London Concours 2025: Incredible Art In Motion Cars You Need To See

The 2025 London Concours once again proved that cars could be more than machines – they could be art in motion. This year’s showcase brought together a remarkable mix of vehicles transformed into rolling masterpieces, art in motion, ranging from historic icons to modern racers reborn with colour, craft and creativity. Moreover, each exhibit told its own story. Together, they blended engineering with artistry to create something far beyond the ordinary, a true art in motion.

1952 Mercedes-Benz 220A

Hiro Yamagata is known as one of the foremost restorers of the 220 Cabriolet – he’s worked on more than 30, paying tenacious attention to detail on the bodywork, interior woodwork and trim.

However, these are not cars for the road: they are art pieces. Once the bodies are finished in white matte acrylic and their surfaces roughened as a primer coat, Yamagata applies a unique artwork. This is part of his Earthly Paradise series. His cars have been displayed at the Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery and the 1995 Venice Biennale. They were also on a European museum tour that lasted until 1997. The series was also the subject of a book introduced by Beat poet Allen Ginsberg.

This particular car, the ‘Rose Garden’, was owned by Californian car scene stalwart and Mercedes-Benz dealer and fanatic Vincent Mandzak – also known as Vinnie the Car Guy to his friends and clientele – for many years.

2004 BMW 116i E87

The 116 Trophy is a one-make endurance racing series using the affordable E87 BMW 1-Series as its base. Races are 90 minutes long with compulsory pit stops for one, two and three-strong driver teams.

Modifications are limited to GAZ coil over damper units, throttle-body upgrade, ECU reflash and replacement exhaust. This particular car was inspired by the Jeff Koons M3 GT2 art car that took part in the 2010 Le Mans 24 Hours. The American artist wanted to express the idea ‘I am fast!’, but a fairy tale ending was not to be – the car was forced to withdraw from the race due to a fuel-sensor issue.

This 116i homage pays tribute to that livery. It competes in the GAZ Shocks 116 Trophy Series and the BRSCC Race of Remembrance. It secured a class podium finish in the latter in November 2024, another example of art in motion.

2022 Toyota Yaris GR

The Yaris GR channelled the spirit of the World Rally Championship into an affordable performance road car. Its mixture of turbocharged three-cylinder motor and four-wheel drive made it a very popular pocket-rocket.

It was purchased to create an artwork for permanent display at Papple Steading. In addition, the intent was to mix contemporary art with a traditionally fuelled car, truly embodying the concept of art in motion. To bring this vision to life, Lanzante prepared the Yaris, and the owner is a patron of London-based Venezuelan visual artist Jaime Gili. Afterwards, the Toyota was shipped to Barcelona, where it was designed with a palette of shapes and colours reflecting the landscape of East Lothian in Scotland.

Toni Chinchilla painted the Yaris using 11 different colours with a clear-coat. Final finishing and detailing were finished in Lanzante’s Hampshire facility, before the car’s return to Scotland.

1981 Renault 4 Plein Air by BEV

The 4 Plein Air arrived in the late 1960s as an open-top version of the Renault 4. This particular car has unique features including artwork by Dudley Edwards of the 1960s Binder, Edwards and Vaughan (BEV) art movement. The trio painted psychedelic designs on cars, buildings and furniture, too.

Recently, designed paint by Edwards follows a line of BEV designs commissioned by 1960s stars. This includes The Beatles and The Kinks. Projects ranged from Paul McCartney’s piano to Tara Browne’s AC Cobra. BEV also painted Lord John on Carnaby Street and murals in Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr’s homes.

The car contains many further features such as a Champagne bucket and a picnic set under the teak rear deck. It also has heated seats, teak flooring and a removable Marshall speaker system.

1998 Vespa PX200

This Vespa salutes Lance Corporal James Murray VC, the owner’s great-grandfather. With Trooper John Danaher, James attempted to rescue two men of the Royal Scots Fusiliers. They had been injured at Elandsfontein during the Boer War.

James was shot, and he ordered Danaher to escape while he waited with the wounded men. One of them would perish, and the other was taken prisoner along with Murray.

They were later permitted to return to Pretoria under a flag of truce. James was awarded the Victoria Cross for bravery in May 1882.

Dave Dickinson airbrushed the Vespa to replicate an oil painting. The engraving was done by Don Blocksidge, the chroming by London Chroming and the gold plating by Quality Chrome. Saxon Seats hand-laced and carved the saddle leather.

If you want to see more London Concours content, head over to our YouTube channel to see our London Concours playlist.

Conclusion

As the event drew to a close, London Concours 2025 left visitors with a vivid reminder. It showed that automotive culture was not just about performance or heritage. It was also about imagination. From Yamagata’s Mercedes to the race-inspired BMW and the boldly painted Yaris GR, every creation celebrated the point where art and motoring met. It had been a rare opportunity to see cars redefined as canvases, emphasising art in motion, and it ensured that this year’s Concours would be remembered long after the show had fallen silent.

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