Salon Prive

The annual Salon will take place at Blenheim Palace 1–5 September.

Last year’s event, held in glorious weather, was a great success, and the 2021 gathering promises even more.

Blenheim’s South Lawn hosted 25 Global, European and UK debuts from some of the world’s most famous automotive brands, and this will be continued this time around. They will be joined by the UK’s most experienced and knowledgeable classic car specialists, plus a brand-new element for this year – Salon Privé TIME, which will showcase the world’s leading watchmakers.

One car to look out for is the SS 100, built by SS Cars Ltd, which had been founded by William Lyons and would change its name to Jaguar following WWII. In 3.5-litre form, the SS 100 helped to set a template that Jaguar later perfected – strong performance and good looks at a relatively low price.

Chassis number 39080 is one of only 118 3.5-litre SS 100s built, and was sold to first owner JMF Hilton in 1938. In 1951, it made its way to Australia with new custodian Frank Lobb, and over the next 10 years the car enjoyed a sporadic competition career Down Under.

After being dismantled in the late 1960s, the SS 100 remained in bits for more than 40 years until being acquired in 2012 by renowned authority John Clucas, who immediately embarked on a painstaking restoration. The end result is recognised as perhaps the finest example in the world, and the project was documented in a book that is now regarded as the ‘bible’ for future SS 100 restorations.

Do take a look at last year’s BTN report on the event to get a feel for what is a fabulous motoring occasion. www.btnews.co.uk/article/16685

www.salonpriveconcours.com

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