- A rare 1934 Hispano-Suiza J12 Vanvooren Cabriolet worth $2 million burned down in a trailer.
- This is the second high-value car destroyed by fire in a month after a 1979 Ford concept.
- Authorities are investigating the cause, with no signs of foul play despite two similar incidents.
Accidents happen all of the time – and sometimes, they can occur in one of the world’s largest car shows. In this case, the damaged car was sitting quietly in a trailer when a fire broke out. Now, a 1934 Hispano-Suiza J12 Vanvooren Cabriolet is a mere shell of its former self.
Valued at $2,000,000 before the fire, the Hispano-Suiza had just secured second place in the J-1: European Classic Touring Early category at the 2024 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. On Wednesday, the Monterey Fire Department responded to a trailer fire only to find the car inside. Authorities closed the highway in both directions while putting out the blaze.
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The Monterey Herald reports no injuries as a result of the fire. The driver of the tow vehicle was able to detach it from the trailer and move it away to safety as well. At this stage of the ongoing investigation, it’s unclear what sparked the fire.
Firefighters claim that there aren’t any current reasons for suspicion, despite the fact that another show vehicle, in this case a 1979 Ford’s Ghia Probe 1 Concept Car valued at $1 million, was also destroyed in a trailer fire on August 18 in Monterey.
“This is an unusual event to happen twice,” says Monterey Fire Division Chief Chris Grogan. “Neither one of them appears to be suspicious. It’s just a string of bad luck.” The J12 is notable as it was initially offered with a 9.4-liter V12. This example is owned by Hong Kong billionaire businessman Michael Kadoorie, says Monterey County Now.