The 2025 Concours Of Elegance Presented By A. Lange & Söhne
Last weekend, I had the opportunity to attend the Concours of Elegance at Hampton Court Palace. A. Lange & Söhne sponsors the event, and what an event it was! Don’t worry; we’re not becoming a car magazine here at Fratello, but these gems were too good not to share. Enjoy!
I’ve been lucky enough to attend several high-end car shows. Back in the ’90s, Louis Vuitton held a Concours d’Elegance in the middle of Rockefeller Center, and I drove two hours from my university to see some amazing vehicles. Then, during my time in Detroit, I always blocked my calendar for Meadowbrook and Eyes on Design, two incredible events surrounded by homes formerly owned by automotive royalty. The Concours of Elegance sponsored by A. Lange & Söhne most definitely belongs with these elite events.
The Concours of Elegance sponsored by A. Lange & Söhne
The Concours of Elegance takes place at Hampton Court Palace. In fact, the event is just one of several events held by Thorough Events Limited. Similar shows occur in London, Lake Tegernsee, and Bahrain. The idea is to bring together 60 incredible vehicles set against the backdrop of King Henry VIII’s former palace. A host of other vehicles from local car clubs and young collectors surrounds the main group of competing vehicles. Of course, there were some watches as well. Lange took the opportunity to display the new Richard Lange Jumping Seconds and the 1815 Tourbillon. We covered these pieces last week and expect an upcoming hands-on review.
I managed to snap a few photos of the watches on site, but I focused primarily on the cars. Still, a lovely panda-dial Movado M95 was a rare sighting. Then, a modern Speedmaster showed itself on the wrist of one of the 30 Under 30 participants.
How about this for an interesting trio? I approached a friendly table of attendees, and a gentleman was keen to share his ’50s Submariner. Then, an interesting Mido Bugatti watch was on another person’s wrist. Finally, while it might not tickle the fancy of our readers, a Dior was on point with a chain bracelet. Now, let’s see the cars!
All eras were on show
At the Concours of Elegance, there was an impressive variety of cars on display, including ones from the 1920s through modern supercars. Additionally, brands such as Mercedes-Benz and Porsche brought vehicles from their respective museum collections in Germany. Regardless of where the cars originated, the entries were stunning. Best of all, we got to see (and smell) some of the cars as they paraded up to the awards circle.
Many of us had posters of the Lamborghini Countach, the Ferrari 308 and 512 Berlinetta Boxer, and the Maserati Merak on the walls of our bedrooms. Seeing them in person drove home the fact that these are now, in some cases, more than 40 years old!
Beautiful racers at the Concours
A fleet of race cars was in attendance at the Concours of Elegance. Formula One and Le Mans racers, prototypes, and racing replicas graced the grounds of Hampton Court Palace.
Even the non-exotics were lovely
While exotics, like the Bugatti EB110, were part of the show, the more approachable vehicles also looked fantastic. An ’80s Toyota wagon was utterly spotless, and I also saw an early Peugeot GTI. Then, a Fiat Panda Safari made everyone smile!
Final thoughts
Next year’s Concours of Elegance will take place from September 4th through the 6th. If you have the time, I highly recommend attending. It’s an easygoing day that can easily be paired with a tour of the palace and its gardens. Plus, if the weather is anything like this year’s, it makes for a wonderful environment for a family picnic. We hope you enjoyed the photos, and thank you again to A. Lange & Söhne for the invitation!
