Founded in 2006 by brothers inspired by Amelia Island and Villa d'Este, Salon Privé grew into Britain's only concours judged across every marque by a professional jury.
Salon Privé held its Concours d’Elégance on the South Lawn at Blenheim Palace in Woodstock, Oxfordshire, from Wednesday 2 to Sunday 6 September 2026. It is the only concours in Britain judged across every marque by a dedicated professional jury.
The brothers Andrew and David Bagley launched Salon Privé at the Hurlingham Club in London in 2006. Research trips to Amelia Island, Monterey Car Week in California and the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este on Lake Como came first.
The event outgrew Hurlingham within five years and moved to Syon Park in west London in 2011. It moved again in 2015 to its present home, where it has stayed.
Success on its lawns is treated as adding to a car’s provenance and value. Each of the five days in 2026 had its own character, opening with new models unveiled to the press on the Wednesday.
The Concours d’Elégance by Aviva Private Clients was judged mid-week. Richard Hammond returned across the weekend to judge the Concours de Vente, in which leading British classic dealers showed cars that were for sale. The 2026 Colour Collection gathered 20 white cars on the lawn.