Our Favorites from the Audrain Concours d’Elegance in Newport

Saponetta means "little soap." The name aptly describes this slippery roadster, which weighs in at roughly 900 pounds. Bandini made nine (this example is the only right-hand-drive model). Its 750-cc Crosley four-cylinder, also shared with the Nardi 750 on display, revs to 8500 rpm.

Italian coachbuilders had a way of turning pedestrian economy cars into sensational racers. Zagato went for broke on this double-bubble coupe, which was a serious competitor with its independent front suspension and 60-hp V-4 but today looks adorable with its oversized covered headlights and fetching blue paint. Fewer than six were made in this body.

Victress made custom fiberglass bodies in California. The C3, sold as a shell, was the industry's first all-fiberglass coupe body. Fewer than 20 C3 coupes were made. This one was originally based on a 1937 Pontiac chassis and powertrain. The style and the finish are exotic-level, even if the mechanicals and its history are not as prestigious.

Talk about rare: Here's one of the earliest examples of the present-day Audi logo before the Audi brand was officially re-established in 1965. It would be easy to dismiss this Auto Union coupe as a Ford Thunderbird knockoff—many foreign automakers copied the American tailfin trend—but the 1000 SP is an important part of modern Audi's complicated history.

A little background: Audi was an early spinoff of Horch and later in 1928 was purchased by DKW, which with Wanderer made up the four rings of Auto Union. The Audi name faded during the war and didn't become an official company until Auto Union merged with NSU in 1969 and finally, as Audi AG in 1985.

Only about 5000 coupes were made over seven years. This one was actually a trade-in at a Pittsburgh Audi dealer in 2007, which stored the car for more than a decade.

Briggs Cunningham was the first American to drive an American car at Le Mans, though neither he nor his Chrysler-powered creations would win outright. No matter; his Cunningham C3 road cars represented a blend of Italian coachbuilding and American muscle that no other small builder had tried. Using the C2R chassis and a Hemi V-8, the C3 was built in Florida and bodied by Vignale in Italy. Just 25 were made, all of which survive. A Chrysler enthusiast in Connecticut owns this two-tone brown example.

Next to the Cords was this fellow art deco beauty, a Graham (check out the square headlights integrated seamlessly into the fenders—in 1939). Graham, an Indiana automaker that sold Dodge-powered trucks in the 1920s, built roughly 20 examples of the Model 97, which from the side looks more extreme than that era's Chrysler Airflow. Like many avant-garde designs, the Model 97 was unpopular then but appreciated today.

You can practically smell the leather and wood from your screen. This brown-over-tan Lamborghini, with its half-covered headlights and small back seat, was the first Jarama imported to the U.S. and one of 177 in the GT400 spec. The Jarama was the Islero's successor but not quite as long and elegant as the Espada, which could seat four in greater comfort. The man who imports every Subaru into New England through his private distributor, Ernie Boch Jr., owns this car.

Giotto Bizzarrini, the Italian engineer behind the Ferrari 250 GTO, followed Cunningham's form with his 5300 GT. It was an Italian-bodied race car with an American engine, in this case, a Giugiaro design with a Chevy small-block. Just 133 were made, and these three aren't originals. They're remade examples under a Kuwaiti-owned company that bought all the branding rights and intends to sell each for $2 million.

The 300G's swiveling tan seats, pleated black leather dash, and metal push buttons for the automatic transmission are absolutely grand. Audrain estimates that only 65 convertibles exist out of 337 made. That Chrysler still has but one vestige of this spectacular car—the 300C that's about to depart—is telling about the brand's modern-day relevance.

Not for exhibition was this stunning navy-over-red Bentley coupe bodied by Mulliner, one of 207 made between 1952 and 1955. At the time, the R-Type's 120-mph max speed made it the world's fastest four-seat car.

While several pristine V-16 Cadillacs were out on the lawn, the electric Celestiq is itching to become a future concours entrant. It's highly ambitious for Cadillac to assume it can charge $340,000 without proof that it can deliver the company's Standard of the World build quality from decades past. Cadillac hasn't built a car by hand since the 1960s, but it's aiming for the Rolls-Royce Spectre with full customization and royal customer treatment when production starts in December.

The car is stunning to see in person. This example is painted in Habanero with Sheer Gray, Backen Black, and Santorini leather.

It's heartening that Audrain recognizes younger collectors without deep pockets by including vehicles like this modified Suzuki. Is the X90 ready to take its place in automotive history?