OtherBrits whodrovetotheconcours
includedGregorFiskenandHenryPearman,
thelatter’sWeymann-bodiedBentleysaloon
lookingmajesticcruisingdownfromCalaisin
companywitha stylishS1Continental.
Nowinitsfifthyear,theArts&Elegance
originatedin a chancemeetingat PebbleBeach
sevenyearsagobetweenPorschefanPrince
RahimAgaKhanandrespectedhistoricracing
eventorganiserPatrickPeter.Afterthe 2003
demiseofFrance’spremierconcours,theLouis
VuittonClassicat Bagatelle,Peterhadlongfelt
thata prestigiousinternationaleventshouldbe
revivedbutcouldn’tthinkofa suitablevenue.
WhentheAgaKhansuggestedChantilly– he’s
a memberof theDomainedeChantillyFounda-
tionandownsa prestigioushorse-racingstable
in thegrounds– theideaimmediatelyclicked.
Afterfoursuccessfulevents,Peterdecided
in 2017 thatit wastoomuchtostageboththe
LeMansClassicandChantillyin thesameyear,
sotheconcoursbecamebiennial.
Anundoubtedhighlightformanythisyear
wasa classof 17 carsbystylinglegendMarcello
Gandini,fromAlfaT33CarabotoRenault
SupercinqGTTurbo,organisedbyIndianjour-
nalistGautamSentohonourtheTurin-born
octogenarian.AswellasproductionMiura,
Montreal,Stratos,KhamsinandEB110,the
displaydrewrareoutingsofconceptscarssuch
astheAutobianchiA112Runabout,theSimca
ShakeandtheFerrari308GTRainbow.
Preservationclasseshighlightingoriginalcars
areaninspiringfeatureofChantilly,wonthis
yearbya magnificent 1913 Delaunay-Belleville
HC4byCarrosserieRothschildandAnthony
Posner’sunrestored,three-ownerFerrari
Daytona.BugattispecialistCharlesKnill-Jones
alsodisplayeda highlyoriginalType37Athat
theTulateamhasbeenmeticulouslyreviving.
PaintedwhiteforGermanracerWilliSiebel,
theroad-equippedType37Acompetedinthe
firstGrandPrixontheNordschleifeandwas
presentedatChantillycompletewithpre-war
victorywreaths.ThePrixSpécialFFVEwent
toBrunoVendiesse’s 1958 ACAceBristol.
Thelargest-evergatheringofBallotssince
thefactoryclosedmarkedthecentenaryofthe
Gallicgreat.Thedisplaywasinstigatedby
AustrianenthusiastAlexanderSchaufler,who
ownsthehistoric 1920 3/8LCthatracedtwice
at IndianapolisandwonthefirstItalianGrand
Prix in 1921, driven by Jules Goux. In later years
it competed at Brooklands with Sir Malcolm
Campbell and ‘Bentley Boy’ Jack Dunfee. “I love
cars with great history,” enthused Schaufler.
“We’ve just been invited to lead a parade at
Monza in 2021, which will be very special.”
Chantilly also gave a post-restoration debut to
a 5/8 LC racer, flown in specially from the Revs
Institute in Florida. At the 1919 Indianapolis
500, René Thomas took a sensational pole at
104.7mph in this very chassis. After much debate
September 2019 Classic & Sports Car 155DavidBraceycelebratedhiswife’sbirthday with
a picnic at Chantilly, having driven his handsome
1935 Lagonda saloon down to the event from
Maidstone. “I was looking for a pre-war British
car as a project, and by chance discovered this
LG45 in a garage in Lowestoft,” said Bracey.
“The owner had gone into a care home in 1982,
and the Lagonda was bricked up to prevent the
council taking the car away. It was under nearly
2in of dust when it was pulled out and, thanks to
Adams Automotive in Norwich, we saved it.
“The car has a fascinating history, which we’re
still unravelling. During WW2 it covered 20,000
miles when owned by Captain GW Whitelaw.
When we restored it, we found the name ‘Fontés’
scrawled on the doorcards, so it could have been
ordered new by the family of the 1935 Le Mans
winner. We’d love to know more about its past.”David and
Heather Bracey
LAGONDA LG45
From top: Autobianchi
A112 Bertone Runabout
was a highlight of the
Marcello Gandini tribute;
Connor’s magnificent
winning Bentley Speed Six;
fabulous to see a Porsche
917 racer joining in the
pre-concours road run‘A highlight for many was
a class of 17 cars gathered
to the honour Turin-born
octogenarian styling
legend Marcello Gandini’