Alfa Best at Salon Privé I

The unique Salon Privé Double Concours Weekend presented some of the world’s most desirable automobiles on the prestigious grounds of Blenheim Palace last week, with Thursday August 31’s 12^th annual Chubb Insurance Concours d’Elégance followed by Saturday’s inaugural Concours Masters (see separate story).

Voted Best of Show for the Chubb concours was a 1960 Alfa Romeo 6C 3000 CM Pininfarina Superflow IV, a car from the USA that hadn’t been shown in the UK before (above, photo courtesy of Salon Privé). In addition to Best of Show honors, it also won the “Curvaceous Coupes” class. Falling just short of the Best of Show designation, yet still winning the “Riviera Cruising” category, was a 1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider.

“This year’s event has been one of our most successful and pivotal Concours events to date,” said Salon Privé Managing Director and Concours Chairman, Andrew Bagley, “a game-changing year firmly planting Salon Privé on the global Concours scene. I was delighted to present each car and owner with their award, especially the unparalleled Alfa Romeo 6C 3000 CM Pininfarina Superflow IV.

“The car and owner travelled from the USA to make their UK Concours debut, and this historically important Alfa Romeo started off life as a racecar, driven by none other than Juan Manuel Fangio to 2^nd place in the 1953 Mille Miglia. Bodied by Carrozzeria Colli, this ex-factory racecar then became a mule for Pininfarina and was modified no less than four times until 1960, when it became the Superflow IV with its Plexi roof.”

Other winners of Italian descent included the last-ever UK-delivered, right-hand-drive 1973 Ferrari 365 GTS/4 ‘Daytona’ Spider, one of just 122 that originally left Maranello in that specification. Remaining with its current owner for more than 30 years, it won the hearts of Salon Privé guests and took home the People’s Choice Award. Joining the Ferrari was a special 1967 Lamborghini Miura P400. Having only just returned from Italy and Lamborghini’s in-house restoration team, Polo Storico, in July, it took top honors in the Evolution of the Supercar Pin-Ups Class.

2017 Chubb Insurance Concours d’Elegance Results

Best of Show – 1960 Alfa Romeo 6C 3000 CM Pininfarina Superflow IV

People’s Choice – 19673 Ferrari 365 GTS/4 Daytona Spider

Class Winners

Class D – Graceful Pre-War Motoring – 1939 Horch 853A Sport Cabriolet

Class E – 50s and 60s Curvaceous Coupes – 1960 Alfa Romeo 6C 3000 CM Pininfarina Superflow IV

Class F – Best of British at Blenheim Palace – 1961 Jaguar E-Type 3.8 Series 1

Class G – Luxury in Motion; Pre-War Rolls-Royce – 1931 Rolls-Royce Phantom II Continental

Class H – Riviera Cruising – 1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider

Class I – Evolution of the Supercar Pin-Up – 1967 Lamborghini Miura P400

Class J – Classic Sports Racers against the Stopwatch (to 1965) – 1965 Shelby 427 Cobra

Special Awards