Mercedes-Benz 500 K Spezial Roadster crowned best in show at Salon Privé 2025

A 1936 Mercedes-Benz 500 K Spezial Roadster has been crowned as the best in show at the 2025 Salon Privé. Shown by the Auriga Collection from Germany, the Mercedes-Benz formed part of the pre-war open class and won after judges decided its long tail high door design with sweeping coachwork worthy of the top honour. 

Introduced in 1934, the Mercedes-Benz 500 K stands as a masterpiece of pre-war automotive craftsmanship, featuring sweeping curves, elongated proportions, and exquisite detailing. With only 12 examples ever built, it remains one of the most desirable and valuable classic cars.

This year, 60 cars were on show at the Blenheim Palace ground as part of the 20th anniversary celebrations of Salon Privé. More than half of them were international entries from 13 different countries, all competing for the coveted best in show. Spanning 12 classes, the categories include pre-war American classics, Ferrari racers of the 1950s, European GTs, coachbuilding by HJ Mulliner and supercar pin-ups of the 80s and 90s.This car was originally ordered by Prince Pavel Alexandrovich Chavchavadze at the Paris Auto Salon in 1935 and it won the Grand Prix d’ Honneur at the Concours d’ Elegance at Cannes in 1936. Before Salon Privé 2025, the Mercedes-Benz had not been seen in public since 1997.

Speaking about the win, Andrew Bagley, co-founder and chairman of Salon Privé expressed how special this year was as it was a celebration of two decades of the concours.

“This year’s Concours was particularly special as we celebrated two decades of Salon Privé against the stunning backdrop of Blenheim Palace. The quality and diversity of the entries was truly world-class, with cars arriving from across Europe, the United States and beyond,” he said.

“Every single vehicle on the lawn represented the pinnacle of its era, and the judges faced an incredibly difficult task in deciding the winners for each class. The Mercedes-Benz is simply unparalleled for its rarity, concours provenance and sheer beauty, which made it an absolute deserving winner for best of show.  “We’re enormously proud to have welcomed the Mercedes-Benz and so many remarkable automobiles and their owners, who together help to create the unique atmosphere that makes Salon Privé so exceptional,” he added.

Vincent Kolb from the Auriga Collection expressed his elation, adding that the Auriga Collection will return to Salon Privé again.

“This is the first year of entering Salon Privé with both the Mercedes 500 K and the Alfa 8C Monza, and certainly will not be our last. Of course, we have known of Salon Privé for many years now but still we could not believe the scale and diversity of the show. We couldn’t be more thrilled to drive away with best in show,” he said.

The winner was crowned after two days of competition, which began 27 August, with a team of international judges led by Chief Judge Nigel Matthews. 

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