The Art of Horsepower makes its debut with Best in Show awarded to the remarkable 1933 Standard Swallow SS1 Coupé.

The inaugural Bolesworth Concours – The Art of Horsepower has concluded with an exceptional debut, bringing together some of Britain’s finest collectors and a carefully curated selection of rare, historic and significant motor cars within the spectacular grounds of Bolesworth Castle in Cheshire. 

Created as part of the Al Shira’aa Bolesworth International, the new concours introduced a fresh addition to the UK’s concours calendar, combining automotive artistry with the estate’s long-established celebration of equestrian excellence. Rather than pursuing scale, the emphasis was placed on quality, provenance and originality, with every vehicle individually selected to represent a defining moment in automotive design, engineering and coachbuilding. 

The carefully curated entry featured everything from coachbuilt pre-war masterpieces and historically significant competition cars to landmark grand tourers and modern icons. Among the standout entrants were the ex-Clark Gable 1949 Jaguar XK120, the 1952 Stirling Moss Jaguar XK120, the exceptionally rare 1939 Bentley Mark V Corniche, the elegant 1949 Bentley Mark VI Coupé by Freestone & Webb, the final right-hand-drive Aston Martin DB7 Zagato, the Lamborghini 400 GT Superleggera and the beautifully preserved 1933 Standard Swallow SS1 Coupé. Dedicated displays also celebrated Bentley through the ages, a century of Mercedes-Benz and the 25th anniversary of the Aston Martin Vanquish. 

The concours was judged by a panel drawn from across the automotive world, reflecting Bolesworth’s ambition to establish an event with genuine authority from its inaugural edition. Leading the panel was renowned restoration specialist Iain Tyrrell as Chief Judge, joined by Dr Matthias Rabe, Member of the Board for Research & Development at Bentley Motors; acclaimed automotive designer Julian Thomson; Ferrari specialist & consultant valuer Tony Willis; and Bolesworth founder Nina Barbour. Together, they assessed each entry on provenance, originality, historical significance, craftsmanship and design excellence. 

The defining moment of the inaugural Bolesworth Concours came with the announcement of Best in Show, awarded to Michael Jewell’s extraordinary 1933 Standard Swallow SS1 Coupé. Having remained in the same family ownership for more than 90 years, the beautifully preserved SS1 captivated the judging panel with its exceptional provenance, elegant proportions and remarkably original coachwork. One of William Lyons’ earliest creations before the formation of Jaguar, the car represents a pivotal chapter in British automotive design and a remarkable example of sympathetic preservation. 

The SS1 first claimed victory in the fiercely contested Coachbuilt Masters class before going on to secure the concours’ highest honour. Chief Judge Iain Tyrrell and the panel praised the outstanding preservation of the timber coachwork, its authenticity and impeccable provenance, with one judge remarking that “William Lyons never designed a bad-looking car.” Its combination of originality, history and exceptional condition made it a fitting recipient of the inaugural Bolesworth Concours Best in Show award. 

Competition across the remaining classes reflected the exceptional depth and quality of the field. Anthony Thompson enjoyed a successful concours, winning Bentley Through the Ages with his beautifully restored 1927 Bentley 6½ Litre Doctors Coupé, admired for its original Harrison coachwork, authentic restoration using traditional materials and fascinating provenance, including a remarkable history that once saw the car credited with saving a life. Nigel Griffiths claimed Mercedes-Benz: A Century of Excellence with his iconic 1956 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing, recognised by the judges as one of the defining automotive landmarks of the twentieth century. Charley Jurak took the British Sporting Icons with his 1952 Jaguar XK120, famously campaigned by Sir Stirling Moss and celebrated for its exceptional competition pedigree. A special mention should also be made to Talbot-Darracq T23 as the winner of the Host’s Choice and the 1949 ex-Clark Gable XK120 Jaguar as the People’s Choice. 

Elsewhere, John Day’s elegant 1968 Lamborghini Islero was awarded top honours in The Italian Thoroughbreds, impressing the judges with its originality and concours presentation, while Henning Soltau’s beautifully engineered 1955 Lotus VIII won The Racing Legends class. The lightweight Lotus was praised for perfectly embodying Colin Chapman’s “form follows function” philosophy through its innovative engineering, aerodynamic purity, craftsmanship and evocative competition history. 

In keeping with the event’s philosophy that exceptional automobiles are works of art as much as feats of engineering, each class winner received a bespoke commissioned artwork  alongside their concours trophy. Individually created to celebrate each winning vehicle, the artworks provided a lasting tribute to the craftsmanship, provenance and artistry that define The Art of Horsepower. 

The concours reached its conclusion with Bolesworth’s signature Power & Grace presentation. As each class-winning automobile entered the International Arena, it was ceremonially led by two horses before taking its place in a line-up flanked by the two horses, creating a striking visual celebration of both mechanical and equine horsepower. The unique presentation brought together the elegance of the winning automobiles and the grace of the horses in a finale unlike any other on the concours calendar, before the judges announced Michael Jewell’s Standard Swallow SS1 Coupé as the inaugural Best in Show. 

Nina Barbour, Founder and Managing Director of Bolesworth, said: 

“Our ambition was never simply to launch another concours. We wanted to create an event that celebrated craftsmanship, design and provenance in a setting unlike any other, while bringing together two worlds that share a common appreciation for beauty, performance and heritage. 

“The response from entrants, judges and visitors has been exceptional. To welcome such an extraordinary collection of automobiles for our inaugural year, judged by some of the most respected names in the industry, has laid the foundations for what we believe will become an important new fixture on the concours calendar.” 

With its carefully curated field, internationally respected judging panel and unique presentation celebrating the relationship between automotive and equestrian excellence, the inaugural Bolesworth Concours – The Art of Horsepower has made a confident debut on Britain’s concours scene. Combining exceptional automobiles, remarkable provenance and a distinctive sense of theatre, Bolesworth has introduced a concours that offers a fresh perspective on the celebration of automotive craftsmanship – one that looks set to become a highly anticipated fixture on the UK’s concours calendar. 

To enquire about entering your car in the 2027 Bolesworth Concours – The Art of Horsepower at Bolesworth International | Celebrating Horsepower In All Its Forms