Malcolm Campbell’s 1920 Sunbeam 350HP secured Best of Show at the 2025 Heveningham Concours in Suffolk, UK on June 28-29. Better known as Blue Bird, the machine’s latest achievement arrived almost precisely 100 years after it became the first car in history to achieve 150mph, at Pendine Sands in July 1925.
At Heveningham, Blue Bird was displayed on the famous terraced lawn behind the 18th century Grade I listed stately home. It was joined on the Kim Wilkie-designed lawns by similarly impressive cars vying for the Best of Show prize, including the 1909 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost Roi des Belges and a stunning Bugatti Type 37 that has remained in one-family ownership for more than 30 years.
Highly original Preservation-class cars have been in vogue at major concours over the past few years, and that trend continued at the Heveningham Concours 2025 with the presence of a 1934 Aston Martin MkII. Discovered in barn-find condition back in 2021, the car was sympathetically resurrected by pre-war Aston specialist Ecurie Bertelli. Similarly presented cars included a 1925 Bentley 3 Litre by Short and a 1934 Alvis Speed Twenty.
Racing cars were also out in force, and it was undoubtedly a challenge to manoeuvre the 1936 ERA B-type, Porsche 956 and striking Camel-liveried Lotus-Lamborghini Type 102 onto the narrow tiers of the terraced lawn. The racing car contingent also included the class-winning 1957 Aston Martin DBR2 and the ex-Jack Brabham Cooper T51 that was the first rear-mid-engined car to win the Formula 1 World Championship. The Lotus 18 driven to victory at the 1961 Monaco Grand Prix by Sir Stirling Moss was also present, complemented by the innovative gas turbine-powered Lotus 56B.
Other popular cars with enthusiasts were the voluptuous De Mola-bodied 1940/1948 Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 Super Sport Spider, an off-road-prepared Singer ACS and an elegant 1951 Ferrari 212 Export Vignale that won the Chairman’s Choice prize.
Those with a penchant for modern machinery were well catered for with boundary-pushing models such as the Aston Martin Valkyrie hypercar, Tuthill GT One and McMurtry Spéirling, which famously broke the Goodwood Hill record in 2022. Callum’s Wood & Pickett Mini made its debut appearance at Heveningham.
Leading the judging panel was Max Hunt, son of Heveningham Hall owner Jon Hunt. The panel included Marino Franchitti, Peter Stevens, Ian Callum, Roger Bennington and David Gandy.
Complementing the four-wheeled offerings was a smaller motorcycle line-up that ranged from a 1938 Norton Manx Special to 2025 Picasso OMT 450C. The Best of Show prize in the motorcycle concours went to a 1994 Ducati 916.
Two of the aircraft with the most intriguing provenance were the most original surviving Spitfire and a 1939 Gloster Gladiator MkII that was involved in the Siege of Malta and defending the Suez Canal during World War Two. The quartet of judges, led by Vic Norman and including Sarah Hanna, gave the top prize to the Gloster.
Attendees could see modern supercars in action on Horsepower Hill, where they competed to set the highest speed in a short 200m sprint across the estate. The winner was a Ferrari 296, which set an impressive terminal speed of 117mph.
As is tradition, the opposite side of Jon and Lois Hunt’s Heveningham Hall estate played host to the popular country fair, featuring everything from falconry displays and dancing JCB diggers to family-friendly entertainment, vintage farm machinery and a curated selection of classic cars.
Proceeds from the Heveningham weekend go to the Heveningham Hall Country Fair Trust, which supports a wide range of charitable causes both locally and nationally. Beneficiaries include the East Anglian Air Ambulance, alongside a scholarship programme funding a Masters in Intelligent Mobility at the Royal College of Art.
Best in Show 1920
Sunbeam 350HP
Chairman’s Choice
1951 Ferrari 212 Export Cabriolet by Vignale
Class winners
Pioneers & Pre-War – 1934 Bugatti Type 57
Mid-Century 1946-1965 – 1961 Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato
Post-Modern 1966-1999 – 1995 Porsche 911 Carerra RS
Performance Supercar & Hypercar – 1984/2022 Porsche 930 TAG Turbo by Lanzante
Race & Rally – 1957 Aston Martin DBR2
Special Award – 2025 Picasso OMT 450C
Other awards
Hanna Aviation Trophy – 1939 Gloster Gladiator
Hanna Aviation Trophy Runner-Up – 1941 De Havilland DH.89A Dragon Rapide
Motorcycles – 1994 Ducati 916
Horsepower Hill – Ferrari 296: 117mph
Horsepower Hill – Porsche Turbo: 105mph
Horsepower Hill ‘Jalopies’ – R32 Skyline: 101mph
