LIFE BEYOND FIRST CLASS
ARTS & COLLECTIBLES
THE LAST OF
ITS KIND
At Concours of Elegance Germany, one extraordinary Horch reminded the world’s most discerning collectors that true masterpieces are measured not simply by rarity, but by their ability to transcend time.
REGINA RUSSO
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1939 Horch 855 Special Roadster by Gläser
There comes a point in collecting when rarity alone is no longer enough. Production numbers shrink, provenance deepens, restorations become increasingly meticulous, and values continue to climb. Yet only a handful of automobiles ever cross the invisible threshold separating an exceptional collector car from a cultural artifact. Those are the machines that quietly redefine an entire category.
At the 2026 Concours of Elegance Germany, held against the breathtaking backdrop of Gut Kaltenbrunn overlooking Bavaria’s Lake Tegernsee, that distinction belonged unmistakably to one automobile. The 1939 Horch 855 Special Roadster by Gläser was awarded Best of Show, an honor made even more meaningful because it was chosen not by judges, but by fellow entrants, collectors whose own automobiles represent some of the finest examples in existence.
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1962 Maserati 5000 GT by Allemano
At this level, recognition from one’s peers carries a significance few trophies can equal.
There are rare automobiles, and then there are automobiles that effectively cease to exist. The Horch 855 occupies that second category. Believed to be one of only five to seven examples originally produced, chassis 855007 is the sole surviving original production example known today. Once rarity reaches singularity, conventional comparisons begin to disappear. Value becomes less about market performance and more about cultural stewardship.
Its journey only reinforces that status.
Originally delivered to the Netherlands before the outbreak of the Second World War, the Horch eventually found its way to the United States, passing through several of the most respected automotive collections ever assembled. It appeared in Road & Track during the 1950s, was driven by Rock Hudson in The World Is Ours, later returned to Germany for an extensive restoration, and spent years on display within Audi’s museum in Ingolstadt before returning to private ownership following its acquisition at RM Sotheby’s in 2024. Few automobiles possess a provenance that reads as both automotive history and cultural history simultaneously.
1955 Maserati 300 S
Visually, the Horch remains astonishing. Its impossibly long bonnet, flowing pontoon fenders, and dramatically low stance embody the final flourish of pre-war European coachbuilding, an era when automobiles were conceived as rolling works of art rather than products of industrial efficiency. Even today, nearly ninety years after it first appeared, its proportions feel remarkably contemporary. Some designs age gracefully. Others seem to escape time altogether.
That distinction quietly defined much of the weekend.
Concours of Elegance Germany has become more than a gathering of remarkable automobiles. It has evolved into a reflection of where the world’s most sophisticated collectors are directing their attention. Increasingly, originality, provenance, and historical integrity are carrying as much weight as outright beauty. This year’s decade winners reinforced that shift. The largely unrestored 1931 Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 Gran Sport Spyder celebrated authenticity over perfection, while the elegant 1947 Delahaye 135 MS Roadster demonstrated the enduring appreciation for post-war French coachbuilding at its most sculptural.
Elsewhere, provenance proved equally persuasive. Sir Elton John’s beautifully preserved 1985 Aston Martin V8 Vantage reminded collectors that exceptional ownership history can elevate an already significant automobile into something considerably more desirable. Likewise, the meticulously restored Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona illustrated the growing premium placed on factory-correct restoration and documented originality.
One manufacturer, however, emerged as the defining narrative of the event.
As Maserati celebrated the centenary of its iconic Trident emblem, the marque dominated proceedings with an extraordinary display of racing pedigree, engineering excellence, and coachbuilt elegance. From the Stirling Moss-driven 300 S to the breathtaking 5000 GT Allemano and the one-off 3500 GT Convertible Prototype, the weekend underscored why Maserati continues to command increasing attention among elite collectors. These automobiles occupy a uniquely desirable intersection where competition history, handcrafted exclusivity, and technical innovation converge.
1985 Aston Martin V8 Vantage
The Future Classics category hinted at tomorrow’s blue-chip collectibles. Lamborghini’s Diablo SE30, built to commemorate the company’s thirtieth anniversary, reflects a broader shift already reshaping the market. As the automotive industry accelerates toward electrification, limited-production analog supercars are increasingly appreciated not simply as performance machines, but as the closing chapter of a mechanical era unlikely to return.
That same confidence extended beyond the concours field. RM Sotheby’s Tegernsee auction demonstrated the remarkable breadth of today’s collector market, where pre-war coachbuilt masterpieces, homologation specials, and modern hypercars coexist within the same conversation. The sale of a Koenigsegg One:1, one of only six customer examples produced, alongside significant Ferraris and Mercedes-Benz performance models, reinforced a principle that has become increasingly evident across every segment of the market: true rarity never falls out of favor.
Great collections are rarely built around the most expensive automobiles. They are built around the irreplaceable ones.
Standing quietly above the waters of Lake Tegernsee, the Horch 855 Special Roadster by Gläser reminded everyone fortunate enough to encounter it that the finest collector cars are more than extraordinary machines. They are expressions of design, craftsmanship, history, and survival. Long after awards have been presented and concours lawns have emptied, those qualities remain. They are the reason certain automobiles do not simply endure history. They become part of it.
Discover more about the Concours of Elegance Germany and its celebration of the world’s most exceptional collector automobiles at concoursofelegancegermany.com.
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