The former home of Henry VIII, Hampton Court Palace, will play host to a selection of some of the rarest Ferraris ever built as Concours of Elegance gets underway from August 31 to September 2. Ferraris from 1950 to the present day will appear in the Main Concours event, spearheaded by the unique and beautiful 166MM/ 212 Export “Uovo.”
The “Uovo” is an absolute one-off, designed for Count Giannino Marzotto as the ultimate sports racing car of its day. The design is not only aerodynamic but also lightweight, inspired by the aeronautical training of the car’s designer, Franco Reggiani, shedding around 150-kg compared with similar Ferraris of the time. The bespoke design, complete with a reflection-free windscreen made of crystal, worked wonders on the car’s performance, granting it a number of race wins, including the 1951 Giro della Toscana. Sold very recently by RM Sotheby’s, the “Uovo” has rarely been seen in public, making the Concours of Elegance a special opportunity to see one of the world’s most special Ferraris.
Joining the Uovo is a Ferrari 500 TRC by Scaglietti. Named after the FIA ‘C’ racing regulations to which it was built to comply, this 500 TRC, or ‘Testa Rossa C’, is one of the most beautiful Ferraris ever built. This particular example is the last TRC produced, and the last ever, four-cylinder car Ferrari made. It also comes complete with an impressive race history, including class wins at both the 1957 12 Hours of Sebring and 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Then there’s the extraordinary 365 California Spider. One of only 14 ever made, this car was designed by Pininfarina, as a direct successor to the 500 Superfast Coupe. Named “California” after its 250 predecessors, the 365 Spider was fitted with a sophisticated 4.4-liter V12 engine, capable of producing up to 320 hp.
Also on display at the Concours will be a 1962 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta Scaglietti – one of 165 built. Featuring a 3-liter V12 engine, the 250 GT SWBs were a shortened version of the long-wheelbase TDF (Tour de France) cars, fitted with modified suspension for higher cornering speeds.
Any Ferrari 275 GTB is special, but the alloy-bodied Long Nose appearing at Hampton Court Palace deserves extra attention. One of just 80 examples, this car has the lighter alloy body, the Long Nose design and the earlier two-cam powertrain. The 275 was designed by Pininfarina, built by Scaglietti, and was the first Ferrari to feature a fully independent transaxle suspension, pioneered on-track by Ferrari.
This year’s event will be the largest and most diverse yet, not only featuring one of the most incredible collections of vehicles ever seen in the Main Concours display but also a number of other special motoring features. The Aston Martin Owners Club, for example, will be gathering an example of every DB4 variant ever produced, in celebration of 60 years of the first Aston Martin DB4 model.
For more information visit www.concoursofelegance.co.uk
