Blenheim Palace Salon Privé Concours d’Elégance Highlights


David and Ginny Sydorick’s 1956 Ferrari 250 GT TdF Berlinetta by Zagato has been awarded Best of Show at this year’s Salon Privé Concours d’Elégance presented by Aviva. Only 5 Ferrari 250 GT long-wheelbase chassis were ever made. Chassis 0515GT was built for one Vladimiro Galluzzi, who raced the car in the 1956 season.  It was then to racing driver Luigi Taramazzo. retiring from racing at the end of 1958. The V12-powered lightweight model has an elegant coachbuilt body with Zagato’s trademark double-bubble roof.

Runner-up for the same class was an 1938 Alfa Romeo 6C 2300 B Mille Miglia by Graber, owned by Dr. Matthias Metz. Chassis 815045, 1 of only 107 Mille Miglia models is the sole survivor of four 6C 2300 B convertibles made by Graber, and is the only one with the ‘MM’ designation engine number.

Winning 2 awards at this year’s Blenheim Palace event was The Gaskell Collection’s 1931 Bentley 8 Litre Saloon by Freestone & Webb. It came third in the Concours d’Elégance, and overall honours in the Pre-War/Closed Class. Retaining its matching numbers, chassis YR5089 was built on the shorter of the two 8 Litre chassis, likely to have been designed specifically for the Concours circuit in period.

Duke of Marlborough Award was taken by a Ferrari 75th Anniversary Race Class. The 1965 365 P with body by Fantuzzi, was built as a works racer, with its first outing at the 1000km Monza, driven by John Surtees and Ludovico Scarfotti, where it took second place overall.

Runner up was a 250 GTO, the second such model to be produced, went on as a development vehicle for future series production GTOs. Chassis 3387GT, made in 1962, had the 2953cc V12 from the 250 Testa Rossa, with 296bhp and a top speed of 174mph. Chassis 3387GT also came away with the event’s Chairman’s Award and Most Iconic Award.

Mihai Negrescu’s 1979 Aston Martin V8 Volante ‘7 Litre RSW’, entered the Salon Privé’s Supercar Icons Class, and was awarded the Coup de Coeur / Matt Pearce Trophy. Maintained R.S Williams for many years, the car was upgraded to its ‘7-Litre RSW’ specification in 2004, boosting power to 440bhp and torque to 520lb ft. The car has been well-used, too, with more than 10,000 miles covered in the UK and Europe in recent years.

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ABOVE: 2022 Blenheim Palace Salon Privé Concours d’Elégance highlights

Special mention goes to the 1907 Lorraine Dietrich 130HP ‘Course’, winner of the People’s Choice Award. This 16.4-litre raced in road circuit grands prix of the period, and was remarkably advanced, with three spark plugs for each of its four cylinders. The massive cylinders had 170mm bores. This car has the only known surviving Lorraine chain-drive gearbox, complete with its original chains.

The Concours trophy-winner highlights are not complete without mentioning the 1933 Rolls-Royce Phantom II Continental Sports Coupé by Freestone & Webb. It took out the Churchill Cup for the Most Exceptional Design. Built as a car ‘for use in the UK and Continent, mainly fast touring’, chassis 42PY is distinguished by its long bonnet-line and cycle-style ‘helmet’ fenders, with no traditional running boards, giving it a low and quite rakish appearance.

Salon Privé’s Chairman, Andrew Bagley, was impressed by the high standard of entries at this year’s event: “Once again, Salon Privé has attracted the cream of the crop for its Concours d’Elégance, with some truly exceptional motor cars presented for judging. As we mark Ferrari’s 75th anniversary, it’s extra special that our overall winner should be a Maranello product, and one that took our collective breaths away: David and Ginny Sydorick’s 250 GT TdF perfectly embodied the style and emotion behind the Ferrari brand, and was impeccably presented, too, as were all our trophy winners.”

A full list of this year’s winners is listed below:

2022 Salon Privé Concours d’Elégance presented by Aviva Winners Best in Show – 1956 Ferrari 250 GT TdF Berlinetta by Zagato Churchill Cup for Most Exceptional Design – 1933 Rolls-Royce Phantom II Continental Sports Coupé by Freestone & Webb People’s Choice – 1907 Lorraine Dietrich 130HP ‘Course’ Duke of Marlborough Award – 1965 Ferrari 365 P by Fantuzzi Chairman’s Award – 1962 250 Ferrari GTO by Scaglietti Class A: 1903 Berliet 20hp Closed Swing-Seat Tonneau Class B: 1932 Aston Martin Lightweight ‘Le Mans Works Team Car LM9’ Class C: 1938 Alfa Romeo 6 C 2300 B Mille Miglia Cabriolet by Graber Class D: 1931 Bentley 8 litre Saloon by Freestone & Webb Class E: 1955 Fiat 8V Berlinetta by Vignale Class F: 1954 HWM Cadillac Class G: 1956 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing Class H: 1956 Ferrari 250 GT TdF Berlinetta by Zagato Class I: 1966 Ferrari 330 GTC by Pininfarina Class J: 1966 Ferrari 275 GTB/C by Scaglietti Class K: 1953 Chrysler GS-1 Special Coupé by Ghia Class L: 1966 Mercedes-Benz 600 Grosser Class M: 1971 Citroën SM Espace by Heuliez Class N: 1961 Jaguar E-type Fixed Head Coupé Class O: 1984 Lotus Turbo Esprit S3 Class P: 1977 Aston Martin V8 Vantage Class Q: 2005 Maserati MC12

Spirit Award/The Margaret Bagley Trophy – 1972 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 ‘Daytona’ by Scaglietti Most Exceptional Coachwork – 1935 Hispano Suiza J12 Cabriolet by Vanvooren Most Opulent – 1929 Rolls-Royce 20hp 3-postion Cabriolet by Windovers Coup de Coeur/The Matt Pearce Trophy – 1979 Aston Martin V8 Volante ‘7 Litre RSW’ Best Interior – 1933 Rolls-Royce Phantom II Continental Drophead Coupé Most Elegant – 1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider by Scaglietti Most Iconic – 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO by Scaglietti

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Written by Alan Zurvas

Alan Zurvas is the founder and editor of Gay Car Boys, Australia's leading LGBTQI+ automotive publication. Before launching GCB in 2008, Alan's automotive writing was published in SameSame.com.au and the Star Observer. With over 16 years of hands-on car reviewing experience, Alan brings an honest, irreverent voice to every review — championing value and innovation over brand loyalty.


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