CONCOURS OF ELEGANCE

The Most Spectacular Cars At Hampton Court Palace

The 10th Anniversary Concours of Elegance, presented by A. Lange & Söhne, concluded after yet another fabulous automotive extravaganza, held over three days at Hampton Court Palace in west London. It welcomed a record number of guests for the most spectacular display of rare and significant motorcars yet, cementing the event’s reputation as the UK’s top Concours d’Elegance event.

Best In Show: 1938 Delage D8-120 ‘de Villars’: Best in Show winner is one of the finest examples to emerge from the storied Delage brand which had been taken on by Delahaye in the 1930s. In 1936 the French marque created a state of the art 8-cylinder motor. This made it possible to deliver around 105bhp. The D8-100 and D8-120 were born. It was first shown at the Concours de l’Auto de Printemps in 1938 and won the Grand Prize. The Delage sold new for $7200 USD, making it one of the most expensive models in the world.

Pre-1915: 1912 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost Touring: In the pre1915 category, it was a stately Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost Touring from 1912 that emerged victorious, in just days after its 110th birthday. The Ghost was renowned for its near silent 7.4-litre motor; hence its name ‘Ghost’.

1920s: 1925 Vauxhall 30/98 OE Wensum Tourer: In the 1920s category, it was a very special Vauxhall that came out on top – a 1925 Vauxhall 30/98 Wensum Tourer. The winning car is the most special 30/98 variant, one of just 12 cars supplied with the ‘ultra-sporting’ Wensum body was among the most stylish cars of its day. It is believed to be one of just six surviving cars, and likely the most original of all, its interior largely unchanged since it left the Vauxhall factory nigh on 100 years ago.

1930s: 1930 Cord L-29 Brougham: In the 1930s category, a Cord L-29 was victorious. The L-29 was the first American car with a front-wheel drive configuration. It is thought that only 10 examples of the Broughman have survived from the original three-year production run.

1940s & 1950s: 1956 Maserati A6G Zagato: For the 1940s and 1950s class, it was a very special Maserati that took the top prize - the stunning Zagato-bodied A6G. The 150-bhp engine originally designed for racing was adapted to create a dual-purpose car that blended GT civility with thrilling per- formance.

1960s: 1961 Aston Martin DB4GT Zagato: In the hotly contested 1960s category, the winner was a truly exceptional Aston Martin - to many the most beautiful of all: the hallowed DB4GT Zagato. The winning car was the third of the MP209 ‘ultra-lightweight’ motorsport orientated examples.

1970s: 1971 Lamborghini Miura SV: In the 1970s class, it was perhaps the most iconic supercar of all, a 1971 Lamborghini Miura SV. Unveiled at the 1966 Geneva Motor Show, the futuristic supercar was a sensation. The ultimate version of the Miura – the SV - appeared in 1971. In total, just 150 SVs were built out of a total Miura production run of 764.

1980s onwards: 1994 Bugatti EB110 SS: There was another fierce contest in the post-1980 category, with a special RHD Bugatti EB110 SS from 1994 taking the top prize. Power from an outlandish quad-turbo, 60 valve 3.5-litre V12 was sent to all four wheels via a manual transmission. This example is perhaps the most special of the 139 EB110s built - the only right-hand drive example, built for the 1994 British Motor Show.

Ferrari 75th Anniversary Award - 1966 Ferrari 365P Berlinetta Speciale ‘Tre Posti’:

For 2022 the Concours was celebrating the 75th anniversary of Ferrari with a very special category, assembling perhaps the finest selection of machines from Maranello. From the astonishing line-up, it was the one-of-two, nigh-mythical Ferrari 365P Berlinetta Speciale – more commonly known as the ‘Tre Posti’ that took victory. It was revealed to the world at the 1966 Paris Motor Show. It subsequently toured the globe, wowing audiences with its futuristic Pininfarina body. With only two in existence, this highly significant Ferrari is also among the rarest and most valuable.

Elsewhere at the event, the inaugural women-only Levitt Concours, which celebrated female car enthusiasts and collectors, was a great hit; the trophy went to a sensational 1932 Alfa Romeo Tipo B Monoposto.

Gooding & Company’s London collector car auction, held alongside the main Concours in the Palace grounds, also brought significant excitement. James Brooks-Ward, Concours of Elegance CEO, said: “I’m delighted to report that the 2022 edition of the Concours of Elegance was a great success, and a worthy celebration of the tenth anniversary of the UK’s finest Concours event. I’d like to extend a heartfelt thanks to our immensely supportive partners, and of course the cars’ generous owners; without them this fantastic event wouldn’t be possible.”

The Concours of Elegance will return to Hampton Court Palace from the 1st to 3rd September 2023.