An Exceptional; and Exceptionally Diverse; Selection of Machinery.
Only two weeks away from the 2023 London Concours, hosted this year by Montres Breguet, a stunning array of one-of-a-kind automobiles will be on display. The selected collection will span nearly a century of coachbuilding, paying tribute to the extraordinary works of art that have come from the studios of the world's most renowned designers. Taking place at the Honourable Artillery Company in the heart of the city from June 6th through the 8th, the event is the ultimate automotive garden party in the nation's capital.
The beautiful 1929 Rolls-Royce 20/25 "Boat Tail" will be the focal point of the exhibit. The Boat Tail got its name from the vehicle's sweeping, precisely sculpted rear bodywork, which looked like the stern of a classy wooden power boat. The vehicle was built on the imposing Rolls-Royce Phantom 20/25 chassis. The Boat Tail body, which is propelled by a smooth 3.7-litre straight-six engine, was commissioned by a rich American customer and built by a coachbuilder in Girona, Spain. The vehicle on exhibit has just had a body-off restoration that took four years to complete and is now in pristine shape, complete with an electric picnic basket compartment hidden away in the teak trunk.
In addition, a very unusual 1961 Austin-Healey 3000 MK2 that was transformed into a sleek, aerodynamic coupe by British firm WSM will also be competing in this category. After the open-top body of the 3000 MK2 was damaged during a race at Silverstone, the decision was made to order a new one. Douglas Winston-Spratt of Delta Garages designed the metalwork, which Robert Peel Sheet Metal Works produced in Kingston, west London. A new Jaguar E-Type Coupe was just over $2,000 at the time, so upgrading the Healey with the lightweight, sliding GT body was a considerable investment despite the remarkable results. This is the only WSM Healey ever made, and it will make its public debut at the event in June for the first time since the '70s.
The one-of-a-kind Matra Buggy by Bertone from the 1970s will be part of the lineup. The Matra, designed by the great Marcello Gandini while at Bertone, debuted at the 1970 Paris Motor Show as interest in beach buggies was sweeping across Europe. The Matra was a futuristic twist on the buggy type from the mind of Gandini, who also designed the Lamborghini Miura and Countach. It shared its platform and 1200 cc four-cylinder engine with the Bertone-designed Simca 1200S Coupe. The automobile on display in London is the very same one that stole the show in Paris; it's a unique model that may be the best summer car ever made.
Buggy Bertone
The Peugeot 504 Break Riviera, a rare and extremely attractive coachbuilt Peugeot Shooting Break, will also be on display at the event in June. This elegant vehicle, based on the 504 coupe and created by Pininfarina, made its debut at the 1971 Geneva Motor Show. It was envisioned as a more fashionable alternative to Peugeot's current 504 estate, but the company's higher-ups ultimately decided it would be too costly to manufacture. After years in the shadows, this eye-catching vehicle has been painstakingly repaired and is now ready to once again steal the show.
A rare Japanese-Italian collaboration, the Zagato-built Autech Gavia, will also be on display for guests to admire. The Gavia was a collaboration between Autech, Nissan's in-house tuning division, and Zagato, an Italian design firm recognised for its strikingly innovative creations. The 1995 model on display in June boasts a 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 engine taken from the Nissan 300ZX, putting 276 horsepower (or maybe more) to the wheels with a 4-speed automatic gearbox. The reliable Nissan mechanicals were concealed under an aluminium Zagato shell, and the futuristic appearance was bolstered by the addition of stunning, single-piece, spokeless wheel covers.
1995 Autech Gavia Zagato - Sarofim
Another coach-built rarity that Zagato created, the Aston Martin Vanquish Zagato, will join the lineup. The all-carbon body, 6.0-litre V12 Vanquish Zagato, was the newest innovation from the long-standing cooperation with the Italian design house, Zagato, and was unveiled to widespread praise at Villa d'Este in May 2016. A total of 99 vehicles were manufactured at Aston Martin's Gaydon plant, with just 32 being right-hand-drive (RHD) versions destined for the United Kingdom. The Vanquish Zagato's V12 could be adjusted to produce 595 horsepower, allowing it to reach a 0-60 mph pace of 3.5 seconds. The Vanquish Zagato is one of the most luxurious contemporary Aston Martins because it features the 'double bubble' roof that is a trademark of the design firm. A timeless masterpiece that will undoubtedly become a classic in the years to come.
Other highly anticipated, meticulously chosen classes at the Concours include the Golden Age Coupes, Designed To Race For The Road, Evolution of Aero, and Grand Tourisme, where these and other bespoke automobile rarities will take centre stage. In the coming weeks, we will be announcing additional classes as we get closer to the seventh installment of this unforgettable celebration.
Discover more: London Concours
