The star cars to see at London’s Concours of Elegance this month
Hampton Court Palace will shortly play host to some of the most exotic and exquisite classic cars from around the world. Taking place in West London later this month, the must-visit Concours of Elegance is now into its 13th year. Around 1,000 classic cars will be parked inside the grounds of the royal palace during the event, with 60 vehicles hand-picked to form the central display.
Ahead of the Concours of Elegance, which runs from Friday 30 August until Sunday 1 September 2024, here is our pick of the three most exciting cars on show.
1937 Talbot-Lago T150 SS
The 60 cars chosen to be celebrated at the Concours of Elegance include a stunning ‘Teardrop’ Talbot-Lago T150 SS.
With fewer than 30 examples produced, this was one of the fastest road cars on sale when launched in 1937. This particular example was originally bought by a French racing driver known as ‘Suicide Freddie’.
Like all cars in the central collection, the Talbot-Lago was chosen by the Concours of Elegance steering committee. This select group includes some of the world’s leading automotive aficionados.
1956 Maserati A6G/54 Zagato
The steering committee also nominated one of the rarest post-war Maseratis. Only 60 examples of the A6G/54 sports car were built – and just 20 featured coachbuilt bodywork by Zagato.
Intended for competition use, this car was entered into the Mille Miglia road race in 1956, followed by various other European motorsport events that decade.
One of the key categories at the Concours of Elegance covers sports racing cars from the 1950s, along with ‘glamourous coupes’ of the 1960s. A selection of the ‘greatest British cars’ will profile a century of motoring, from vintage Rolls-Royces to the latest Gordon Murray Automotive T.50 hypercar.
1973 Porsche 911 Turbo concept
We previously covered this very special Porsche in more detail. The original – and rarely seen – prototype for the 911 Turbo, it holds a special place in Stuttgart history.
First shown at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 1973, the car featured bodywork inspired by the 911 3.0 RS road car and RSR racer. Its ‘whale tail’ rear spoiler was an obvious addition, along with larger Fuchs alloy wheels and prominent ‘turbo’ graphics.
If you want to see the very first 911 Turbo, plus an incredible array of other rare cars, tickets for the Concours of Elegance are still available from the event website. Prices start at £45 for an adult afternoon entrance, with a full-day ticket costing £65.
John Redfern writes for Motoring Research