One of the most revered automobiles in pre-war motoring history has claimed the highest honor in the collector car world. A Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B has been named the overall winner of the 2025 “Best of the Best” Award presented by The Peninsula Classics, a global accolade widely regarded as the pinnacle of concours recognition.
The award, announced following a year-long selection process among the top concours winners worldwide, places the 1938 Alfa Romeo above an elite field of historically significant and meticulously restored vehicles spanning more than a century of automotive design.
A global crown for concours champions
The Peninsula Classics “Best of the Best” Award is unique in that it does not accept direct entries. Instead, it draws its finalists exclusively from vehicles that have already secured “Best in Show” or equivalent top honors at leading international concours events, including the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, Villa d’Este in Italy, and the Amelia Island Concours in the United States.
An international jury of designers, collectors and historians evaluates finalists on design, engineering innovation, provenance, historical significance and the quality of restoration. The 2025 field represented multiple eras and continents, reflecting the breadth of the global collector market.
The car: Alfa Romeo’s pre-war masterpiece
The 8C 2900B occupies a near-mythical status in automotive history. Developed in the late 1930s as both a competition platform and an ultra-exclusive road car, it combined advanced engineering with bespoke coachwork from Italy’s most celebrated carrozzeria.
Powered by a supercharged 2.9-litre straight-eight engine derived from Alfa Romeo’s Grand Prix program, the 8C 2900B was among the fastest road cars of its era, capable of performance that rivaled contemporary racing machinery. Independent suspension and a sophisticated chassis layout further underscored its technical ambition at a time when most road cars still relied on far simpler mechanical designs.
The winning example, finished in Touring’s elegant Berlinetta body style, is noted for its rarity and provenance, with a documented history that spans pre-war European ownership and decades of careful preservation and restoration.
Why it stood out
Judges highlighted the car’s dual identity as both a technological showcase and a work of automotive art. Its long, flowing bodywork, signature Alfa grille and balanced proportions represent what many historians describe as the high point of pre-war Italian design.
Beyond aesthetics, the 8C’s racing pedigree - including success in endurance and road races in period - reinforced its standing as more than a static showpiece. The jury cited its ability to “bridge the worlds of competition and luxury” as a defining factor in the final decision.
A reflection of the collector market
The win also mirrors broader trends in the high-end collector market, where pre-war European sports cars, particularly those with documented racing history and original coachwork, continue to command premium valuations.
Auction results over the past decade have placed the 8C 2900B among the most valuable automobiles ever sold, with select examples achieving multi-million-dollar prices when they appear on the open market. Industry analysts note that such recognition further cements the model’s status as a “blue-chip” collectible, comparable to rare Ferraris, Bugattis and Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix-era machines.
More than a trophy
For the Peninsula organization, the award is designed to celebrate not just ownership, but the preservation of automotive heritage. “Best of the Best” winners are positioned as ambassadors for the history of the automobile, representing eras of design and engineering that shaped the modern industry.
In crowning the 1938 Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B, the jury effectively reaffirmed the enduring appeal of the pre-war golden age - a period when performance, craftsmanship and artistry converged in ways that still resonate with collectors and enthusiasts nearly a century later.