2016 Salon Privé Concours d’Elégance at Blenheim Palace

Salon Privé is one of the world’s big three annual high-end boutique motor shows, alongside Pebble Peach in California and Ville d’Este in Italy. The UK’s most prestigious automotive event began in 2006, and moved to its current venue, Blenheim Palace, in Oxfordshire, England, just last year.

This year’s Salon Privé brought out some of the rarest and most expensive vehicles in existence to compete in the show’s marquee event, the Chubb Insurance Concours d’Elégance.

1956 Ferrari 500 Testa Rossa Wins Best in Show

1956 Ferrari 500 Testa Rossa

A 1956 Ferrari 500 Testa Rossa, 1 of only 19 ever built, took home two different trophies at the Salon Privé Concours 2016. The red Ferrari placed first in Class E, “Racing Improves the Breed”, and was also awarded the most coveted prize of all, “Best in Show.”

Co-owned by David Cottingham and well-known Ferrari collector Bruce Lavachek, the latter reportedly spent 40 years looking for this particular example.

The 500 Testa Rossa (TR), or “red head” in Italian, was named for the red cylinder heads which adorned its new 180-hp, 2.0-liter engine, directly descended from the 2.0-liter, four-cylinder engine used in Ferrari’s 500 Formula 2 car, and subsequently in the Ferrari 500 Mondial, the 500 TR’s direct predecessor.

We can only speculate as to how much the two-year restoration set our owners back, but complete examples are valued at between $2.1 and $2.6 million currently.

Maserati A6 GCS Berlinetta Wins People’s Choice Award

Maserati A6 GCS Berlinetta

Another Italian classic, a 1954 Maserati A6 GCS Berlinetta, failed to follow up its “Best in Show” performance from Villa d’Este earlier this year with a repeat victory at Blenheim Palace, but did receive the prestigious “People’s Choice” award as a representative from the “Racing Improves the Breed” class.

This berlinetta, or “little saloon” in Italian, is one of only four coupes with Pininfarina bodywork, and is supposedly the only one left in original condition.

Entered by the Destriero Collection, this A6 GCS has a remarkable history dating back to 1954, where it was shown at the Paris Auto Salon. It also competed in the historic Mille Miglia race in 1955.

Chassis, no.2059, our “People’s Choice” award winner for 2016 previously sold for $3.7 million in 1996.

Ferrari F40 Takes Home Top Honors in Two Different Classes

Ferrari F40

A 1992 Ferrari F40 from entrant Nick Bailey had a particularly successful showing at last month’s Salon Privé, snagging victories in the hotly contested “Dream Machines” class, as well as the “Most Original Post War” class.

Mr. Bailey’s F40 narrowly beat out a 1987 Lamborghini Countach 5000QV, owned by Harry Metcalfe of Evo Magazine, who took runner-up in Class J (Dream Machines). Honorable mention should go to a stunning black RHD 1985 Ferrari 288 GTO, owned by the ex-Sultan of Brunei.

Another Countach from Class J, a 1973 Lamborghini Countach LP400 “Periscopio,” lost out to Mr. Metcalfe’s 5000QV and Mr. Bailey’s F40, but it did win the award for “Most Iconic.”