Editorial

“I want to be driven home in one of these cars” so said stylish singer Bryan Ferry, at last weekend’s Cartier Style et Luxe lunch. The car to which he was referring was the Kellner Coach Bugatti Royale, one of five such examples present at the distinguished jeweller’s Goodwood concours.

The term ‘priceless’ is a cliché, but when applied to these cars - only one of which being in truly private ownership - it could well be true, perhaps ‘beyond price’ being a more accurate description.

And one you could apply to so many of the entries at this year’s Festival, the other prime candidates for the term being the pre-War Silver Arrows GP cars.

However, back to the silky-voiced chanteur, he would no doubt have reconsidered his comment had he taken a longer look at the weather outside the Cartier marquee, where rain of stair-rod intensity was descending on England’s finest green and pleasant.

I cannot comment on the field-crossing abilities of the Royale, but suffice it to say that a more reliable form of transport out of the event would most likely have been a Range Rover.

No such problems at Maranello, where the lucky few basked in truly Mediterranean temperatures. We are privileged to have a report from a prize-winner at the Concorso d’Eleganza, the climax of the Ferrari 60^th birthday celebrations.

Steve Wakefield Managing Editor sw@classicdriver.com