1953 Abarth 1100 SS Ghia Coupe Takes Best of Show at Audrain Newport Concours & Motor Week

After a year’s hiatus, the stars of the vintage automotive world were on full display at the Audrain Newport Concours & Motor Week. The stunning and very rare 1953 Abarth 1100 Ghia owned by Bradley Calkins brought those gathered for the four-day celebration of automotive excellence, luxury and sport to their feet when it crossed the podium at The Breakers mansion to receive the Best of Show award.

Shown at the 1953 Turin Salon, Calkins’ rare Italian masterpiece features lightweight aerodynamic bodywork by Ghia. Its stunning dove gray paint is beautifully complimented by its blue leather interior. What really makes Calkins’ 1100 SS unique is its shape and design. Its sister car, a Simca, no longer exists, leaving this car as the only remaining example of its kind.

Audrain Concours Automotive Photography by Deremer Studios, LLC

Doug Cohen’s stunning 1968 Lamborghini Espada locked up the concours’ Most Elegant award. The 1951 Ferrari 212 Export Spider Vignale owned by Jeff and Frances Fisher took home the Sporting Choice award, which was no surprise, as it was a true star among many in its class. It capped off four full days of automotive events that comprise the Audrain Newport Concours & Motor Week.

“I am proud to say we exceeded even our own expectations for this year’s event and are thrilled with the outcome,” said Audrain CEO Donald Osborne. “It is all about bringing car people together to share their stories and create new memories that will last a lifetime. We are delighted that we could share the island we love with everyone and continue to establish our place in the global concours world.”

The concours was held at The Breakers mansion, the most famous of the Newport Cottages, and the former home of the Vanderbilt family. Not only were the Vanderbilts prominent Newport socialites, but among them was Willie K. Vanderbilt — one of the greatest car enthusiasts of the early 20th century.

The Concours featured 59 prominent judges from five countries and 180 cars from across the USA. There were 20 classes of vehicles from 1899 to 1970, plus the two 30 Under 30 classes.

The brainchild of Jay Leno, Chairman of the Audrain’s Newport Concours & Motor Week, the 30 Under 30 class is for owners under 30 years old who have spent less than $30,000 on their car. This year’s event featured two divisions of this class: 30 Under 30, and 30 Under 30 Porsche 944. Matthew Goist’s 1922 Franklin Series 10-A took home First in Class in the 30 Under 30, and Joseph Cesavo’s 1987 Porsche 944 locked down First in Class in the 30 Under 30 944 class.

Other class winners:

Born on the Track Class B-1: 1959 Porsche RSK Spyder – owned by Steve Adler
Born on the Track Class B-2: 1984 Lancia 037 – owned by The S&T Collection
Corvette: 1963 Corvette Z06 – owned by Phil Cataldo
Pioneer Race Cars: 1901 Winton Race Car 40 HP – owned by the Larz Anderson Museum
Jaguar E-Type: 1969 XKE S2 – owned by Dennis Mamchur
G-1 Sport: 1932 Auburn Model 8-100 A Speedster – owned by Heritage Museum & Gardens
G-2 Sport: 1956 Porsche Speedster – owned by Stephen Serio
G-3 Sport: 1961 Pontiac Ventura – owned by Jeffrey Goldstein
H-1 History: 1938 Jaguar SS 100 – owned by Wayne Carini
H-2 History: 1965 Iso Rivolta GT – owned John Galley
Veteran: 1910 Winton Model 17 Seven-Passenger Touring – owned by Myron Schuster Collection
L-1 Luxury: 1928 Isotta Fraschini Tipo 8A SS Lebaron Convertible – owned by Peter Boyle
L-2 Luxury: 1942 Cadillac Model 6207 Sedanette – owned by Steve Cooley
L-3 Luxury: 1961 Ghia L 6.4 Coupe – owned by Mark Hyman
M-1 Luxury Meets Sport: 1937 Delahaye 135M Competition – owned by Myron Schuster Collection
M-2 Luxury Meets Sport: 1953 Abarth Ghia 1100 SS Coupe – owned by Bradley Calkins (Best of Show Winner)

Among the other special awards given were the Chairman’s Choice prize to Pete & Merle Mullin for their 1951 Delahaye Model 235 Cabriolet. The Founder’s Choice trophy was presented to Jim and Nancy Utaski for their 1965 Aston Martin DB5 Convertible. The People’s Choice award, chosen by the nearly 3,000 attendees, was presented to Phil Castaldo for his ultra-rare 1963 Z06 Corvette.

The next Audrain’s Newport Concours d’Elegance will be held on Sunday, October 2nd as a part of the 2022 Concours & Motor Week, beginning on September 28^th.

Sponsors making the 2021 Audrain Newport Concours & Motor Week possible are – AIG, Aldez Tequila, AR-Global, Audrain Automobile Museum, Audrain Motorsport, Autodromo, Automotive Valuation Services, Bank Newport, Bank of America, Bentley Boston, Bonhams, Bugatti, Chevrolet Paul Masse, David Rovinsky, First In Service, GMC Hummer EV, Grundy Insurance, Gunnar Racing, Hagerty Insurance, Herb Chambers Alfa Romeo of Boston, Herb Chambers Exotics, Jay Leno’s Garage, Kimberly Pucci, La Forge Restaurant, Lamborghini Boston, Legacy Advisors, Linkage, Maserati, McLaren, McLaren Racing, Mercury Racing, Midtown Oyster Bar, Newport Craft, Northrop & Johnson, Pagani, Parker Construction, Reliable Carriers, Rolls Royce New England, The Aquidneck Club, The Black Pearl, Whispering Angel.

Learn more here.