This year’s Salon Privé Concours winner of Best of Show is a 1937 Bugatti Type 57S by Corsica owned by JCB founder and chairman Lord Anthony Bamford.
The 1937 Bugatti Type 57S is one of just 42 produced, with its open grand tourer four-seater bodywork custom-built by Corsica Coachworks. It is fitted with a 3.3-litre engine, making it the fastest road car of its day. This particular long-lost car was the world’s only remaining ‘hidden’ pre-war Bugatti Type 57S when it was discovered only three years ago, after being owned and then restored by Bugatti enthusiast Bill Turnbull who had the car since 1969.
Turnbull was actually a very talented chief engineer at JCB, so it’s rather fitting that Lord Bamford bought the car. Prior to his retirement in 1995, Turnbull helped develop JCB’s first mini excavators, before using his engineering talent to restore his prized Bugatti, a task that Lord Bamford then completed, and which is nicknamed ‘Dulcie’ due to its registration ‘DUL 351’.
Andrew Bagley, Chairman of the Salon Privé Concours said:
“We are truly delighted with this year’s Best of Show Bugatti Type 57S by Corsica. This Bugatti, thought to be one of the 3 Le Mans winning Tanks, is such a hugely significant car, and hadn’t been driven for over half a century, before being restored to its former glory by Clark & Carter Restorations. Raced at Montlhéry, reaching top speeds of 111mph, this Bugatti is all-original and one of the world’s greatest pre-war sports racers. We now look forward to its entry into the Peninsula Classics Best of the Best Award.”
A 1951 Ferrari 212 Export by Vignale was runner-up in the Best of Show, and was originally owned by Prince Vittorio Massimo, who’s objective was to buy a race car for the road with an understated and elegant GT body. In fact, this particular Ferrari was actually displayed at the 1951 Torino Auto Show, on Carrozzeria Vignale’s stand, as the best of the seven Ferrari 212 coupés made by the coachbuilder.
It was another Bugatti that took third prize, this one being a 1951 Type 101 Cabriolet by Gangloff and one of just nine models built as part of a plan by Bugatti founder Ettore’s son Roland to stage a post-war revival for the brand. This car was the only 101 to be fitted with the T57C’s supercharged engine that produced around 200bhp.
Salon Privé chairman Andrew Bagley concluded:
“This year’s Concours cars were truly exceptional and as ever a hard-fought contest to declare the winner, but I’m delighted to see Lord Bamford’s world-class Bugatti take the 2023 Best of Show Trophy. There were some terrifically rare and prized cars celebrated in the Honorary Awards too, once again showing that Salon Privé really does attract the very finest automotive jewels, year after year.”
Author Bio:
Simon Burrell is Editor of Our Man Behind The Wheel, a member of The Guild of Motoring Writers, professional photographer and former saloon car racing driver.
Photographs by Harry Elliott Photography courtesy of Salon Privé
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