London Concours 2024 Review: A Feast for Car Enthusiasts

The London Concours is an automotive garden party in the heart of the city. It gathered together nearly 100 motoring icons, old and new, in one of London’s most beautiful historic hidden venues. The cars sit at the apex of an event brimming with fine champagne and world-class gastronomy. Moreover, guests enjoyed a live music soundtrack and were surrounded by pop-up boutiques from sought-after luxury brands. Held across three days, the London Concours opens up the world of top-end craftsmanship in automotive and beyond. With live panel discussions, awards ceremonies and roving comperes, it shinned a spotlight on the passion and the heritage of the brands and vehicles on display.

The immaculate lawns of the Honorary Artillery Company hosted a variety of exotic vehicles. These ranged from racing legends and collector classics to modern hypercars. The eighth edition of the London Concours – the ultimate automotive summer garden party ran from Tuesday 4th – Thursday 6th June.

There were feature displays on each day of the event, this year this was 50 McLarens, 50 Jaguar E-Types and 50 Supercars as part of the rotating daily content. McLarens were featured on the day we attended.

Sensational Star Cars on Display

Among the star cars on display were the legendary 27-litre, Rolls-Royce Merlin engined ‘The Beast’. John Dodd’s legendary ‘The Beast’ – dubbed the ‘Super Rolls’ by the BBC was on display (below). It took the concept of a V12 powered road car to its absolute extreme. With a Rolls-Royce Merlin engine under that long bonnet, it was rumoured to pack between 750 and 1000bhp. Additionally, it was listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the “the world’s most powerful car” in 1977. Dodd famously tested ‘The Beast’ on German autobahns, likely surprising drivers of powerful BMWs and Mercedes. The RAC recorded it hitting 183mph in the hands of a very brave test driver, although it was believed that it was a true 200mph car. Want more information on this car, check out this video.

In Awe of the Jaw-Dropping Hypercars

Elsewhere, the ‘Hypercar’ class featured some of the most jaw-dropping performance cars ever conceived. These included a creation that captured the imagination of British petrol heads in a way few other cars have: the Jaguar C-X75 prototype. Unveiled in 2010, and produced in partnership with Williams Advanced Engineering, the C-X75 was a technical tour de force. Seen as a hypercar for the future, this plug-in hybrid machine was an all-wheel drive. It was powered by a Formula 1 inspired, all-aluminium 1.6-litre, turbo and supercharged four-cylinder motor. Able to produce a remarkable 502bhp at a stratospheric 10,000 rpm. Two powerful electric motors complemented the engine, providing instant torque and allowing the car to travel up to 60 kilometres in pure electric mode.

The concept produced a combined 850 horsepower and 738 lb-ft of torque, accelerating the C-X75 from 0 to 60 mph in under 3 seconds, 0 to 100 mph in under 6 seconds, and reaching a top speed of 220 mph. The car on display appeared in the James Bond film “Spectre” and was recently made road legal by Ian Callum’s firm, CALLUM, a partner of the Concours.

Majestic McLaren

The display also featured another celebrated British hypercar, a very special example of the McLaren P1. This car and the colour were one of my favourite cars of the show.

Launched in 2013, the 903 horsepower, 217 mph P1 was revolutionary, offering incredible performance due to its 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8 and powerful electric motor.

With active rear wing extended fully and working in tandem with the slashed and vented bodywork, the P1 could generate 600kg of downforce at 160 mph, helping it lap the Nürburgring in under 7 minutes. The P1 on display at London Concours 2024 is a special car, the factory development prototype P1 ‘XP05’. This car (above) was used to develop the Ricardo dual-clutch gearbox and Bosch fuel injection system. A rare public appearance for a significant example of a true hypercar great.

Hypercar Heaven

Pushing the boundaries of automotive possibility, braving new frontiers of mechanical and engineering endeavour, modern hypercars represent the pinnacle of driving performance. London Concours 2024 brought together a formidable array of pioneering machinery, representing the awe-inspiring nature of the hypercar world. Check out our walk around the hypercars on display. Which is the hypercar you’d most like to own or drive?

You can read more about each hypercar on display at London Concours 2024 here.

Driven Wild by the Wildcards

Like rare cars? If so, then the show’s ‘Wildcards’ category would be for you. This concours category celebrated cars that didn’t quite fit into one of this year’s other categories, but were simply too good to leave out. The class feature perhaps the ultimate wildcard, in the form of the Scamander (below), the brainchild of former TVR boss Peter Wheeler. Conceived to blend both on and off-road prowess and with the potential for aquatic adventure, the amphibious Scamander was a creation like no other, making it perhaps the ultimate ‘wildcard’.

The Scamander boasted a distinctive design, even by the wild standards of TVR, with three seats nestled beneath a sleek sliding canopy, and an elongated body that half-hull, half aircraft fuselage. For Wheeler, this automotive marvel was a passion project that extended beyond his years owning the Blackpool marque. Initially equipped with a modest 2.0-litre engine, the Scamander was later fitted with a mid-mounted 275hp Ford V6, channelling its power through an automatic transmission to the rear wheels. Despite Wheeler’s work, and the Scamander’s emergence as a functioning prototype in 2008, it never entered production, and the car that will be on show this June remains the only one in existence. Recently re-commissioned after 12 years lying dormant with help from Harry Metcalfe, EVO founder and YouTube star with Harry’s Garage, the Scamander will be making its first public appearance for many years when it rolls into the HAC grounds.

Here is our video of the Wildcards (below). You can read more about each car featured in the Wildcard concours class here.

Caught in the Glamour

Elsewhere, the ‘Carnaby Street’ display showcased the glamorous automotive stars of the 1960s, often owned by celebrities and influential figures. The display featured the 1969 Ferrari 365 GTC Berlinetta (below) owned by guitarist, singer and songwriter with the Yardbirds and later Cream, Eric Clapton. Clapton bought the sleek Ferrari after falling in love with the example owned by friend George Harrison of the Beatles. “I’d never seen one in the flesh before, and my heart melted,” Clapton recalled, likening the experience to seeing “the most beautiful woman on earth”. The Italian designer Pininfarina styled this car, which features a 4.4-litre V12 engine producing 320 horsepower, capable of reaching 150 mph. Except Clapton couldn’t drive at the time… but, duly inspired, he soon mastered his clutch control on the Ferrari.

Here is our video highlighting the cars on show in the Carnaby class. You can read more on all these cars on show in this class here.

Other Concours Classes and my video walk arounds included:

Concours Class: Purple Reign (below)

In this class, London Concours took a modern twist on Henry Ford’s famous quote, welcoming cars in any colour as long as it’s purple. Today, purple is a rare colour for performance cars, but some of the most striking examples, including Ferraris from the 1960s and 1970s, are finished in this shade. London Concours honoured those who boldly chose purple. Featuring everything from a 1964 Ferrari 250 GT Lusso through to a 2022 Zenvo TSR-S.

More information on all the cars that features in the Purple Reign concours class go here.

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Concours Class: Coachbuilt Greats – Zagato (below)

A retrospective celebrating arguably the greatest coachbuilder of all: Zagato. This category looks at the avant-garde wonders dreamed up by the Italian carrozzeria’s automotive artisans through the decades. Assembled were the Lombardy-based design house’s greatest hits working with the likes of Aston Martin and Alfa Romeo: moving artworks, pieces of exquisite, expressive industrial design that are just as jaw-dropping today as they were when they were first revealed to the world.

More information on all the cars that features in the Coachbuilt Greats – Zagato, concours class go here.

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Concours Class: Great British Racing (below)

A look at Britain’s defining motor sport legends from the past 70 years. Cars that took the fight to the established automotive marques – and won. In the hands of some of the greatest-ever drivers, these machines flew the flag for Britain’s engineering ingenuity and ‘can do’ attitude, triumphing at iconic circuits and earning legions of fans. Featuring machinery from Ford, Lotus, Jaguar and MG, along with minnows that punched way above their weight including Hesketh, Chevron and Surtees.

More information on all the cars that features in the Great British Racing concours class go here.

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Concours Class: Concours Class: The Legendary V12

A symbol of engineering excess and precision; unashamedly loud and unflinchingly powerful, the V12 has
been the beating heart of some of the greatest cars ever. With fewer of these iconic engines being built, this class celebrates the inimitable powerplant.

More information on all the cars that features in the The Legendary V12 concours class go here.

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Concours Class: Corvette – A design icon (below)

Often overlooked for the beauty of its design, London Concours paid homage to the Chevrolet Corvette. In its earliest iterations – particularly the C1, introduced in 1953 – it’s a veritable icon of timeless automotive design. The C2 featured the split-screen Sting Ray Coupe, allegedly inspired by the Bugatti Atlantic. This class honours the rare and powerful engine. In this class you’ll fully appreciate the genius of the design of the all-American sports car.

More information on all the cars that features in the Corvette – A design icon, concours class go here.

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Concours Class: Concours Class: Aero – Front Enlightened (below)

The era of pop-up headlights – sadly cut short by safety regulations – gave rise to some of the most beautiful car designs ever. Streamlined and simplified, auto makers would come up with ever more ingenious ways of making headlights aerodynamic; here are our favourites.

More information on all the cars that features in the Aero – Front Enlightened concours class go here.

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Guests at the Honorary Artillery Company enjoyed a decadent range of food and drink, along with the all-day Club Concours hospitality, lively discussions, and a curated selection of luxury brands. London Concours 2024 was another unforgettable occasion of automotive indulgence. We love this event. Bravo to all involved.

Other articles we have produced on the London Concours 2024 can be seen here:

Our photos from the wonderful London Concours 2024
London Concours 2024: 10 spectacular cars that got us salivating

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