18 July, 2016
The event billed as Britain’s most prestigious luxury supercar show and concours d’elegance is back this autumn with the promise of its best line-up yet.
The 11th edition of Salon Privé (September 1-3) is again set in the regal surroundings of Blenheim Palace in the Oxfordshire town of Woodstock.
And no less regal is one of the stars of the show - a peerless Alfa Romeo dating back 92 years.
A line-up of 65 very rare classic motors and 20 head-turning bikes will do battle in a range of categories for Thursday’s (September 1) concours d’elegance awards.
The show really is one of the main fixtures of the automotive events calendar alongside events such as the Villa d’Este in Italy and the USA’s Pebble Beach.
Here are some of the reasons why:
Awesome Alfa Romeo
A venerable one-of-a-kind 1924 Alfa Romeo RL Normale Coupe de Ville is sure to drop jaws in the concours pre-war coachwork section.
Renowned European coachmaker J Farre had this gem delivered as new to the Spanish city of Barcelona.
Salon Privé regulars have never before seen this Alfa Romeo, which has a body made from impressive caoba wood.
Also in the running…
Even older among other notable contenders is California-based Mullin Automotive Museum’s Voisin Type C6 Laboratoire (1923). Its monocoque construction makes it stand out from the crowd. An aircraft wing inspired its streamlined, aerodynamic profile.
A Ferrari 500 TR ‘Testa Rossa’ (1956) that has just benefited from a loving restoration will be showing for the first time, having been kept under wraps for over half a century. Its owners hope that it does as well as it did on the race track, where it won in successive years at the Nassau Speed Week (1956-57). There are only another 17 examples of this Italian model on the planet.
Show classes include: 50 Years of the Lamborghini Miura, Porsche Racing Pedigree and The Great V12 Ferraris
Classic bikes
Spectators can see a range of two-wheeled beauties including.
Vincent Black Knight (1954): This has travelled only 1,000 miles in its 52 years and has also been carefully restored
Matchless-Vickers 8B2/M Russian Military Motorcycle Combination (1917): This Dorset Tank Museum exhibit has just two peers left as a First World War machine gun combo - and is the solitary surviving Matchless version
The bike classes are split into three sections, 1900-1939, 1940-1975 (competition) and 1940-1975 (highway).
But that’s not all
Salon Privé also incorporates the:
- Boodles Ladies’ Day (Friday, September 2)
- The Salon Privé Supercar Show (Saturday, September 3)
- The Salon Privé Sale
- The Pirelli Prestige & Performance Competition
- EFG Art and Memorabilia Fair
How can I get tickets?
Advanced adult ticket prices vary. If you want to make a real day of it, a full hospitality ticket costs £245.83. This includes champagne and complimentary bar, lobster lunch and English afternoon tea.
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