Salon Privé will return to Blenheim Palace from Wednesday 02 to Sunday 06 September 2026, organisers have confirmed, following a triumphant 20th anniversary edition that welcomed over 28,000 visitors – the largest attendance in the event’s history and a 35% increase on last year.
The five-day event was officially opened on Wednesday 27 August by co-founders Andrew and David Bagley, and featured two global debuts in its spectacular new Automotive Gallery: the RML Group GTH and Thornley Kelham’s reimagined Jaguar XK European GT Roadster.
The glass structure, made of 1,206 panes and covering 4,460 square metres, housed 44 of the world’s most magnificent cars at the heart of the celebrations.
Andrew Bagley, Chairman and co-founder of Salon Privé, said:
“This year we promised to deliver an event unlike any other and we absolutely did just that and more. The Automotive Gallery was something the events’ world has never seen before and offered a befitting home for so many stunning cars on show.
“The buzz throughout the whole week was the best we’ve ever experienced, and the overall footfall broke all records, as we welcomed over 28,000 visitors in total.
“We’re delighted to confirm our 2026 dates already, since we know many guests and enthusiasts will want to mark it in their diaries and book ahead to secure their attendance.”
At the start of the week, Best of Show at the Salon Privé Concours by Aviva Private Clients went to The Auriga Collection’s 1936 Mercedes-Benz 500 K Spezial Roadster by Sindelfingen. One of only 12 examples ever built, the car triumphed over 60 entries from 13 countries.
Read more: Salon Privé 2025 Day 2 highlights: 1936 Mercedes-Benz 500 K Spezial Roadster wins Best of Show
Following two days of judging, Andrew Bagley, said:
“The quality and diversity of this year’s Concours entries was truly world-class, with cars arriving from across Europe, the United States and beyond.
“Every single vehicle on the lawn represented the pinnacle of its era, and the judges faced an incredibly difficult task in deciding the winners for each class.
“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.”
Other highlights included the Concours de Vente, where Eric Broutin’s De Tomaso Pantera Group 4 received the Prix d’Honneur from a judging panel that featured motoring icon Richard Hammond.
Weekend awards saw the Salon Privé Club Trophy by Lockton go to Nicholas Williams’s 1933 Invicta S Type – known as The Shuttler after its former owner and racer John Shuttler.
The Multi-Marque Lifestyle Club Trophy was awarded to Don Gibson of Drivers Union for his 2005 TVR Sagaris in Spectra Flair Black, while Darren Green of the XJS Club scooped the Single-Marque Club Prize for his 1991 Jaguar XJS Coupe in Flamenco Red, restored in full by the owner.
Dubbed the UK’s most prestigious luxury automotive event, Salon Privé 2025 closed with record-breaking numbers and the promise of a bigger, more spectacular 21st edition in 2026.
