Salon Privé crowns the 1956 Ferrari 500 Testa Rossa

After its 11th edition, Salon Privé further cements its firm position as the UK’s most prestigious Luxury Supercar Show & Concours d’Elégance. Salon Privé, the Luxury Supercar Show & Concours d’Elégance, took place from Thursday 1st to Saturday 3rd September at Blenheim Palace and attracted over 12,000 visitors to the world-renowned event. With over 200 display cars across the three-day event, spanning 76 different marques, the jaw-dropping 1956 Ferrari 500 Testa Rossa took the Best of Show crown at the prestigious Chubb Insurance Concours d’Elégance, meanwhile in the modern-day concours the Pagani Zonda 760RS drove away with the overall winning silverware for the Pirelli Prestige & Performance Competition.

Chubb Insurance Concours d’Elégance – Thursday 1st September. The jury, led by five-times Le Mans Winner Derek Bell MBE, deliberated throughout the day’s proceedings, as the Concours Show Lawn fielded its toughest competition to-date.  Wowing the crowds, the judges finally crowned the extraordinary 1956 Ferrari 500 Testa Rossa sn: 0614 MDTR, owned by Bruce Lavachek and David Cottingham, as Best of Show.  In spite of stiff competition from the other 75 competitors, the Ferrari also took home silverware from the Racing Improves the Breed class alongside the ultimate Best of Show honours.  

“There are cars that just impress from the start, and this year the 1956 Ferrari 500 Testa Rossa wowed the judges.  Never having been seen before at a worldwide Concours, it was a sight to behold for any Concours connoisseur,” said Salon Privé Managing Director & Concours Chairman, Andrew Bagley. “A Testa Rossa being a rare model in itself, this car ticked all the boxes for the Judges in terms of attention to detail of the restoration, provenance and racing pedigree, making it the clear, outright winner.  Owned by Bruce Lavachek and David Cottingham, the award was particularly moving as it has been a painstaking 40-year journey for Bruce to locate the car and bring it to its former glory, with the specialist skills of David Cottingham.  The car had languished in a barn in Iowa and had been forgotten about since its last race in 1960.  To have the car presented at a world-renowned Concours, let alone win the ultimate Best of Show, is a dream that Bruce never considered could be achieved in his lifetime.”

Taking 2nd place overall in the Chubb Insurance Concours was the majestic 1934 Rolls-Royce Phantom II Continental with Hooper & Co. coachwork, sn: 7RY, owned by Michel Doret.

The exceptionally well-informed guests always play a pivotal role during Salon Privé, in voting for their People’s Choice, this year going to the stunning 1954 Maserati A6 GCS Berlinetta sn. 2059 owned by Timm Bergold.  With beautiful Pinin Farina coachwork, and one of only four remaining, this Maserati was shown at the 1954 Paris Auto Salon before going on to compete in the Mille Miglia the following year. The only one to be in totally authentic and original condition, this Maserati stole the hearts of the crowd with relative ease.

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the iconic Lamborghini Miura, a stand-alone Miura-only class attracted eight fantastic examples of the supercar on the South Lawn of Blenheim Palace. Taking the overall win was the 1971 Lamborghini Miura P400SV sn 4846  of Adrien Labi, which had recently returned to the road following restoration by Lamborghini’s historic PoloStorico team. Also on display was the one-off 1975 Miura Roadster sn: 3498, the Bertone-styled concept, developed for the 1968 Brussels Auto Show.

Other winners included Andrew Smith’s 1974 Porsche 911 3.0RS sn: 9114609029 in the Porsche Racing Pedigree Class, with over 200 races under its belt including the famous Tour de France, coming 3rd in 1975 and then 2nd in 1976, along with a 4th place in Le Mans 24 hours in 1975.  A beautifully restored 1972 Ferrari Dino 246 GT also won the European Grand Tourers category.