Nuvolari’s Alfa Romeo is Salon Privé’s Best of Show

By Lizzie Pope
News
 | 25 Sep 2020
Classic & Sports Car – Nuvolari’s Alfa Romeo is Salon Privé’s Best of Show

The 1931 Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 Monza Spider by Zagato in which Tazio Nuvolari won the ’32 Coppa Principe di Piemonte for Scuderia Ferrari has won Best of Show at this week’s Salon Privé.

It will join the 1970 Le Mans 24 Hours-winning Porsche 917K that claimed the top prize at the Concours of Elegance earlier this month, in vying for the prestigious Peninsula Classics ‘Best of the Best’ Award.

And it was an all-Italian podium at the Salon Privé’s concours, a 1949 Ferrari 166MM Touring Barchetta the Best of Show runner-up, a ’64 250GT Lusso third.

Classic & Sports Car – Nuvolari’s Alfa Romeo is Salon Privé’s Best of Show

Runner-up Ferrari 166MM Touring Barchetta

Of course, all three had scooped class victories at the Blenheim Palace-based event en route to Best of Show judging, Ian Livingstone’s Alfa in the marque’s 110th-anniversary division, the 166MM and the 250GT Lusso in the Post-War Sports Racers and Passione Ferrari categories respectively.

The concours attracted a record number of entries and other class winners included a 1919 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost (Veterans at the Palace), a 1936 SS Jaguar 100 2.5 Litre (Pre-War Touring), a 1961 Aston Martin DB4 Series II (Post-War Touring (Closed, Two-Seater)), a 1960 Citroën ID19 ‘Le Paris’ (Post-War Touring (Closed, Four-Seater)) and a 1955 Jaguar D-type (Preservation Award).

Among the younger class winners were a 1991 Ferrari F40 and a 2006 Pagani Zonda Roadster F in the pre- and post-2000 divisions of the Classics of the Future contest respectively, while two McLaren F1s secured silverware, a 1995 car top in Celebrating the McLaren F1 (Road), and a ’97 F1 GTR the People’s Choice. 

Classic & Sports Car – Nuvolari’s Alfa Romeo is Salon Privé’s Best of Show

This striking Lancia took home the first Churchill Cup for Most Exceptional Design

A new gong for 2020 was named after Sir Winston Churchill who was born at Blenheim Palace.

Judges for the Churchill Cup for Most Exceptional Design included Jaguar’s Julian Thompson, Marek Reichman of Aston Martin and Stefan Sielaff of Bentley, and the prize went to the stunning 1936 Lancia Astura Pinin Farina ‘Bocca’ Cabriolet.

In fact, the car was a double winner, because it was also presented with the Most Elegant award. 

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“It was an amazing honour to become the latest custodian of this amazing machine,” said Best of Show winner Livingstone, “and now to win such an important prize is further testament to the history of a special and important car.”

Andrew Bagley, Salon Privé Concours Chairman, added: “The car, which is still in full Monza configuration, scored several race wins with Nuvolari at the wheel and is one of the most important racing Alfa Romeos.

“It is a true supercar of its era and we were thrilled the ICJAG judges bestowed this hugely important racing car with the overall Best of Show.”

Salon Privé runs until tomorrow (26 September).

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