Come rain or shine!
THE 4TH SYDNEY HARBOUR CONCOURS D’ELEGANCE. 3-5 March 2022
Despite an eleventh-hour change of venue, of necessity due to unavoidable circumstances, and the Australian continent experiencing what one politican described as a “one-in-1,000-year event” with torrential rain and floods swamping the eastern seabord, the 4th edition of the Sydney Harbour Concours d’Elegance took place at the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Hyde Park Barracks, in the heart of the harbour City.
With the grey clouds still hovering ominously over the Welcome Drinks at 7pm on Thursday 3rd March the atmosphere was one or relief and excitement that everyone and the cars had actually made it, and that the show would go on despite the odd shower or two. Opening the Concours gates at 10 am on Friday 4th there seemed to be no dampening of the spirits of the guests who were happy to look at the marvellous array of motor cars, even if they were holding a glass of Pommery champagne in one hand and an umbrella in the other. Beautiful motor cars, good food, live music and fine wine meant that the party continued for a full 12 hours before the last of the invited guests were ushered home at 10pm!
The competition amongst the classes to be judged was intense. The pre-war class entitled “Puttin’ on the Ritz” and consisting of a Vauxhall 30/98, Bentley 3 litre Speed Model, Rolls-Royce New Phantom, Rolls-Royce 20/25 HP, and an Alfa Romeo 6C 2300MM was one of the most contested and committed as were the owners who had ensured their cars would be present come hell or high water. This was literally the case of the Vauxhall which had been driven halfway to the event from Melbourne, 1000kms away, before the owner succumbing to the conditions and putting it in a truck at 2am in the morning and then following on by train to arrive 72 hours after his departure!
The Head of the Jury, all of which were dressed by official tailors Oscar Hunt, had had almost as much trouble. Filip Bourgoo the man behind the amazing Zoute Grand Prix Week, awarded the ‘Best Motoring Event of the Year 2021’, had travelled from Belgium to be Chief Judge. Despite applying for his visa back in early January it only came through on the Saturday before the event! Even then when leaving Doha for the second leg of the journey from Europe to the Big Southern Land his plane had to return to the terminal. He eventually arrived undaunted which was not the case of fellow judge Madan Mohan, founder of India’s 21 Gun Salute International Vintage Car Rally & Concours, who was unable to secure entry.
Saturday 5th proved more clement, and awnings and coverings were able to come down in order that everyone could fully experience the cars complemented by the extraordinary living record of early colonial Australia which is Hyde Park Barracks built in 1819. A brace of Mercedes-Benz 300 SL roadsters, and a Gullwing, Aston Martin DB5 and DB6, the Ferrari 275 GTB/4 originally owned by jazz musician Miles Davis, and the incredible Edwardian Giant, 1904 Napier L48 ‘Samson’ amongst the 37 selected concours entries.
And then in the evening on to the Royal Automobile Club of Australia for the Pommery Champagne Gala Awards Dinner and to the victors the spoils. The Prix d’Honneur for Best in Show going to the 1924 Vauxhall 30/98 Chassis #OE1078. The only surviving competition car of the Vauxhall factory of this period, it was presented by Vauxhall to record breaking motorist Boyd Edkins in 1924 for his special service. Sporting a Wensum boat tail body and uniquely designed for competition it is regarded as one of the rarest vintage race cars in existence. In the possession of the current owner for over two decades it is the first time that either he or the car has ever been shown at a Concours event.
2022 SYDNEY HARBOUR CONCOURS D’ELEGANCE CLASS WINNERS
CLASS 1 – SUPER LEICHT
1955 MERCEDES-BENZ 300 SL
CLASS 2 – PUTTIN’ ON THE RITZ
1928 ROLLS-ROYCE NEW PHANTOM IMPERIAL CABRIOLET
CLASS 3 – ACTION MAN
1963 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 SPLIT WINDOW COUPÉ
CLASS 4 – ITALIAN AUTOMOTIVE JEWELS
1967 FERRARI 275 GTB/4
CLASS 5 – CONVERTIBLES OF THE ‘50S
1957 BUCHANAN
CLASS 6 – COUPÉS FROM THE KINGDOM
1997 BENTLEY CONTINENTAL R
CLASS 7 – SUPER DUPER
1904 NAPIER L48 SAMSON
CURATOR’S AWARD
1927 BENTLEY 3 LITRE SPEED MODEL
PRIX D’ORÉ
1971 MERCEDES-BENZ 280 SL
BEST RESTORATION
1970 MASERATI GHIBLI 4.7 LITRE COUPÉ
PASSION AWARD
1932 ROLLS-ROYCE 20/25HP BY FREESTONE & WEBB
PRESERVATION AWARD
1938 ALFA ROMEO 6C 2300 MILLE MIGLIA SPIDER
MOST INNOVATIVE CAR
2015 VOLKSWAGEN XL1 COUPÉ
WOMEN’S CHOICE
1965 ASTON MARTIN DB5
PEOPLE’S CHOICE
1967 MASERATI GRAN TURISMO 3700 GTI ‘SEBRING’
PRIX D’HONNEUR FOR THE BEST IN SHOW
1924 VAUXHALL TOURER 30/98 #OE1078
New Location!
Due to a variety of circumstances it has been necessary to move the Sydney Harbour Concours d’Elegance from the amazing grounds of Swifts to a different, but no less stunning locale. The 4th edition of the Concours d’Elegance will now take place at the UNESCO World Heritage-listed site in the historic heart of the Harbour City. The Hyde Park Barracks is an extraordinary living record of early colonial Australia, and one of the oldest buildings in Sydney, built between 1817-19. It is perfectly suited for the task and will provide a stunning backdrop for some of the finest cars on the planet and is a fitting new home to continue the legacy of the Sydney Harbour Concours d’Elegance, which was a Concours Event of the Year Finalist at the international Historic Motoring Awards held in London last November.
To secure your tickets for what should prove to be an amazing couple of days please go to https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/2022-axa-sydney-harbour-concours-delegance-tickets-171687952287
Samson getting stronger!
The excitement around the forthcoming auction of Important Motor Cars & Objets Lux is getting stronger as is evidenced by this recent article in the Australian Financial Review, Life and Leisure section, which focused on the incredible 1904 Napier L48 Samson, one of the 14 super lots being offered by Halcyon Auctions at the forthcoming Sydney Harbour Concours d’Elegance
To find out more and to register to bid https://bid.halcyonauctions.com
Lux
Further to the announcement of the seven motor cars to be offered at the Sale of Important Motor Cars & Objets Lux taking place on Friday 4th March at Swifts in Darling Point, Sydney, the full catalogue is now available on line at https://halcyonauctions.com/auctions/forthcoming/
Alongside the incredible Edwardian Giant, the 1904 Napier L48 ‘Samson’ which set a world land speed record of 104.64 mph on Daytona Beach, Florida in 1905, and the other motor cars offered, are some amazing luxury item pieces from Hermès, Chanel, and Louis Vuitton.
Download the free app, Halcyon Auctions at the App Store, or further information, to register to bid, or to request an e-flipbook catalogue please contact james@halcyonauctions.com
Auction of important motor cars and objets lux
Following the success of the auction of the fabulous 1961 Maserati 3500 GT Spyder by Vignale for $733,225 at the Sydney Harbour Concours d’Elegance in March 2021, I am pleased to announce that at the 4th edition of the Concours at Swifts in Darling Point, Sydney, that Halcyon Auctions (http://www.halcyonauctions.com) will be conducting another auction of important motor cars and luxury travel goods on the evening of Friday 4th March.
Whilst 2021 saw the auction of just the single lot, the 2022 auction has been expanded to seven motor cars and a selection of especially chosen luxury hand bags.
The motor cars being offered are as follows; 1957 Lagonda DB 3 Litre Saloon; 1972 Citroën SM; 1966 Mini Cooper S; 1962 Alvis TD 21 dhc; 1965 Mercedes-Benz 230 SL; 1971 Alfa Romeo 1750 GTV; and the star of the show the Edwardian Giant, the 1904 Napier L48 ‘Samson’ (picture above)which amongst many other records in January 1905 set a world land speed record of 104.65 mph on Daytona Beach in Florida.
To request a catalogue of all of the lots being offered for sale please contact james@halcyonauctions.com
Christmas Exhibition
On Friday 10th I held an exhibition of some of my photography at the fabulous new showroom of The Best Car Company (a division of Cummins Classic Cars http://www.cumminscars.com). It was a fun evening of Pommery Champagne, good company, stunning classic cars, and 14 of my images in this stunning new space to celebrate the festive season. A good time was had by all and it even made the national paper, The Weekend Australian.
Please see attached pdf of the catalogue for those of you who wish to see the images that were in the exhibition or who might be looking for that last minute Christmas gift. Prints are available to order at any size you may wish.
Historic Motoring Awards
The Sydney Harbour Concours d’Elegance did not win the Concours Event of the Year at the Historic Motoring Awards in London, but being a finalist and a runner up to The Quail – A Motorsports Gathering was a pretty good achievement none the less. If you want to be part of one of the top Concours events world wide, a limited number of tickets for 4th and 5th March 2022 are available by following this link https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/2022-axa-sydney-harbour-concours-delegance-tickets-171687952287
Glamour at the Historic Motoring Awards and the Aston Bulldog
The Image Business
Before I did what I do now and worked in a ‘real’ job, I was the Vice President, Asia Pacific for Getty Images and prior to that the International Director of Marketing for Allsport Photographic. I was very pleased to receive and read a newly published book by my old boss Steve Powell, entitled The Image Business, get the picture, tell the story.
It really is a very interesting read about the business and how images arrive on your web page or your daily newspaper and a thousand other ways in which we view images each and every minute of our lives in the screen age in which we live. It is well worth the read and I am glad to say I get a couple of mentions in it too!
Going for Gold!
It gives me great pleasure to announce that my event, the Sydney Harbour Concours d’Elegance has been selected as a finalist in the Concours Event of the Year category at The Historic Motoring Awards 2021. We are in exalted company as the four others on the shortlist are the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance, the Concours of Elegance at Hampton Court, The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering, and Salon Privé held at Blenheim Palace. Wow! It is going to be tough to beat those heavy hitters that is for sure. All will be revealed however on the evening of Thursday 18th November at the celebratory dinner at The Rosewood Hotel in London. Thank you to everyone who helped us get this far. Fingers crossed!
Better Late Than Never
Good Afternoon Drivers and Passengers!
Lockdown/stay at home restrictions have lifted in Sydney at last and it is time to get this show on the road (literally!). The new official date of The Sydney Distinguished Gentleman’s Drive, will now be Sunday, November 14th, 2021. This means drivers and passengers have just a few weeks to get into gear, prepare their outfits, raise some funds and join in for what will be the start of something extremely special.
Of over 100 cities that have already ‘driven’ and the goal of fundraising has been set by Adelaide who had their event on the original date of 26th September. Adelaide raised $28,500.00 and now wear the DGD crown. Sydney is currently on $8000.00. Sydney is the birthplace of The Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride and Drive, the organisers would be lying if they didn’t say they wanted it to be the world’s highest fundraising drive. All funds are raised for charity partner Movember and are tax-deductible.
Learn more and how to make a donation here https://www.gentlemansdrive.com/sponsor
