This striking machine belongs to Penny and Lee Anderson Sr., who rightly call the trophy the “highest award that can be achieved in the world of car collecting.” The win marks Hispano Suiza’s third top honor at Pebble Beach, cementing its legacy in American car culture. The brand’s connection to the US runs deep, charged with decades of fascination for its unique, beautifully built machines.
Dubonnet dreamt up this car to turn heads at the toughest races, and he wanted it light, fast and elegant. Hispano Suiza teamed up with Nieuport-Astra, best known for their aircraft, and what they built earned the nickname “Tulipwood Torpedo.” The body used thin strips of mahogany—just 3 millimeters thick—held together with thousands of aluminum rivets and carefully varnished by hand. The end result weighed only 70 kg, a genuine featherweight by 1920s standards. Dubonnet’s Torpedo was more than a showpiece; it finished the legendary Targa Florio in sixth place and the Coppa Florio in fifth, taking on the big names of endurance racing.
After its time on the track, Dubonnet tweaked the car for road use, adding creature comforts like headlights and a windshield. The Torpedo changed hands several times, survived World War II, and still shows off much of its original glory. In 2022, it made headlines again when it sold at auction for a record price.
Hispano Suiza’s spirit of innovation and artistry didn’t end in the 1920s. That same energy drives the brand’s electric hypercars today, including the fierce Carmen Sagrera, the Carmen, and the Carmen Boulogne. These modern icons mix classic luxury, cutting-edge engineering, and jaw-dropping design, keeping Hispano Suiza’s DNA alive for a new generation of collectors.
The brand, owned by the Suqué Mateu family since the start, dates to 1904. It has always pushed boundaries, first with powerful luxury cars and aircraft engines, and now with high-tech, high-performance electric hypercars that still carry that signature attention to detail and exclusivity.
With this latest win at Pebble Beach, Hispano Suiza proves that true elegance never goes out of style. Its story is one of innovation, beauty, and lasting impact in the world of automotive design.
