The inaugural Concours des Légendes came to a triumphant close on Sunday 21 June, as crowds lined the driveway of Wilton House for the Castrol Supercar Drive-In, with well over 85 supercars, led onto the showfield by the Earl of Pembroke himself.
Held over three days, from 19-21 June, Concours des Légendes married the elegance of traditional automotive pageantry with the storytelling, art and live music of a cultural festival – a genuinely unique addition to the motoring calendar.
The action was split across three live stages – the Legends, Conversation and Literary stages – with more than 60 speakers across the three days, including Andy Green, Nick Mason, Brian Johnson, Peter Stevens, Wayne Carini, Edd China, James Martin, Marek Reichman, Ian Callum, Frank Stephenson, Richard Attwood, Ian Rice, Johnny Mowlem, Tiff Needell and Valentino Balboni, among many other big names in motoring.
On the Legends Stage, Pink Floyd drummer and collector Nick Mason, AC/DC frontman Brian Johnson and historic-racing impresario Ron Maydon were hilarious together, earning a standing ovation, while Formula 1-driver-turned-artist Stefan Johansson, Le Mans winner Richard Attwood and Lamborghini test driver Valentino Balboni drew enthusiastic crowds.
Over on the Literary Stage, the authors behind Three Men in a Land Rover recounted the misadventures that filled their book, and Hagerty’s John Mayhead shared the story behind Goldie, his award-winning biography of record-breaking driver Goldie Gardner.
The Conversation Stage saw renowned car designers Frank Stephenson and Peter Stevens providing fascinating and humorous chats, as well as tales of derring do from current land speed record holder Andy Green and Don Wales, nephew of speed pioneer Donald Campbell.
The cars more than matched the calibre of the speakers. Ross Brawn’s Ferrari 250 GT SWB and Stirling Moss’s MG EX181 ‘Roaring Raindrop’ record-breaker were among the jewels of a concours lawn curated across 13 themed classes, while a Lamborghini Gallardo bearing Valentino Balboni’s signature was one of many highlights in a field that ranged from pre-war elegance to modern collector cars.
Beyond the stages, there was plenty to explore. The Hagerty Car Stories display featured 12 cars a day, each owner interviewed about their car and the tales behind it, the standout being an immaculately presented Iso Grifo GL350 that took almost 40 years for its owner to restore.
Attendees could also explore the aristocratic opulence of Wilton House itself. The Inigo Jones-designed state rooms – chief among them the celebrated Double Cube Room, hung with Van Dyck portraits of the Herbert family and considered one of the finest 17th-century interiors in England – led through to a motorsport helmet display, sponsored by Lycetts.
Curated by Joe Twyman, the author of The Art of Racing: Helmets – who also spoke on stage – the display featured race-worn lids used by Alain Prost, Nigel Mansell, Damon Hill, Mika Häkkinen and Rubens Barrichello. The display also included the helmet Sir Jackie Stewart had signed by all 20 living World Champions for his Race Against Dementia charity – including Michael Schumacher.
The helmet display opened out into the house’s central quadrangle, a gravelled courtyard where many of the cars heading for Dore & Rees’ auction were assembled. Highlights included a Ferrari F355, a Ford GT Roush/Hennessey 1000RE and the one-of-a-kind Aston Martin Bertone Jet 2+2 – the last vehicle the Italian carrozzeria completed before its closure.
Elsewhere, the live Skills & Craftsmanship area put the spotlight on the artisan trades that keep these remarkable machines on the road. Co-curated by the Association of Heritage Engineers (AOHE) and the Heritage Skills Academy (HSA), the living workshop’s activities ranged from metal shaping and trimming to mechanical demonstrations.
One of the most intriguing demonstrations came courtesy of Rag & Bone Man, who fabricated a chaise longue from the bones of a Morgan sports car. The area sat alongside independent makers and vendors that contributed towards the weekend’s cultural festival atmosphere.
The Artist Pavilion’s world-first exhibition of globally renowned contemporary artists was another popular attraction. Located in a marquee on the showfield, the exhibition included a variety of paintings, sculptures, ceramics, screen printing and photography from the likes of Stefan Johansson, Anna-Louise Felstead, Gregory Percival, Stokesi, Dexter Brown and Peter Hearsay, among many others. Nearby, guests could see Alan Reullier’s eye-catching Bentley Continental art car.
‘We’re extremely happy with the way that the inaugural Wilton House Concours des Légendes went. It’s not until you start to add the stories to the cars and bring in the people who’ve shaped our amazing automotive world do you realise what so many other car events have been missing over the years,’ said David Lillywhite, editorial director of event organisers Hothouse Media. ‘We’re immensely grateful to everyone who put their faith in this brand new event – and we can’t wait to do it all again next year!’
Concours des Légendes will return to Wilton House on 18-20 June 2027.
