Salon Privé all set for another classic at Blenheim Palace

by Salon Privé | August 29, 2023

• Salon Privé at Blenheim Palace returns for the 18th year with a new four-day format

•Salon Privé Concours brings the finest and rarest classic cars from across the globe

•Salon Privé Ladies' Day by Boodles offers a unique take on luxury lifestyle

•Saturday's public 'Salon Privé Supercar Saturday and Club Trophy' to feature more than 1,000 exceptional collectors' cars – all hoping to win the prestigious Lockton Club Trophy

•Feature brands include Lotus, Aston Martin, Ferrari, Bentley, Rolls-Royce, Bugatti, Lamborghini, McLaren, Audi and Alpine

•60 years of Lamborghini to be celebrated with a gathering of 60 V12-engined supercars

•Salon Privé opens on Wednesday August 30 – buy tickets here: www.salonpriveconcours.com/buy-tickets

Salon Privé returns to Blenheim Palace for its 18th glorious year next week with a new format and a remarkable array of new cars, rare classics and luxury goods across four days – all showcased in the unique Salon Privé way.

The show opens on Wednesday 30 August with an array of new cars that guests will have one of the first opportunities in the world to get up close and inspect, alongside an enviable array of world-class rare classics. The automobile and lifestyle gathering will also house the largest ever luxury retail village, with a curated collection of brands covering everything a dream lavish lifestyle could need – from helicopters, private jets, boats and Boodles jewellery.

Highlights include the world-renowned Salon Privé Concours presented by Aviva, with 60 hugely rare collector cars flown in from all around the world and showcased on the South Lawn. The competition is the only serious multi-marque one of its kind in the UK, to be overseen by ICJAG judges, many of them just returned from judging duties at Pebble Beach Concours d'Elégance.

Friday is Salon Privé Ladies' Day presented by Boodles, where the focus will be on guests donning their summer best for a day of Pommery Champagne, shopping and exquisite hospitality.

On Saturday, the show opens for all, with Salon Privé Supercar Saturday and Club Trophy presented by Lockton. There will be an enviable collection of iconic automotive classics from dozens of invited clubs, with more than 1,000 sports, super and hypercars all hoping to scoop the envied Salon Privé Club Trophy by Lockton.

Show co-founder and director David Bagley says 'Salon Privé is a world-class luxury event as well as an enviable automotive day out. During the week, we have full hospitality, with Pommery Champagne, three-course signature menus and of course, English afternoon tea.

Saturday is our public day where we're planning a fabulous display of Le Mans racers, plus this year's central feature 'The Yellow Collection' – 16 incredible automobiles, headlined by a stunning Ferrari 250 LM, gracing the Duke's central cricket ground, and of course, all of them yellow!'

This year, Salon Privé will also be marking 100 years of the Le Mans 24 Hours race with an exclusive display of cars from Porsche, Jaguar and Ferrari. The line-up will include mighty Porsche 962 racers from the 1980s, a Ferrari driven by ex-F1 driver Giancarlo Fisichella – and the last Jaguar to 'win' Le Mans. Guests will be able to find out the controversial story behind the 1993 Jaguar XJ220C at Blenheim Palace…

Supercars at Salon Privé

The world's top automotive manufacturers will be displaying their latest models at Salon Privé. A highlight is the new Lamborghini Revuelto, the Italian brand's first super sports V12 hybrid plug-in, which is confirmed to make one of its first UK appearances. With a staggering 1,015hp, the first Lamborghini High Performance Electrified Vehicle (HPEV) combines an all-new naturally-aspirated 6.5-litre V12 engine with three electric motors and a double-clutch gearbox. It has all-wheel drive, 13 drive modes and even offers a fully-electric mode.

A feature-draw on Supercar Saturday will be a stunning showcase of 60-plus V12 Lamborghinis, as part of the Lamborghini 60th anniversary celebrations. The display on the South Lawn will be complemented by an additional display of V8 and V10 Lamborghinis in the Great Court. 'It will be a wonderful way to celebrate 60 years of Lamborghini,' said David Bagley.

Lotus returns to Salon Privé with a wide range of cars, headlined by the exciting new Eletre electric Hyper SUV. Guests will be able to inspect the new model up close – and take a dynamic drive in the new EV SUV, which has a range of up to 373 miles and can do 0-62mph in under 3.0 seconds.

The new Lotus Emira sports car will be showcased too, again including dynamic drives. The most accomplished Lotus sports car ever, a second high-output four-cylinder version has been added to the range, making it the most powerful Lotus four-cylinder sports car of all time. An added draw will be Lotus' classic 1976 Esprit S1, a genuine poster car of the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s.

Elsewhere, guests can inspect the latest Ferrari Purosangue, the Italian brand's first-ever four-door, four-seater model, along with the beautiful new Roma Spider. Aston Martin will be showcasing the latest DB12 and DBX 707 SUV, Rolls-Royce will bring the new all-electric Spectre, Bentley will display the new Bentayga EWB Azure and McLaren will be showing the new 750S Spider.

Specialists at Salon Privé

Specialist automotive brands will be out in force, with the latest models from Electrogenic, Theon Design and Totem Automobili, while the MST Mk1 will thrill enthusiasts who remember the famous Ford Escort rally cars from the 1970s. There will be specialist motorcycle firms too, including Thornton Hundred, Krazy Horse and Arc.

Naturally, the country's most acclaimed classic car dealers will be displaying their latest consignments at Salon Privé. Guests will be able to get up close with cars from Tom Hartley Jnr, Graeme Hunt, Simon Furlonger, Dylan Miles and GVE London – and speak to specialists from each company to find out everything they need to know about the cars on display.

Classics at Salon Privé

There will once again be a jaw-dropping display of ultra-rare classics at Salon Privé. Surely a headline draw will be the 1936 Bugatti Type 57 Atalante Roll-back coupé, one of just two originally delivered to the US. Wearing its original coachwork and factory livery, this storied car is an exceptional example of one of the most revered designs of all time.

Built just a year later, the 1937 Alvis Speed 25 SC by Offord & Sons is a unique commission with a flamboyant two-seater sports body. The advanced spec includes all-synchromesh four-speed gearbox, servo-assisted brakes and even air jacks. Meanwhile, a 1968 Porsche 911 T/R that was the first specially-homologated 911 race car offered to customers will be on display: the car competed in the 1968 and 1969 Le Mans 24 Hours – and, following restoration, ran at the 2021 Goodwood Festival of Speed.

A beautiful 1972 Ferrari 365 GTS/4 Daytona Spider by Scaglietti is one of 122 cars built, and one of just 25 in European specification. Remarkably, it's completely original, save for a respray in 1989. A 1970 Lamborghini Miura P400 S by Bertone has had several resprays and colour-changes during its life; it started off red, switched to yellow, then blue – and, following a ground-up restoration by famed Lamborghini test driver Valentino Balboni, is now resplendent in vivid Miura Verde.

Bringing things right up to date is a 2015 McLaren P1, car 316 of 375, originally delivered to McLaren shareholder the Crown Prince of Bahrain. It is finished in a one-off special order colour of Stellar Blue with a Midnight Blue interior, and has covered just 1,500 miles.

Salon Privé Week 2023

30 August – Salon Privé Concours presented by Aviva

31 August – Salon Privé Concours presented by Aviva

1 September – Salon Privé Ladies' Day presented by Boodles

2 September – Salon Privé Supercar Saturday & Club Trophy presented by Lockton

Tickets can only be purchased in advance via the website: www.salonpriveconcours.com

Charity Partner

Salon Privé is proud to once again have Rainbow Trust Children's Charity as its charity partner. The organisation provides emotional and practical support to families who have a child with a life-threatening or terminal illness, and thanks to the generation donations of guests and Concours entrants, the event has so far raised in excess of £1.1 million for these great causes.

Photo credit: Salon Privé
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