Gary Witzenburg

With gasoline prices topping $3 a gallon in the United States, and nearly double that in Europe and elsewhere, the automotive industry has long sought a cleaner, less-expensive fuel to power a growing array of trucks, SUVs, crossovers, and sedans.

If a Concours d’Elegance were to select a financial expert and classic-car collector to breathe new life into an event that was challenged by indifference and a sharp rise in ticket prices, the new model would look a lot like Larry Moss.