- Hampton Court Palace Concours of Elegance 2023

1955 Maserati A6GCS/53 Spider FRUA - Best in Show - see also Car Review 1955 Maserati A6GCS Spider FRUA

The best in show winner for 2023: an exceptionally rare vehicle, one of just three completed with delightful Frua coachwork, and two that survive. The Frua Spider is widely considered to be among the most beautiful and desirable 1950s cars of all. The wonderful A6GCS Frua Spider was conceived by Gugliemo ‘Mimmo’ Dei, the official Maserati dealer for Rome, who commissioned a small series of exquisitely coachbuilt cars based on the high-performance A6GCS platform. The A6GCS/53 - the ‘CS’ standing for ‘Corsa Sport’ – had originally been developed for the 1953 World Sports Car Championship, and featured motorsport-honed mechanicals. It featured a potent 170bhp in-line six-cylinder engine – initially developed by famed engine builder Columbo for Formula 2 racing – and a similarly race-bred, lightweight tubular chassis by Gilco. The resulting car, weighing just 740kg, was a real work of automotive art, the perfect blend of delicate spider styling, delightful handling, and potent, race-car performance. Chassis 2110 was shipped to the United States in the late 1950s where it has remained until the present day. In the early 2000s it was subject to a painstaking restoration under the supervision of Maserati aficionado Adolfo Orsi. It’s appearance at Hampton Court represented its first ever UK appearance. A wonderful motor car and a fitting winner.

One 1955 Maserati A6GCS Spider by FRUA was sold for US$ 5,170,000 at Gooding Co Auction in Pebble Beach 2018.

1913 Hispano Suiza 14/45 HP 'Alfonso XIII' - Pre-1920 Class Winner

Elsewhere, there were class awards given for different eras – again voted for by the owners of the cars themselves. In the pre-1920 category, it was the 1913 HispanoSuiza which came out on top. This roadgoing car’s aluminium body – unusually rakish for the period – was inspired by the Barcelona based marque’s successful race cars of the 1910s. Despite its modest dimensions, its slim bonnet conceals a large 3.6-litre four cylinder motor housed in the middle of the chassis, putting out 63bhp – enough for a top speed of 80mph. The 14/45HP was named in honour of the Spanish king, Alfonso XIII, and just 500 were built before the onset of World War One

1925 Lorraine Dietrich B3-6 Sport -Le Mans 24 Hours winner in 1925 and 1926

The company Lorraine Dietrich participated between 1923 and 1935 to Le Mans 24 Hours. The car is propelled by 3446 cc six cylinder engine producing 110 hp. The car won the 1925 edition of Le Mans endurance race. The car also won 1926.(First, second and third position this year) Le Mans edition. Lorraine Dietrich participate at Le Mans 24 Hours endurance race betwwen 1923 and 1935

1929 Bentley Speed Six 'Old Number One' - 1920s Class Winner

In the 1920s category, it was the double Le Mans winning Bentley that came out on top. As the first car to win the 24 Hours back-to-back – in 1929 and 1930 – the Speed Six ‘Old Number One’ is considered to be among the greatest of Le Mans cars of all. It was the lead machine of five entered by the British marque in ’29, and was based on the Speed Six sporting version of the venerable 6½ Litre tourer. Its tweaked engine made 190bhp, enabling 115mph flat-out. Piloted by Woolf Barnato and Tim Birkin, it led the team to a podium sweep – and in 1930, despite strong opposition from the newly entered Alfa Romeo and Mercedes-Benz, it repeated its winning feat, with Barnato and Glen Kidston at the wheel. A worthy winner, and arguably the most significant car in the grand history of British motor sport.

1934 Bugatti Type 59 - 1930s Class Winner

In the 1930s category, the wonderfully original Type 59 took victory. The 1934 Type 59 – part of Switzerland’s Pearl Collection – was developed in answer to increasing motor sport competition from the likes of Mercedes-Benz and Alfa Romeo. It was, and still is, considered to be both a technical marvel and a masterpiece of industrial art, with remarkable ‘piano-wire’ wheels, dropped body – and thus lower centre of gravity – longer wheelbase and supercharged straight-eight. As Bugatti’s final GP machine, the T59 is widely held to be the most elegant pre-war competition machine of all. Just six were built, and this particular example went on to take third at the Monaco Grand Prix and overall victory in Belgium.

1956 Jaguar XKSS - 1950s Class Winner - see Car Review Jaguar XKSS 1957

In the 1950s class, it was the stunning Jaguar XKSS that took the top prize. Jaguar’s abrupt withdrawal from motor sport activities meant that several competition D-types remained. At the time, the American market was hot for European sports cars. Sir William Lyons, seeing the potential for sales success across the pond, ordered a small run of road-going versions of the remaining D-types, to be called the XKSS. Chassis XKD 550 is the 16th and final of the D-Types to be converted to XKSS specification by the factory. The 250bhp 3.4-litre straight-six machine was dispatched to Jaguar Cars in New York in November 1957, and remained in the US until 2009. Now residing in the UK, remains in full factory conversion spec. A superb example of one of the rarest and most desirable British motor cars

1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider - 1960s Class Winner - see Car Review Ferrari 250 GT California Spider Scaglietti

In the hotly contested 1960s category, it was the Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider which won favour with the other concours owners. As a former Paris Auto Salon star, followed by a period in the ownership of Alain Delon, one of France’s foremost actors, this particular 1961 250GT California Spyder is no stranger to the spotlight. The handsome and charming film star was frequently pictured in the Ferrari, no. 2935GT, often alongside stars such as Jane Fonda and Shirley MacLaine. In recent years it has been treated to a full restoration by specialist Paul Russell and Company, and is in truly stunning condition. Parked up in the Hampton Court Palace gardens, it’s rich ‘Max Meyer Bleu’ paint glinting in the sun, it really was hard to resist. Another worthy winner.

One 1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Spider by Scaglietti was sold for US$ 15,180,000 at 2014 Gooding & Co Auction at Pebble Beach California.

1971 Lamborghini Miura P400 SV - 1970s Class Winner - see Car Review Lamborghini Miura 1966 1972 and Car Review Lamborghini Miura SV 1971

In the 1970s class, it was perhaps the most iconic supercar of all, a 1971 Lamborghini Miura P400SV – resplendent in its ‘Oro Metallizzato’ gold paint - that won the hearts of voters. The ultimate version of the Miura – the SV - appeared in 1971, with altered Weber carburettors and different cam timing, which pushed output to 385bhp and torque to 295lb ft. Chassis 4878 was delivered new to French industrialist Jacques Dembiermont, and is one of just a handful of cars upgraded to SV spec by the factory in period. An ‘enthusiastic’ driver, Dembiermont enjoyed using his car ‘to the max’, often traversing Europe with his wife (and their dog) in the passenger seat. His son later recalled them completing the 140 mile drive from Paris to Avallon in just one hour. It’s appearance at Hampton Court was its first since the completion of a 3 year-long restoration.

One 1971 Lamborghini Miura P400SV was sold for US$ 2,177,500 at 2018 RM Sotheby Auction Sale at Monterey California.

One 1971 Lamborghini Miura SV was sold for Euros 2,480,000 at RM Sotheby Auction Sale in Monte Carlo.

2023 Aston Martin Valkyrie - Future Classics Class Winner- see Car Review Aston Martin Hybrid Valkyrie 2020

There was another great contest in the ‘Future Classics’ category, with the ultra-high performance Valkyrie coming out on top. Marrying one of the world’s most treasured marques with what many consider to be the greatest Formula 1 designer of all time, the limited-production Valkyrie hybrid sports car is the dramatic result of a meeting of the finest minds in the automotive and motor sport industries. Aston Martin bought Red Bull’s Christian Horner and Adrian Newey on board to produce what would become one of the most ferocious road machines ever. The Valkyrie boasts a 6.5- litre Aston Martin-Cosworth V12 married to an electric motor to create a 1139bhp monster, which is also capable of generating up to 1814kg of downforce. The victorious car is one of just 150 Valkyries produced, and features a number of ‘Q’ special order touches.

For 2023 the Concours was celebrating the Centenary of the Le Mans 24 Hours race, in partnership with L’Automobile Club D’Ouest, the race’s organisers. Fittingly, there were 24 cars with Le Mans history in attendance, with awards handed out for the most compelling.

In the 1920s and 1930s category, the 1929 Bentley Speed Six ‘Old Number One’ took victory again – a double winner once more! The 1950s and 1960s award went to the 1964 Ferrari 250 LM – a dazzling 850kg mid-engined V12 machine that was born to race. In the 1970s to Present Day category, the owners opted for the 1972 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona Group 4 Competition. Capable of hitting 186mph on the Mulsanne straight, it finished 5th overall and first in class in 1972.

1964 Ferrari 250 LM - see Car Review Ferrari 250 LM Berlinetta 1964 by Pininfarina

With the model having debuted at the 1963 Paris Auto Salon, Ferrari 250LM no. 5909 was shipped in right-hand-drive form to Luigi Chinetti and the N.A.R.T. team in the US. It boasted an impressive entry roster in period events including the Le Mans 24 Hours, Nürburgring 1000km, Reims 12 Hours, Nassau Tourist Trophy and Canadian Grand Prix, driven by such stars as John Surtees, Lorenzo Bandini, Umberto Maglioli, Jochen Rindt and David Piper. Its later life has been spent both in action at Historic gatherings and on the show field at prestigious concours including Pebble Beach, The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering and Cavallino Classic.

1963 Ferrari 275P – 2x Le Mans Winner
This mid-engined, V12-powered car is the sole Ferrari to have ‘done the double’ at Le Mans. It won for Scuderia Ferrari as a 250P in 1963 and then as a re-engined 275P in 1964. Ludovico Scarfiotti and Lorenzo Bandini took it to initial victory, heading up the Maranello marque’s clean sweep of the top six places. The then 3.0-litre 250P won the Scuderia’s fourth consecutive 24 Hours victory by more than 125 miles (16 laps), setting a new distance record and becoming the first non-front-engined victor. It was also the first outright success for an all-Italian outfit – both car and drivers.
For the 1964 race, the redesignated 275P sported a 3.3-litre V12. Driven by Sicilian Nino Vaccarella and Frenchman Jean Guichet, it again it set a Le Mans distance record, covering 2917.5 miles and averaging 122.2mph. The subsequent Ferrari one-two-three marked the last time Ferrari would top the podium at Le Mans – until the 499P’s win earlier this year.

1962 Ferrari 250 GTO - see Car Review Ferrari 250 GTO 1962 1964
The 250 GTO that will be on show is a particularly special, even by 250 GTO standards. The car, chassis 3729 GT, is one of just eight right-hand-drive GTOs out of the 36 built. The only version delivered in Bianco (white), it was an order received via Maranello Concessionaires for Jaguar dealer and famous British racing team owner John Coombs.
The car’s first race was at Brands Hatch on August 6, 1962, when Roy Salvadori drove it to second overall in the Peco Trophy. Two weeks later it was contested by World Champion- to-be Graham Hill at the Tourist Trophy at Goodwood. A stunning example of one of the most sought after cars in the world – the ‘Holy Grail’ for Ferrari collectors.

1965 Fiat Abarth 1000 record Pininfarina Principessa
Another gem on show from the Fritz Burkard’s Pearl Collection will be the super-slippery Pininfarina designed Abarth 1000 ‘La Principessa’ record car. With a drag coefficient of just 0.20, the 1,000cc, 100bhp machine set 9 records including travelling 10,000km at a remarkable average speed of 118.7mph. The single seater special is sure to stand out in the gardens of Hampton Court Palace!

1953 Aston Martin DB3S - see Car Review Aston Martin DB3S
The Aston Martin DB3S was a desperate attempt to improve the fortunes of the DB3 model, as well as to give owner David Brown the Le Mans victory he so dearly desired. Over the winter of 1952, Willie Watson designed the car that will be on show at Hampton Court Palace, DB3S/1 – the first prototype. Featuring coachwork by Frank Feeley, it was the first Works car of 1953. It raced at Le Mans in 1954 with Roy Salvadori (running an experimental Supercharger) but was unable to secure the elusive victory. It has been in the current family ownership since 1974.

1962 AC Shelby Cobra 'CSX 2001' - Prince Michael of Kent Award -see Car Review AC Cobra 289 1962 1965

The AC Shelby Cobra 'CSX 2001' is the first production AC Cobra. Carrol Shelby negatiate with AC Cars Limited the partnership for the production of a fully revised AC ACE where the Bristol 6 cylinder engine with a large capacity Ford V8.

2003 Bentley Speed 8-(One Bentley 3 Litre similar to the one seen next to the Speed 8, won 1924 Le Mans edition with John Duff and Frank Clement at the wheel)- see Car Review Bentley Speed Eight 2003 Le Mans Winner
Bentley’s long-awaited 2003 victory at La Sarthe, in the no. 7 Speed 8, was the pinnacle of a concerted drive to put the team back on top in motor sport after a seven-decade absence. Modern-day Bentley Boys Guy Smith, Tom Kristensen and Rinaldo Capello piloted the closed-cockpit car to both LMGTP class and overall victory, with its counterpart driven by David Brabham, Johnny Herbert and Mark Blundell coming in second. No. 7 is on show at Hampton Court Palace, giving fans the chance to get up close to this historic machine.

1994 Bugatti EB 110 GT - see Car Rview Bugatti EB 110 SS 1992 1995

Romano Artioli had a dream – and with the help of former Lamborghini Miura engineers, as well as automotive luminaries such as Paolo Stanzani and Nicola Materazzi, the ambitious Italian entrepreneur achieved it. For several years in the 1990s, his all-new EB110 GT hypercar project sat atop the supercar tree, thanks to its remarkable 553bhp quad-turbo 3.5-litre V12 and four-wheel-drive system. The even more powerful, track-focused Super Sport variant kicked out a then-stupendous 602bhp.
Artioli’s revival of the Bugatti name was ultimately short-lived, however. Financial difficulties eventually forced the firm’s closure in 1995, after just 139 EB110s had left the Campogalliano factory in Modena – including one bought by Michael Schumacher. The example on show at the Concours of Elegance, chassis 39065, is one of the 84 road-biased GT variants built. From new it was finished in Grigio Chiaro with a dual-tone grey leather interior, and fitted with the Super Sport’s lightweight wheels and carbonfibre front bumper.

2022 Bugatti Centodieci -see Car Review Bugatti 1600 HP Centodieci Limited Edition 2019

Upon Bugatti’s 110th anniversary in 2019 the venerable French marque, by now owned by Volkswagen Group, created a limited-edition machine to celebrate this landmark in its history of exceptional performance and design. The Centodieci went into production in 2022. The Pearl Collection’s example – one of only ten to be built – represents the apex of modern-day Bugatti, and took inspiration from its EB110 forebear.