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The Concours of Elegance is here
By Rose Adams | 31 August 2018 | Cars & Yachts
The prestigious classic car event makes its triumphant return this weekend
* Motoring exhibits on display include the Aston Martin DB4 Celebration, organised by the Aston Martin Owners Club
The Concours of Elegance speeds into the historic grounds of Hampton Court Palace this weekend. The event sponsored by A Lange & Söhne– which is akin to a beauty pageant for automobiles – pays homage to the best and raresr models in the world of classic cars, presenting a collection of 60 from around the world, including many models which have never been shown in the UK before. The show begins today with a VIP Preview Day packed with parades and the presentation of the Club Trophy before officially opening tomorrow on Saturday 1 September. But if you’re not one of the lucky guests attending our exclusive opening day luncheon this afternoon, there are still plenty of opportunities to discover the best in show throughout the rest of the weekend.
What sets The Concours of Elegance apart is that no judging panel is present in the Main Concours as the show deems being invited to attend an achievement in itself. Instead, it is down to the owners of the cars themselves to cast their vote on which model they believe to be the most elegant. Furthermore, a myriad of notable trophies are to be awarded across the course of the weekend – including the best models Pre-War, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s and 1970-onwards.
* The Club Trophy showcases the epitome of models from the UK’s premier car clubs, including Rolls-Royce, Ferrari, Bentley and Bugatti
Motoring exhibits on display include the Aston Martin DB4 Celebration, organised by the Aston Martin Owners Club. The feature boasts a line-up including a DB4 prototype, an example of DB4 Series 1, 2, 3,4 and 5 plus an original DB4 GT, DB4 GT Zagato and DB4 Bertone Jet. The newly-launched DB4 GT Continuation will also form part of the spectacle.
Elsewhere, ‘Harry’s Garage’ is comprised of a collection of the fastest four-door cars ever built, assembled by Harry Metcalfe, star of YouTube channel ‘Harry’s Garage’ and founder of evo Magazine. The group will be led by the one-of-300, 200mph Jaguar XE SV Project 8. ‘Future Classics’ features The Sweptail which is to be joined by the one-of-26 Aston Martin Vanquish Zagato Speedster, McLaren Senna chasis number one and the one-of-seven Aston Martin V12 Vantage V600, making it an unmissable pick.
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* Join us at The Concours of Elegance speeds into the historic grounds of Hampton Court Palace this weekend
The Club Trophy showcases the epitome of models from the UK’s premier car clubs, including Rolls-Royce, Ferrari, Bentley and Bugatti. All entries are judged by a board of experts – which in the past has included stars such as model and Tempus cover star David Gandy and Prince Michael of Kent. The winner of this prestigious accolade is granted a money-can’t-buy prize of a place in the Main Concours at next year’s event. Last year’s winner was a 1912 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost, once owned by the Mahajara of Nabha, so the stakes are equally high for 2018. Other awards being distributed throughout proceedings include the Bentley and Jaguar Trophies.