Since its inaugural edition in 2012, the Concours of Elegance has evolved into Britain’s most refined classic‑car gathering, an invitation-only concours that routinely assembles 60 of the world’s rarest automobiles against a backdrop of royal grandeur. For 2025, the event returns to Hampton Court Palace from Friday 5 to Sunday 7 September, promising a curated ensemble of pre‑war racers, mid‑century icons, and modern hypercars seldom seen outside private vaults. Compared with other London car shows, the Concours stands apart: entries are selected by an international steering committee, judged by the owners themselves, and displayed in courtly gardens where deer graze just beyond the hedges. New for 2025? A dedicated “Emerald Isle Class” celebrating Irish coachbuilding, plus a twilight engine‑start parade on Saturday evening, an atmospheric counterpoint to the usual lawn‑stroll serenity.

Event Details for Concours of Elegance 2025

Dates and Venue

Hampton Court Palace, East Molesey (KT8 9AU)

  • Friday, 5 September – Owners’ Arrival & Club Trophy
  • Saturday, 6 September – Main Concours & Twilight Parade
  • Sunday, 7 September – Best in Show Ceremony

Opening Hours & Ticket Access

Gates open 10 am to 6 pm daily. General admission starts at £45; VIP Hospitality Pavilions (from £480) include Palace access, a three‑course luncheon, Laurent‑Perrier throughout the afternoon, and a private garden tour. Tickets are limited and must be booked in advance – AirX can connect guests with accredited hospitality partners upon request.

Travel Logistics

  • Chauffeur or classic‑car arrival. Secure, on‑site valet parking is reserved for pre‑registered vehicles; many guests arrive in their own classics to join the Club Trophy lawn displays. Club Trophy entrants drive straight onto the display lawn using colour‑coded passes; marshals guide parking, and a mobile detailing crew handles any last‑minute polish.
  • Arriving by private jet. AirX charters land at RAF Northolt (NHT), 28 km from the Palace, with a 20‑minute customs‑to‑kerb time. Farnborough (FAB) and Biggin Hill (BQH) serve longer‑range arrivals. Chauffeurs drive guests to Hampton Court in 35–50 minutes, depending on the airport choice.
  • Concours of Elegance dress code. Think Goodwood levels of polish without the costume: gentlemen favour linen suits, pocket squares, and brogues; ladies opt for summer dresses, fascinators, and block‑heel shoes suitable for grass. Denim, sports trainers, and branded team apparel are gently discouraged.

Cars on Display: A Curated Showcase

Expect roughly 60 invitation‑only entries selected for historical importance, design purity, and impeccable provenance. Highlights likely to include:

  • 1937 Talbot‑Lago T150 C SS ‘New York Teardrop’. Figoni et Falaschi’s flowing coachwork makes this one of the most elegant pre‑war aerodynes ever built, fresh from recent concours success at Pebble Beach.
  • 1956 Jaguar D‑type. The production cousin of the Le Mans‑winning works cars, its aluminium monocoque and trademark tail fin remain icons of British motorsport engineering.
  • 1959 Ferrari Dino 196S Spider. A V6‑powered sports‑prototype that campaigned across the Mille Miglia and Targa Florio, combining svelte Scaglietti bodywork with competition pedigree.
  • 1995 McLaren F1. Gordon Murray’s carbon‑fibre road‑car masterpiece, once the fastest production car in the world and still revered for its central‑seat driving position.
  • 2016 Pagani Zonda Oliver Evolution ‘Hermes Edition’. A one‑off evolution of the Zonda platform, featuring bespoke aerodynamic tweaks and a unique Hermes‑themed interior.

The selection process is invitation only: a steering committee vets provenance, period significance, design purity, and condition. Owners judge one another’s cars, voting anonymously for the overall winner, a tradition that fosters camaraderie over rivalry, and one reason collectors prioritise concours car show entries over traditional awards.

Classic Car Show in London - Concours of Elegance

VIP & Hospitality Experiences

Guests holding Concours Hospitality passes can expect:

  • The Waldegrave Drawing Room Suite. A grand palace salon repurposed as an exclusive lounge serving Ruinart champagne, canapés by a Michelin‑trained chef, and mid‑event violin recitals. Gilded plasterwork ceilings and floor‑to‑ceiling windows open onto a private balcony that overlooks the East Front gardens, perfect for quiet moments away from the crowds.
  • The Royal Boat House Terrace. Overlooking the Thames, this enclosure pairs Kristal caviar tastings with rare whisky flights curated by Berry Bros. & Rudd. A live jazz trio sets the mood each afternoon, while a sommelier guides guests through limited‑edition Speyside and Japanese malts.
  • Twilight Engine‑Start Parade. On Saturday evening, owners fire up their machines for a slow procession around the Fountain Court, engines echoing off Tudor brickwork, a sensory highlight not to be missed. Hospitality guests enjoy reserved seating and expert commentary on each car’s provenance, with the chance to ride shotgun in a pre‑selected entry via silent auction.

Beyond these headline perks, collectors may arrange discreet valuation sessions with leading auction houses, attend pop‑up masterclasses on automotive conservation, and browse partner displays from watchmakers, yacht brokers, and bespoke tailors.

Where to Stay During the London Car Show

The Bingham Riverhouse, Richmond

  • Distance from RAF Northolt: 24 km | Nightly rate: from £385
  • Why stay: A Georgian townhouse turned riverside retreat offering 15 rooms, an award‑winning garden restaurant, and punts for sunset Thames cruises. Most rooms open onto private Juliet balconies, so you can savour dawn mist over the water before heading to the Palace.

The Mitre Hampton Court, East Molesey

  • Distance from Northolt: 27 km | Nightly rate: from £340
  • Why stay: Literally opposite the Palace gates; suites feature four‑poster beds, roll‑top baths, and balconies overlooking the Seine‑like stretch of the Thames. Dine at Coppernose restaurant for modern British dishes using produce sourced from royal estate gardens just steps away.

Corinthia London, Whitehall Place

  • Distance from Northolt: 26 km | Nightly rate: from £820
  • Why stay: ESPA Life spa, rooftop penthouses with 270° skyline views, and a chauffeured Mercedes fleet that deposits guests at Hampton Court in 45 minutes. The concierge team excels at securing last‑minute West End theatre tickets and private gallery previews, ensuring your London stay is as curated as the concours itself.

*(Rates reflect early‑bird bookings for September 2025 and may rise closer to the event.)

Experiences During the Event

Lunch on The Water. Charter a vintage Thames slipper launch from Turks Pier for a 90‑minute champagne cruise beneath Kingston Bridge, complete with a chilled English sparkling wine and a seasonal picnic hamper as you glide through Molesey Lock.

Henley & Stewards Enclosure Tour. Extend your stay with a ten‑minute helicopter hop that sets you riverside for a late‑season regatta, Pimms by the boating lake, and a linen‑clad luncheon in the Stewards Enclosure.

Afternoon Spa Escape. ESPA Life at the Corinthia offers a two‑hour “Royal Ritual” featuring amber‑infused body scrubs and a session in the marble‑lined vitality pool, ideal after a morning on the lawns.

Richmond Golf Club. Dawn tee‑offs on the par‑70 parkland course can be pre‑booked; arrive to freshly brewed coffee in the Grade‑II listed clubhouse, with club hire and caddie services ready at the first tee.

Charter a Private Jet to the Concours of Elegance

As the Official Private Aviation Partner of the Concours series, AirX is proud to support a calendar of world-class motoring events — beginning with Germany on 25–26 July 2025, and continuing through Bahrain and London in 2026. For those attending the London edition, the Concours of Elegance 2025,  an arrival as refined as the event itself is only fitting. With AirX private jet charters, guests land at RAF Northolt, one of London’s most discreet and secure private aviation gateways, where immigration formalities are handled planeside and a liveried chauffeur awaits on the apron. 

Experience exceptional service and flexibility with our diverse fleet:

  • Light & midsize private jets (Legacy 600, Challenger 850) charter six to thirteen passengers from Paris or Geneva in just over an hour, with bespoke breakfast catering and refined cabin comfort throughout.
  • VIP airliners (Lineage 1000, Boeing BBJ) operate the Dubai–London route in around six hours, featuring lie‑flat suites, shower facilities, spacious rest and entertainment areas, and a sommelier‑curated wine list.
  • The Airbus A340‑300 VIP flies in from New York in under nine hours, offering fully reclining seats, a social lounge with a live-cooking station, and in‑flight streaming — so you never miss a moment of the show.

AirX provides world-class flights — and should you require event ticketing, chauffeured classics, or specialist vehicle transport, our team can connect you with trusted partners.

Rare cars, royal gardens, and London’s late‑summer ambience converge at the Concours of Elegance 2025, a classic‑car show where elegance holds pole position. Align your arrival with an AirX charter to enjoy the same standard of refined engineering in the sky as on the lawns below. 

Ready to elevate your London auto show weekend? Contact AirX and secure your runway to royalty.