Legendary Ferrari wins Best of Show at 2024 Salon Privé Concours

A fabulous 1957 Ferrari 335 S has won the coveted Best of Show award at this year’s Salon Privé Concours presented by Aviva Private Clients. Entered by American enthusiast Brian Ross, the Maranello sports-racer thrilled onlookers when it took part in the Tour Privé on Tuesday 27 August, and it proved to be just as popular with the expert judging panel when it appeared on the concours field the following day.

Chassis number 0674 was raced by Scuderia Ferrari during the 1957 season, and by a stellar driver line-up. In March that year, dashing young Englishman Peter Collins took the Ferrari to sixth place in the Sebring 12 Hours, sharing with French veteran Maurice Trintignant. Two months later, Wolfgang von Trips finished second in the gruelling Mille Miglia – the very race that has recently been immortalised in the Michael Mann blockbuster Ferrari.

Having been upgraded to 4.1-litre specification at the factory, the Ferrari was back in action in June 1957 at the Le Mans 24 Hours. Mike Hawthorn and Luigi Musso shared driving duties at La Sarthe, and although they failed to finish, ‘0674’ set the fastest lap of the race.

Its final outing as a works car was at the 1957 Caracas 1000km, when Hawthorn and Musso finished second. The car then passed to Luigi Chinetti – a hugely significant figure in Ferrari history, and founder of the North American Racing Team. Chinetti entered it for the Cuban Grand Prix in February 1958, when it was driven to victory in the shortened race by none other than English ace Stirling Moss.

After its period competition career, the Ferrari spent a number of years in the collection of renowned marque enthusiast Pierre Bardinon.

Second place overall in the Salon Privé Concours was presented to Lord Bamford’s magnificent Rolls-Royce Phantom II Sport Saloon by Freestone & Webb. Ordered new to the bespoke specification of cotton magnate Sir John Leigh in August 1933, it was built for fast touring in the UK and on the continent.

Sir John later sold the Phantom II after apparently ordering four brand-new Phantom IIIs in a single day! Having remained in the UK until the late 1950s, the Rolls-Royce subsequently spent 35 years in the ownership of an American enthusiast who lived in Toledo, Ohio.

The Phantom II was bought by Lord Bamford in 2013 and returned to its original two-tone paint scheme. A regular concours prize-winner, it was awarded the Churchill Cup for Most Exceptional Design at Salon Privé in 2022.

Third place overall in the 2024 Concours was presented to the 1927 Isotta Fraschini Tipo 8AS Fleetwood Roadster of Nic and Shelley Schorsch. This hugely significant car was ordered new by movie heart-throb Rudolph Valentino, with unique roadster coachwork that was designed by LeBaron of New York and built by the Fleetwood Metal Body Company.

With its long, flared open fenders and low-slung lines, it was a showstopper deserving of a Hollywood icon, but sadly Valentino died before his Isotta Fraschini was completed. It was nonetheless exhibited at the New York Auto Salon, then put on display in the front window of Isotta Motors, to be admired by throngs of Valentino’s adoring fans.

“We are truly delighted with this year’s Best of Show Ferrari 335 S by Scaglietti,” said Andrew Bagley, Chairman of the Salon Privé Concours. “You only have to look at the great names who raced it to realise how significant sports car it was and appreciate what a cherished place it holds in Ferrari history. This beautiful Ferrari competed in a golden period for sports-car racing, and we all now look forward to its entry into the Peninsula Classics Best of the Best Award.”

This year’s Salon Privé Concours presented by Aviva Private Clients was the largest and most prestigious to date, with 72 cars being entered across 14 different classes. They ranged from the ever-popular Pre-war categories to celebrations of Bugatti, Rolls-Royce and Ferrari. Fan favourites included Legendary Liveries – which showcased iconic colour schemes such as a Silk Cut Jaguar XJR 8/9, an Alitalia Lancia Stratos HF and a 555 Subaru Impreza WRC97 – while a new class for 2024 honoured the 60th anniversary of the Ferrari 275. 

All entries gathered on the beautiful South Lawn at Blenheim Palace, having come from as far afield as the USA, Thailand and even New Zealand. They were judged by an unrivalled panel of international experts, with all entries being adjudicated by the International Chief Judge Advisory Group (ICJAG). Salon Privé is one of four ICJAG Plus-designated events in the world, and the only one to be held in the UK.

FULL LIST OF WINNERS
2024 Salon Privé Concours presented by Aviva Private Clients

Best of Show
1957 Ferrari 335 S by Scaglietti entered by Brian Ross

Best of Show Runner-up
1933 Rolls-Royce Phantom II Sport Saloon by Freestone & Webb entered by Lord Bamford

Best of Show Third Place
1927 Isotta Fraschini Tipo 8AS Fleetwood Roadster entered by Nic & Shelley Schorsch 

Chairman’s Award
1923 Rolls-Royce Springfield Silver Ghost Pall Mall entered by Jack Boyd Smith Jnr

Duke of Marlborough Award
1993 Lamborghini Diablo entered by Lars Nielsen

Most Iconic – The George Barry Gregory Trophy
1965 Rolls-Royce Phantom V by Mulliner Park Ward entered by Jody Klein

Class A: Pre-War Open
Winner: 1927 Isotta Fraschini Tipo 8AS Fleetwood Roadster entered by Nic and Shelley Schorsch
Honourable Mention: 1937 Cord 812 SC Convertible Phaeton entered by Yohan Poonawalla

Class B: Bugatti – Grand Prix to Grand Touring
Winner: 1939 Bugatti Type 57 Cabriolet by Saoutchik entered by Anne Brockinton-Lee
Honourable Mention: 1927 Bugatti Type 38 Philadelphia by Figoni entered by Luc Slijpen

Class C: Pre-War Closed/Elegance
Winner: 1938 Bentley 4^¼ L Brougham de Ville by James Young entered by Axel Schroeter
Honourable Mention: 1930 Bentley 4^½ L Sports Saloon by Freestone & Webb entered by Peter Little

Class D1: Inspiring Greatness – 120 Years of Rolls Royce (Pre-War)
Winner: 1933 Rolls-Royce Phantom II Sport Saloon by Freestone & Webb entered by Lord Bamford
Honourable Mention: 1911 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost ‘London-Edinburgh’ by Holmes entered by John Snook

Class D2: Inspiring Greatness – 120 Years of Rolls-Royce (Post-War)
Winner: 1954 Rolls-Royce Silver Dawn DHC by Park Ward entered by Volker Schumann  
Honourable Mention: 1988 Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit 2-door by Hooper & Co. entered by Tony Robinson

Class E: Post-War Open
Winner: 1951 Mercedes-Benz 300S Cabriolet A entered by Albert Streminski
Honourable Mention: 1960 Maserati 3500 GT Spyder by Vignale entered by Claudio Mosconi

Class F1: Post-War Closed (International)
Winner: 1960 Maserati 3500 GT by Touring entered by Greg Newman
Honourable Mention: 1968 Lamborghini Islero GT by Marazzi entered by John Day

Class F2: Post-War Closed (British)
Winner: 1952 Jaguar XK 120 Supersonic by Ghia entered by Bill Heinecke
Honourable Mention: 1986 Aston Martin V8 Vantage X Pack entered by Lee Malpass

Class G: Sports-Racers
Winner: 1957 Ferrari 335 S by Scaglietti entered by Brian Ross
Honourable Mention: 1954 Jaguar D-type entered by Vijay Mallya

Class H: Ferraris of the 1950s & ’60s
Winner: 1953 Ferrari 166 MM Spider by Vignale entered by Lord Bamford
Honourable Mention: 1963 Ferrari 400 Superamerica Coupé Aerodinamico by Pininfarina entered by Michael Korecky

Class I: 60th Anniversary of the Ferrari 275
Winner: 1965 Ferrari 275 GTB/C by Scaglietti entered by Private collector
Honourable Mention: 1965 Ferrari 275 GTB 6C by Pininfarina entered by James Cottingham

Class J: Legendary Liveries
Winner: 1996 Subaru Impreza WRC97 by Prodrive entered by Richard Coar
Honourable Mention: 1974 Lancia Stratos HF by Bertone – Alitalia, entered by Christian Gläsel

Class K: Supercar Icons – Prancing Horse
Winner: 1996 Ferrari F50 by Pininfarina entered by Karim Said
Honourable Mention: 1985 Ferrari 288 GTO by Pininfarina entered by Martin Allmand-Smith

Class L: Supercar Icons to 2005
Winner: 2004 Porsche 996.2 GT2 entered by Rob Howarth
Honourable Mention: 1993 Lamborghini Diablo by Gandini entered by Lars Nielsen

Honorary Awards
Spirit Award – The Margaret Bagley Trophy
1960 Maserati 3500 GT Spider by Vignale entered by Claudio Mosconi

Most Exceptional Coachwork
1966 Ferrari 500 Superfast by Pininfarina entered by Andrew Bagnell

Most Opulent
1969 Rolls-Royce Phantom VI Park Ward entered by Murad Salikhov

Coup de Coeur – The Matt Pearce Trophy
1958 AC Ace entered by Mike Dacre

Best Interior
1939 Rolls-Royce Wraith by Mann Egerton entered by Edward Iliffe

Most Elegant
1932 Bugatti Type 55 by Gangloff entered by Shane Houlihan

Best Works Car
1956 Lister-Maserati entered by Christian Jenny

Best Liveried Race Car
1967 MGC GTS Lightweight entered by Martin Block

Best Open Car
1965 Ferrari 275 GTS by Pininfarina entered by Joe Macari

People’s Choice
1996 Ferrari F50 by Pininfarina entered by Paul Hogarth

For all event information, please visit https://www.salonpriveconcours.com/