Held in the spectacular grounds of Hampton Court Palace since 2014, the Concours of Elegance is one of the premier Concours events in Europe, attracting a pedigree of rare and elusive cars befitting of the opulent surroundings.
In the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, the Grade I listed Hampton Court Palace, is a superb mix of Tudor and Baroque architectural styles and provides a historic setting in which to assemble a selection of cars for the concours, which in a unique manner, opts for a judging process from the owners of the concours owners, rather than a designated panel. In addition, The Club Trophy offers a platform for many of the prestigious car clubs of the UK to select examples of that mark to be judged by an independent panel. Now in its eighth year, the Club Trophy is highly regarded on the UK shores, with the winner gaining a place into the following year Concours of Elegance.
The Winners
Best In Show
1938 Delage D8-120 ‘de Villars’
Taking the overall accolade at Concours of Elegance 2022 was the immaculate Delage, styled by de Vullars as a one-of-a-kind two seater, housing a state of the art, eight cylinder engine, based upon the tried and tested high performance straight six, which was capable of around 105bhp. Sold for $7200, this was one of the most expensive models in the world at the time, and not one drop of its finesse, exclusivity or aesthetic appeal had been lost over the years, making it a worthy recipient of the Concours of Elegance honours.
Pre-1915
1912 Rolls Royce Silver Ghost
Having witnessed over a century of history since its birth, the 1912 Rolls Royce Silver Ghost preserved a regal sense of style and grace to this very day. Held in high regard for the smooth refinement of the 7.4 litre engine under the hood, coupled with the elegant brass fittings, the Silver Ghost showcased the very best of Edwardian motoring.
1920s
1925 Vauxhall 30/98 OE Wensum Tourer
From an era dominated by the Bentley 4.5 litre, the exceptional Vauxhall 30/98 Wensum Tourer, one of just twelve cars produced with the lightweight Wensum body, provided a worthy contender. Beautiful boat-tail coachwork and dynamic styling gave the 30/98 Wensum a purposeful aesthetic. This example, chassis OE259, finished in chrome is one of six surviving cars, and probably the most original example of those which remain.
1930s
1930 Cord L29 Brougham
Adorned with a striking glass cockerel on the bonnet, the Cord L29 Brougham was the first American front wheel drive car, powered by a Lycoming 4.9 litre straight eight through a three speed transmission. This Broughman model is one of four standard body styles, and commonly the spec which is held in the highest regard. One of only ten remaining examples of this specification from the three year production window.
1940s &1950s
1956 Maserati A6G Zagato
The culmination of the Maserati A6 series, the A6G Zagato blended sublime Zagato styling with a twin-cam, all aluminum six cylinder engine and many of the tried and tested components from the A6GCS. Supremely elegant, a testament to the post war successes of the Maserati marque, and a linchpin to the evolution of the latter GT cars which followed.
1960s
1961 Aston Martin DB4 Zagato
The Italian coachbuilt Zagato styling was held in high regard at the 2022 Concours. Considered by some as the most aesthetically pleasing Aston Martin, the ultra-lightweight DB4 Zagato, chassis 1093/R was presented in French Racing Blue. Built in 1962 and the third of these models produced, with a 3.7 litre straight six capable of 170mph, took the award in the consistently hotly contested 1960s category.
1970s
1971 Lamborghini Miura SV
This 1971 Miura SV needs no introduction, the most desirable of all Lamborghinis. A 3.9 litre V12, pushing 385bhp with altered Weber carbs and different cam timing, housed in the smooth rolling lines of the Marcello Gandini-designed body formed the basis for one of the first true supercars. One of just 150 Lamborghini Miura SVs, out of a total Miura production of only 764.
1980s onwards
1994 Bugatti EB110 SS
The Giampaolo Benedini designed Bugatti EB110, presented as the only right hand drive example of this model, produced for the British Motor Show in 1994. A terrifying stat-sheet presents a quad-turbo, 60 valve 3.5 litre V12 engine, housed in an aluminum-carbon body, with a double wishbone suspension at both ends. This model, equipped with the prototype SuperSport engine and body parts was good for 603bhp, and able to push to 355km/h at the Nardo test facility.
Disappointed no pics of most of the class winners especially the 3098