Now the dust from the 2025 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance has settled, attention shifts across the Atlantic for the 20th-anniversary edition of Salon Privé, which returns to the opulent grounds of Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire, UK, from 27-31 August.
Billed as a five-day automotive garden party, Salon Privé sits adjacent to Hampton Court’s Concours of Elegance as the UK’s most prestigious motoring pageant, and its Best of Show winner goes on to contest The Peninsula Classics’ Best of the Best Award.
This year introduces The Automotive Gallery – a vast glass atrium offering luxurious, all-weather space that can house over 45 collector cars and features additional amenities including the Gallery Bar. The Automotive Gallery will complement an expanded luxury shopping village, champagne terraces, beauty lounges and private dining to the show’s lifestyle offerings.
More than 60 of the world’s finest automobiles will be judged to ICJAG standards on the South Lawn during Salon Privé’s opening day on Wednesday 27 August. The awards will be presented during Thursday’s parade, ahead of the Best of Show winner being revealed at the black-tie Celebration Dinner inside the Palace that evening.
The safe money for Best of Show would perhaps go on one of the six cars occupying the headline Ferrari Racers of the 1950s class curated for the milestone event. All boasting period motor sport provenance, these cars are some of the most significant machines ever to roll out of Maranello and includes a 1954 Ferrari 121 LM by Scaglietti campaigned by Carroll Shelby, Phil Hill and Ken Miles; a 1952 Ferrari 340 Mexico Berlinetta by Vignale raced by Alberto Ascari; and a 1951 Ferrari 212 Export Berlinetta by Touring that featured at Pebble Beach in 2014.
The remaining concours classes celebrate the past century of automotive excellence from the Pre-War Open and Pre-War American Classics categories through to Supercar Pin-Ups of the ‘80s and ‘90s.
The ever-popular Ladies’ Day by Boodles returns on Friday 29 August, bringing fashion and luxury lifestyle together with the world’s finest automotive creations. A 20th anniversary Bugatti Veyron display sees more than 20 examples of the iconic hypercar gather on the South Lawn for one day only.
Meanwhile, the presence of modern hypercar gems, including the Ferrari SF90 XX, Lamborghini Sián, McLaren P1 and Ferrari Daytona SP3 will comprise Friday’s Apollo Capital Hypercar Collection. Friday attendees will also see cars arrive from the inaugural Salon Privé GT Tour and compete for prizes from Boodles, Gatineau and LK Bennet in the Best Hat competition.
Appearing throughout the week is the Green Collection, curated for Salon Privé’s Emerald anniversary. Highlights include the sole surviving 1927 Bentley 3 Litre Vanden Plas Le Mans Works car, a Jaguar C-X75 reimagined by CALLUM, a one-off Ferrari SF90 ‘Ispirazioni’ and a UK-spec Porsche Carrera GT in special-order Olive Green.
The Green Collection is complemented by two further permanent displays: a once-in-a-lifetime Ferrari 250 GTO showcase and a McLaren F1 and F1 GTR display. The latter setpiece arrives on the 30th anniversary of the model’s iconic victory at the Le Mans 24 Hours.
Saturday 30 August is characterised by the Salon Privé Club Trophy, which sees more than 1500 privately owned sports, super and hypercars file into Blenheim Palace for rolling parades and live presentations. The Saturday timetable also includes a 32-car DeTomaso feature, which will be the marque’s largest UK gathering to date.
The grand finale arrives on Sunday 31 August with Supercar Lifestyle Club Day, bringing leading mixed- and single-marque car clubs to the Palace lawns. Sunday will also see the Concours de Vente format make its Blenheim debut.
A hallmark of the season-opening Salon Privé London sister event, Concours de Vente requires every entry to be offered for sale. Judging will be led by former Top Gear and The Grand Tour host Richard Hammond. A lineup of SCC supercars and Hammond’s The Smallest Cog workshop add to the Sunday excitement.
Tickets across the entire week of Salon Privé are priced from £55 for entry only, up to £645 for luxury hospitality. Click here for more.
