10 stars from the first Days of Elegance

The stars of the show

Days of Elegance by Interclassics is a new concours d’elegance which, on the weekend of 18-19 June, brought the pinnacle of classic car glamour to the southernmost tip of The Netherlands, closely bordering Belgium and Germany.

Held in the impressive grounds of Château St Gerlach, over 50 special cars gathered on manicured lawns punctuated by gravel pathways.  

Five concours classes were devised: Gentleman’s Thoroughbreds (1950-1980), Elegant Tourers (1930-1970), When Coachwork Becomes Art (up to 1960), Racing Legends (up to 1980), and Future Classics & Supercars (1980-today).

Among the concours areas were a variety of cars from high-end dealers in The Netherlands, Belgium and elsewhere. Classic & Sports Car paid a visit and found some truly special cars on show, from the earliest known Pegaso Z-102 to a rare Spyker C8 Double 12S: click through to see our 10 favourites.

1. Pegaso Z-102

The earliest-known surviving example of Spain’s gloriously ambitious, and very rare, 1950s sports car won great admiration from visitors and judges alike at Days of Elegance, and was a close runner-up for winner of the show.

This early car featured a factory alloy body and a 175bhp dry-sump, all-aluminium V8, while there was also a later, 3.2-litre Pegaso at the concours with Touring Superleggera bodywork.

2. Nash 998 Phaeton

This vast, seven-seater 1932 Nash 998 Phaeton is one of just 13 made and together with a Rolls-Royce Phantom, towered over its fellow Elegant Tourer classmates.

This V8 monster glinted with freshly restored pride and is possibly the best-condition example of the last of Nash’s Phaeton model remaining. 

3. Alpine A211

Winner of the Monza 1000km, this 1967 Renault-Alpine A211 Le Mans was steeped in motorsport history – and with its dramatic rear wings drew the attention of racing buffs and wide-eyed amateurs alike.

Because of its tall Le Mans gearing, it was towed on parade by a vintage Porsche tractor, rather than driven.

4. Züst

This 11-litre giant is an example of the 1907 Züst which took part in the second-ever Targa Florio, an endurance race around Sicily.

The creation of Swiss-Italian engineer Robert Züst, it was an early car of this short-lived marque which grew out of experiments into a manufacturer between 1905 and 1917. It was the oldest, and most smoky, car of the show.

5. Spyker C8 Double 12S

Named after its ‘Double 12’ 24-hour speed-record car of 1922, Spyker hoped that this special, long-wheelbase C8 would make an impact at Le Mans.

Fate decided otherwise and only 14 were built.

This example was finished in a Maserati-style colour scheme and used the naturally aspirated Audi V8.

6. Mercedes-Benz 500K Speziale

This class-winning 1935 Mercedes-Benz 500K Speziale was not just an artful example of coachbuilding, but its story was a joy to hear: a butcher bought it in the 1950s for his honeymoon but, just two days in, the young couple had spent all their money on petrol.

It was parked behind the butcher’s shop until discovered, over 50 years later, and restored to its current glory.

7. Delage D6

This 1946 Delage D6 appealed to the local crowd as one of just two examples with a body by Dutch coachbuilder Pennock in The Hague, and this is the four-seater convertible while the other was a less glamorous limousine.

Its 3-litre, 90bhp straight-six whispered onto the stage to enthusiastic applause.

8. Porsche 356 

A very early ‘Gmünd’ Porsche 356, alluding to the location where the first ones were built, caught everyone’s attention.

Number 44, it was among the earliest known surviving and in spectacular condition.

Restored in 1998 and treasured since, it won its class, ‘Gentleman’s Thoroughbreds’.

9. De Tomaso Longchamp Spyder

A wide-bodied 1980s highlight on the dealer stands was this 1984 De Tomaso Longchamp Spyder.

Exceptionally rare in GTS spec, with flared arches and tweaked suspension, it was of course offered by Speed 8 Classics of Koen Heuts, a De Tomaso enthusiast who also had a spectacular Giallo Cromo yellow Pantera in the concours.

10. Lancia Astura Roadster

This 1935 Lancia Astura Roadster was the star of the inaugural Days of Elegance, taking overall concours d’elegance honours.

Featuring Pininfarina bodywork and a typically elegant design of V8, it leapt onto the stage with fine confidence.

It was a well-deserved winner following a restoration to its current – exceptional – quality, as well as perfectly living up to the event’s name.