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Ultimately, it is a kind of beauty contest: the Concours d’Elegance in the gardens of Palace Soestdijk is, of course, the centerpiece. An expert jury judged some seventy cars that wanted to compete for the prestigious Best of Show award. This edition there were no less than ten classes, divided by age, culture and design of the cars. From gleaming pre-war pioneers of automotive history to iconic super sports cars of the recent past. In the end, there was one big concours winner: the 1937 Bugatti T57 Stelvio Cabriolet Speciale.

Yet there were other eye-catchers that we don’t want to keep from you:

1. Ferrari 500 Mondial

This blood red racer of the most famous car brand achieved success at the Mille Miglia and the Sebring 12-hour race between 1954 and 1956. Under the hood, no V12, but a modest 1985 cc four-cylinder engine. Combined with a 5-speed transmission, it is still good for 236 kilometers per hour. And that’s without a windshield. On the side of this specimen is the name of one Frits Kroymans. Would he have anything to do with Ferrari?

2. Rubystar red Porsches

Two Rubystar red Porsches. Pretty daring, especially at a time when almost all cars are delivered in fifty shades of gray. Here, past and present are parked side by side. Not only the brand new Porsche Taycan Turbo S Sport Turismo was given this tasty paint color by Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur. Next to the Taycan, the 964 Carrera RS Clubsport looks like a compact neo-classic. Porsche built 290 of this hardcore version – the RS N-GT, for the purists – with racing fairings, tubular frame and carpetless interior. The Taycan or the 964, which do you prefer?

3. Lotus 30 S1

What must it have been like to race this Lotus type 30 S1 in the 1960s? The Colin Chapman-designed sports car was ultra-light, but nevertheless featured a 360-hp Ford V8 engine. This car has since been thoroughly restored. So be careful if you’re considering a classic track day; the value of these racers quickly creeps toward 200,000 euros.

4. Alfa Romeo Giulia Giardinetta

A rare 1975 Alfa Romeo Giulia Giardinetta. Originally, between 1962 and 1978, this model was delivered only as a sedan. Those who wanted extra space took their Alfa to a body builder. The modifications to this extraordinarily sleek-looking green specimen are the work of Carrozzeria Introzzi, which has perfected the car by hand. These cars have actually been used, by the Italian police and as ambulances. Who says station wagons are boring?

5. Alpine A522 F1

Impressive wings, ultra-wide tires, a 1.5-liter V6 turbo engine plus electric power. This is the Alpine Formula One car with which two-time world champions Fernando Alonso and Esteban Ocon will compete against Max Verstappen. Few know exactly how much power this Alpine has, but the team modestly reports that it is “over 950 hp. How often do you come face to face with a Formula One car?

6. Sextet of Bugatti’s Type 57

The Concours d’Elegance has succeeded in doing something that no car museum has succeeded in doing to date: a collection of all five versions of the Bugatti Type 57 ever produced. These five models were named after illustrious mountain peaks: Galibier, Ventoux, Stelvio, Aravis and the Atalante. The latter is considered by many connoisseurs to be the most beautiful Bugatti ever. No wonder he was auctioned off at the Pebble Beach concourse last summer for over $10 million.

7 . BMW E30 M3

After the success of the M635i and the first BMW M5 (E28), the automakers at BMW thought it was time to give their compact sedan a power boost as well. Thus, in 1986, the first BMW M3 was born. Knocked-out fenders, trunk spoiler and a 2.3-liter four-cylinder with 195 horsepower. This black example with only 23,000 kilometers of experience even comes from the first owner.

8. Ferrari 296 GTB

Unlike BMW, with Ferrari you can sometimes still read the engine specs from the model name. Indeed, this 296 GTB has a 2.9-liter V6 mid-engine – the first six-cylinder in a Ferrari street car – with 663 hp, mated to a 122 kW/167 hp electric motor and an 8-speed DCT transmission. That’s the recipe for this Gran Turismo Berlinetta (GTB). For this “entry-level Ferrari” you will pay around 300,000 euros in the Netherlands.

9. Aston Martin DB5

At the Concours d’Elegance, the Aston Martin Owners Club was well represented with about ten cars. Standout in our opinion was this 1965 DB5 in classic British Racing Green. The timeless beauty of the body, built the coachbuilders at Touring, still needs no explanation. Do you also get a spontaneous desire for a vodka martini?

10. Alpine A110

The return of the Concours d’Elegance was all about the past, present and future. Despite the state-of-the-art Formula 1 car, Alpine’s booth focused on the contemporary version of A110, a car that makes our hearts beat faster. The French prove that they understand how to build a real driver’s car: lightweight, low center of gravity and plenty of power. We can only hope that tomorrow’s electric cars will bring us as much driving pleasure.

The Concours d’Elegance was held from Friday, August 26 to Sunday, August 28 in the gardens surrounding Soestdijk Palace.