Car display races to top of English summer

VINTAGE cars and a garden-party atmosphere make the Salon Prive the highlight of the English summer calendar.

Lunch is served at the Salon Prive, Hurlingham Club, west London. MORE PHOTOS

THE quaint tradition of the concours d'elegance, in which people park their rare vintage cars alongside each other in a show of motoring excellence, reached a new height in Britain this week at the Salon Prive annual summer show.

Set in the Hurlingham Club, by the Thames in west London, and now in only its fifth year, the Salon Prive has, in its own words, become “one of the most eagerly anticipated events on the English social calendar.” This year's guests included a sprinkling of celebrities, including Rod Stewart, in their finest sports jackets and sunglasses.

“A garden party atmosphere infuses the event during the day, and in the evenings, the stunning grounds and super cars are subtly lit, transforming the event into a magical spectacle,” it says.

This year’s concours d’elegance featured Bugattis, Alfa Romeos, Maseratis, “Hollywood-era” limousines and even 1970s superbikes.

Five-times Le Mans winner Derek Bell said: “I can honestly say that Salon Privé has really raised the bar in terms of the quality of its concours event.

"Looking at some of the entrants this year, the list includes some of the most mouth-watering pre- and post-war exotica the world has to offer and I’d honestly say that this is shaping-up to be the best-ever Concours d’ Elégance event to be held in the UK.”

Of course, none of the cars was driven. For racing action, the motorsports fans at Salon Prive had to be content with a giant Scalextric set in a marquee.