In the forthcoming weeks, Tatra will be represented at prestiguous classic car events in the UK. Ivan Margolius’ Tatraplan is entered at the very interesting http://www.salonprivelondon.com/concours/2011entrants.asp while Kees Smit’s T87 will be part of a streamlined thirties car section of the Cartier Style & Luxe Concours at the Festival of Speed. http://www.goodwood.co.uk/festival-of-speed/welcome.aspx
The first Salon Privé Concours d’Élégance took place in 2006 and the event soon established itself as the premier home-grown competition of its type, thanks partly to it being an integral part of a three-day automotive extravaganza in a champagne garden-party setting.
This year’s event, in association with Chubb Insurance, has attracted some stunning entries across eight classes, which will be arranged precisely on the lawns of Syon Park in London.
There is an outstanding entry for the Ferrari 250 class. An exceptional example is a 1954 250 Europa; one of only seven, it was first owned by film producer Clarence Brown. Another is a 250 Le Mans, rumoured to be the most valuable car present.
An interesting class, listed as Oddballs, features the likes of Fiat’s first MPV, the Multipla. In a footprint just 50cm longer than the original Mini, the Multipla can fit up to six people. Other Oddballs include a 1949 Tatra T600. Many entrants have intriguing backgrounds such as the 1939 Alfa Romeo 2500 Berlinetta, known as Mussolini’s Alfa, once owned by his mistress, Claretta Petacci. Sponsor Chubb Insurance will be showing an Aston Martin Atom, Porsche Speedster and a 1957 Ferrari 250 TR, too.
There is also an array of bikes from the Isle of Man TT races and machines from “the Steve McQueen era” on the concours lawn.
The Festival of Speed is the largest motoring garden party in the world – a unique summer weekend that brings together an impossibly heady mix of cars, stars and motor sport ‘royalty’ to create the largest car culture event in the world. Held in the immaculate grounds of Goodwood House, this annual hill-climb event is a true celebration of motor sport and all things automotive. From current Formula 1 racers and 200mph supercars to steam-powered carriages of the 19th Century, and from 3000bhp top fuel dragsters to classic rally cars, the Festival of Speed attracts the heroic and the evocative from every era in an exuberant display of style, sound, smell and colour.
The Festival pays homage to the most significant and salient cars in the history of international motor sport, with entry by personal invitation from Lord March.
All cars and motorcycles are painstakingly selected to reflect the event’s major theme of the year, and to ensure their authenticity and provenance, all competing vehicles are presented in their original condition and livery.
Cartier Concours d’Élégance: http://www.goodwood.co.uk/festival-of-speed/vehicle-displays/cartier-style-et-luxe.aspx