 | Vincent | Black Shadow | 1954 | |
| Motorcycles | 7 | Vincent | Egli | 1966 | |
| Motorcycles | 8 | Moto Guzzi | GTV 500 | 1948 | |
| Post-1960 over 4 liters | 11 | Shelby | Cobra 427 | 1966 | 2nd place class |
| Post-1960 over 4 liters | 12 | De Tomaso | Longchamp Spider GTS | 1981 | |
| Post-1960 over 4 liters | 13 | Ford | Shelby 500GT | 1968 | |
| Post-1960 over 4 Liter | 14 | Ford | Shelby 350GT | 1966 | |
| Post-1960 over 4 Liter | 15 | Intermeccanica | Torino | 1967 | |
| Post-1960 over 4 liters | 16 | Lamborghini | Miura | 1968 | 3rd place class |
| Post-1960 over 4 liters | 17 | Lamborghini | Espada S1 | 1968 | Class victory |
| Post-1960 over 4 liters | 18 | Lamborghini | Jarama | 1970 | |
| Post-1960 over 4 liters | 19 | Maserati | Mistral | 1967 | |
| Post-1960 over 4 liters | 20 | Rolls-Royce | Silver Cloud II | 1962 | |
| Post-1960 over 4 liters | 21 | Rolls-Royce | Silver Shadow I | 1968 | |
| Post-1960 over 4 liters | 22 | Studebaker | Avanti II | 1975 | |
| Post-War closed | 30 | Alfa Romeo | 1900 C Sprint Coupé | 1953 | |
| Post-War closed | 31 | Dodge | D24 Business Coupé | 1946 | |
| Post-War closed | 32 | Ferrari | 250GT | 1959 | |
| Post-War closed | 33 | Ford | Thunderbird Ghia Aigle | 1956 | |
| Post-War closed | 34 | Ford | Comète | 1953 | 3rd place class |
| Post-War closed | 35 | Mercedes-Benz | 220S | 1958 | 2nd place class |
| Post-War closed | 36 | Rolls-Royce | Silver Dawn | 1951 | |
| Post-War closed | 37 | Triumph | Italia | 1959 | Class victory |
| Post-War open | 40 | Austin Healey | 100/4 BN1 | 1955 | |
| Post-War open | 41 | Austin Healey | 100/4 BN2 Le Mans | 1956 | |
| Post-War open | 42 | Bentley | MK VI Le Mans | 1947 | |
| Post-War open | 43 | BMW | 507 Roadster | 1957 | Class victory |
| Post-War open | 44 | Cadillac | Eldorado | 1955 | |
| Post-War open | 45 | Cadillac | Eldorado | 1955 | |
| Post-War open | 46 | Cisitalia | 202SC Convertible | 1949 | 2nd place class |
| Post-War open | 47 | Fiat | Graziani MM | 1953 | |
| Post-War open | 48 | Triumph | Roadster | 1949 | |
| Porsche | 60 | Porsche | Carrera Speedster | 1956 | |
| Porsche | 61 | Porsche | 356A Speedster | 1957 | |
| Porsche | 62 | Porsche | 356 Speedster | 1956 | 2nd place class |
| Porsche | 63 | Porsche | 356 T6 Roadster | 1962 | |
| Porsche | 64 | Porsche | 356 Carrera 2 | 1962 | |
| Porsche | 65 | Porsche | 904 GTS | 1965 | Class victory |
| Porsche | 66 | Porsche | 911 T Targa | 1972 | |
| Porsche | 68 | Porsche | Carrera 3.0 RS | 1973 | 3rd place class |
| Porsche | 69 | Porsche | Carrera 3.0 RS | 1973 | |
| Porsche | 70 | Porsche | 944 CUP | 1988 | |
| Porsche | 71 | Porsche | 356 Zagato | 1962 | |
| Porsche | 72 | Porsche | 356S 90 | 1962 | |
| Porsche | 73 | Porsche | 356SC | 1964 | |
| Post-1960 under 4 liters | 80 | Abarth | Mono Mille | 1962 | |
| Post-1960 under 4 liters | 81 | Alfa Romeo | Giulietta Sprint | 1962 | Class victory |
| out of competition | 82 | Ford | Thunderbird | 1956 | |
| Post-1960 under 4 liters | 83 | Alfa Romeo | GTAm | 1970 | |
| Post-1960 under 4 liters | 84 | Alvis | TD21 | 1962 | 3rd place class |
| Post-1960 under 4 liters | 85 | Aston Martin | DB4 | 1960 | |
| Post-1960 under 4 liters | 86 | Ferrari | 308 GT4 | 1976 | |
| Post-1960 under 4 liters | 88 | Fiat | Abarth 2300 Coupé | 1962 | 2nd place class |
| Post-1960 under 4 liters | 89 | Jaguar | E-Type Lwt | 1963 | |
| Post-1960 under 4 liters | 91 | Jaguar | E-Type Low Drag | 1962 | |
| Post-1960 under 4 liters | 92 | Jaguar | Mark 10 | 1963 | |
| Post-1960 under 4 liters | 93 | Jaguar | Mk II | 1967 | |
| Post-War open | 94 | Lancia | Appia Lusso Vignale | 1960 | 3rd place class |
| Post-1960 under 4 liters | 95 | Lombardi | Tipo 850 | 1972 | |
| Post-1960 under 4 liters | 96 | Maserati | 3500 GT | 1961 | "Best Unrestored" |
| Post-1960 under 4 liters | 97 | Alpine-Renault | A110 | 1969 | |
| Pre-War closed | 100 | Alvis | Speed 20 | 1935 | |
| Pre-War closed | 101 | Cadillac | Sport Coupé | 1939 | 2nd place class |
| Pre-War closed | 103 | Hispano Suiza | J12 | 1938 | Public prize, class victory |
| Pre-War closed | 104 | La Salle | Type 5027 | 1939 | 3rd place class |
| Pre-War open | 110 | Bentley | 3 liters | 1924 | |
| Pre-War open | 111 | Bianchi | Tipo 20 | 1925 | |
| Pre-War open | 112 | BMW | 327/328 | 1938 | |
| Pre-War open | 113 | De Soto | 53 Airstream | 1937 | |
| Pre-War open | 114 | Jaguar | SS100 | 1938 | |
| Pre-War open | 115 | Lancia | Lambda | 1928 | |
| Pre-War open | 116 | Rolls-Royce | Phantom I | 1928 | Class victory |
| Pre-War open | 117 | Rover | 9/20HP | 1926 | 3rd place class |
| Pre-War open | 118 | Vauxhall | ASX | 1933 | 2nd place class |
