15 highlights from Salon Privé London

A concours – but not as you know it

The first Salon Privé London hosted a concours with a difference at the Royal Hospital Chelsea this week – all the cars in the ‘concours de vente’ were for sale.

Dealers from across the country bought their rarest and best-condition offerings to be put in front of the concours judges, and potential buyers.

Beyond the concours, the event, which opened on Thursday 21 April 2022 and runs until Saturday 23 April, also saw a host of new classic recreations and restomods revealed, from Morgan, Charge, Caton and more. Here are some of the Classic & Sports Car team’s favourites.

1. 1932 Bentley Barnato-Hassan

Built on a heavily modified 1934 chassis in 1938 by Walter Hassan for former Bentley company owner Woolf Barnato, this 8-litre single-seater once held the outright outer circuit record at Brooklands and still has the Class B lap record.

It was for sale via Vintage Bentley.

2. 1965 TVR Trident

The last of the three Trident prototypes ever produced, this TVR’s steel body was crafted by Italian coachbuilders, unlike the hundred or so glassfibre Trident cars built by a former TVR employee after the project was cancelled by the manufacturer.

Note the slim-pillared, non-opening rear window, which was altered for the production Tridents.

It was great to see this at Salon Privé London, courtesy of DT Vintage.

3. 1962 AC MA200

Another Ford V8-powered British prototype, the AC MA200 was on show from DK Engineering and yours for £800,000.

The never-produced Ace replacement was penned by ex-MIG engineer Zdislaw Marzewski.

4. 1936 Delahaye 135 CS

Proving the efficacy of Delahaye’s sporting credentials beyond doubt, this 135 CS successfully raced post-war machinery nearly as long as 20 years after it was built, including an eighth-place finish in the 1952 Monaco Grand Prix.

It was for sale at Salon Privé London with Fiskens.

5. 1972 Dino 246GT

The concours de vente participants were paraded through the event once a day.

This unrestored, 34,000-mile Dino 246GT, for sale with Howard Wise, was one of the featured classics.

6. 1957 MGA Fastback Coupé

This one-off build by Warren Kennedy of Classic Restorations is a vision of what an MGA fastback could have looked like, had MG ever built one, and makes use of an MGB’s 1798cc engine.

For sale for the first time, £350,000 is the asking price.

7. 2022 Charge Mustang

Charge revealed its electric-powered Ford Mustang recreation at this week’s Salon Privé London.

We are sure you’ll be pleased to hear that no Mustangs were harmed in the making of the car – the steel and composite mix bodies are built from scratch, on licence from Ford.

8. 2022 Kimera EVO37

And here’s another restomod.

Kimera showed off its similarly built-from-scratch EVO37 at Salon Privé London, though unlike the Charge, the EVO37 retains petrol power, now both super- and turbocharged.

9. 2022 ‘Healey by Caton’

Yes, you’ve guessed it, another restomod.

The ‘Healey by Caton’ received its public reveal at the show.

Built by Coventry-based firm Envisage, it again features a newly built bodyshell, though one clearly inspired by the ‘Big’ Healeys, while its running gear is upgraded Austin-Healey componentry, too.

10. 2022 Morgan Three-Wheeler

Morgan showed off its new Three-Wheeler model at Salon Privé London.

It is considerably larger than its predecessor and the engine is now enclosed at the front.

11. 1959-2000 Minis

Sixteen Minis assembled to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, parading into the event before later taking up formation in a ‘70’ shape.

All ages of classic Mini were included, from 848cc Mk1 to run-out edition Mini Cooper Sport. 

12. 1954 Austin-Healey 100/4

While there was nothing special about this 100/4 when it left the factory, it’s remarkable today as a car that, when discovered in California five years ago, hadn’t turned a wheel since 1963.

It’s for sale with Classic Restorations.

13. 1968 Ferrari Daytona

This 1968 Ferrari Daytona was the first right-hand-drive example, and number 15 in the total production run.

For sale with Furlonger Specialist Cars for £699,990, it has recently been restored to its former glory in its striking, original shade of Azzuro Hyperion.

14. 1960 Ferrari 250GT Cabriolet

Tom Hartley brought along its 1960 Ferrari 250GT Cabriolet. Styled by Pininfarina, it cuts a more subtle shape than the famous California, but retains all the glamour.

Following an extensive restoration in 2018 by its current owner, it’s now for sale for £1,595,000, and attracted plenty of attention.

15. Fiat-Osca Spider 1500 and Osca MT4 sports-racer

Separated at birth? Well, kind of – but, either way, two pleasingly rare classics in the concours de vente.

It’s a Fiat-Osca Spider 1500 followed by its sibling-of-sorts, an Osca MT4 sports-racer.