Cars

Video: Kidston SA

Oh, and let’s not forget the red-with-white-stripes 1970 Porsche 917, the very car that gave Porsche its first overall victory at Le Mans. Or the pair of limited-edition Ferraris inspired by demand in the USA for a convertible – with race-track performance: the blue 1961 250 GT California Spider and the silver 1967 275 GTB/4 N.A.R.T. Spyder.

The spacious, Art Deco-style showroom in the fashionable Kew district of the Capital is in an ideal location for the more discreet buyer. More often than not, it’ll be Donovan himself who welcomes you; his experience in the industry ranges from owning Straight Eight (the Bentley and Rolls-Royce specialist) for 30 years, to helping set up the Hexagon Classics operation more recently.

The decision to award the prize on the opening day, rather than wait till the event was about to close, was an inspired one. Visitors on days two and three can now admire the cars at leisure, debating the judge’s decisions with a glass of champagne in hand (there may still be time to book a last-minute package). We wouldn’t disagree with the verdict – the open Ferrari was a stunner, although run close by the ex-Steve McQueen 250 GT Lusso and the ‘patinated’, blue 1955 Ferrari 500 Mondial.

For many manufacturers, the ultimate engineering test comes in the form of endless laps of the Nordschleife – but the Range Rover has always been capable of seeking out its very own ‘green hell’. Since the late 60s, developmental Range Rovers (badged ‘Velar’ in early cases) have undertaken demanding expeditions to unearth any on-the-limit problems before final approval.

Zegna has clothed the Maserati in bright, earthy tones, while the paint finish uses ultra-fine aluminium pigments to create an effect that “simulates the fluidity and purity of metal”. Inside, the soft leather and smooth fabric are reminiscent of Zegna’s latest men’s fashion collections. The warm hues are ideal for autumn, but sadly the concept won’t become a limited series for the road until at least next year.

As with the car of 30 years ago, Audi tells us that the latest Sport quattro concept was “designed in the spirit of motorsport”. It still gives more than a hint of the 1980s in its styling, however: note the angular, flat C-pillars, the ‘blisters’ above the wings, and the rectangular double headlights, though these latter now feature the marque’s “ground-breaking” Matrix LED technology.

They certainly don’t make them like that any more - although Mercedes-Benz, having dipped in quality during its brief, less-than-successful marriage to Chrysler, is now back on fine form, as our test of the latest S-Class shows.