The three-day event stuck to its formula of a daytime stroll around the cars, opened on the Wednesday by Rubens Barichello and Jay Kay. “I have two Porsches entered in the Concours, a 2.7RS and Speedster. Both are perfect so I am confident of a win,” said Jay. A superb barbecue lunch was on offer all three days with plenty of champagne flowing.

AS well as a fulsome line-up of exotic supercars including a Faralli & Mazzanti Antas, Rolls-Royce coupe, Bugatti Veyron and a fabulous Climax concept car, the croquet lawns were also hosting a superb aluminium Airstream Travel Trailer (no caravan this!) as well as a svelte Riva Aquariva, some mad Wraith and Hellcat RSVR motorcycles and shotguns from Holland & Holland. Some serious toys for boys and girls.

Wednesday evening saw the Sportsman Dinner followed by the Summer Ball on Thursday.

But Friday was the main day with the Salon Prive Concours d’Elégance kicking off at midday. Michael Scott and his steering panel had assembled the most amazing range of superb motor cars for the concours including the ex-Steve McQueen Ferrari Lusso, the ex-James Coburn Ferrari 250 California SWB Spider, the one-off Alfa Romeo Jankovits as well as a whole class of modern supercars and an astonishing collection of ex-Le Mans racers.

The overall Best of Show went to the superbly original 1954 Aston MartinDB3S/6, presented by Richard Gauntlett. This car came 2^nd at Le Mans in 1955 and again in ’58 and has been raced by Stirling Moss, Roy Salvadori, Peter Collins, Tony Brooks and Reg Parnell. Some provenance.

The People’s Choice went to the beautiful black Ferrari California Spider now owned by Chris Evans and other class winners included Anthony Hussey’s startling Lancia Aurelia Spider, Georg Gebhard’s Alfa Romeo 6C 2300 Jankovits, Philip Eaton’s Aston Martin Zagato and George Minden’s Bentley R-Type Continental.