The Concours of Elegance is one of the most important classic car events of the year and the 2018 event saw nearly 13,000 attendees arrive at Hampton Court Palace. There was a stunning range of beautiful cars on display, with many winning awards. For the first time, prizes were given by decade, so a factory-restored Lamborghini Miura P400S won the post 1970s category. In the 1950s class, an ex-Sir Stirling Moss Maserati 300S won.
The most sought after award, Best In Show, went to a one-off 1927 Mercedes-Benz S-Type Barker ‘Boat Tail.’ The machine is a masterpiece of engineering, deserving of the award. Based on the Mercedes S-Type, the car was one of the fastest of its time period.
The Boat Tail was fitted with a game changing, aerodynamic body. The aluminium side pods, created by Barker, were inspired by aircrafts. It was previously owned by British Racing Drivers’ Club co-founder Earl Howe. A lot of Howe’s specifications were lost, though the Boat Tail was recently brought back to life.
Another significant award was the Spirit of Motoring distinction. This went to a 1912 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost Taj Mahal owned by Katie Forrest. She earned the award as recognition for her passion for classic cars.
There were also a number of honourable mentions, such as a Porsche 917K driven by Steve McQueen for the filming of Le Mans. Others included the last four-cylinder Ferrari, a one-off Rolls-Royce Sweptail, McLaren Senna 001 and Aston Martin V12 Vantage V600.
The 2018 Concours of Elegance raised plenty of money for charity. This year’s charities were the Springfield Youth Club Hackney and the College of St George. The money raised at the show will benefit these organisations, highlighting the community spirit of the Concours of Elegance. This year’s event was a huge success, bringing classic car enthusiasts from all over the UK under one roof.
As ever with the Concours of Elegance, a substantial amount of money was raised for the event’s chosen charities. This year’s foundation was the Springfield Youth Club Hackney and the College of St. George. 2018’s charity auction was sponsored by Ferrari Financial Services
