We were lucky enough to attend the Concours of Elegance this weekend. It took place at Hampton Court Palace, a former Royal Palace in the London borough of Richmond.
The location is fitting for a Concours event. The Palace was built in 1515 and in its time, has been home to some of the most iconic British rulers. From King Henry VIII, to King George II, its gardens provide the perfect backdrop.
Nestled among the perfectly manicured Yew Trees, the organisers managed to collate a collection of some of the most iconic modern and historic cars. The collection spanned a range of manufacturers from some of the biggest to the most obscure.
Our favourite was the Stout Scarab. Very rarely seen in the UK, this example had been brought over from the States. Just 9 were built during a limited production run during the 1930’s. The American minivan featured pioneering innovations including a rear-mounted engine, flexible interior and independent suspension.
We also loved the McLaren F1. Fresh from a nut and bolt restoration by McLaren’s specialists at MSO, this particular car is one of the iconic road cars finished in silver.
Among the most eye-catching on display was a Bugatti Type 57. It was actually a Replica, built on the chassis of a more mundane Sedan and which replicates the look of a Figoni et Falaschi one-off, currently on display in the Peterson Museum in California.
Several milestones were celebrated over the weekend. The event organisers managed to pull together an example of every single collaboration between Aston Martin and Zagato – 18 in total. Five variations of the Ferrari 166M were on display too, including chassis 0008M, overall winner of the 1949 Mille Miglia and the 1949 24 Hours of Le Mans.
As with most events this year, Bentley has been honoured with a collection of its most iconic racers. The legendary Speed Six ‘Old Number One’ was on display, the car that won Le Mans in 1929 and 1930. Even the Queen’s State Limousine was made available for the event.
Among some of the more modern machinery was an Aston Martin Vulcan, the Senna-themed McLaren P1 GTR and a Ferrari F40. A special collection of 1990’s machinery also gathered a Jaguar XJR-15, a Pagani Zonda C12S and a Bugatti EB110SS, among others.
