When thinking of a Concours d'Elegance, places like Pebble Beach, Amelia Island, Villa d'Este, or Chantilly immediately come to mind, evoking illustrious locations on the US coast or picturesque spots in Italy and France. The Scandinavian countries, however, were rarely on the radar for a long time. The Aurora Concours is proof enough that this is changing slowly but surely. Since 2024, the event has been drawing the international collector car scene to the gardens of a stunning estate on the Swedish west coast.
From June 26 to 28, 2026, Norrviken Gardens in Båstad transformed for the third time into an epicenter of automotive elegance spanning different eras. Anyone strolling through the stately grounds could admire over 500 exquisite cars that blended perfectly into the glamorous backdrop. Collectors and enthusiasts from 35 nations as well as more than 250 media representatives made the pilgrimage to the far north for this unique competition. On the immaculately manicured lawn, 70 carefully curated concours entries were parked. The differentiator of the event is that it evaluates historic treasures and modern hypercars with exactly the same dedication and seriousness, thanks to the dual concours concept.
"The Aurora was created to bring different worlds together," said Filip Larsson, Founder and CEO of The Aurora. "This year's concours field showed exactly what that means: pre-war icons, post-war grand tourers, competition cars, restomods, supercars, hypercars and major new debuts all sharing the same stage. That mix is what makes The Aurora special."
Two iconic brands particularly captivated the audience during the sunny, early summer weekend. For the first time, Ferrari was officially present, bringing the pulsating heart of Maranello to the Swedish coast. The new Ferrari Amalfi Spider celebrated its Scandinavian premiere at the Aurora Concours, embodying Italian automotive culture as an open-top grand tourer under the Nordic sun.
On the other side, the hypercar specialists from Koenigsegg celebrated their home game, showcasing an awe-inspiring lineage of their own model history. The timeline stretched from the very first prototype, the 1996 XP 001, through the first production model, the CC8S, to the brand-new, customer-ready Sadair's Spear and the first production Gemera. Never before had the rapid rise of the Swedish manufacturer been seen so compactly in one place. Main partner BMW, alongside J.P. Morgan Private Bank, also brought along their brand-new study, the BMW M Concept Neue Klasse.
Despite global premieres such as the first public appearance of the Rolls-Royce Spectre Series II or the unveiling of the Lamborghini Fenomeno Roadster, the awards ceremony naturally took center stage at the end. The coveted Best of Show title for classic vehicles went to a timelessly beautiful 1960 Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta SWB, while a brutal 1998 Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR secured the main trophy in the hypercar class. Even nearly three decades after its debut, the radical GT1 homologation special impresses with its imposing look and spectacular V12 sound.
Yet the bodywork of vehicles in the individual judging classes also told fascinating stories. A 1935 Mercedes-Benz 500K dominated the pre-war classics, while the 1958 Volvo P1800 Prototype X3 connected with Swedish design heritage and won its class. To prove that automotive power does not always have to be loud and obtrusive, the class winner among the wolves in sheep's clothing, a deliberately subtle 1973 BMW Alpina 2000 ti Touring A1, bundled its practical talent with a powerful performance injection from Buchloe.
In the supercar class, a 2005 Porsche Carrera GT predictably shone, being simultaneously analogue and modern with its spectacular naturally aspirated V10 and manual transmission. Anyone who saw the fierce Koenigsegg Jesko Attack "TYR" rolling through the park instantly understood why this uncompromising powerhouse not only excelled on the tour but was also honored with the prestigious President's Award. Adding a touch of untamed motorsport aura to the pristine lawn was the winner of the competition class, a 2011 Citroën DS3 WRC, which racked up several victories in the World Rally Championship with ”Super Seb” Sébastien Loeb behind the wheel.
With this formidable lineup, The Aurora proves that Scandinavian restraint and fiery automotive passion form an irresistible symbiosis. In Båstad, the tradition, present, and future of the luxury car industry meet at eye level, a formula that will undoubtedly make the event the North Star in the sky of concours events in the long term.
Photos: Keno Zache for Aurora Concours
