Photo by Walt Herip, courtesy Stan Hywet Concours d’Elegance.

First impressions matter, and when putting on a concours d’elegance, that means not only inviting a fine inaugural field of cars, but also selecting a best of show winner that sets the appropriate tone for the show. The organizers of the first Stan Hywet Concours d’Elegance thus have set a fairly high bar by deeming a Derham-bodied 1931 Duesenberg Model J Tourster its best in show this past weekend.

One of seven built according to the designs of Gordon Buehrig – the famed Cord, Auburn, and later Ford designer who described the Tourster as simple perfection – the Model J, chassis number 2464 and engine number J-448, reportedly still retains its original chassis, engine and body, though nowadays sports screened hood sides and the through-hood exhaust pipes of the supercharged Duesenbergs rather than its original vertical hood louvers.

Originally bought by William S. Odom of Paris and New York, it was once allegedly owned by Andy Granatelli before current owners Joseph and Margie Cassini of West Orange, New Jersey, bought it and had RM Restorations refinish it in its current cream livery. One of two Duesenbergs that the Cassinis own, the Derham Tourster has previously won its class at the 2012 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance, won its class (and was nominated for best in show) at the 2012 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, and shared best in show honors at the 2013 Concours d’Elegance of America.

“The Tourster had great presence and an excellent choice of colors,” said David Schultz, director of the Stan Hywet Concours d’Elegance and a columnist for Hemmings Classic Car.

Other significant award winners among the 170 cars on the field of this year’s Stan Hywet Concours d’Elegance include the Sala-bodied 1922 Isotta-Fraschini Tipo 8 torpedo phaeton owned by Roy Margenau, which won the Top CCCA Classic award; the Cerf-built replica of the 1769 Cugnot fardier a vapeur owned by the Tampa Bay Automobile Museum, which won the concours’s Technology award; and the Hess and Eisenhardt-bodied 1956 Continental Mark II convertible owned by Barry Wolk, which won the People’s Choice award.

Along with the announcements of the winners, the organizers of the Stan Hywet concours also announced that next year’s edition of the concours, which will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens in Akron, Ohio, will include a display of as many different 1915-model vehicles as possible, “from the lowest price cars that were produced to the most expensive – and everything in between,” Schultz said.

For more information, visit Concours.StanHywet.org.