Mercedes-Benz appeared as Celebrated Manufacturer of the Year at the Concours of Elegance at Hampton Court Palace from 4 to 6 September 2026. Under the heading “Masterpieces of Individualisation”, the brand paired two modern one-off commissions with two classics and shared a working stand with Savile Row tailor Henry Poole & Co. The display centred on a Made to Measure S-Class and a Mercedes-Maybach SL Monogram Series.
Mercedes-Benz used its role as “Celebrated Manufacturer of the Year” at the 2026 Concours of Elegance to make a case for hand-finished, one-of-one cars. The event ran from Friday 4 to Sunday 6 September 2026 in the roughly 24-hectare park of Hampton Court Palace, south-west of London, and the brand built its stand around the theme “Masterpieces of Individualisation”.
Four cars, arranged as two pairs
The four vehicles were shown as matching pairs, each linking a historic car with a current commission. A Mercedes-Benz 300 SL “Gullwing” coupé (W 198) was placed alongside a prototype of the current long-wheelbase S-Class saloon (223 series), both combining grey exterior tones with a soft light blue in the cabin.
The S-Class was finished in MANUFAKTUR silicon grey, with the interior built around the exclusive “Vista Blue” colour world. Made to Measure details included personalised headrest cushions, scatter cushions, floor mats, a boot mat and individually designed door sill panels. According to the company, the combination makes the car a genuine one-off.
A red pair: 300 Sc Roadster and Maybach SL
The second pairing worked in red. One of only 53 examples of the 300 Sc Roadster (W 188) ever built was shown next to a Mercedes-Maybach SL Monogram Series. The modern car takes the architecture of the Mercedes-AMG SL and adds Maybach signatures: hand-applied monogram patterns on the bonnet, chrome accents and an interior in crystal white nappa leather.
Mercedes-Benz quotes WLTP figures of 9.1–8.3 l/100 km combined and 206–188 g/km of CO₂ for the S 500 4MATIC long wheelbase, and 13.6 l/100 km with 309 g/km for the Maybach SL 680 Monogram Series. Both are rated CO₂ class G.
A shared workshop with Savile Row
For the second year running, trimmers from the Mercedes-Benz Classic Center worked next to bespoke tailors from Henry Poole & Co in a joint demonstration workshop, where the tailors cut and made a men’s jacket in front of visitors. Upholstery and trim is one of seven classic automotive trades represented at the Classic Center in Fellbach. Both companies hold royal warrants.
“A great deal connects us with the tailors at Henry Poole: the deep understanding of materials, the enormous craft expertise and the continuation of the best traditions are the preconditions for creating handmade masterpieces. That applies to the interior of a Mercedes-Benz 300 SL just as much as to a bespoke Savile Row jacket: individual work creates lasting value,” said Marcus Breitschwerdt, CEO of Mercedes-Benz Heritage GmbH.
“It fascinates me to see the dedication and skill with which the specialists from Mercedes-Benz Classic practise their craft. Against the splendid backdrop of the royal palace at Hampton Court, their masterly work complements that of our tailors impressively. Such a lived, precise form of craftsmanship truly creates something unique,” said Simon Cundey, Chairman of Henry Poole & Co.
Two anniversaries and a British thread
A faithful replica of the Benz Patent-Motorwagen marked the brand’s “140 Years of Innovation” anniversary; Carl Benz filed the patent for his three-wheeled motor vehicle in 1886. Henry Poole & Co has its own milestone in 2026, having been founded in 1806.
The British connection runs further back than the current partnership. In 1891 Frederick Simms, a friend of Gottlieb Daimler, acquired the British licence rights to produce Daimler engines, and in 1895 he founded Daimler Motor Syndicate, Ltd. in London — the company’s first foreign subsidiary, and widely regarded as a seed of the later British motor industry.
What it means
The stand is a shop window for two growing businesses. MANUFAKTUR is the personalisation programme for selected model lines, while MANUFAKTUR Made to Measure sits above it, offering one-to-one consultation and the full range of technically feasible colours and bespoke design options. On the classic side, the Fellbach Classic Center grows to 18,000 square metres this year with almost 70 specialists, and a second centre operates in Long Beach, California.
The Concours of Elegance has been held annually at Hampton Court Palace since 2017, after debuting at Windsor Castle in 2012.
Facts: cars shown at Hampton Court
- Mercedes-Benz 300 SL “Gullwing” coupé (W 198), paired with a long-wheelbase S-Class prototype (223 series)
- S-Class exterior: MANUFAKTUR silicon grey; interior: “Vista Blue” with Made to Measure trim
- Mercedes-Benz 300 Sc Roadster (W 188) — one of 53 built
- Mercedes-Maybach SL Monogram Series: hand-applied bonnet monograms, crystal white nappa leather
- S 500 4MATIC long wheelbase (WLTP): 9.1–8.3 l/100 km, 206–188 g/km CO₂, class G
- Maybach SL 680 Monogram Series (WLTP): 13.6 l/100 km, 309 g/km CO₂, class G
- Benz Patent-Motorwagen replica, marking 140 years since the 1886 patent
The Concours of Elegance closed on 6 September 2026. Mercedes-Benz did not state prices for the individualisation work shown.
Source: media.mercedes-benz.com