Salon Privé 2023 at Blenheim Palace has opened in spectacular style as just weeks after its global reveal, the new Aston Martin DB12 Volante made its European debut. Billed as the world’s ultimate open-top Super Tourer, the new DB12 Volante is part of a range of Aston Martin cars forming part of the brand’s 110th-anniversary celebrations and headlines the display alongside the new V12 Vantage.

Sure to excite motorsport fans will be the world famous Aston Martin Vantage Official FIA Safety Car of Formula 1 and Aston Martin Works is also running test drives of the acclaimed new DBX707 SUV. Later in the week, the 110th anniversary display will feature cars from the marque’s history, dating all the way back to the 1920s. Highlights include the 1920s Bamford & Martin, 1936 ‘Red Dragon’ Speed, 1958 DB4, a DB5 Goldfinger, 1960s DB6 Volante, 1980s V8 Vantage, 1996 V600, 2004 DB7 Zagato and the iconic 2014 One-77.

Elsewhere, Oxfordshire firm Electrogenic unveiled its latest and most complex bespoke electric creation, with a world premiere of a 1929 Rolls-Royce Phantom II. Housed in an aluminium and with a range of 150 miles thanks to its 93kWh batteries, the car was commissioned by a private collector and Electrogenic director Steve Drummond said Salon Privé at Blenheim Palace was “the perfect place to reveal such a stately piece of British motoring history”. –

Also making its European debut was the new Little Car Company Bentley Blower Jnr, an 85% scale fully electric recreation of Bentley’s 1929 Team Car No. 2. It is fully road legal, but don’t expect to get too far too quickly, as it only has a 61 mile range and a top speed of 45mph. The price is much more of a snip compared to the original, however, as it goes on sale for £108,000, rather than the £25m price of the original.

Salon Privé continues at Blenheim Palace for the rest of the week, with highlights including the Alpine A110 San Remo, Bentley Bentayga EWB Azure, Ferrari Purosangue and Roma Spider, Lamborghini Revuelto and Sterrato, MST Cars’ new 6R4 and much, much more. Lamborghini will be continuing its 60th anniversary celebrations on Saturday with a dedicated club event including 60-plus classic V12 models – and a further gathering of V8 and V10 Lamborghinis.

Words: Mike Booth
Pictures: Salon Privé