1967 Ferrari 275 GTS/4 NART Spyder of Jon Shirley was awarded the RAC Spirit of Motoring Award.
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| Concours of Elegance 2015 at the Palace of the Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh |
The Concours of Elegance 2015, held at the Palace of the Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh, has rounded off another first-class event with many thousands of visitors, sublime weather, a selection of the world’s rarest cars and some £150,000 raised for charity.
Sixty incredible cars – some never seen before in the UK – partook in the main Concours event, converging on the Palace of Holyroodhouse from all corners of the globe, including America, Australia and Europe. All cars are personally invited by the Concours of Elegance’s prestigious Steering Committee, so a place at the Palace is considered a victory in itself. For that reason, uniquely, the Best in Show award is voted for by the owners of the sixty invited cars.
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| Concours of Elegance 2015 Club Trophy Winner |
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| Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost |
The 2015 prize went to the 1903 Mercedes Simplex 60HP of Anke Ruckwarth, as owners praised the incredible engineering in this 112-year-old car, powered by a 9.2-litre four-cylinder engine and capable of nearly 80mph. Only four are known to exist.
Meanwhile, the 1927 Mercedes-Benz S Rennsport owned by Klaus Schildbach won the Spirit of the Tour award, chosen by the organisers as the driver and car pairing that was considered to enter most in to the spirit of the 200-mile Highland Tour that the ran ahead of the Concours.
The 1967 Ferrari 275 GTS/4 NART Spyder of Jon Shirley was awarded the RAC Spirit of Motoring Award.
An impeccable Jaguar SS1 took home two prizes this year, winning both the RAC Club Trophy and the inaugural Jaguar Trophy. Two independent panels of judges, which included HRH Prince Michael of Kent, Jaguar director of design Ian Callum and Aston Martin head of design Marek Reichman, were unanimous in their decisions. As winner of the RAC Club Trophy the SS1, belonging to Michael and Linda Jewell, will be invited to take part in the main Concours in 2016.
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| The 2015 Concours of Elegance |
With perfect weather for all three days of the Concours – Owners’ Day, Jaguar Land Rover Saturday and Bentley Sunday – thousands came out to enjoy the exquisite gardens of the Palace of Holyroodhouse. Among them were some very special guests, including Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, Sir Jackie Stewart and Dario Franchitti.
As ever with the Concours of Elegance, this year’s event successfully raised huge amounts of money for it’s charities for 2015 Action on Addiction, Walking With the Wounded and Springfield Motor Racing’s Club for Young People.
Concours of Elegance is already planning for 2016. To celebrate Her Majesty The Queen’s 90th birthday next year, the event will have the biggest and most incredible selection of cars ever seen at the Concours of Elegance.
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| Best of Show winners 2015 at the Concours of Elegance |
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| ‘Best of Show’ winner takes HRH Prince Michael of Kent for a ride |
About the Palace of Holyroodhouse
The Queen is in residence at the Palace of Holyroodhouse during Holyrood week, which usually takes place from the end of June to the beginning of July. Then the Scottish variant of the Royal Standard of the United Kingdom is flown, and the Royal Company of Archers forms Her Majesty’s ceremonial bodyguard.
At the start of The Queen’s visit, the Palace forecourt is transformed into a crowded and colourful parade ground, where 700 guests stand to watch the enactment of an ancient ceremony, the Presentation of the Keys of the City of Edinburgh. On her arrival in the forecourt, The Queen is presented with a red-velvet cushion, on which rests the great key of the city. It is handed to The Queen by the Lord Provost, who welcomes Her Majesty formally and pledges her the city’s loyalty. Her Majesty then hands back the key for safekeeping.
The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh entertain around 8,000 guests from all walks of Scottish life during the Holyrood week. Her Majesty holds Investitures in the Great Gallery, audiences in the Morning Drawing Room and a Garden Party. The Queen received His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI at Holyroodhouse during The Pope’s official visit to the UK in September 2010. Prince Charles resides at Holyroodhouse for one week a year, carrying out official duties as The Duke of Rothesay.
Discover more about the Palace of Holyroodhouse
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Timetable
Friday 4th September
Owners Day
Open to Owners and special ticket holders only
09.30 The 2015 Concours of Elegance officially opens
11.00 Concours cars assemble in the gardens of Holyroodhouse
18.00 Concours closes for the day
Video Highlights 2015
Saturday 5th September
Open to Public day ticket holders
09.30 The 2015 Concours of Elegance open to the Public
15.00 Club Trophy winner announced
18.00 Concours closes for the day
Sunday 6th September
Open to Public day ticket holders
09.30 The 2015 Concours of Elegance open to the Public
16.45 Concours closes
17.00 The Grand Depart. All the cars on display in the gardens of the Palace leave
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Concours of Elegance arrived in Scotland with the start of highland tour in Loch Lomond 2. September 2015. The Tour leads to Edinburgh and the official opening of the Concours of Elegance at the Palace of Holyroodhouse on Friday. Tour entries include His Royal Highness Prince Michael of Kent in a 1937 Bentley 4 1/4 Vanden Plas Tourer, Sir Jackie Stewart in a 1954 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing, Dario Franchitti and Zak Brown in a 1967 Ferrari 275 GTS and many more.
A week of motoring celebrations in Scotland commenced today on the banks of Loch Lomond with the start of the Concours of Elegance Highland Tour.
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| Sir Jackie Stewart and Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon |
More than 50 incredible pieces of automotive history dating from a 1903 Mercedes 60HP Simplex to a 2015 Ferrari La Ferrari are taking part in the tour, covering over 200 miles through Scotland, arriving the centre of Edinburgh on Thursday afternoon.
The tour route saw the cars drive the famous Rest and Be Thankful hillclimb, before moving on to Inverary Castle, the Falls of Dochart and back to Loch Lomond ahead of tomorrow’s leg which will take in the Trossachs and the route to Edinburgh.
The three-day Concours of Elegance itself opens in the grounds of the Palace of Holyroodhouse, Edinburgh on Friday 4 September following a parade down the Royal Mile from 0900hrs. Many of the cars from the Highland Tour will feature in the Concours of sixty of the world’s rarest cars at the Palace, where a number of special motoring features will also take pride of place, including the world’s largest gathering of Ecurie Ecosse cars, a special tribute to Sir Jackie Stewart and a Scottish Legends display including cars raced by Jim Clark, Johnny Dumfries and Dario Franchitti.
Visitors can also admire a vast collection of the best models from car clubs throughout the country in the Royal Automobile Club Trophy and a special selection of Jaguars in the Jaguar Trophy. Concours of Elegance has confirmed the world-beating line-up of cars for its 2015 event at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh, including an original 1912 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost London to Edinburgh car.
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| Highland Tour kicks off at Loch Lomond |
One-of-six Rolls-Royce cars in the main Concours event, this particular model was inspired by the Silver Ghost’s return journey from London to Edinburgh in top gear – mimicking the Concours of Elegance’s journey from Hampton Court Palace in 2014 to Holyroodhouse this year.
During the return trip, the Silver Ghost covered around 1600 miles using only its top gear, carrying four passengers and luggage, and achieving 24.3mpg. It was this feat that helped cement a reputation for the Silver Ghost as ‘the best car in the world.’
From 1923, Concours visitors will also be able to see the Bugatti Type 23 Brescia, one of 200 ever built, with around 19 known to still exist. This sporting roadster was directly descended from the Brescia Bugattis that placed first, second, third and fourth in the 1921 Italian Grand Prix for Voiturettes.
A one-off from 1949 is the Talbot Lago T26 Grand Sport by coachbuilders, Franay – the company only produced bodywork for three T26 Grand Sports, with the remaining two being coupés. Each uses a chassis developed from a Le Mans-winning racing car and a 190bhp 4.5-litre six-cylinder engine.
The stunning pale green Ferrari 250 GTO on show at the Concours is the very same driven by Innes Ireland straight from Maranello to Goodwood for the International Easter Monday race of 1962. It’s also the same car that won the Tourist Trophy in 1962 and competed at Le Mans in the same year, where it failed to finish.
Ferrari fans will also be able to see a Ferrari 212 Export Vignale making its worldwide Concours debut after an extensive 14-month restoration. The 1951 car was personally driven by Enzo Ferrari to its first owner in Italy, powered by a race-prepared 2.5-litre V12 engine and boasting a berlinetta body styled by Vignale.
Some more recent supercar royalty will also be in attendance, including two Lamborghini supercars: the Miura S and Countach 5000S, along with the extremely rare BMW M1 and Lancia Stratos HF Stradale. The Touring Superleggera Berlinetta Lusso is the most recent car in the Concours, making its UK debut at the event.
Outside of the main Concours of sixty cars, Concours of Elegance 2015 will also host a number of special features, including the world’s largest gathering of Ecurie Ecosse cars, featuring the Le Mans-winning D-type. Visitors can also admire a collection of the best models from car clubs throughout the country in the Club Trophy and a special selection of Jaguars in the Jaguar Trophy.
The final car list in full:
1902 Arrol-Johnston Dogcart
1902 Westfield
1903 Mercedes 60HP Simplex
1904 Fiat 60HP
1905 Star Gordon Bennett Racer
1905 Rolls-Royce 15HP
1908 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost Barker Roi des Belges Tourer
1912 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost Grosvenor London to Edinburgh
1912 Lorraine Dietrich ‘Vieux Charles III’
1922 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost Barker & Co Torpedo Tourer 'Ermintrude'
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| 1949 Talbot Lago Type 26 Gran Sport Franay |
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| Concours of Elegance 2015 at the Palace of Holyroodhouse |
1922 Delage CO2 4½ Litre Dual-Cowl Tourer
1923 Bugatti Type 23 Brescia Lavocat et Marsaud
1924 Vauxhall 30-98 OE Velox Tourer
1927 Mercedes-Benz S Rennsport Chassis No. 1
1927 Bentley 6½ Litre Vanden Plas Tourer
1930 Mercedes SS Tourer 7.1 Litre
1931 Invicta 4 Litre Vanden Plas Low Chassis S-Type ex-George Milligen
1931 Bentley 8 Litre ex-Forrest Lycett
1932 Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 Short Chassis Zagato Spider
1932 Packard Twin Six Dietrich Individual Custom Convertible Sedan
1933 Hispano-Suiza J12/68 Vanvooren 3 Position Cabriolet Picasso Car
Video Higland Tour 2015
1933 MGK3 Magnette Supercharged Roadster
1935 Squire 1500 Ranelagh Tourer
1936 Delage D60-70 Milord Figoni et Falaschi Cabriolet
1937 Rolls-Royce Phantom III Vanvooren 2-seater Drophead Coupé
1937 Bentley 4¼ Litre Vanden Plas Tourer
1937 Jaguar SS100
1938 Bugatti Type 57C Gangloff Two-Seater Drophead Coupé
1938 Lagonda V-12 Drophead Coupé
1939 Delahaye Type 165 Figoni et Falaschi Cabriolet ‘World’s Fair Car’
1949 Talbot Lago Type 26 Gran Sport Franay
1951 Ferrari 212 Vignale Export
1951 Tojeiro Sport
1953 Jaguar C-Type
1956 Maserati A6G Zagato Berlinetta
1956 Jaguar D-Type Long Nose Ecurie Ecosse
1958 Ferrari 250GT Tour de France Scaglietti Berlinetta
1958 Bentley S1 Continental DHC
1959 Tojeiro-Jaguar Sports-Racing Prototype Ex-Jim Clark Ecurie Ecosse
1960 Bentley S2 Continental H.J. Mulliner Fastback
1960 Aston Martin DB4 GT Bertone Jet
1961 Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato 2VEV
1962 Ferrari 250 GTO Ex-Innes Ireland
1962 Ferrari 400 Superamerica Coupé Aerodinamico
1963 Jaguar E-Type 3.8 Fixed Head Coupé
1964 Jaguar E-Type Semi-Lightweight, Ex-Briggs Cunningham
1963 Fiat Ghia Spider G230 Prototipo
1963 ATS 2500 GTS Allemano Coupé
1965 Aston Martin DB6 Short Chassis Volante
1965 Shelby 427 Competition Cobra LOV1
1967 Ferrari 330 GTC Speciale
1967 Ferrari NART Spyder
1967 Rolls-Royce Phantom V James Young Touring Limousine
1968 Ferrari 275 GTB/4
1970 Lamborghini Miura S
1975 Lancia Stratos HF Stradale
1979 BMW M1
1983 Lamborghini Countach 5000S
1987 Ferrari F40 Pininfarina GT Prototype
2015 Touring Superleggera Berlinetta Lusso
About the annual Concours of Elegance:
Established in 2012, the inaugural Concours of Elegance was held within Windsor Castle to mark the diamond jubilee of Her Majesty The Queen’s reign. The first Concours of Elegance set a new global benchmark for a classic car concours; winning prestigious awards in the process; unheard of for a ‘start-up’ event in its first year.
The second Concours of Elegance was held in 2013 to equal fanfare and acclaim at the historic St James's Palace in London, with the widely acclaimed third Concours set in the stunning grounds of Hampton Court Palace in 2014.
Only the highest caliber of cars are invited to the Concours of Elegance, event, with the rarest cars in the world, from all over the world, painstakingly selected by the Concours Steering Committee; a respected team of authoritative historic car experts. A key objective of the annual Concours of Elegance is to raise significant sums for charity.
For more information visit www.concoursofelegance.co.uk
Video: The story so far
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Concours of Elegance 2014 at Hampton Court Palace
The UK’s most prestigious Concours of Elegance, uniquely held at a different Royal Palace each year, was concluded on Sunday,7. September 2014, at Hampton Court Palace with the Concours Awards prize presentations.
Concours entry owners and guests were invited to an exclusive and exquisite dinner for the prize winners’ announcements on Saturday night, hosted in the Great Dining Hall at Hampton Court Palace by Concours of Elegance Patron, HRH Prince Michael of Kent.
The Best of Show Alfa Romeo ‘Flying Star’ is a legendary show car, which made its concours debut in 1931 at the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este, where, accompanied by the model Josette Pozzo, it won the Coppa d’Oro di Villa d’Este trophy. It has been winning accolades and trophies ever since.
Other prize winners at the 2014 Concours of Elegance include:
1955 Mercedes-Benz 300SL “Alloy” Gullwing Coupé (The AIG Private Clients Award for the Most Historically Significant Car)
Sonja Schaefer driving the 1929 Mercedes-Benz 680 S Saoutchik Torpedo Roadster (The Pol Rodger Award for the Most Elegant Gentleman or Lady Driver)
1933 Rolls-Royce Phantom II Continental Freestone & Webb Coupé (The William & Son Award for the Most Elegant British Motor Car)
1970 Lancia Stratos Zero Bertone Concept (The RM Auctions Award for the Most Innovative Car of its Era)
1934 Triumph Dolomite 8C SS Corsica Roadster (The Royal Automobile Club Spirit of Motoring Award)
1936 Bugatti T57 Paul Née Pillarless Coupé (The Connolly Award for the Most Elegant Interior)
1938 Talbot-Lago T150C-SS Figoni et Falaschi Coupé (The Autoglym Elegant Design Award)
Held in the stunning Fountain Gardens of Hampton Court Palace the 2014 Concours of Elegance brought together 60 of the rarest cars from all over the world. In addition to the concours entrants, several hundred further cars joined the show from across Europe, with the special Club Trophy award presented to a 1968 Ferrari 275 GTB owned by Brit, Nigel Allen. The car, shown at Ville d’Este in 2011, also won the Ferrari Owners Club Best of Show award in the same year.
The 2014 Concours of Elegance at Hampton Court Palace is the third such automotive gathering in London, which, since the first event in 2012, has set a new global benchmark for classic car concours events; winning a number of prestigious awards and accolades.
It is unique in the fact that the setting changes from year to year but with the consistent theme of always being held on the lawns of a Royal palace. Only the highest calibre of cars are invited to the Concours of Elegance, with the rarest cars in the world painstakingly selected by the Concours’ team of respected and authoritative experts.
