A 1936 Mercedes-Benz 500K Spezial Roadster by Sindelfingen has claimed the coveted Best of Show title at the 20th anniversary Salon Privé Concours. Shown by The Auriga Collection, the car also collected the award for Most Exceptional Coachwork.
The 500K Spezial Roadster is regarded as one of the ultimate pre-war grand tourers, and just 12 examples were ever built. Chassis 123763 was ordered new by Prince Pavel Alexandrovich Chavchavadze at the 1935 Paris Salon. The car won the Grand Prix d’Honneur at the Cannes Concours d’Elegance the following year before disappearing into private ownership. Following a concours-level restoration in the late 1990s by Lothar Motschenbacher, it reappeared at Pebble Beach in 1997, where it won its class. Remarkably, Salon Privé 2025 marked the first time it had been seen in public since.
Andrew Bagley, co-founder and Chairman of Salon Privé, praised the result: ‘This year’s Concours was particularly special as we celebrated two decades of Salon Privé against the stunning backdrop of Blenheim Palace. The quality and diversity of the entries was truly world-class. The Mercedes-Benz is simply unparalleled for its rarity, provenance and sheer beauty, making it a most deserving winner.’
Vincent Kolb of The Auriga Collection was equally delighted: ‘This is the first year of entering Salon Privé with both the Mercedes 500K and the Alfa 8C Monza, and certainly will not be our last. We couldn’t be more thrilled to drive away with Best in Show.’
The runner-up, which also claimed the People’s Choice award, was Anne Brockinton Lee’s Ferrari 410 Superamerica Coupé ‘Super Fast’ Prototype of 1956. The sole example bodied by Pinin Farina, it is one of four prototype Superamericas built. Restored for the first time under Anne’s ownership since the passing of her husband, Robert M. Lee, the Ferrari was already a major concours contender, having won Best of Show at both Cavallino and The Quail in 2023.
Other class winners included Mitch McCullough’s 1964 Alpine M64, a rare lightweight sports-racer that triumphed in the Sports Racer class, and Bentley Motors’ own Heritage Collection R-Type Continental by HJ Mulliner, one of the defining grand tourers of the 1950s. Mercedes-Benz also figured strongly, with the Spirit Award going to a 1971 Mercedes-Benz 280 SE 3.5 Cabriolet and the Preservation Award to a 1958 300 SL Roadster.
Salon Privé’s 20th anniversary was marked not only by a record entry but also by ambitious new displays. The spectacular Qatar Executive Gallery housed 44 significant cars beneath its vast glass pavilion, including the UK debut of the RML GT Hypercar and Jimmy Carr’s electrified Aston Martin DB6 by Electrogenic. On the lawns, the Green Collection assembled some of the world’s rarest cars finished in shades of green, from a Jaguar C-X75 to a Miura P400S and a unique Ferrari SF90 Ispirazioni.
The Concours continues through the weekend with the Concours de Vente on Supercar Sunday, where cars presented for sale by leading specialists will be judged in their own right.
For more info, see salonpriveconcours.com
