The world of classic and vintage cars has seen a boom over the last 10 years – and with that, so have the events related to these ageing works of art.
Pebble Beach in California, Villa d’Este in Como, and now Salon Privé on the outskirts of London.
Going from strength to strength, ‘England’s answer’ is now based at Syon Park after a spell at the Hurlingham club.
The mastermind brothers behind this event are David and Andrew Bagley. They’ve taken the format and really established it in the motoring world, not only for securing the attendance of some of the world’s rarest and most interesting classic and vintage cars, but also the expansion which makes it such a must-attend exhibition for the likes of Lamborghini, Koenigsegg, Noble and Maserati.
The cars are something to behold, and once you throw into the mix a few extras, such as luxury goods retailers, pretty girls and (if you see fit) your body weight in free champagne and lobster, then you have a recipe for a very successful and exclusive event.
However, it still needs to be done well – and it was. The sun shone beautifully on the day we attended. We were greeted by smiling faces and served by wonderfully helpful but not sycophantic staff. The cars were pristine and the event had a well-executed relaxed yet smart, the-right-crowd-and-no-crowding feel to it. Overall, a wonderfully enjoyable day and certainly one for the enthusiast or wealthy husband hunter.
