Salon Privé Concours d'Elégance 2014 Prologue

SALON PRIVÉ Syon Park, Isleworth, LONDON

The only motor show in the UK to focus purely on Supercars, Hypercars, Megacars and Concept cars

For those that enjoy all things extravagant, and let's face it, who doesn't if you're a car buff? And you happen to be in the London area early September, then you must work your way to Syon House, and is 20 minute taxi ride from Heathrow.

Pagani Zonda R 2009
Pagani photo

All the high value manufacturers will be there; McLaren, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Maserati, BMW, Koenigsigg and Pagani to name only a few.

In addition, on a second perfectly manicured Capability Brown lawn of Syon Lodge of the Duke of Northumberland's Lonodon residence, is a delectable Concours' event; classes include;

Maserati A6G 2000 Zagato Coupe 1955

The Art and Design of Zagato, 100 years of Maserati and of particular interest to me, 'Preserved for Posterity' The Original and Unrestored. For me, I love looking at lovely old cars, but just occasionally, I like to step away for the 100 point cars, and look at something that's been lived in and has a history, as the late Alan Clarke M.P., enjoyed.

Boodle's the London jeweller is sponsoring Ladies' Day on the Thursday: a good excuse to sort some decent threads if ever there was one.

New to the Prive this year, in partnership with Silverstone Auctions, with a number of beautiful cars with a first class provenance is sure to be a resounding success and a number of cars to be hotly contested to find a new custodian.

Mark J. Willison

The first production Range Rover, chassis number #001, will be auctioned at The Salon Privé Sale, hosted in partnership with Silverstone Auctions, in London on September 4th. This special car, estimated at between £100,000 and £140,000, was first available back in 1969.

The Range Rover story begins in the 1960s with development beginning in 1967 headed by Charles Spencer King.

The #001 car was built between 24th November and 17th December 1969. The first owner was Michael Furlong, the producer of two promotional films for the model registered the car on 2nd January 1970, nearly six months before the official launch date.

In 1975 the car, by this time re-sprayed in Bahama Gold, passed onto a new owner. Changes to registrations as well as colour meant that chassis number 001 was 'lost' for a number of years, passing through another owner, until

The Rover was rediscovered by the current vendor in the early 1990s, who did a professional, six year ground up restoration, both bodily and mechanically executed to an exceptional standard.

Unusually, the vehicle retains all its "matching numbers" components; chassis, engine, gearbox, and axles, as well as the original aluminium bonnet, and the original body shell. In 1997 the DVLA reissued #001 with its original registration number 'YVB 151H'.