In just three short years the Heveningham Concours has gained the reputation of a world-class event staged in its 5000 acre Georgian estate in the heart of Suffolk.
Could it be the perfect setting for a concours? Perfection is difficult to achieve, impossible if you’re a perfectionist, but the exquisitely manicured terraced lawns behind Heveningham’s mansion come pretty close to this. These tiered lawns enable all the cars to be displayed to their best advantage in a unique and classic setting unsurpassed by any other event.
With this graceful setting Heveningham now attracts priceless, rare and exotic cars from around the globe. A total of 54 vehicles were exhibited this year over the two-day event, including cars from the beginning of motoring up to the present day. An additional highlight was in the form of a separate McLaren Formula One exhibition, with no less than seven MP4s displayed in line abreast on the lawn courtesy of the McLaren Cars collection.
As an aperitif on Friday cars could take part in the Heveningham Tour, a 50-mile run through the beautiful Suffolk countryside. The outward leg terminated at Reedham Ferry where lunch was served at the Ferry Inn on the banks of the river Yare, in the heart of the Norfolk Broads. Hectic activity followed the return to Heveningham with the Concours entries being rid of their Suffolk road grime ready for the following day’s competition.
Horsepower Hill, new for 2018, gave concours owners and specially selected guests the chance to burn rubber in their own cars over a ¼ mile timed drag race. Pink Floyd drummer and car collector Nick Mason opened the show blasting his Concours winning 1962 Ferrari GTO up the hill to roars from the grandstand. Fastest time finally went to a much younger car in the shape of a 2013 Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport Vitesse.
Now in its second year, in addition to cars, Heveningham has an aviation concours situated just ¼ of a mile from the Hall at the grass airstrip. To commemorate the RAF’s centenary two Spitfires were invited, one being PL983 a 1944 MK11 photo reconnaissance type wearing the overall blue camouflage synonymous of photo squadrons. If it’s heritage you want then look no further than the sister Spitfire on display, and in the air `dogfighting` with a ME109j over the park each day, MH 434 a veteran of 80 operational sorties during WWll. Not swayed by this display of military might the judges awarded first place to a 1952 Morane-Saulnier with its huge 220hp Continental radial engine.
With such an array of entries on the Concours lawn awards were divided into three categories with the judging panel of Max Hunt, J Mays and RomulusRost awarding the bronze Lawrence Edwards trophies to the following cars:
• 1939 Delage D8-120 Cabriolet (owned by Peter & Merle Mullin) – winner, pre-war category (commendations for the 1927 Bugatti T37 Grand Prix and the 1937 Bugatti Type 57S)
• 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO (owned by Nick Mason) – winner, post-war category (commendations for the 1953 Jaguar C Type and the 1964 Ferrari 500 Superfast)
• 1987 Porsche 962 (owned by Henry Pearman) – winner, supercar category (commendations for the 1997 Porsche 911 GT1 Evolution & 2010 Porsche 918 Spyder)
Peter and Merle Mullin’s Henri Chapron-designed Delage D8-120 Cabriolet did steal the show but there were other notables on the lawn. Just restored and making its first appearance since this work now back sporting its original colour scheme the 1937 Bugatti Type 57s was a joy to behold.
Rarely seen and a welcome sight at Heveningham was the 1931 Maserati Tipo 26s just one of two imported to the UK during 1930 and raced extensively at Brooklands, Phoenix Park and Ards after that. Chassis no 017 identifies the 1949 Ferrari 166 Inter Superleggera as the 17th Ferrari and 9th road car built; 770 XUX graced the Concours as the earliest known Ferrari resident in the UK.
Representing modern supercar motoring were models from Ferrari, Pagani, Koenigsegg,
Maserati and Aston Martin as well as state of the art hybrids such as the McLaren P1 LM and the Porsche 918 Spyder.
With its combination of sublime setting, cars, aircraft, Tour, Horsepower Hill and a country fair for good measure look out Goodwood, Pebble Beach, Villa d’Este and Hampton Court; Heveningham is snapping at your heels!
Missing it already and looking forward to the 4th Heveningham Hall Concours next year.
