The Prix d’Honneur at Salon Privé London was scooped by Vintage Bentley’s 1930 Bentley Speed Six sports saloon with one-of-two Martin Walter Folkestone-style body. The Bentley was shown by Vintage Bentley as part of its £17million dream Bentley collection, which was launched at the event at the Royal Hospital Chelsea from 18-20 April. As well as the Speed Six, the five-car collection is currently only available to buy as a job lot and also includes the Barnato Hassan Special single-seater.
The Speed Six, which has previously appeared at Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance and won Best of Show at the Audrain Concours in 2022, was supplied new to Viscount Mandeville, the 10th Duke of Manchester. The father of Vintage Bentley’s William Medcalf bought the Bentley in 1982, since when it has travelled across the world and has had a three-year restoration, during which the original body was returned to the chassis.
It was judged to be the best car in Salon Privé London’s unique Concours de Vente by a panel of Amanda Stretton, Edd China and Octane’s James Elliott.
The concours cars, all of which were for sale, were split into three classes determined by value, under £250,000, £250,000 to £1m and over £1m. The Bentley took the third category while the first was won by the immaculate right-hand drive Ceylon Gold 1972 BMW 3.0 CSL shown by The Octane Collection. The £199,995 CSL was also runner-up for Best in Show.
Third overall and winner of Class 2 was a 1983 Lamborghini Countach 5000S with just 1780 miles on the clock. Shown by Furlonger Specialist Cars, the black-with-gleaming-white interior Countach was marked up for $864,990 and displayed alongside a contrasting white-and-black Anniversary.
