Story and photos by Hugues Vanhoolandt
Founded in 2005, the Antwerp Concours d’Elegance celebrated its 21st edition this September, making it one of the oldest European concours d’elegance, even if it isn’t among the most famous.
While perhaps less exclusive than the major international concours, it is all the more authentic and offers the opportunity each year to discover some rare gems hidden away in private collections usually inaccessible to the public.
The main theme for 2026 was the Bugatti marque, whose Belgian club is celebrating its tenth anniversary.
Bernard Vermeylen, a historian of the Panhard marque who passed away suddenly after the 2023 concours, and author of books on the subject, was also honored with a Panhard & Levassor class.
We were also celebrating, among other things, the 100th anniversary of Carrozzeria Touring and the 120th anniversary of Lancia.
Let’s take a look at a selection of the cars on display on the lawns of Belvedere Castle, starting with the Bugatti brand.
It may seem strange to begin a Bugatti presentation with a Peugeot, but it was indeed Ettore who designed the Peugeot Bébé, of which no fewer than 3095 examples were produced between 1913 and 1916.
1921 Bugatti Type 23 Brescia with Skiff Boattail body.
The next generation is ready!
The 1925 Type 35 ‘Grand Prix de Lyon’, one of the first ten T35s built, won the award for best Bugatti Sport and Best of Show from the jury of the Belgian Historic Vehicle Association.
This 1927 Bugatti Type 37, 4-cylinder 1.5 litre, served as a test car for the Targa Florio and belonged to the famous Czech driver Elisabeth Junek.
One of the 385 Type 38s, this one equipped with a Fiacre-style body and which spent the majority of its existence in New Zealand.
Another Type 38, from 1927, this one rebodied by Lavocat & Marsaud. The 2-litre 8-cylinder engine, coupled to a 4-speed gearbox, developed approximately 70 horsepower.
This 1929 Bugatti Type 43 was used by the future King Leopold III of Belgium to visit Princess Astrid of Sweden. Later, in 1932, the car was shortened for ice racing. It has now been restored to its original condition.
This 1928 Bugatti Type 43 features a Torpedo Grand Sport body and was delivered to a member of the French aristocracy who tragically died at the age of 23. The supercharged 2.3-liter inline eight-cylinder engine produces approximately 120 horsepower.
This Bugatti Type 44, bodied as a sedan by Van Vooren, was delivered new to a member of the Peugeot family before being used by German soldiers as target practice during WWII, leaving bullet holes in its doors. A new body was later created.
This Bugatti Type 46, known as ‘Petite Royale’, sports a Van Vooren body originally fitted to a Talbot. It completed a world tour of nearly 35,000 km in the late 1990s.
A 1931 Bugatti Type 49 fitted with a Drop Head coupé body made in Switzerland by Langenthal. It was recently restored after a long stay in an Austrian museum.
This Bugatti Type 51 began its life as the Type 35B and was driven by Louis Chiron. It is powered by a supercharged 2.3-liter 8-cylinder engine.
Equipped with a 4.9-liter, twin-cam, supercharged inline eight-cylinder engine producing around 300 horsepower, the Type 54 acquired a reputation as a widowmaker. The young Czechoslovakian Prince Lobkowicz was killed at the wheel of this Type 54, chassis number 54201, in 1932 on the AVUS circuit.
Known by the nickname ‘Le Patron’, as it was the personal car of Bugatti’s post-war managing director, this uniquely coachbuilt Bugatti Type 57 C served as a factory development car and has a documented history that makes it one of the most important Type 57s in the history of this model. It has won the ‘Best Expo Bugatti Tourer’ award.
The Best of Show award, as chosen by the jury of experts, went to this Bugatti Type 57 C ‘Aravis’ cabriolet, bodied by Letourneur & Marchand. It has remained in the same Belgian family since it left the factory in 1939 and was given in 1955 to its current owner, Mr. Lemaire, pictured here at the wheel, by his uncle. A fitting prize to reward a remarkable story.
Among the other French marques, Amilcar was represented by this 1927 C6/CO, a customer competition version produced in a limited run of 55, equipped with a 1100cc 6-cylinder engine producing approximately 65 horsepower. It won the Prewar Sport & Competition class.
Another Amilcar, a 1927 CGSS bodied by Duval, with a 1074cc 4-cylinder engine producing 37 horsepower. CGSS stands for Châssis Grand Sport Surbaissé (Lowered Grand Sport Chassis). 984 examples were produced.
In the Panhard & Levassor category, this X73 Victoria convertible built by the Janssen coachbuilding company, equipped with the Knight valveless engine, precedes an X72 sedan with factory Panoramic bodywork.
The Panhard Club presented, on the left, a Dyna X87 Junior, one of the rare roadsters bodied by Albert d’Ieteren in Belgium, alongside a 1961 DB Panhard Le Mans, sold new in the USA. Located in Miami, it subsequently competed in historic races organized by the SCCA.
Winner of the ‘Adorable/Affordable’ class, this centenarian Peugeot 172R from 1925 is equipped with a 720cc 4-cylinder engine producing 16 horsepower.
Imagine cruising at 110 km/h at the wheel of this machine! Yet that’s what was promised to visitors of the 1924 Paris Motor Show where this Sima-Violet was presented. Equipped with a 500cc two-cylinder, two-stroke engine, it had a two-speed gearbox and brakes only on the rear wheels.
First in the ‘100 Anni Carrozzeria Touring’ class, despite an unknown early history, this 1938 Alfa Romeo 6C 2300B was exhibited at Pebble Beach in 2010 (bare chassis and engine) and 2011 (complete).
Also in this class, two 1900 C Sprint by Touring, the first a ‘Series 1’ with short chassis from 1953, the second a ‘Series 2’ from 1955, participating in the Mille Miglia in 2024 and 2026.
The best restoration award goes to the 1965 Alfa Romeo GTC Touring convertible, of which approximately 1000 were produced.
You probably won’t recognize this as a Jaguar SS100. Released in 1937, it was rebodied by the Bidée coachbuilding company of Brussels, Belgium, for the Belgian amateur driver Jacques Herzet, known for having employed as a mechanic and co-driver a future great name in Belgian motorsport, Lucien Bianchi.
Still with Jaguar, here’s the 1955 D-Type XKD523. After being imported to the USA by Max Hoffmann, it raced there for a time before being fitted with a Chevrolet V8 engine. Fully restored, it won the British & Sportscars class here.
One class was reserved for Lancia’s 120th anniversary. This 1917 Theta 35 HP with its boattail bodywork illustrates the brand’s beginnings. This car underwent a 15-year restoration, and the body was completely rebuilt.
This 1935 Lancia Astura, third series, is unique due to its bodywork by Gurney Nutting. It is powered by a 3-liter V8 producing 82 hp. It won the ‘Lancia 120 Years’ class.
This 1935 Lancia Augusta features an Airline-style body designed by the British coachbuilder John Charles. Its engine is a 1200cc V4 SOHC producing 35 hp.
One of only 10 Lancia Appia GTs bodied in this style by Zagato. Produced in 1958, it features Zagato’s characteristic double bubble roof and is powered by a 1089cc V4 engine producing 53 bhp.
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