concours delegance

The Classicist: London's Luxe Salon Prive Comes to 'Gosford Park'

Filed under: Estates, Luxury Cars & Autos, Auctions, Events, The Classicist

The Salon Privé, Europe's finest and largest dedicated display of supercars, exotics, classics and luxury goods in an English garden party setting, is moving to an amazing new venue this summer to house the largest exhibition to date and an incredible auction alongside. Syon Park (above), the sprawling London estate of the Duke of Northumberland, whose family have lived there for over 400 years, is best known as the mansion used in the movie Gosford Park and is the last surviving ducal residence retaining its country estate in Greater London, making a fitting new setting for the five-star event slated for June 22nd – 24th.

To mark the occasion, RM Auctions, the world's largest collector car auction house, has selected Salon Privé as the venue for its third annual European sale. Themed 'Quintessentially English' and scheduled for June 23, the new RM sale is set to become a regular fixture on the company's global events calendar, catering specifically for collectors with an affinity for British marques. Also joining the luxe event, now in its sixth season, for the first time is Land Rover who have confirmed that they will show the new Range Rover Evoque models which guests will be able to test drive.

2011 marks a return to the event for Porsche alongside such brands as Aston Martin, Bentley, Bugatti, Jaguar, Lamborghini, Maserati, Maybach, Mercedes-Benz, Morgan and Rolls-Royce. In addition to the stunning display of modern super and luxury cars, the event's internationally renowned Concours d'Elégance returns with seven new categories and a display of some of the rarest and most valuable cars in the world. Examples of this year's categories include Ferrari 250 Competizione, Historic Grand Prix Single Seaters, Grand Routier, Oddballs, Motorcycles from the Steve McQueen era and a collection of stunning Rolls-Royce models to celebrate the 100 year centenary of the Spirit of Ecstasy. [cont'd]

Gallery: Salon Prive & Syon Park

Tags: Aston Martin, Bentley, Bugatti, classic cars, Concours dElégance, concours delegance, English country house, events, Ferrari, Gosford Park, Land Rover, London, luxury goods, Maserati, Porsche, Range Rover Evoque, RM Auctions, Rolls-Royce, Salon Privé, Salon Prive, Steve McQueen, supercar, the+classicist, theclassicist

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Amelia Island Concours to Celebrate Ferrari 250 GTO's 50th Anniversary

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Events

The legendary Ferrari 250 GTO, built between 1962 and 1964, is a holy grail for car collectors. The last one that came on the market is said to have sold for about $28 million. Ralph Lauren has one of course, as does Pink Floyd's Nick Mason, UK Ferrari maniac Chris Evans, and many men whose fortunes exceed all measure of normality. Now the renowned Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance in Florida has announced plans to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the iconic car at its 2012 show. The organizers are hard at work delving into the history of the incredible vehicle in order to properly honor significant milestones in its evolution. The 250 GTO's anniversary will be celebrated at the event by figures who participated in its storied past, and an eye-popping assortment of the cars will be on display. Meanwhile the 2011 Concours is slated to take place from March 11–13 at the Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island.

Gallery: 1963 Ferrari 250 GTO

Simon Clay c 2010 courtesy of RM Auctions

Tags: Chris Evans, classic cars, concours delegance, Ferrari, Ferrari 250 GTO, Florida, Ralph Lauren, Ritz-Carlton

Automotive Elegance at London's Salon Privé

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Events

The Salon Privé, Europe's finest and largest dedicated display of supercars, exotics, classics and luxury goods set up English garden party style, graced the lawns of London's famed Hurlingham Club last week. An exclusive selection of luxury goods was on display alongside a seven-category Concours d'Elégance showcasing modern and classic motors. Jaguar made in impressive showing with a special marquee featuring many of the firm's iconic models in its 75-year history. Rolls-Royce exhibited the new Ghost alongside the Phantom and its new bespoke picnic set. Morgan showcased the Aero Supersports, Bentley showed off the new Muslanne, Aston Martin had a Rapide on display and Lotus brought along the Evora. Classic Ferraris, Alfa-Romeos, Bugattis and more rounded out the alluring eye candy to the obvious appreciation of a stylish audience.

Gallery: Salon Prive 2010

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Tags: Aston Martin, Bentley, classic cars, Concours delegance, Ferrari, Jaguar, London, Lotus, luxury goods, Rolls-Royce, Salon Privé, supercar, UK

Fairfield Concours to Showcase 1939/47 Rolls-Royce Phantom III Vutotal

by Jonathon Ramsey (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Auctions, Events

The star car at this year's Fairfield Concours d'Elegance will wears the Spirit of Ecstasy on her hood and no less ecstatic design all along her body. The 1939/47 Rolls-Royce Phantom III "Vutotal" Cabriolet by Labourdette, now in the John Rich Museum collection, started off as a standard Phantom III designed by Henry Royce. It was re-envisioned by coachbuilder Hooper and Co. in 1938 with a Sedanca de Ville for the chassis, then showed off in Europe before being tweaked for the U.S. market.

When that show car ended up in the Parisian studio of Henri Labourdette in the forties, he threw out everything but the running gear and rebodied the car gold-plating-and-brass-adorned aerodynamic bodywork that swooped back into a boattail. He also got rid of anything that identified it as a Rolls, save for its mascot and a couple of interior trim pieces. The final detail: the Vutotal windscreen, a thick slice of glass that appears to support itself. The conversion cost $44,000 at a time when the average price of a home was about $4,000.

Elsewhere on the Concours docket, featured judging classes will include Porsche, Bugatti, Period Hot Rods and Custom Cars from 1948 – 1964, there'll be regional vintage club gatherings, an auction conducted by Bonhams, and photographer Jesse Alexander will be the featured artist. The Barn Find category is a new one this year and is still accepting submissions to go with dusty, rusted hulks including the 1949 Willys Panel Wagon and 1961 AC Greyhound. The seventh annual Fairfield Concours opens its lawn on Saturday, September 11, 2010.

Gallery: Fairfield County Concours d'Elegance

Gallery: Fairfield County Concours celebrates Jesse Alexander

Tags: coachbuilder, coachbuilding, Concours, Concours delegance, connecticut, fairfield concours delegance, Fairfield County Concours dElegance, henri labourdette, rolls-royce, rolls-royce phantom iii, rolls-royce phantom iii vutotal

Rare Aston Martins & More at British Classic Car Meeting in St. Moritz

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Luxury Cars & Autos, Events

On July 9 – 11 some of the world's finest Rolls-Royce, Bentley, Aston Martin and Jaguar motor cars will converge on the chic Swiss resort of St. Moritz for the 17th annual British Classic Car Meeting. The ultra-stylish event features a series of outings, a rally and concours d'elégance. Set against the breathtaking Alpine scenery 5,900 ft. above sea level in the elegant environs favored by the likes of Prince Charles, Kate Moss, Naomi Campbell, Hugh Grant, Elizabeth Hurley and George Clooney, it's an elegant showcase for the UK's famed marques mentioned above as well as some historical makes like Lagonda, Daimler and Austin-Healey. Museum pieces like pre-war Rolls-Royce open tourers compete against rarities like this Aston Martin DB6 shooting brake, fully kitted out for skiing and picnicking, with prizes for different classes and periods. On July 10 there will be a gala dinner with entertainment and dancing at the luxurious 5-star Suvretta House hotel.

[via JustLuxe]

Gallery: Classic British Cars in St. Moritz

Tags: Alps, Aston Martin, Bentley, classic cars, concours delegance, Jaguar, Prince Charles, Rolls-Royce, shooting brake, St. Moritz, Suvretta House, Swiss Alps, Switzerland

1955 Maserati Wins Coppa d'Oro at Villa d'Este

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Events

A rare 1955 Maserati A6GCS Spider bodied by Frua (above), owned by American collector John F. Bookout Jr., won the historic Coppa d'Oro Villa d'Este – Best of Show by Public Referendum at the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este which took place April 23-25 at the famed Lake Como resort in Italy. The beautiful roadster also won top honors in the Post-War Open Sports Cars class. The Best of Show awarded by the judges at the event, which was sponsored by the BMW Group, went to a 1938 Talbot-Lago T150 C SS Teardrop Coupé bodied Figoni & Falaschi owned by another American collector, Oscar Davis. The Concorso d'Eleganza Design Award for concept cars and prototypes went to the Zagato Alfa Romeo TZ3 Corsa Coupé that my colleague Noah Joseph previewed last week. Over 5,000 visitors attended the event.

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Tags: 1955 maserati, Alfa Romeo, BMW, classic cars, Concours dElegance, Italy, Lake Como, Maserati, Villa dEste

Rodeo Drives: Announcing the Inaugural Greystone Mansion Concours d'Elegance

by Jonathon Ramsey (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Auctions, Events, Charity

Beverly Hills' Greystone Mansion wants to show itself off, and it'll be doing so this year with the help of classic cars and Gooding & Co. The inaugural Greystone Mansion Concours d'Elegance will happen April 11 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and will feature more than 100 cars and motorcycles, including Fred Astaire's 1927 Rolls-Royce and Rita Hayworth's 1953 Cadillac. Among the selection you'll also find a 1938 1938 Talbot Darracq T23 Drop Head Coupe, a 1959 Ferrari 250GT Series 1 Cabriolet and a 1927 Bentley 6 1/2 Litre Tourer by Vanden Plas from David Gooding's personal collection.

Tickets for the show are a very Beverly-Hills-esque $100, which gets you a full day of action and a contribution to charity – and a pretty good assurance that you'll be in the right company...

Gallery: Gooding Selections for the Greystone Mansion Concours d'Elegance

Tags: beverly hills, california, Concours, Concours dElegance, Gooding and Company, gooding co, gooding company, greystone mansion

Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance Celebrates Mercedes-Benz

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Events

Mercedes-Benz, founding sponsor of the Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance, just celebrated 15 years of supporting one of the nation's most prestigious vintage car shows by featuring over 250 rare classics from seldom-seen private collections nationwide at the event, which took place on the grounds of the Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island from March 12-14.

Among the amazing vehicles on display was the legendary Le Mans-winning 1952 300 SL and 1956 300 SL "Gullwing" Coupe, along with the 2011 SLS AMG. "The SLS AMG and Gullwing displays at the 15th anniversary of the Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance are top examples of Mercedes-Benz historical significance and major contributions with the automobile industry," notes Stephen Cannon, VP of Marketing, MBUSA. "The iconic 1954 Gullwing represents the leading innovation Mercedes-Benz is known for throughout history and the SLS AMG sets a new standard for supercars of the future just like the 300 SL did over 50 years ago."

Gallery: Amelia Island 2010

Tags: Amelia Island, Concours dElegance, Mercedes-Benz, SLS AMG

1938 Alfa Romeo Wins Louis Vuitton Concours Award

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

American Jon Shirley's stunning 1938 Alfa Romeo 8C 2900 B Touring Berlinetta has won the coveted Louis Vuitton Classic Concours Award, selected from Best of Show winners at the world's most prestigious automobile concours d'elegance. To qualify, the vehicle may only be restored using original parts. The Alfa Romeo took home the top prize at last year's Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este in Lake Como. Since 2005, Louis Vuitton has recognized excellence in the closely related fields of Classic Concours, for historic cars, and Classic Concept, an award presented to a modern designer making the most significant contribution to the styling of today's cars. The Concept Car Award goes to the vehicle which the jury believe has the greatest potential to win a concours d'élegance in 40 years' time. This year's award was presented to Adrian Van Hooydonk, Design Director of BMW, for the amazing BMW Vision EfficientDynamics concept vehicle unveiled at last year's Frankfurt Motor Show.

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Tags: Alfa Romeo, BMW, concours delegance, Lake Como, Louis Vuitton

Bonhams' 10th Anniversary Aston Martin Auction

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Auctions

On Saturday May 9th Bonhams will celebrate its 10th Anniversary auction sale at the Aston Martin Works Service facility, at the marque's spiritual home in Newport Pagnell, UK. The sale is dedicated solely to the Aston Martin and Lagonda marques, and Bonhams work closely with the Aston Martin Owner's Club who also schedule their annual International Concours d'elegance over the same weekend. Over the past decade Bonhams has sold over £16 million worth of Aston Martins and related automobilia, making them the worldwide leader in this sector.

Last year, they sold a 1961 Aston Martin DB4 GT Coupé for £1,079,500, a new world auction record for the model. Aston Martin Works Service is offering a "premier client package" to those looking to celebrate the 10th Anniversary sale in true style. The package includes reserved parking, entrance with catalog, morning refreshments, a delicious luncheon served in the marquee and priority reserved seating in the saleroom. Tickets are limited to 100 and cost £155 per person.

Tags: Aston Martin, AstonMartin, Bonhams, Concours delegance, ConcoursDelegance, UK

Bugatti to Celebrate 100th Anniversary with Quartet of Special-Edition Veyron Centenaires at Lake Como

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

Hard to believe that with owners selling off their unique Veyrons, Bugatti is still producing new special editions. But so the case would appear to be as the most premium of premium automotive marques gears up to celebrate its 100th anniversary this weekend with not one, but four new versions of its seven-figure supercar.

Following up on the one-off Bleu Centenaire edition which Bugatti unveiled at the Geneva show last month, the new Centenaire edition is scheduled to debut at the prestigious Villa d'Este auto show on the shores of Lake Como where, as we reported earlier, Ralph Lauren will also be demonstrating his very special Bugatti Type 57 Atlantic to commemorate the marque's centenary. Each of the Veyron Centenaires pays tribute to one of Bugatti's pre-WWII driving aces, each hailing from a different country and represented by a different color: Sir Malcolm Campell's in British Racing Green, Achille Varzi in Italian Racing Red, Jean-Pierre Wimille in French Racing Blue (Bugatti's signature color) and Hermann zu Leiningen in an off-white to represent Germany. No word yet on pricing, but prospective buyers can expect to pay an extra premium over the – ahem – "ordinary" Veyron's million-euro asking price. Stay tuned for more.

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Tags: anniversary, bugatti, bugatti veyron, bugatti veyron centenaire, BugattiVeyron, BugattiVeyronCentenaire, centenaire, centennary, concours delegance, ConcoursDelegance, special edition, special edition veyron, SpecialEdition, SpecialEditionVeyron, veyron, veyron centenaire, VeyronCentenaire, villa deste, VillaDeste

The Classicist: Memories of Motoring's Golden Age

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Luxury Cars & Autos, Auctions, The Classicist

As a side note to Bonhams' classic car auction at the annual Greenwich Concours d'Elegance in Connecticut this weekend, the sale also includes some reminders of a more elegant age of motoring. In addition to the amazing automobiles on offer, there are a few rare examples of perfectly-preserved traveling cocktail, picnic and tea sets in leather cases from the 1910s and '20s.

More elegant and elaborate antecedents of the kind of picnic sets still produced by the likes of Dunhill - such as the one my colleague Rigel Gregg wrote about the other day - these are the sort of cases one's servants would put into the boot of the Rolls for a day's motoring along with a hamper of delectables from Fortnum & Mason (which are still available today - see the gallery for a picture of their $200 Regent hamper featuring champagne, truffles, paté and port).

Included in the Greenwich auction is this gorgeous Dunhill traveling cocktail set from the 1920s featuring a nickel cocktail shaker, four stacking tumblers, a glass bitters bottle with a silver plated top and three silver plated spirit flasks, in a monogrammed honey leather carrying case, est. $3,000 - $4,000. If these days it seems a bit odd that so much thought and effort went into ways of drinking and driving, remember that as often as not one's chauffeur did the actual work behind the wheel.

Gallery: Traveling in Style

Suitcased teaset by J C Vickery of Regent Street, London, 1909.

Two person picnic set by Drew & Sons, c.1909.

Tags: Asprey, Bonhams, Classic cars, ClassicCars, Cocktails, Concours dElegance, ConcoursDelegance, Dunhill, Fortnum Mason, FortnumMason, London, Luggage, Rolls-Royce

Continue reading “The Classicist: Memories of Motoring's Golden Age”

Classic Cars on Offer at First Greenwich Concours Sale

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Auctions

On Sunday June 8 London auction house Bonhams will stage its first ever auction in conjunction with the annual Greenwich Concours d'Elegance in Connecticut. The top-priced lots are rare racing cars prized by automotive historians, such as a 1931 Maserati Tipo 8C-2800 competition two-seater, est. $600,000 - $850,000, and a 1965 McLaren-Elva M1A Sports Racer, est. $250,000- $300,000. However, there are plenty of beautiful and highly collectible cars that one can actually drive on offer as well.

Among our favorites is this perfectly-restored British made 1956 AC Ace, est. $140,000 - 180,000, in British racing green, natch. Other highlights include: a 1963 Porsche 356B 1600 Super 90 Cabriolet, est. $110,000 - 130,000; a 1972 Ferrari 365 GTC/4 Coupe, est. $110,000 - $135,000; a 1974 Jaguar Series III V-12 XK-E Roadster, est. $50,000 - $70,000; a 1971 Mercedes-Benz 280 SE 3.5 Cabriolet, est. $100,000 - $150,000; and the steal of the sale, a 1979 Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith II Saloon, est. only $25,000 - $35,000.

Gallery: Greenwich Auto Auction