A long — and eye-wateringly expensive — line of prestige ultra-rare cars are pulling into London.
Ranged over the extensive grounds of Royal Hospital, Chelsea, the Salon Privé line-up features the debuts of the £1.7 million 7.6-litre V12 Delage D12 hybrid hypercar, the Electrogenic E-type (a pure electric Jaguar E-type ‘restomod’), and the blisteringly fast 1,888bhp all-electric Rimac Nevera hypercar.
Other brands on show, from Thursday, April 20 to Saturday, April 22, include Hennessy’s new 1,817bhp, £2.5m Venom F5 Roadster, as well as prestige models from Alpine, Aston Martin, Bentley, Genesis, Porsche, Rolls-Royce, and Everrati (which electrifies iconic classic cars, such as the Porsche 911 and Land Rover Defender).
Now in its second year, the event includes food and hospitality, with DJs keeping the party going into the evening on Thursday and Friday and luxury shopping village, with items such as fine jewellery and premium brands of watches available.
At the heart of the event is the Concours de Vente, where a carefully curated selection of 75 rare and historic automobiles will be available to buy. The line-up includes stately Rolls-Royces from the 1920s, iconic racing Ferraris of the Fifties and Sixties, and other famous collectible motoring marques.
Stars of the Concours will be staged over three different classes: up to £250,000, between £250,000 to £1 million, and over £1 million.
Highlights include a 1991 Jaguar XJR-15, raced to victory by Juan Manuel Fangio II (nephew of the five-time F1 World Champion), a 1966 Maserati Sebring bought by Peter Sellers for his son, and a 1965 Aston Martin DB5 Convertible owned by Lionel Frank, shirtmaker to Bond stars Sean Connery, George Lazenby, and Roger Moore.
A 1967 Lamborghini Miura P400 — the 23rd Miura ever built — will also be on hand, as will a glamorous 1972 Ferrari Dino 246GT that’s so original, it even includes a period Radiomobile eight-track stereo.
Also on show will be a 1977 Ferrari 512 BB, first owned by former Harrods owner Mohammed Al-Fayed, and two red Ferrari hypercars, an F40 and an F50.
Other cars making their debut in the UK include the Wiesmann Project Thunderball (the world’s first all-electric roadster, boasting unique styling from the distinctive German brand), the Abarth 500e Scorpionissima (the first all-electric Abarth presented in launch Scorpionissima trim), and the Ferrari Roma Spider (an eye-catching open-top version of the Roma coupe).
Other attractions include the Lamborghini Huracan Sterrato (a radical off-road version of the bold Lamborghini supercar), the Polestar 3 (a luxury electric SUV and the first fully bespoke Polestar design), and the Theon Design 911 (an incredible 400bhp 4.0-litre ‘restomod’ 1980s Porsche 911 priced at £380,000 — plus the cost of the ‘donor’ car).
“With the return of Salon Privé London in 2023, the boys really are back in town,” said director David Bagley.
“I and my brother Andrew were bowled over by the success of the inaugural event last year, which is the perfect complement to our Salon Privé Concours d’Elegance at Blenheim Palace.
“The number of confirmed classics, supercars, and luxury models is growing all the time, while the entertainment, luxury retail brands, and first-class dining make it a must-attend even for non-petrolheads.”
Show-goers can find more information at www.salonprivelondon.com.
