Unique 1926 Rolls-Royce Phantom I ‘The Phantom of Love’, wins Best In Show at Concours of Elegance 2025
The ‘Best in Show’ winner at the Concours of Elegance 2025 was a spellbinding 1926 Rolls-Royce Phantom I known as ‘The Phantom of Love’.
London, UK - The Concours of Elegance, presented by A. Lange & Söhne, concluded another glorious event, held over three days in the gardens of Hampton Court Palace, in west London. The 14th edition of Europe's premier concours d'elegance event provided a jaw-dropping display of exquisite privately owned road and competition motor cars - spanning over 100 years of automotive history, parked in the palace gardens.
The Best in Show winner, uniquely chosen by the Concours car owners themselves, was a spellbinding 1926 Rolls-Royce Phantom I known as 'The Phantom of Love'. This extraordinary motorcar stole the hearts of the judges, representing perhaps the most romantic automotive commission ever undertaken.
The breathtakingly opulent Phantom I was originally created as the ultimate expression of devotion by Clarence Gasque for his beloved wife, heiress to the Woolworths fortune. It cost an incredible £6,500 when new - at a time when the average UK house price was just £500. The palatial Rococo interior, inspired by Marie Antoinette's sedan chair at the Victoria and Albert Museum, features authentic Aubusson tapestries, gilt decoration, and porcelain vases filled with enamel flowers that "never die" - symbolizing everlasting love. The tapestries alone cost over £500 and took over 9 months to produce.
Coachbuilders Charles Clark & Sons were tasked with bringing the car to life. The resulting car was a thing of automotive wonder, inside and out. The interior featured highly polished satinwood veneer panelling with painted and gilt decoration, oval medallions, and a sofa rear seat upholstered in the finest tapestries, depicting romantic scenes reminiscent of François Boucher paintings.
Tragically, Clarence Gasque died just 18 months after commissioning this extraordinary gift. The car was then stored until 1952, when it passed to noted Rolls-Royce collector Stanley Sears, before moving through Japanese, American and Australian collections.
It remains one of the most famous surviving Rolls-Royces, and is entirely original, presenting exactly as it was intended nearly 100 years ago. It was a worthy winner that captivated all who saw it in the Palace gardens.
About the annual Concours of Elegance: Established in 2012, the inaugural Concours of Elegance was held within Windsor Castle to mark the diamond jubilee of Her Majesty The Queen’s reign. Organized by Thorough Events, the first Concours of Elegance set a new global benchmark for a classic car concours; winning prestigious awards in the process; unheard of for a ‘start-up’ event in its first year. The second Concours of Elegance was held in 2013 to equal fanfare at the historic Royal Palace of St James in London, with the widely acclaimed third Concours set in the stunning grounds of Hampton Court Palace in September 2014, before heading to the Palace of Holyroodhouse in 2015. Only cars of the highest calibre are invited to the Concours of Elegance, from all over the world, painstakingly selected by the Concours Steering Committee; a respected team of authoritative historic car experts. A key objective of the annual Concours of Elegance is to raise significant sums for charity.
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