The Aurora 2025
When I was heading to the very first edition of Aurora Concours last year, my expectations were pretty low. After all, it was a brand-new event, organized in a country without much of a tradition in this kind of thing. In most cases, keeping expectations low can be a good thing. It leaves plenty of room for pleasant surprises. As it turned out, last year’s Aurora Concours wasn’t just good. It was exceptional! So, this time around, going into the second edition, my expectations were sky-high. I’ll admit, I was a bit nervous that the event wouldn’t quite live up to the bar it had set for itself. But I shouldn’t have worried. The 2025 edition of The Aurora Concours absolutely delivered.
The event immediately found itself within the World’s best, but maybe it’s still worth to mention a few facts about it. It takes place in Norrviken Gardens, located in the coastal town of Båstad in the southern Sweden. The event is dedicated to both classic cars and modern hypercars. It builds and interesting bridge between the timeless artistry and the modern cutting-edge technology. It also gives guests the chance to shape the event, allowing them to bring their interesting cars to the Showfield. It’s not only a static display of cars. It’s also a concours of elegance complemented by a parade of the most interesting machines.
So much happened over the days of The Aurora that it’s genuinely hard to decide where to begin writing about it. But I suppose the best place to start is with what the organizers themselves listed as the first big highlight: the world premiere of the new Koenigsegg Sadair’s Spear. It’s a road-legal race car, named after Christian von Koenigsegg’s father Jesko’s favorite racehorse — Sadair’s Spear. Only 30 units of this 1,625-hp lightweight monster will be made.
But as my regular readers know, my heart mostly belongs to classic cars. So I quickly walked past the brand-new Koenigsegg, which stood near the entrance to the main area of the venue, and made my way straight to the section dedicated to classics. Some of the most valuable cars were parked under canopies, which protected them well from sun or rain - though they weren’t exactly ideal for photographers. But there was no need to complain, as there was a much more interesting way to enjoy these machines: the parades. Two were organized each day: the one before lunch was dedicated to classics, and the afternoon one to modern machinery. It probably won’t come as a surprise that the second parade drew much more attention from the crowd.
But I was also very happy to have the opportunity to see those state-of-the-art modern machines up close. I admit I don’t follow the modern hypercar market too closely - but maybe I should? Being able to stand so close to cars like the Ferrari Monza SP2 or Daytona SP3, a McLaren P1 GTR converted for road use, or various Koenigseggs was a truly moving experience.
Among the new cars on display, one in particular stirred up some real emotion for me. I was genuinely thrilled to see the Gordon Murray T.50 in person for the very first time.
It may not have the most outrageous looks or headline-grabbing performance figures, but I’ve always been deeply impressed by the philosophy behind its design. When the car was first unveiled, I hung on every word Gordon Murray said about it.
What struck me most was how carefully thought out every detail was — not just the engine, not just the weight or the perfect balance, but also the everyday usability. It’s not just about raw speed; it’s about how the car feels and functions as a whole. And that, to me, is truly special.
Recently, in my story from Gärdesloppet, I mentioned the Mercedes SLR McLaren Stirling Moss as probably the biggest star of the event. The car was so popular that it was almost impossible to photograph it properly or even get a good look at it. Fortunately, it was also present at The Aurora, where I got a second chance to become more familiar with it.
But one SLR Stirling Moss wouldn’t have been enough for this event. Another black example was parked in the Showfield area. What I’ve already described would easily satisfy any enthusiast of modern Mercedes cars but if that wasn’t enough, a black AMG One was parked nearby, adding the final touch to an already spectacular lineup of star-badged machines.
Fans of Zagato’s unmistakable design language had plenty to enjoy at the event, too. The lineup of cars shaped by the legendary Italian design house was impressively broad - from the classic Alfa Romeo SZ to the striking AGTZ TwinTail, a collaboration between Zagato and Katowice-based LaSquadra, along with several other unique creations. One that particularly caught my eye was the silver GTZ Nibbio, based on the Ferrari 599. The concours d’elegance jury even awarded a special prize in the Zagato category, with the 2019 Iso Rivolta GTZ taking home the win.
The name Zagato wasn’t just seen on the cars - it also appeared on the list of judges for the concours d’élégance. With Andrea Zagato himself among the jurors, the awards definitely carried an extra level of prestige. Cars were recognized in eight different categories, but listing them all here might be a bit too much, so I’ll just highlight one that, in my opinion, absolutely deserved its win in the Preservation category: an incredible 1957 Talbot-Lago T14 LS 2500 Sport — beautifully original and wearing its patina with elegance and pride.
Is the Showfield just a fancy name for the visitors' parking lot? No - it’s much more than that! This part of the event is shaped by the guests, and the quality of cars is truly amazing. The Showfield would make a great automotive event on its own.
One of the partners of The Aurora was BMW, and it won’t come as a surprise that they prepared an exhibition of their own cars. Thankfully, it wasn’t limited to models from their current portfolio. A particularly interesting special display featured four prototypes. Can you guess what they all have in common? The Z3 Roadster V12, X5 Le Mans, the original M8, and the E46 M3 Touring: they all hide a surprisingly large number of cylinders under their bonnets. I was especially happy to see the M3 Touring again. It might seem odd to mention such a “basic” model at such an extraordinary event, but I have a soft spot for that car.
As mentioned earlier, The Aurora builds a bridge between the worlds of classic cars and cutting-edge hypercar technology. Enthusiasts of both had plenty to enjoy. But is the event perfectly balanced - or is it leaning to one side? My impression is that the latest technologies have taken a small step forward. I just hope the balance is maintained in the future, because this vivid mix is exactly what gives The Aurora its unique character.
Expectations were high - and The Aurora delivered! I don’t think anyone left Norrviken Gardens disappointed. What gives the event its strength is not only the exceptional quality of the cars on display, but also the fact that The Aurora manages to truly set itself apart from other concours-style events. That careful balance between the past and the future is what gives The Aurora its soul. And if it can hold onto that spirit in the years to come, I have no doubt it will remain something truly special on the automotive calendar.
