Kentucky understands horsepower and speed–and that’s not limited to thoroughbreds. The Keeneland Concours exemplified that by hosting a bevy of top-notch vehicles. They ranged from horse carriages (of course, it’s at a famed horse track in Kentucky), to prewar automobiles, to fire trucks, to sports cars, to rad-era examples. Here are our top 10 favorites.
1820 Armbruester of Vienna Pony-Sized Cee-Spring Victoria with Perch
Presented by Harlan E. Judd, of Burkesville, Ky.
What’s a horse carriage doing on our list? You want them newfangled horseless carriages, right? Well, this one was built for Napoleon II, the son of, yes, that Napoleon. Its provenance assuredly led to it winning one of the four Chairman’s Choice awards.
1912 Cadillac Model Thirty Torpedo
Presented by Jim Elliott, of Yorktown, Va.
The 1912 Model Thirty was the first production car to use an electric starter. Only three 1912 Torpedos are known to exist. This Model Thirty won best in class for Cadillac 1948 and Prior.
1917 Ford Model T
Presented by Midway Fire & Rescue, of Midway, Ky.
A number of industries figured out how they could make use of the ubiquitous Model T. That included firefighting. This was the City of Midway’s first fire engine. It won best in class for Fire Trucks.
1995 BMW 318ti Club Sport
Presented by Bailey and Ann Taylor, of Mount Washington, Ky.
BMW built fewer than 200 Club Sports in 1995. Of them, only 94 were in the Hellrot color. This entry gets bonus points for the mini BMW.
1967 Amphicar 770
Presented by Ron and Donna Pennington, of Mason, Ohio
The Amphicar may not be the best on land or water, but it certainly wins over the hearts of those who see it. No better example of that than with this one, which won the People’s Choice award.
1932 MG M-type Metal Body Boat Tail Roadster
Presented by Mike Jansen & Doug Jansen, of Kendallville, Ind.
This example beautifully represented one of 273 metal-bodied M-types. The M-type was MG’s first mass-produced car. This car won best in class for the European Sports.
1968 Ford T5
Presented by Johnnie and Rachel Garner, of Rock Hill, S.C.
It looks like a Mustang, but don’t call it that, at least not back when and where this was sold. In Germany, truck manufacturer Krupp owned the rights to the Mustang name. So, Ford called it by its internal designation, the T5, in the country. The original owner was a Germany-based U.S. serviceman who bought the car there and imported back into the U.S.
1986 Mazda Luce
Presented by Fred and Louise Reinagel, of Ocala, Fla.
Believe it or not, this JDM executive car was tracked during its time in Japan. It carries a turbocharged 13B rotary engine, five-speed transmission and ’80s luxury creature comforts, such as a digital dash, reclining rear seats and a cool box refrigerator.
1953 Arnolt-MG Bertone Coupe
Presented by Craig & Sandra Burchsted, of Austin, Texas
Of the 103 Arnolt-MGs built, this was S.H.“Wacky” Arnolt’s personal car. The car remains “completely original and unrestored,” with only 2500 miles on the clock.
1967 De Tomaso Vallelunga
Presented by Andy Manganaro, of Xenia, Ohio
De Tomaso made just 53 examples of the Vallelunga, the company’s first foray into passenger cars for the street. This one was owned by Dean Martin and his son, Ricci. It won best in class for Foreign Classics.
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By J.A. Ackley
