Some Early European Luxe Was On Display At the Cincinnati Concours

The main feature at this year's Cincinnati Concours d'Elegance was Euro Luxe vs American Luxury and the organizers brought six classes to the field including this amazing pre-war European group. This strong field featured cars such as this 1935 SS Cars Limited SS One Airline. 

 The original British parent company, Swallow Sidecar, used the SS designation prior to World War II and then changed it for obvious reason. The company went on to change its name to Jaguar. This car is one of only 16 One Airlines known to exist.

 

This 1933 Isotta-Frshini Tipo 8A Dual Cowl Sports Tourer originally cost $20,000 back then and was purchased by famed radio comedian Joe Penner. It has been featured in several films, co-starring with the likes of James Dean and John Wayne. It has a 450 cubic inch straight eight cylinder engine that turns out 160 horse power. It features a one off body by Ercole Castagna.

The winner of this year's Best of Show is this 1936 Horch 853A Special Roadster. Horch was one of four companies that merged to for Auto Union which then became Audi. This is number two of only six of this model ever built. It also won Best of Show at the Seabrook, TX concours. It has a 4.9 liter SOHC straight eight cylinder engine that produces 100 horse power.

 

Few cars in the world scream luxury like a Rolls Royce and this 1927 Phantom 1 with coachwork by Windovers is a perfect example. The only one of its kind known to exist, it is a Best of Show concours winner. It sports a 7.4 liter six cylinder engine.

Brought up from Nashville's fabulous Lane Motor Museum, this 1938 Adler Type 10 is from a company in Frankfort, Germany that started making bicycles in 1896. It is an example of an early aerodynamic body design. While it only had a 2.5 liter side valve straight six cylinder engine it could hit a top speed of 78 miles per hour.

French automaker Delahaye built this 1939 135M specifically for the French Alpine Road Rally and it became known as "Coupe de Alpes." During its existence between 1935 and 1954, Delahaye only built about 2000 total cars. The 135M had a 3557 cc inline six cylinder engine that produced 115 horse power.

Famed coach builder Howard A. "Dutch" Darren built this one of a kind 1936 Packard Twelve while he was still working in Paris which qualifies it as a European car. The car has a 445 cubic inch V12 known by Packard as a Twin Six engine that turned out 160 horse power.

This is a 1939 Bugatti Type 57 with coach work by Galibier. A year after it was made the car received a factory upgrade to a superchared engine. This means it was powered by a 3257 cc DOHC superchared straight eight cylinder engine that cranked out 160 horse power.