The summer in the UK is filled with social events that leave you remembering the things you love about the British summers. Every event displaying the quintessential British scene of beautiful green lawns, English roses, ladies with hats, gents with chino’s and jackets, holding champagne flutes dressed with strawberries, accompanied by a side helping of scones ad jam.
This scene was no different at Salon Privé. The exception being that rather than being surrounded by a garden of beautiful English roses, I was now surrounded by a garden of exquisite Italian la rosa’s. Varying in colour’s, shapes and sizes. The final day of Salon Privé was a tribute to Ferrari’s 70th years.
The concours was covered in Ferrari’s from all ages. Each one with an incredible history behind it. Starting with the 1949 Ferrari Inter to the 2016 Ferrari LaFerrari Aperta. Starting in a “70” formation from an aerial view, each car paraded down the concours with roaring engines like the elegant, sassy struts of a catwalk model.
The first Ferrari was actually built in 1940 by Enzo Ferrari – the Auto Avio Costruzioni 815 model. However, it couldn’t bear the Ferrari name because of his contractual agreements with Alfa Romeo where he had parted with in 1939. Ferrari decided to build one less car than actual demand i.e. 499 instead of 500, that way it remains a perpetually desirable machine.
There were several of my personal favourite’s there on this occasion. The Ferrari Dino being one of them. Named after Enzo’s late son Alfredo ‘Dino’ Ferrari who died of muscular dystrophy. The Dino marque was a more affordable car taking on the 911 Porsche without diminishing the Ferrari brand. A mid-engine design with a V6 motor, it was fairly unique. In the current climate, a good condition Dino 206 fetching close to $800,000.
Alternatively, there was the Ferrari 500 TRC, 2.0L that was entered and driven in the 1957 Le Mans 24-hour race. The striking yellow with black viper stripe with all its curves, was just a personal favorite of mine. Style, grace, power, performance and stamina! What more could you ask for from a car!!