The Concours of Elegance at Hampton Court Palace is a gathering of the world’s rarest cars and the most sought-after luxury brands; the perfect event for H.R. Owen to showcase its range of ultimate luxury and performance models. Across the weekend of 2-4 September, H.R. Owen welcomed customers to the former home of Henry VIII to see the latest from Rolls-Royce, Lamborghini, Ferrari, Bentley and Maserati, as well as curating a line-up of client cars in the H.R. Owen Paddock.
The glamorous event, recognised as one of the top three concours events globally, was this year celebrating its tenth anniversary, renowned for the quality of the cars that it gathers at its heart. But more than ever it has grown into a celebration of luxury, with the finest watches courtesy of A. Lange & Söhne, picnics by Fortnum & Mason, champagne by Charles Heidsieck and – of course – the very best new cars from H.R. Owen. We were thrilled to be able to share all this with the many guests that we hosted on our H.R. Owen stand across the 3-days.
For 90 years, the H.R. Owen name has become a hallmark for world-leading customer service in the sale and maintenance of the most exclusive cars in the world. Its ability to bring together some of the most sought-after luxury and performance cars from the most iconic marques is reflected in the line-up of models assembled for this year’s event.
Among the highlights was the beautiful Ferrari Roma, a mid-front engine 2+ coupe that has swiftly gained a wonderful reputation thanks to its timeless, refined design and thoroughbred ability on the road. The removal of all superfluous detailing accentuates the car’s sleekness and minimalism, while exceptional performance is guaranteed thanks to a V8 turbo engine that delivers 620hp at 7,500rpm and is part of the family that won the International Engine of the Year award four years in a row.
Alongside it was another Italian masterpiece, the Lamborghini Huracán STO. This super sports car is inspired by the heritage of Lamborghini Squadra Corse’s motorsport prowess and has been created to deliver all the feel and technology of a race car in a road-legal model, with track-honed handling and extreme aerodynamics. One look at it tells you all need to know about its intent – carbon fibre is incorporated into more than 75% of the body panels, while the Confago (a specially designed body component that incorporates the front hood and fender) maximises frontal aerodynamic performance while saving weight. As you’d expect, performance is blistering with power coming from a naturally aspirated 5.2-litre V10 engine that produces 640hp and 565Nm of torque at 6,500rpm. That makes the STO good for 0-62mph in three seconds and a top speed of 192mph.
These two Italian icons were accompanied by the epitome of British luxury, the Rolls-Royce Phantom. The pinnacle of the Rolls-Royce range, the Phantom will be familiar to many visitors, but never fails to make its presence felt with its imposing, authoritative demeanour. By expertly blending sublime detailing, exquisite craftsmanship and effortless performance – courtesy of its 6.7-litre V12 engine – the regal Phantom blends in perfectly with the royal surroundings.
On Friday 2nd September, a dedicated H.R. Owen Paddock within the event itself was reserved for H.R. Owen customers to bring their supercars into the gardens of Hampton Court Palace, securing the best parking spot at the Concours of Elegance. This line-up of cars then formed a part of the show content, allowing visitors to peruse a variety of H.R. Owen brands.
H.R. Owen also displayed three exciting models in the all-new ‘Year in Motion’ category, which saw a selection of the very finest cars launched in 2022 line up, including the Ferrari 296 GTB, an advanced mid-engined plug-in hybrid supercar. The GTB’s twin-turbo six – known by Ferrari engineers as the ‘piccolo V12’ – revs all the way to 8,500 rpm, delivering 654 bhp, with a further 165 bhp supplied by the electric motors. Acceleration from 0-62mph takes 2.9 seconds, with a top speed of 205mph.
Adding an undeniable touch of glamour was the Bentley Flying Spur Hybrid, which teams a muscular 2.9-litre turbocharged V6 with a 100kW electric motor to offer 536bhp, allowing 0-60 mph to be dispatched in a satisfyingly brisk 4.1 seconds and a range of 25 miles travelling on electric power alone. Cossetting yet agile, the Flying Spur is a thoroughly cutting-edge interpretation of the model’s unique combination of dynamism and opulence that is helping to propel Bentley into a thrilling new era.
‘Year in Motion’ also saw H.R. Owen showcase Maserati’s latest offering, the Grecale. A sporting SUV named after a cool, strong Mediterranean wind, the Grecale serves up all the dynamism and style that one would expect from a machine wearing the famed Maserati Trident on its nose. The variant on display will be the clever 48V mild hybrid GT, which features a 296bhp twin-turbocharged 2.0-litre engine and is capable of dispatching 0-62mph in a spirited 5.6 seconds. Few compact SUVs can match the Grecale’s undoubted sense of style and exceptional driving finesse.
