WORDS: ELLIOTT HUGHES | PHOTOS: LONDON CONCOURS
The seventh edition of the London Concours brought nearly 100 of the world’s finest collector cars to the lush lawns of the Honourable Artillery Company in the heart of the city from June 6-8, 2023.
A panel of expert judges selected winning cars across 11 eclectic classes, eventually crowning the 1991 Schuppan 962CR P1 as overall Best of Show. The Schuppan also won the Evolution of Aero class, seeing off stern competition from a McLaren P1 and Bugatti Veyron – as well as a Plymouth Superbird complete with cartoonish rear wing.
Essentially a road-going version of the legendary Porsche 956/962 that dominated Group C, the Schuppan is a fitting winner in the centenary year of the Le Mans 24 Hours.
With 600bhp on tap and a kerbweight of only 1050kg, the 962CR can do 0-60mph in just 3.3 seconds and has a top speed of 230mph – searing performance even by modern standards. Just six Schuppan 962CR P1s were built before the marque filed for bankruptcy in 1994.
The 1966 Jensen CV8 that won the Chairman’s Award comes from a totally different part of the automotive spectrum, and fuses British styling with the burble of an all-American Chrysler V8. The Chairman’s Award is presented to the car event chairman Peter Read would most like to drive.
A 1921 Leyat Hélica was one of the few cars to rival the Schuppan for the amount attention it attracted from smartphone lenses. Built in 1921, this bizarre propeller-driven machine is one of only 30 in existence, and embodies an era of experimentation that occurred as the motor industry began to blossom.
Lamborghini’s 60th anniversary was honoured with a display of the rarest and most significant V12-engined models to emerge from the Italian brand’s back catalogue.
A stunning 1968 Miura, finished in a head-turning shade of Verde Scandal, was named the class winner. The car was previously owned by Bernie Ecclestone, before being severely fire damaged in 1990 and subsequently restored by Lamborghini.
Porsche RS also turns 60 this year, and a breathtaking selection of 50 cars charting the history of the nameplate were showcased in honour of the occasion. Highlights included a 911 Carrera 2.7 RS – recently restored by Tuthill – as well as an iconic 993 RS Clubsport and a fearsome 991 GT2 RS.
The Grand Tourisme class, sponsored by Magneto, featured some of the most alluring cars to emerge from France. Notable entries included Robert Opron’s magnum opus, the Citroën SM, as well as a pair of Renault 5 Turbos and a Clio V6. The class winner, however, was the 1962 Facel Vega that previously starred in the inaugural Concours on Savile Row in 2022.
Plenty of novelties were found in the Bespoke Automotive class, headlined by the newly unveiled Crayford Mini Mojito beach car, which looked perfect in the sunshine next to the Bertone-designed Matra Beach Buggy.
Judges dubbed the unique 1961 Austin-Healey 3000 WSM as the class winner, which was presented publicly for the first time fresh from a meticulous 12-year restoration. Our personal favourite, however, was the 1995 Autech Gavia Zagato – an ultra-rare coupé that fuses 1990s Japanese performance with bodywork from one of the great carrozzerie.
Complementing the incredible selection of cars were luxury boutiques from the likes of watchmaker Breguet and fine jeweller Calleija, as well as live music and fascinating discussions hosted by Harry Metcalfe and Lord Hesketh, among others.
The eighth edition of the London Concours will be held in the summer of 2024, with dates announced in due course. For more information, click here.
FULL CONCOURS RESULTS:
Best in Show – Schuppan 962CR P1
Chairman’s Award – Jensen CV8 MkIII
Evolution of Aero, sponsored by EMM – Schuppan 962CR P1
Highly Commended – McLaren P1
Built to Race, For the Road, sponsored by Adrian Flux – Subaru Impreza WRC S12C
Highly Commended – Ford Sierra RS Cosworth
Bespoke Automotive, sponsored by Montres Breguet – Austin-Healey WSM
Highly Commended – Matra Beach Buggy by Bertone
Grand Tourisme, sponsored by Magneto – Facel Vega Facel II
Highly Commended – Renault 5 Turbo 1
Make Green Great Again, sponsored by Bespoke Handling – Aston Martin DBS
Highly Commended – Rolls-Royce Phantom II
Golden Age Coupés, sponsored by Dunhillion – Jensen C8 MkIII
Highly Commended – Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing
Wildcards, sponsored by Concours of Elegance – Lancia Fulvia Zagato
Highly Commended – Leyat Helica
60 Years of Lamborghini, sponsored by Moss Automotive – Lamborghini Miura
Highly Commended – Lamborghini Islero S
