Salon Privé reached its 20th birthday this year and marked the occasion with an exciting new look to the event, held once again in the grounds of Blenheim Palace.
While the weather was typically English, our spirits and those of the guests we entertained throughout the week were not dampened. And how could they be, in our stunning new pavilion that provided shelter with a big splash of style? We really did raise our own game this year: with a central bar and outdoor terrace able to accommodate over 200 guests, and a prime spot overlooking the stage.
We were joined by over 100 Concours entrants for 2025, which saw the event return to a five-day format. Our team spent several days talking to guests about the stunning array of cars they had once again brought from around the world to grace the lawns. To this heady mix, we then hosted leading figures from every one of our partner car clubs, plus some of our clients – both present and future. Aston Martin, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Maserati, the Royal Automobile Club, SCC Private Members and Hero-ERA all featured – a stellar lineup, representing the core of car club activity in the UK currently.
As ever, our highlight of the event is the Club Trophy, presented by Lockton, with over 1,000 cars arriving at Blenheim hoping to claim the top prize. Ian and Ben Barkaway returned as our excellent head judges with the challenging task of selecting a winner from the cars chosen by clubs and manufacturers to compete for victory. Ian and Ben both commented on the incredibly high standard this year, but they eventually decided on the beautiful 1933 Invicta S Type as their overall winner. We thank them all for their efforts.
Sunday saw the multi-marque clubs arrive, with Lockton partner club SCC Private Members displaying more than 80 cars on the South Lawn, celebrating their own fifth anniversary. Andrew and David Bagley pulled out all the stops this year. Not one, but three Ferrari GTO’s, displays of Bugatti Veyrons and McLaren F1’s, boats and helicopters. This was all before guests entered the brand new – and truly spectacular – Automotive Gallery, where over 45 cars were set under the lights.
Our own Petrol Ped was to be found quizzing visitors around the lawn and enjoyed some spirited discussion with John Marcar on the best of the Holy Trinity of hypercars, ultimately calling a happy draw between McLaren’s P1 and the LaFerrari from Maranello.
Lockton once again curated a diverse display of cars, with a Jaguar XJR-15 once piloted by Fangio sharing the lawn with a McLaren 720 GT3 currently raced by our sponsored driver Reece Barr. Road cars were represented by an oh-so 1970’s Lamborghini Miura in bright green, and equally eye-catching Koenigsegg Agera in a shade of blue that almost matched our own corporate hue.
We would like close, as always, by saying thank you to several people. Firstly, to His Grace, the Duke of Marlborough for his hospitality throughout Salon Privé week. To our clients, club partners and everyone else who came to see us: thank you for your continued support and business. We really do appreciate it! And to the Bagleys and their team, we think you really raised the bar this year! Finally, thanks to our staff – for the preparation, organisation, and hosting for months before and during SP25.
We will be back at Blenheim next summer and we look forward to seeing many of you there again!
Watch our 2025 Salon Privé highlights video.
If we caught up with you at Salon Privé – or if reading the above has sparked a thought – we’d love to continue the conversation! Do get in touch with a member of our team.
Visit our Performance (opens a new window) page for more information.