Film cars, sporty icons from the brand’s history and a 115-year-old Benz Prinz-Heinrich car in motion: Mercedes-Benz impressed with a diverse presence at the famous Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance 2025 – and was awarded the Charles A. Chayne Trophy for the most advanced technology of its era.
“Pebble Beach 2025 was a special experience. Around the Concours d’Elegance, at the Tour d’Elegance and in Laguna Seca, Mercedes-Benz presented the entire range of its portfolio, from history to the future and in line with our motto ‘Heritage Creates Futureʼ.
High-tech vehicles underpinned our spirit of innovation: the Benz Prinz-Heinrich-Wagen from 1910 set standards in engine technology and design 115 years ago. Its award of the Charles A. Chayne Trophy once again underlines the innovative strength of our brand and the significance of our historic vehicles.
Today, the CONCEPT AMG GT XX offers an impressive glimpse of a new dimension of performance.”Marcus Breitschwerdt, CEO of Mercedes-Benz Heritage GmbH
Hightech from 1910 at the Tour d‘Elegance
The Tour d’Elegance marks the start of every Pebble Beach Automotive Week. This year, the 1910 Benz Prinz-Heinrich-Wagen (59 kW/80 hp) led the 100-kilometre drive. At the wheel: Marcus Breitschwerdt. Only two examples of this racing car type have been preserved.
The technically innovative vehicle has a 5.7-litre four-cylinder engine with four-valve technology and dual ignition, cardan drive and a streamlined body with a characteristic pointed rear end.
It was developed for the Prinz-Heinrich-Fahrt, named after the brother of the German emperor. At the beginning of the 20th century, the competition was one of the most important automobile races in Europe.
The experts at the Mercedes-Benz Classic Centre restored the Prinz-Heinrich-Wagen true to the original and with the highest standards of authenticity and made it ready for Pebble Beach 2025.
Concours on Sunday: Formula 1 anniversary and trophy for Benz
The Concours d’Elegance was the highlight of the Automotive Week on Sunday, 17 August 2025. One central aspect was the 75th anniversary of Formula 1. Mercedes-Benz Classic presented a W 196 R Formula 1 racing car with exposed wheels.
The Mercedes-AMG F1 W16, the current Silver Arrow driven by George Russell and Kimi Antonelli in the 2025 racing season, bridged the gap to the brand’s recent Formula 1 history.
In the ‘Origins of Formula 1’ class, the 1910 Benz Prinz-Heinrich car, alongside a private 1914 Mercedes 115 hp Grand Prix racing car, showed how Daimler and Benz, as competitors, shaped motorsport in its early days before merging to form Daimler-Benz in 1926.
The organiser of the Concours d’Elegance honoured the Benz Prinz-Heinrich-Wagen with the Charles A. Chayne Trophy, which has been awarded annually since 1987 to the most technically advanced automobile of its era.
Chayne was an influential engineer and vice president of General Motors who drove significant innovations in the automotive industry. In recent years, Mercedes-Benz has already won the prestigious “Best of Show” title at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance ten times.
“Silver Stars from Stuttgart” in Laguna Seca
75 years of Formula 1 was also the focal point in Laguna Seca, the legendary race track near Pebble Beach. In this anniversary year, the W 196 R Formula 1 racing car (up to 213 kW/290 hp) from the company’s collection fascinated on the track.
The Silver Arrow marked Stuttgart’s return to Grand Prix racing in 1954, with Juan Manuel Fangio winning the world championships in 1954 and 1955. A Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR racing sports car (W 196 S, up to 228 kW/310 hp), also from 1955, and the open-top high-performance sports car SLR McLaren Stirling Moss (Z 199, 478 kW/650 hp) from 2009 also thrilled visitors.
The letters SLR highlight the conceptual link between the two vehicles – the super sports car developed by Mercedes-Benz with its then Formula 1 partner McLaren continues the tradition of the famous racing car.
Seventy years ago, the brand won the Sports Car World Championship with the 300 SLR. The record-breaking drive by Stirling Moss and Denis Jenkinson at the 1955 Mille Miglia, in the best time ever achieved, is legendary.
Mercedes-Benz “Stargaze Theatre”
Classic film stars on four wheels from Mercedes-Benz were the highlights at the Mercedes-Benz “Stargaze Theatre” – the brand’s appearance at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in the style of a drive-in cinema.
On the screen clips from feature films as well as historical film material were shown, while the guests experienced famous Mercedes-Benz film cars directly in front of it.
The presence of these cars in iconic films illustrates how the brand has shaped people’s attitudes and lifestyles for decades and has become a social reference point beyond technological leadership and product quality.
Among others, vehicles from these films were on display: “F1” from 2025 (Mercedes F1 APXGP Race Car W 16), “Jurassic Park” from 1997 (Mercedes-Benz M-Class, W 163), “Beverly Hills Cop” from 1984 (Mercedes-Benz 380 SL, R 107), “The Hangover” from 2009 (Mercedes-Benz 220 SE, W 111) and “High Society” from 1956 (Mercedes-Benz 190 SL, W 121).
CONCEPT AMG GT XX, Mercedes-Benz Vision V and Mercedes-Maybach: The new stars at Pebble Beach
Mercedes-AMG set highlights with the CONCEPT AMG GT XX. At Pebble Beach, the Mercedes-Benz Vision V gave a preview of the top-end version of the new people carriers with the three-pointed star.
Mercedes-Maybach presented the special edition Mercedes-Maybach S 680 Edition Emerald Isle, limited to just 25 units for the US market. Inspiration was drawn from the region’s iconic coastal landscape.