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French classic cars, including a Renault 5 Turbo and a Facel Vega Facel II, will vie for glory in a new Grand Tourisme class at this year’s London Concours.
The event returns to the Honourable Artillery Company in central London for its seventh edition on 6-8 June 2023.
They will join an Evolution of Aero concours class, a 60 years of Lamborghini celebration plus a 50-strong Porsche RS feature.
An elegant Facel Vega Facel II will be one of the highlights.
Unveiled in 1961, it was designed to take on GT cars such as the Aston Martin DB4 and Mercedes-Benz 300SL.
With a massive Chrysler V8 under the bonnet, the company mooted a 150mph top speed and 390bhp in models fitted with a four-speed manual.
Facel Vega counted Pablo Picasso, Christian Dior and Sir Stirling Moss among its customers, but the ailing manufacturer shut down in 1964, after producing just 180 Facel IIs.
And the Facel Vega won’t be the only French classic coupé on display, because a Citroën SM will also compete in the Grand Tourisme class.
With its five-speed manual gearbox and Maserati-sourced 2.7-litre V6, the car at London Concours 2023 will be sure to turn heads.
And that’s before you consider its eye-catching, aerodynamic body and hydropneumatic suspension, which made the Citroën SM perfect for wafting across Europe at high speed and in great comfort.
In contrast to the softly sprung Citroën SM and Facel Vega Facel II, an Alpine A110 1600S will be at June’s London Concours, too.
The A110 1600S is capable of 138bhp thanks to a four-cylinder engine fed by a twin-Weber carburettor.
And continuing the lightweight theme, the sub-700kg Alpine will be joined by a wild Renault 5 Turbo and its spiritual successor, a Clio V6.
“We’re delighted to announce that our event this June will celebrate the most fabulous French cars ever produced,” said Andrew Evans, London Concours Director.
“The Grand Tourisme line-up, carefully curated by our team, will highlight the consistently idiosyncratic genius of the French automotive industry, machines that delight with both their engineering ingenuity and stunning looks.”
The London Concours will be held between 6-8 June 2023 at the Honourable Artillery Company, situated between Liverpool Street and Moorgate stations, in the heart of the British capital.
And remember, Classic & Sports Car readers can enjoy our exclusive 2-for-1 ticket offer.
Images: London Concours
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