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On the rugged cliffs of California’s Monterey Peninsula, where the Pacific pounds against stone and the scent of salt and cypress hangs in the air, a different kind of tide rolls in every August. At Pebble Beach, automotive history gathers on the 18th fairway, not simply as a display but as a kind of coronation. The Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance is the stage where the rarest and most storied machines are given their due, and just receiving an invitation to compete is a dream realized for many owners.

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This year, among those privileged few was a car that seemed destined for such a moment: a 1939 Maybach SW38 Spohn Sport Zweisitzer. Entered by Dana Mecum, founder of Mecum Auctions and a dedicated connoisseur of fine automobiles with a penchant for truly elite classics, the Maybach arrived with both mystique and gravitas.

Its appearance marked the first time it had been seen in public in 15 years, revealed once again in its authentic prewar livery after a careful restoration. Its return was a revelation, and by the time the judges’ tallies were complete, the car had claimed first in its class and became a Best in Show nominee—an extraordinary result considering the 229 world-class competitors assembled on the lawn.

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<em>Dana and Patti Mecum stand on the greens of Pebble Beach with their award-winning Maybach.</em>

1939 Maybach SW38 Spohn Sport Zweisitzer: A Car Born on the Edge of History

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The 1939 Maybach SW38 Spohn Sport Zweisitzer’s triumph at Pebble Beach is the latest chapter in a long and unlikely story. It left the Friedrichshafen works in May 1939, just months before war engulfed Europe. The SW38 was among the last civilian automobiles the company would produce before its factory was absorbed into the war effort—and ultimately destroyed. Cloaked in one-off coachwork by Carosseriebau Spohn of Ravensburg, it was the only Sport Zweisitzer of its kind ever built.

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The Remarkable Journey of the 1939 Maybach SW38 Spohn Sport Zweisitzer Through History

As war spread, the car was designated an exhibition vehicle by the Hamburg Maybach Agency and placed under factory care for safekeeping. After the conflict, an American Army sergeant acquired the car and brought it home to Florida, where it became part of family life before eventually passing through the hands of Dr. Allen Thomas, a nuclear engineer, and later his stepson, Harold Meyerman of Pasadena. The 1939 Maybach SW38 Spohn Sport Zweisitzer would eventually stand alongside legends like the Bugatti Royale and Duesenberg Mormon Meteor in the Petersen Museum’s 2002 Million Dollar Cars exhibit.

In 2011, Harold and Dorothy Meyerman—after years of careful stewardship—decided it was time to find a new caretaker. They spoke with many potential buyers but ultimately chose Dana and Patti Mecum, who embraced not just the privilege of ownership but the responsibility of preservation. A comprehensive restoration was entrusted to Chris Charlton of Oxford, Maine, whose meticulous work returned the car to the condition in which it first stunned the world nearly nine decades ago.

1939 Maybach SW38 Spohn Sport Zweisitzer: A Return Worthy of Pebble Beach

When the 1939 Maybach SW38 Spohn Sport Zweisitzer reappeared on the greens of Pebble Beach, it was more than another concours entry. It was a piece of history—a survivor of war, of time, of the shifting tides of ownership. Its rarity, craftsmanship and sheer elegance captivated spectators and judges alike. Finishing first in class and second overall out of such a distinguished field was not only an honor but a statement: this car, unique from the moment it was built, still holds the power to inspire awe.

A full 86 years after its birth, the 1939 Maybach SW38 Spohn Sport Zweisitzer proved itself unforgettable, the very essence of what concours competition is meant to celebrate.

The Mecums’ Maybach was hardly the only star to shine this year from the couple’s collection. Other cars from the Dana &amp; Patti Mecum Collection have been making waves across the concours and exhibition circuit as well. At ModaMiami, their 1954 Ferrari 250 Monza (0432/M) took home the Cavallino Award, while at Amelia Island, their 1938 Delage D8-120 Aerosport Coupe won Best in Class, and their 1967 Ferrari 275 GTS/4 NART Spyder drew the admiration of both judges and enthusiasts.

<a href="https://www.seemonterey.com/events/sporting/concours/" target="_blank" data-type="link" data-id="https://www.seemonterey.com/events/sporting/concours/" rel="noreferrer noopener">Monterey Car Week </a>also saw more from the collection, with the 1954 Ferrari 250 Monza and 1955 Ferrari 410 Sport Spider featured at Casa Ferrari, an invitation extended only to Maranello’s finest examples. Additionally, the collection’s 1960 Scarab Formula 1 car joined the celebrated Pebble Beach Tour d’Elegance as one of the lead cars in honor of the 75th anniversary of F1. Piloted by a trusted Mecum team member, the purpose-built car was designed exclusively for track driving, making its cruise on the open road an even more impressive feat.

Beyond the concours field, the Mecum collection has been equally active. The 1933 Ford Roadster Elgin Road Race Car returned to its roots in Elgin, Illinois, for a car show paying homage to the city’s historic motorsports past, while the legendary 1967 Chevrolet Corvette L88 Daytona Racer was showcased at Bloomington Gold, one of the longest-running and most well-attended Corvette events anywhere.

The Mecum collection’s reach extended even further, with two full transporters of cars traveling to the Miller Meet, an annual celebration of Harry Miller’s engineering legacy in American racing, along with the historic 1931 Garwood Miss America VIII, a famed two-time Harmsworth trophy-winning speed boat. Part of the Mecum collection’s showcase of historically significant machinery, the boat represents the breadth and depth of Dana and Patti Mecum’s passion for automotive competition across multiple disciplines.

From concours-winning classics to historically significant race cars and boats, the <a href="https://www.mecum.com/" target="_blank" data-type="link" data-id="https://www.mecum.com/" rel="noreferrer noopener">Mecum collection</a> continues to shine on the world stage, preserving and celebrating the machines that define motoring excellence and demonstrating the unwavering dedication and keen expertise of the Mecum family. Wherever they go, cars from the Mecum collection continue to stand as living incarnations of automotive history. These aren’t just machines polished for show—they are stories preserved, legacies honored and dreams made tangible for those fortunate enough to see them in person.

The Dana & Patti Mecum Collection at Pebble Beach and Beyond

1939 Maybach SW38 Spohn Sport Zweisitzer wins Best in Class at Pebble Beach