Blenheim, 30.08 – 01.09.2018
The 13th edition of the Salon Privé Chubb Insurance Concours d’Elegance was blessed with fine late summer weather throughout and plenty of warm sunshine. For the 4th running of the event at Blenheim Palace, the show field moved from its previous enclosure away from the Palace right up to the terrace fronting the columned facade of the architectural masterpiece, with the Water Garden to the left and the Italian Garden to the right. Apart from being a UNESCO World Heritage site, the Palace is the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill and the home of His Grace The 12th Duke of Marlborough and his family, who is now Patron of the event.
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It is a truly magnificent setting and backdrop to what is an impressive garden party in the heart of rural England, with a lobster lunch quaffed down with Pommery Champagne, followed by quintessentially English afternoon tea. This year the event started for entrants with a Concours Tour Dinner, which was held on the Tuesday evening at Raymond Blanc’s renowned 2 Michelin Star Restaurant and Hotel, where breakfast was also taken prior to the tour through the Cotswolds on the Wednesday. The scenic drive featured a coffee stop overlooking the famous White Horse Hill carving, followed by lunch at the picturesque “The Slaughters” country inn, before heading back to placement of the cars on the show field at Blenheim Palace in the late afternoon.
The premier part of the gathering is the Chubb Insurance Concours d’Elégance on the Thursday, followed by Boodles Ladies Day on the Friday, with Concours Masters on the Saturday. On the Sunday the action moves to the Palace courtyard for the Blenheim Classic & Supercar show, which incorporated the 4th running of the Pirelli Prestige & Performance competition. Apart from all the cars and motorcycles in the main concours, there were also plenty of other examples on display on the manufacturer and dealer displays including the first UK public showing of the new Lamborghini Aventador SVJ, the Brabham BT62 track only car, the Bugatti Chiron from H.R. Owen, and the new Wiesmann range. Then there were Ferraris courtesy of official dealer Dick Lovett , including a 488 Challenge car and a 365 GTC as part of the Classiche programme, the Dendrobium all electric hypercar, the new Alpine A110, plus Honda NSXs old and new, Mclaren, Aston Martin, Bentley and Rolls Royce with a Dawn and the Cullinan SUV. On the dealer front both DK Engineering and Dyal Miles had impressive displays, and then there were all the impressive lifestyle booths around the perimeter of the show field if one tired of looking at cars.
The international judging team was headed by Derek Bell MBE, and included Louis De Fabribeckers Head of Design at Touring Superleggera, Supermodel & Designer Yasmin Le Bon, and Giles Taylor, former Director of Design at Rolls Royce Motorcars, whilst the motorcycles had their own dedicated judging team. There were a total of ten classes including three for motorcycles, A, B & C, whilst in the car classes class D was “Preservation at its Best”, class E was “Pre-War Bugattis”, class F was “Pre-War Luxury Tourers”, class G was for “Grand Tourers of the 50s & 60s, class H was “Wind in Your Hair”, whilst class I was “Best of British at Blenheim Palace”. The remaining classes were class J for “Streamlined Closed Sports Cars”, class K for “50 Years of The Dino”, class L for “Supercars of The Seventies” and class M for “Competition Cars”. The whole entry ran to 20 motorcycles and 55 cars, encompassing a wide variety of motor transport history, from an in-line 4 cylinder 1910 Pierce 4 to a transverse 6 cylinder 1979 Honda CBX1000 in the motorcycle classes, and from a 1920 Bugatti Type 13 Brescia to a 1989 Ferrari F40 GT/LM in the car classes. With such a diverse array of automobiles to choose from, the selection of the Best of Show award was an unenviable task for the judges, but at the end of the day it went to the 1933 Bugatti Type 55 Roadster, chassis # 55234, widely regarded as the most original example in existence due to it never having been restored, and given its age, low mileage of less than 50,000. The runner-up was a magnificent and opulent 1937Chapron bodied Delage D8-120 Cabriolet, with a Lamborghini Polo Storico restored 1971 Miura S taking the final “podium” spot.
On the Friday evening the Chubb Concours cars were replaced on the lawn by the entrants in the Concours Masters Celebration – 70 Years of Porsche, which took place on the Saturday, with its team of specialist judges. There were a variety of awards on offer, and one of the largest award recipients was the 1955 550 RS model that had won class M “Competition Cars” and the “Most Unique Bodywork” award in the Chubb Concours on the Thursday, picking up another three awards on the Saturday.
The Blenheim Classic & Supercar Sunday saw a fine array of cars in eight classes presented in the courtyard, with a vast number of club and trade cars on the lawns around the perimeter of the Palace. There were too many Porsches to count, and at least 40 McLarens models plus a wide selection of other exotica on display. This part of the gathering attracts the public in droves, with over 15,000 visitors being recorded during the course of the day. Apart from the individual class awards, there are two main awards, the Best of Show chosen by the jury, and the People’s Choicely Award based on votes cast by the public. The net result was a win for the truly spectacular Pagani Zonda Oliver Evolution, a One of One example, as Best of Show, whilst the People’s Choice award went to a McLaren 675LT MSO.
2018 Chubb Insurance Concours d’Elégance Results
Best of Show
Winner: 1933 Bugatti Type 55 Roadster Runner-up: 1937 Delage D8-120 Third Place: 1971 Lamborghini Miura S
People’s Choice
1964 Ferrari 250 LM
CLASS A: Exceptional Motorbikes 1900 – 1939
Winner: 1938 Brough Superior SS100
CLASS B: Exceptional Motorbikes 1940 – 1979
Winner: 1962 Triumph TR6 R
CLASS C: Exceptional Competition Motorbikes
Winner: 1958 Triumph TR10
CLASS D: Preservation at its Best
Winner: 1973 Ferrari Dino 246 GTS
CLASS E: Pre-War Bugattis
Winner: 1933 Bugatti Type 55 Roadster
CLASS F: Pre-War Luxury Tourers
Winner: 1937 Delage D8-120
CLASS G: Grand Tourers of the 1950s and 60s
Winner: 1964 Ferrari 250 GT Lusso
CLASS H: Wind In Your Hair
Winner: 1972 Ferrari 365 GTS/4
CLASS I: Best of British at Blenheim Palace
Winner: 1965 Aston Martin DB5
CLASS J: Streamlined Closed Sports Cars
Winner: 1965 Ferrari 275 GTB
CLASS K: 50 Years of the Dino
Winner: 1970 Dino 246 GT
CLASS L: Supercars of the 70s
Winner: 1971 Lamborghini Miura S
CLASS M: Competition Cars
Winner: 1955 Porsche 550 RS
SPECIAL AWARDS
Duke of Marlborough’s Award (Car): 1964 Ferrari 250 LM Chairman’s Award: 1936 Lancia Astura Cabriolet Series IV Most Sensitive Restoration: 1939 Steyr 220 Most Elegant: 1969 Ferrari 365 GTC Most Iconic: 1971 Lamborghini Miura S Best Restored: 1961 Ferrari 250 GTE Most Unique Bodywork: 1955 Porsche 550 RS Most Original Post-War: 1994 Jaguar XJ220 Best Interior: 1967 Rolls-Royce Phantom V Spirit Award: 1934 Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 Tipo Le Mans Most Opulent: 1937 Delage D8-120 Coup de Coeur: 1968 Dino 206 GT Endeavour Award: 1963Ford Galaxie 500 Lightweight Duke of Marlborough’s Award (Bike): 1962 Triumph TR6 R Most Original Pre-War Motorbike: 1938 Moto Guzzi GTC Leggera 1938 Most Original Post-War Motorbike: 1952 BSA Gold Rocket Most Distinguished Motorbike: 1967 Millyard RC374
2018 Concours Masters Celebration of 70 Years of Porsche Results Owner’s Choice 1988 Porsche 944 Turbo Cup Owner’s Choice Runner-up 1956 Porsche 356A Carrera GS Coupe Ladies’ Choice 1957 Porsche 356A Carrera GS Speedster Chairman’s Award 1968 Porsche 912 Duke of Marlborough Award 1957 Porsche 356A Carrera Speedster People’s Choice 2018 Porsche 911 (991.2) GT2 RS Best Air-Cooled Race Car 1955 Porsche 550 RS Spyder Most Historical 1955 Porsche 550 RS Spyder Most Technically Interesting 1955 Porsche 550 RS Spyder Best Carrera 1956 Porsche 356A Carrera GS Coupe Best Engine 1957 Porsche 356A Carrera Speedster Best Open Car 1957 Porsche 356A Carrera Speedster Best Interior pre-1974 1967 Porsche 911S Best Presented 1967 Porsche 911S Best Interior pre-1998 1975 Porsche 911 Carrera 2.7 Best Water-Cooled Race Car 1980 Porsche 924 Carrera GTS Best Restoration 1987 Porsche 911 Carrera 3.2 Best Limited Edition/Bespoke 1988 Porsche 911 3.2 ClubSport Most Original 1989 Porsche 911 Carrera 3.2 Speedster Best Air-Cooled Road Car 1991 Porsche 964 Carrera RS Best Lightweight 1992 Porsche 964 Carrera 4 Lightweight Best Turbo 1998 Porsche 993 GT2 Limited Edition ‘Used as Porsche Intended’ 1998 Porsche 993 Turbo S Best Water-Cooled Road Car 2004 Porsche Carrera GT Most Desirable Specification 2010 Porsche 997.2 Sport Classic Best Interior post-1998 2010 Porsche 997.2 Sport Classic Best Sounding 2016 Porsche 991.1 GT3 Cup Most Evocative 2018 Porsche 991.2 GT3 RS Best Hypercar 2018 Porsche 991.2 GT2 RS
Ferrari Entry Model | Colour | Chassis # | Reg’ # | Class D - Preservation At Its Best | Dino 246 GTS | Yellow | 05432 | CBP 200L | Ferrari 275 GTB | Red | 08423 | UCA 364D | Class G - Grand Tourers of the ‘50s & ‘60s | Ferrari 250 GTE | Grey Met’ | 2255GT | 657 UYJ | Ferrari 250 GT Lusso | Blue Met’ | 5697GT | LVG 808B | Ferrari 365 GTC | Grey Met’ | 12773 | VV 365 | Class H – Wind In Your Hair | Ferrari 275 GTS | Dark Red Met’ | 06959 | JGU 564C | Ferrari 365 GTS/4 | Black | 15417 | NEW 100 | Class J – Streamlined Closed Sports Cars | Ferrari 275 GTB | Grey | 07715 | NAR 76C | Ferrari 275 GTB/4 | Blue Met’ | 10949 | 67GTB4 (CT-USA) | Class K – 50 Years Of The Dino | Dino 206 GT | Red | 00152 | D-206-GT (B) | Dino 246 GT | Red | 00962 | ? | Dino 246 GT | Red | 03198 | 69 GT | Dino 246 GT | Yellow | 03346 | CAS 630K | Dino 246 GT | Purple Met’ | 04510 | 1 DNO | Dino 246 GT | Silver | 04546 | RCH 646L | Dino 246 GT | Red | 05214 | DNO 246K | Dino 246 GTS | Red | 05610 | DNO 246L | Class L – Supercars Of The Seventies | Ferrari 512 BB Koenig | Red | 24269 | VOX 59S | Class M – Competition Cars | Ferrari 250 LM | Red | 6105 | RON 54 | Ferrari F40 GT/LM | White-Yellow-Red | 80742 | - |
Blenheim Palace Classic & Supercar – Pirelli Prestige & Performance Competition, 02 September 2018
Ferrari Entry Model | Colour | Chassis # | Reg’ # | Class – Super V8s | F430 Berlinetta | Red | 147739 | RX06 KXT | F430 Scuderia 16M | Red Met’ | ? | SCU 16M | 458 Speciale | White Met’-Blue St | 203968 | 10 SCC | 488 GTB | Yellow-Italian Tric’ St’s | 215747 | A1 GTB | Class – 200mph Club | F40 | Red | 84482 | G912 CLK | 599 GTO | Yellow Met’-Black Stripe | 175373 | OE12 YEY | F12 TdF | Blue Met’-Silver Stripe | 222630 | V12 GNB | Class – Evolution of the Sportscar | 208 GTB Turbo | Red | 42283 | PAF 369X | Testarossa | Red | 85107 | 512 S | 575M | Blue Met’ | ? | V12 JHG | Class – Targas & Cabs | F355 Spider | Red | 110101 | R150 DUR | F50 | Red | 106895 | F5 OCG | 458 Speciale Aperta | White Met’-Black Stripes | 213630 | CY65 KHO |
Keith Bluemel 09/2018. |