A Jaguar won the Chubb Insurance Concours d’Elegance for the second year running at the 10th Salon Privé on 3 September. Few guessed the best of show selection when Kurt Engelhorn’s bubble-topped XK120 streamliner was called up for the top prize.
Developed in 1953, this one-off record car driven by Norman Dewis was clocked at 173mph on Belgium’s Jabbeke Motorway. The car was later sold off by the factory, and after a club racing life was forgotten until discovered and restored by JD Classics.
The streamliner topped some impressive entries including two spectacular pre-war coachbuilt greats from the Peter Mullin collection. The public had different ideas to the jury’s judgement and voted for the glamorous 1937 Delahaye 135MS with Figoni and Falaschi cabriolet bodywork as the ‘People’s Choice.’
None were more surprised to win a trophy than Simon Taylor, C&SC’s Editor at Large with his 1937 Derby Bentley 41/4-litre, which beat both Mullin’s beauties, and Lord Bamford’s fabulous Lagonda V12 Rapide in the Pre-War Luxury and Touring class. Taylor was one of the few entrants to drive to and home from the event.
Other winners included the cute 1955 Goldmanini, a Fiat powered, Motto bodied special which hadn’t been since 1957 and won ‘Most Sensitive Restoration’ for UK specialist Thornley Kelham.
An impressive group of historic racing cars saw Austrian Heinz Swoboda take the winning trophy with his meticulously preserved 1964 Lancia Sport Prototype Zagato which was stashed away in workshop of Italian rally champion Claudio Maglioli for over 20 years.
The ‘Most original’ award went to the ex-AFP fane, twin supercharged Frazer Nash TT replica of Gordon McCulloch. The event featured two coachbuilt estate cars including the spectacular ’72 365GTB/4 ‘Shooting Brake’ designed by ‘Coco’ Chinetti with Gene Garfinkle and built by Panther in the UK.
Located for the first time away from London at the magnificent Blenheim Palace, the event attracted an impressive group of Ferraris including a special class for celebrating Pininfarina’s association with the Prancing Horse marque, which was won by David Beck’s gorgeous 250GT Lusso.
Greg MacLeman is a contributor to and former Features Editor of Classic & Sports Car, and drives a restored and uprated 1974 Triumph 2500TC