Last week saw the inaugural Royal Automobile Club Concours take place in the beautiful grounds of Woodcote Park in Surrey. This new addition to the Club’s motoring calendar had a distinct garden party atmosphere, thanks in part to the glorious summer sunshine.
The event makes the perfect summer addition to the Club’s annual London Motor Week, The Art of Motoring Exhibition, the St James’s Motoring Spectacle on Pall Mall, the Club’s Historic Awards and of course the world-famous RM Sotheby’s London to Brighton Veteran Car Run.
This first Royal Automobile Club Concours had on display over 200 of some of the world’s finest road and track cars, from pioneering early models to modern day supercars and Formula 1 legends to celebrate the 75th anniversary of Formula 1.
This was the first time that members of select car clubs were invited to Woodcote Park to enjoy the wonderful garden party atmosphere alongside Club members. Club Chairman Duncan Wiltshire officially opened the festival with event hosts Amanda Stretton and Will Smith.
The prestigious Club Concours was the centrepiece of the event as well as six impressive Feature Displays, the gleaming RM Sotheby’s Supercar Boulevard and the diverse Members’ Paddock, packed with some spectacular cars of all vintages.
The seven distinctive classes of the Club Concours included Grand Tourers, Riviera, Coachbuilder’s Art, Limousines, Mille Miglia, Pioneers and Motorcycles. The panel of judges was made up of five-time Le Mans winner Derek Bell MBE, esteemed car designer Peter Stevens and television and radio presenter and classic car enthusiast Alan Titchmarsh.
The top honour of Best in Show was awarded to a unique 1927 Bentley 3-litre Boat-Tail Speed Model in front of the Clubhouse, owned by the Jaques family. Not only did the car take joint first prize in the Restoration category at the Club’s Historic Awards last year but it was also on display in the Club’s Pall Mall Clubhouse earlier this year.
Ben Cussons, Chairman of the Judges and former Club Chairman, said:
“I’m absolutely delighted with the jury’s decision. This is a stunning example of 1920s coachbuilding, when owners would purchase a chassis, engine and gearbox, and then choose a body style. Bentleys of the era are usually associated with Le Mans, yet this boat-tail body – complete with ensign flying at the stern and sculpted wings – is very different.
“The car also carries a powerful family story: it underwent nearly a decade of restoration, during which time its owner Chris Jacques passed away. His son has seen the project through to completion. I’m sure Chris is looking down on us all today, smiling.”
Other winners on the day included an iconic Rolls-Royce Phantom V that was once owned by John Lennon as well as a 1936 Packard Twelve by LeBaron that was featured in The Godfather movies.
A wonderful display of Rolls-Royces was on display to mark 100 years of the Phantom, the longest-used model name in automotive history and included a one-of-a-kind 1928 17EX Phantom prototype with its original boat-tail design.
As a tribute to the RAC’s contributions to motoring and motorsport, there was a display of cars including an 1899 Wolseley 3.5hp Voiturette cherished by the British Motor Museum at Gaydon as well as other Victorian and Edwardian era vehicles.
There was a display celebrating the 75th anniversaries of both British Motoring and BRM, including some fabulous Aston Martins and Jaguars. While the BRM tribute included the notorious BRM V16 F1 from the 1950s, Graham Hill OBE’s 1962 title-winning ‘Old Faithful’ BRM P578 and the gas-turbine Rover-BRM that raced at Le Mans in 1965 with Graham Hill and Sir Jackie Stewart.
There were also plenty of more modern cars on display at the RM Sotheby’s Supercar Boulevard where you could drool over a limited-edition Ferrari Monza SP1, SP2 and Daytona SP3 amongst other exotic machinery.
Duncan Wiltshire, The Clubs’s new Chairman, wrapped up by saying:
“I could not be prouder of what’s been achieved here at Woodcote Park,” said Club Chairman Duncan Wiltshire as the event concluded. “The fabulous grounds lend themselves perfectly to an occasion like this, and everyone embraced the spirit of the event magnificently. That includes our enthusiastic partners, the groundskeepers, banqueting staff, the owners of these incredible cars, our brilliant judges and, perhaps most of all, the Motoring Committee and team here at Woodcote Park. I thank and congratulate them all.”
Given the success of this year’s event, I have no doubt that plans are probably underway for next year’s Royal Automobile Club Concours, which I very much look forward to.
Author Bio:
Simon Burrell is a UK-based motoring and travel journalist and editor, a member of the Guild of Motoring Writers and former saloon car racing driver.
Photographs courtesy of The Royal Automobile Club
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