V8 - The 8th Edition

Happy Anniversary

Twenty years ago, when the Bagley brothers, Andrew and David, held the first Salon Privé event, little did they envision how far the event would develop and how much it would grow from an acorn into a veritable English Oak on the international concours d’elegance calendar. The 20th birthday party was a truly memorable event, a truly special occasion, and one I was proud to be a small part of.

Salon Privé’s 20th Anniversary Concours on Thursday 28th August named its 2025 Class winners following an intense day of judging at Blenheim. With 60 of the world’s rarest and most historically significant motor cars, the event showcased pre-war icons, post-war thoroughbreds, and modern masterpieces in breathtaking style. Twelve class titles were awarded, alongside Honourable Mentions for entries of exceptional merit. With cars arriving from across Europe, the US and beyond, this year’s line-up was truly world-class. I was honoured to be a member of the Jury, and I and my fellow judges managed to narrow it down to four cars from this incredible field to be nominated for Best in Show.

Photography by Chris Cooper/ ShotAway/ www.ShotAway.com/ #shotawaydotcom

The 1936 Mercedes-Benz 500K Spezial Roadster took out the top honour ahead of the amazing, jaw-dropping 1956 Ferrari 410 Superamerica Coupé ‘Super Fast” Prototype by Pinin Farina, the 1933 Alfa Romeo 8C Monza by Touring, and the bewitching 1933 Duesenberg SJ Dual Cowl Phaeton by LaGrande – incredible motor cars all. The 1936 Mercedes-Benz 500 K Spezial Roadster by Sindelfingen was shown by The Auriga Collection, the rare pre-war Roadster also received the Most Exceptional Coachwork Award, impressing the judges with its sweeping long-tail design and concours pedigree. Sixty cars from 13 countries competed across 12 classes, with Anne Brockinton Lee’s Ferrari 410 Superamerica Coupe “Super Fast” Prototype named Runner-Up and also People’s Choice.