The Concours d’Elegance. It’s a name you hear thrown around a lot but rarely can anyone specifically explain what it means. We’d like to correct that. The Concours dates back to 17th century, when French aristocrats paraded horse-drawn carriages in the parks of Paris during the summer season. Over time, the carriages became horseless and the gatherings became a competition. The Concours is not about speed. It never was. It is about excellence and the criteria used for judgement these days are historical accuracy, technical merit and style.
What makes the Kuwait Concours d’Elegance so unique is the way in which it’s put together and this is very much down to the man behind the show, former Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Mohammed Al Ahmed Al Sabah. He’s a passionate admirer and collector of classic cars and he clearly understood the draw a colourful assembly of historic automobiles could be for his country. Not only does Kuwait’s Concours bring the best cars from around the world to the emirate, it encourages local participation through specially-themed side shows. Personally, I think the latter innovation is worthy of acknowledgment not just because of its success but because no one else has done it before. This year, there was a Harley Davidson day, a Supercars day (which allowed Kuwaitis to demonstrate their love of American muscle cars) and a Ferrari day. It was an event enjoyed by all, Kuwaitis and international participants alike.
You may be asking yourself why the world’s top collectors would want to go to Kuwait, especially as the infant event is still not yet what you would call “internationally reputable”? I posed this question to a couple of other participants. “We love to show our cars, the joy they bring to people really makes all the time and expense we invest in these beauties worth it,” explained one American I spoke to. “Not only that but it’s free,” chimed in his Belgian friend. You see, for cars deemed worthy of exhibit, the bill (airfreighting, insurance as well as flights and hotels) is footed by Sheikh Nasser. It’s a canny move. You would assume that in a few years, once Kuwait’s Concours becomes sufficiently prestigious, exhibitors will clamour for a place and the Sheikh’s personal largesse will no longer be needed as enticement, but for now at least, he’s realistic enough to know what it takes.
Of course, the success of this Concours was not due solely to the organisers or the entrants, but the to calibre of the experts who help select and judge each automobile invited to appear. In this respect, the Kuwait Concours drew an incredible roster of names, amongst them Leonardo Fioravanti (the legendary car designer and former deputy general manager at Ferrari under Enzo Ferrari), Sandra Button (Chairman of Pebble Beach), Christian Philppsen (Louis Vuitton’s Classic Awards Chairman), Horst Brüning (President of FIVA) and Andrea Zagato (President of Coachwork Zagato).
What an event it was. And what an honour it was for Bespoke to be invited to show our lovely 1935 Bentley. We may not have won any prizes but as Zig Ziglar liked to say, “Winning is not everything, but the effort to win is.” Kuwait Concours d’Elegance? See you again next year.
1. 1935 Bentley 3½ litre Drophead Coupé by Park Ward
BESPOKE magazine’s entry
The 3.5-litre may have been based on the Rolls-Royce 20/25hp chassis but its Bentley engine helped make it a fast, dynamic, smooth and long-lasting car marketed in its day as ‘The Silent Sportcar’. With a top speed of over 120 km/h, its low-revving engine can cruise all day at motorway speeds, making it ideal for automotive enthusiasts who love to drive.This particular example has had the same owner for the last 47 years and has only just completed a meticulous and thorough restoration.
2. 1966 Aston Martin DB6 SWB Volante
Owned in Kuwait by Mohammed Rezam Al Roumi from Kuwait
This is one of just 37 short-chassis Volantes made and is in exceptional condition having been restored by Aston Martin Works division. Interestingly, even though these were DB6s they were built on DB5 chassis with bodywork similar to the DB6 bar split bumpers, an unswept boot lid, an enlarged oil cooling duct and DB5 rear light clusters.
3. 1942 Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 SS
Owned in Belgium by Raoul San Giorgi from Italy
Only forty 6C 2500 Super Sports were built during World War II, and this particular one was raced by Alfa before it was given a one-off body built by Bertone and designed by Mario Revelli di Beaumont. It has previously won awards at Pebble Beach in 2010 and Villa d’Este in 2011.
4. 1971 Lamborghini Miura SV
Owned in Bahrain by Khalid Abdulrahem from Bahrain
The SV was the last and fastest of all Miuras and this particular model was formerly owned by the Shah of Iran. Painstakingly brought back to its former glory, it remains in the Shah’s original colour scheme of Imperial Blue with contrasting milk-white leather upholstery.
5. 1954 Plymouth Explorer Concept
Owned by The Petersen Museum in Los Angeles, U.S.A.
This was a stunning one-off concept car designed and built by Ghia in Italy. Though it made its debut in the May 1954 issue of Motor Trend magazine, it is still relatively unknown to most auto enthusiasts.
6. 1964 Ferrari 250 GT Lusso
Owned in Dubai by Imtiaz Sheikh from the U.A.E.
The Lussos was the last of Ferrari’s 250 GTs but it remains one of their best looking products to date. Its chassis was derived from the 250 GTO, but its 3-litre 250bhp V12 engine was moved forward to improve cabin space. One problem with Lussos is that they have a steel shell with all the opening panels, floor and firewall made from aluminium, which adds greatly to the cost and complications of their restoration.
7. 1926 Duesenberg Model A
Owned by Mark Hyman of Hyman Cars of St. Louie, Missouri, U.S.A
This one-off, two-tone light grey speedster has unique coachwork believed to have been executed in 1933 by a Hollywood bodyshop. Its got a sleek, low and narrow two-place body with teardrop fenders and a graceful tapered boat-tail that help make it utterly iressistable.
8. 1937 Cord 812 Supercharge Sportsman Cabriolet Coupé
Owned in Dubai by Mohammed ben Sulayem from the U.A.E.
Only 64 convertible coupés were produced and they’re now the most coveted Cords by classic car collectors. Among other innovations, they featured headlamps that disappear into the fenders, a convertible top that retracts fully underneath a flush metal hatch and a louvered wraparound grill, from which their nickname ‘coffin-nose’ is derived.
9. 1937 Bugatti Type 57SC Atalante
Owned in Hong Kong by Willam “Chip” Connor from U.S.A.
Often technically complex, Ettore Bugatti’s cars were expensive, temperamental, and hauntingly beautiful. This supercharged straight-eight Atalante in black with yellow accents has a stunning ostrich-leather interior and is one of only forty examples ever produced.
10. 1938 Talbot Lago T 150-C “Teardrop” - BEST OF SHOW
Owned in Hong Kong by Willam “Chip” Connor from U.S.A.
Talbot-Lago was formed by engineer and businessman Anthony Lago after the collapse of Sunbeam-Talbot-Darracq in 1935. In a bid to create the most attractive cars of the day, he commissioned French coachbuilders Figoni & Falaschi to undertake construction of a number of vehicles including 14 of these breathtaking Teardrop coupés.
