The collector car market, in your inbox
Classic car news, hand-picked vehicles, and auction coverage. Choose what lands in your inbox.
Blenheim Palace kicked off the 21st running of Salon Privé this week, and while Lamborghini's Revuelto SV and Polestar's newest electric SUV drew the expected crowds, two lower-key debuts said more about where the show, and the industry, is actually heading.
Electrogenic, the Oxford-based EV conversion specialist, used the show to unveil its most symbolically loaded project yet: a fully electrified 1973 Rolls-Royce Phantom VI built to carry out ceremonial duties for the City of London. The car serves as an official limousine for the Lord Mayor's office, and this particular Phantom VI was commissioned by Alderwoman Dame Susan Langley DBE, the 697th person to hold that role. Rather than retire the car, Electrogenic swapped its drivetrain for a zero-emissions setup while keeping the coachwork and cabin intact, tying the build directly into the City of London Corporation's goal of net-zero operations by 2027. Company CEO Steve Drummond described the result as "the ideal ceremonial limousine, full of character," a fitting description for a car built to keep working rather than sit in a museum.
It's not the first time a Phantom has gone electric. Motorious previously covered Lunaz's own electric Rolls-Royce Phantom build, which pointed toward exactly this kind of second life for heritage luxury cars.
Giamaro Automobili, a newer name in the hypercar space, chose Blenheim Palace for the UK debut of the Krafla. Finished in the brand's GC livery with exposed carbon-fiber bodywork, the Krafla leans on functional aerodynamic surfacing rather than styling flourish, and Giamaro has positioned it as a driver-focused counterpoint to the increasingly digital feel of modern hypercars. Giamaro executive Roberta Bicocchi framed the Krafla as the brand's take on a modern hypercar built for collectors who want authenticity and involvement over spectacle alone.
Elsewhere on the lawn, the show's bigger names delivered the debuts everyone had circled on the calendar. Lamborghini brought the Revuelto SV over fresh from its global unveiling at The Quail, and the SV is now the fastest, most powerful production car Sant'Agata has ever built. BRABUS used the event for two UK firsts: the 77-unit BODO grand tourer, built around a hand-assembled 5.2-liter twin-turbo V12, and an 800 Cabrio based on the current Mercedes-AMG G63. Polestar rounded out the marquee debuts with the Polestar 4 SUV, a roomier, more practical companion to its coupe-styled electric performance car.
Restomod builders Petroyle, Talos, and Theon Design also used the opening morning to show off new builds, continuing what's become one of Salon Privé's more reliable draws: pairing brand-new metal with reworked classics. That mix of old and new is really the throughline of the show's 21st edition, and it's worth understanding what actually separates a restomod build from a straight-up restoration.
The Concours field held 70 cars competing for Best of Show across twelve classes, including the Golden Age of Motoring and Passione Ferrari, with judging underway as Salon Privé 2026 continues at Blenheim Palace through Sunday, September 6.
