Cars

Location, location, location

The event’s organisers once again went with the unique ‘all cars are winners’ formula, so none of the cars was singled out by the steering committee for individual prizes – although the owners’ choice ‘Best in Show’ award went to the earliest machine at the event, the 1903 Mercedes 60HP Simplex. In the end, it was the car’s complex engineering combined with the female crew’s tenacity (and surprising speed) on the pre-Concours tour that earned the votes of their driving peers.

Mixed messages

Consignment

For 2015, Salon Privé was relocated to Blenheim Palace, a grand venue that couldn’t be more ideal for hosting a beauty pageant, both in the automotive and human senses. 

Hard-fought competition

A road trip to remember

HRH Prince Michael of Kent and the Bentley 4¼ Litre

We’re currently touring the Scottish Highlands in Princess Diana’s Jaguar XJS Cabriolet (you can read that story on Friday), before the main event this weekend. The Concours itself, taking place 4-6 September, will feature a world-class collection of classics, including the largest-ever gathering of Ecurie Ecosse racing cars, while a number of dealers – several of whom list their wares on Classic Driver – will be exhibiting. We’ll be on judging duties alongside Ian Callum in the Jaguar Trophy, and on Sunday evening we’ll discover the venue for next year’s event.

We’ve already covered two rather yellow stars of the show – the Alfa Romeo RZ (£50,000-70,000) and Bugatti EB110 SS (£600,000-770,000) – in the magazine. But there’s plenty more to whet the appetite at the RM Sotheby’s annual (and ever-popular) London sale next week.

You can’t dispute that Aston Martin knows how to make the most of its longstanding relationship with England’s best-known spy. We recently saw the DB10, 007’s new car for ‘Spectre’, and now the elderly DB9 receives a special Bond send-off. The limited run of 150 cars is recognisable by each car's sterling silver plaque, special embroidery and ‘Spectre Silver’ paintwork.