1937 Bugatti Type 57S Best of Show at Salon Privé
Salon Privé Concours at Blenheim Palace has finished for another year and with that comes the announcement of the awards winners. Two intensive days of judging took place and awards ranged across different classes, covering categories like Most Elegant, Best Interior and even Most Opulent, quite fitting for an event like Salon Privé. Of course, the award that trumps all others is Best of Show and this year’s winner was JCB founder and chairman Lord Anthony Bamford’s 1937 Bugatti Type 57S by Corsica.
One of just 42 produced, the 1937 Bugatti Type 57S has a bodywork custom-built by Corsica Coachworks, a 3.3-litre engine and was the fastest road car of its day. As one of the world’s great pre-war sports racers, it was able to reach top speeds of 111mph, something it attempted at Montlhéry in France. The car was remarkably discovered in 2020 after being owned and later restored by Bugatti enthusiast Bill Turnbull in 1969.
Runner-up in the Best of Show was a 1951 Ferrari 212 Export by Vignale, originally owned by Prince Vittorio Massimo. It was displayed at the 1951 Torino Auto Show, on Carrozzeria Vignale’s stand, as the best of the seven Ferrari 212 coupes made by the coachbuilder. Exported to the US in 1953, the car was lost for many years, before its current owner acquired and restored it.
This year’s Salon Privé Duke of Marlborough Award awarded to a 1929 Rolls-Royce Phantom Sedanca de Ville by Windovers. Several historic figures have owned the car and fittingly, once of these people is Albert Edward William Spencer-Churchill, the 10th Duke of Marlborough and cousin of Winston Churchill. Both John Albert and Winston Churchill were born and lived in Blenheim Palace, and this very car served both families over a long period between 1929 and 1950.
A rather unique 1952 Hansgen Jaguar picked up the Chairman’s Award.Walt Hansgen was a multi-discipline American racing driver, triumphing in multiple categories and even making it to Formula 1 where, despite only competing in two races, still scored two championship points. His career was launched when he acquired a 1951 Jaguar XK120, but he soon found it wasn’t light enough to run at the front.
Full list of this year’s winners:
Best in Show -1937 Bugatti Type 57S by Corsica
Best in Show Runner-up - 1951 Ferrari 212 Export by Vignale
Best in Show 3rd Place - 1951 Bugatti Type 101 Cabriolet by Gangloff
Duke of Marlborough Award - 1929 Rolls-Royce Phantom Sedanca de Ville by Windovers
Chairman’s Award - 1952 Hansgen Jaguar
Class A: Veteran & Pioneers - 1907 Renault Type AI 35/45HP (Vanderbilt Racer)
Class B1: Pre-war British (Open) - 1937 Alvis Speed 25 SC by Offord & Sons
Class B2: Pre-war International (Open) - 1937 Bugatti Type 57S by Corsica
Class C: Pre-war Elegance (Closed) - 1938 Bugatti Type 57C Atalante Roll-back Coupé
Class D: Post War (Open) -1951 Bugatti Type 101 Cabriolet by Gangloff
Class E: Post-war (Closed) - 1952 Lancia Aurelia 2000 BS2 Coupé by Vignale
Class F: Sports Racers - 1965 Ferrari 250 LM by Pininfarina
Class G: Ferrari Classiche - 1951 Ferrari 212 Export by Vignale
Class H: Preservation - 1961 Jaguar E-type Roadster
Class I: Lamborghini 60th Anniversary - 1992 Lamborghini Diablo
Class J: Porsche 356 - Where it all began - 1955 Porsche 356 Pre A Coupé
Class K: Supercar Icons (Pre 2000) - 1992 Jaguar XJ220
Class L: Supercar Icons (Post 2000) - 2005 Ferrari Enzo
Class M: Classic Formula 1 -1989 Ferrari 640
Spirit Award – The Margaret Bagley Trophy -1900 Bardon Type A Tonneau
Most Exceptional Coachwork -1987 Lamborghini Countach 5000 QV
Most Opulent - 1923 Rolls-Royce 40/50 Silver Ghost Cabriolet by Hooper
Coup de Coeur – The Matt Pearce Trophy - 1934 Bugatti Type 57 Stelvio by Gangloff
Best Interior - 1950 Ferrari 195 S Inter Coupé by Touring
Most Elegant -1963 Ferrari 250 GT Lusso by Scaglietti
Most Iconic – The George Barry Gregory Trophy -1968 Porsche 911 T/R
Words: Mike Booth
Pictures: Salon Privé