Best in Show at Salon Privé 2025: 1936 Mercedes-Benz 500 K Spezial Roadster

The Auriga Collection’s 1936 Mercedes-Benz 500 K Spezial Roadster by Sindelfingen has been crowned Best in Show at this year’s Salon Privé Concours, marking the prestigious event’s 20th anniversary. Held on the stunning grounds of Blenheim Palace, the concours brought together 60 exceptional classics from 13 countries, showcasing the pinnacle of automotive design and craftsmanship.

The Mercedes-Benz, entered in the Pre-War Open class, impressed judges with its long-tail, high-door design and sweeping coachwork, earning it not only the top accolade but also the Most Exceptional Coachwork Award. Introduced in 1934, the 500 K is a pre-war masterpiece, famed for its elegance, elongated proportions, and meticulous detailing.

With only 12 examples ever built, this particular car—chassis #123763—has a storied history, having been originally ordered by Prince Pavel Alexandrovich Chavchavadze in 1935 and winning the Grand Prix d’Honneur at Cannes in 1936. After a full Concours-level restoration in the late 1990s, it was last publicly seen at Pebble Beach in 1997 and has had just three owners since new.

Andrew Bagley, co-founder and Chairman of Salon Privé, said:"The quality and diversity of the entries was truly world-class, with cars arriving from across Europe, the United States and beyond. The Mercedes-Benz is simply unparalleled for its rarity, concours provenance and sheer beauty, which made it an absolute deserving winner for Best of Show."

Vincent Kolb of The Auriga Collection added:"This is our first year entering Salon Privé with both the Mercedes 500 K and the Alfa 8C Monza, and certainly will not be our last. We couldn’t be more thrilled to drive away with Best in Show."

The Runner-Up and People’s Choice Award went to Anne Brockinton Lee’s 1956 Ferrari 410 Superamerica Coupé “Super Fast” Prototype by Pinin Farina, a rare first restoration by Anne since the passing of her husband, Robert M. Lee. This unique prototype is one of only four special-bodied Superamericas ever made and previously won Best of Show at Cavallino and The Quail in 2023.

Other standouts included Mitch McCullough’s 1964 Alpine M64 in the Sports Racer class and Bentley Motors’ Heritage Collection 1953 Bentley R Type Continental by H.J. Mulliner, both taking top honours in their respective categories.

Highlighting the 20th anniversary, Salon Privé also debuted the Qatar Executive Gallery, an expansive glass structure showcasing 44 of the world’s most remarkable cars, including UK debuts of the RML GT Hypercar (GTH) and Electrogenic’s electrified Aston Martin DB6 for comedian Jimmy Carr.

The Green Collection, celebrating the event’s Emerald Anniversary, featured rare green-finished supercars and hypercars such as a Bentley 3L Vanden Plas Le Mans, Jaguar C-X75, Koenigsegg CCR, Lamborghini Miura P400S, and a unique Ferrari SF90 Ispirazioni.

Salon Privé 2025 continues until Sunday 31 August, culminating in the Concours de Vente, where a curated selection of cars will compete for the Prix d’Honneur during the finale awards parade.

For more information and to purchase tickets to Salon Privé visit, www.salonpriveconcours.com