Set on the manicured lawns of the Honourable Artillery Company, the London Concours returned with its signature mix of exceptional automobiles, champagne hospitality, and curated displays in the heart of the capital. Motoring editor Mark G Whitchurch reports from one of the summer’s most refined automotive gatherings
Held in the prestigious grounds of the Honourable Artillery Company in EC1, the ninth edition of the London Concours took place from 3rd to 5th June and gathered a mouthwatering array of the world’s most exquisite cars. Ninety exceptionally rare automobiles, many privately owned, were joined by bonus displays of Aston Martin, Mercedes-Benz and Supercars across the three days.
Displayed in an oasis within the city — surrounded by high-rise offices on three sides and the historic Honourable Artillery Company buildings on the fourth — the lush green lawns were lined with white tents where you could buy everything from a new Aston Martin to a Porsche coffee cup. The Concours Club offered privileged access, including a champagne reception and fine dining.
Centre stage were the stars of the show, choreographed into eight themed classes. These focused on post-war machinery rather than the more traditional pre-Second World War concours entries.
The Dream Cars class greeted visitors as they stepped down onto the lawns. A McLaren F1 in a stunning shade of royal blue immediately drew the eye — until you noticed it was flanked by a super-rare 1993 Bugatti EB110 SS. Also on display was an equally rare 1998 Porsche 911 GT1 — think Le Mans winner for the road — and, at the head of the display, the ex-Sir Elton John Jaguar XJ220 from 1992.
As sensory overload kicked in, my partner made a beeline for the Aston Martin stand and was already in conversation about a £214,000 Vantage Coupé that had caught her eye — a girl with taste!
With Aston keys traded for a glass of champagne, we strolled over to the next display, titled Youngtimers, featuring late-1980s and early-90s machines that have now gained classic status. The Audi RS2 Avant stood out, half Audi and half Porsche — arguably the perfect modern classic. However, the ‘Bad Boys’ black-on-black Porsche 964 Turbo, with polished split rims, would look just right in my garage. The winner of the class was another 911 — a 1989 Turbo Cabriolet with rare ‘Flachbau’ or flat-nose styling and 1980s-style pop-up headlights.
Dotted around the perimeter were various stands offering restoration services or finance to help you acquire your dream machine. We chatted with the team from Thornley Kelham, who’ve been restoring classics for nearly 20 years. On display was a before-and-after pair of classic 911s — one a daunting project for the brave and well-funded; the other, a delightful duck-egg-blue resto-mod priced at a cool £600,000.
Another standout display was the circular presentation of AC Cars. Most will know the AC Cobra and its legendary racing pedigree, but fewer are aware that this small British firm is one of the UK’s oldest independent automakers. The Duke of Richmond’s (of Goodwood fame) AC 16/80 looked serenely elegant in shimmering grey, a car originally commissioned by his grandfather Freddie March in 1935. Meanwhile, the 1967 AC Acedes Mk15 ‘invalid carriage’ raised a few eyebrows — and demonstrated the diversity on show.
Fast Fords lined the southern edge of the Concours. The 1968 Ford GT40 was the most exotic, evoking memories of Henry Ford Jr’s battles with Ferrari at Le Mans in the 1960s. With market values of RS models rising fast, there was plenty of interest in this class, won by a highly original 1986 Ford RS200 — one of the most advanced Group B rally cars, and one of just 15 examples built in right-hand drive to full rally spec. This one had covered a mere 2,000 miles from new.
London Luxury Chauffeuring enticed us into conversation with the bribe of a goodie bag. Did you know you can hire a Lamborghini Revuelto for £4,000 per day (plus VAT)? A minimum of two days’ hire and a £20,000 deposit are required — one to bear in mind!
Recharged with champagne from the boot of a vintage Rolls-Royce, we resumed Aston Martin talk — this time with the friendly team at Nicholas Mee & Co, who showed us around one of just eight Vantage 600 Volante models. The deep blue metallic bodywork sparkled in the sunlight almost as brightly as our eyes upon hearing the £750,000 price tag. We nodded politely and moved on.
Opportunities to browse and buy clothing, sunglasses and subscriptions added to the relaxed air of luxury. If you’re after a superb motoring read, Magneto might be the answer. Like many visitors, we were drawn to their stand by the lure of a Ferrari F50.
Throughout the event, a central stage hosted talks and presentations by industry experts and celebrities. Sessions included The Vehicles of James Bond, Talking Hypercars, conversations with racing driver Alex Brundle, and a live recording of the entertaining Smith and Sniff podcast.
A striking blood-red display titled 50 Years of the Ferrari V8 took visitors on a visual journey through the marque’s driver-focused machines. My personal favourites were a 2013 Ferrari 458 Spider — the last of its kind — while a 2009 Ferrari 430 Scuderia came close behind.
Nearby, a silver circle of Mercedes-Benz SLs marked 70 years since the introduction of the 300SL. Still the most iconic model to wear the Super Leicht (SL) badge, the display included a racing-spec 300SL Gullwing and an elegant 300SL Roadster — reminders of why the marque remains one of the most celebrated in motoring history.
I couldn’t resist trying the new Morgan Supersport for size — pleased to report it was a comfortable fit. Morgan has clearly made a leap in design and quality, and I hope to report more on this exciting British sports car in the coming months.
The Hypercar class was out to steal the headlines. In a class where even Ferraris had to be bespoke to compete, an Arancio St Tropez (orange) Pagani Utopia C10 and track-only Maserati MCXtrema took centre stage. For me, the elegant simplicity of the Gordon Murray Automotive T.50 stood out, though the judges awarded the class to the dramatic 2016 Lamborghini Centenario.
Buzzing from both the octane and the bubbles, we stood back to admire the overall Best in Show: the Bugatti EB110 SS. A worthy winner with a great story. Exactly 110 years after the birth of Ettore Bugatti, flamboyant industrialist Romano Artioli brought the marque back to life with the launch of the quad-turbocharged EB110. The SS (Super Sport) was the most extreme road variant. Only 31 were ever built, and this particular example — the very first, ordered by Prince Jefri (brother of the Sultan of Brunei) in 1992 — made it all the more special.
If this sounds like your kind of event, make a note: the Concours of Elegance at Hampton Court takes place from 5th to 7th September 2025.
Mark G. Whitchurch is a seasoned motoring journalist whose work—covering road tests, launch reports, scenic drives, major races, and event reviews—has appeared in The Observer, Daily Telegraph, Bristol Evening Post, Classic & Sports Car Magazine, Mini Magazine, Classic Car Weekly, AutoCar Magazine, and the Western Daily Press, among others. He won the Tourism Malaysia Regional Travel Writer of the Year in 2003 and is a member of The Guild of Motoring Writers.
All photos: Mark G. Whitchurch
