A king's Bugatti in Belgian racing colours will headline the 2026 Zoute Concours
Black with a yellow stripe: a car that wears Belgium's heart on its bodywork
This is a genuine piece of Belgian motoring royalty, in every sense. A 1934 Bugatti Type 59 Sports once owned by King Leopold III, finished in the national colours of black with a yellow stripe, has been confirmed as one of the headline cars at this year's Zoute Concours d'Elegance by ING Private Banking. For a concours held on the Belgian coast, you could hardly dream up a more fitting star.
A royal, and very Belgian, history
Chassis number 57248 is one of the rarest and most coveted racing cars in motoring history, originally built as a Grand Prix machine and later converted by Bugatti into a road-going sports car. In 1937 it was bought by King Leopold III, a passionate Bugatti enthusiast, who had it finished in the Belgian national colours of black with a yellow stripe. That paintwork was applied at the Bugatti factory in Molsheim during the winter of 1937, and remarkably the car still wears that exact original specification today.
A serious race winner, too
This is no mere show pony. With Jean-Pierre Wimille at the wheel, the Type 59 Sports took 1937 victories in the Grands Prix of Algiers, Pau and Reims, pairing an impressive racing record with exceptional provenance. Under the bonnet sits a technical masterpiece: a 3.3-litre straight-eight with a Roots supercharger and twin Zenith carburettors, good for 250 hp at 5,000 rpm and a top speed of around 250 km/h. More than 90 years on, it survives in almost entirely original condition, its patina telling the story of legendary races, historic wins and a royal past.
Fifty cars, nine categories
The Bugatti is the marquee entry, but it is far from alone. The 2026 Zoute Concours d'Elegance takes place on the Approach Golf in Knokke-Heist on Saturday 10 and Sunday 11 October, gathering around 50 historic cars judged by an international jury on historical importance, craftsmanship, elegance and authenticity. They are split across nine classes, including 120 Years of Lancia, 100 Years of Mercedes-Benz, 100 Years of Carrozzeria Touring, an Interbellum travelling class, fifties and sixties jet-set cars, barchettas, the cars of 1976, eighties and nineties pocket rockets, and a super and hypercar group. The prestigious Best of Show Award is handed out on the Sunday.
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There are concours stars, and then there is a Pebble Beach Best of Show winner that happens to be a Belgian king's personal Bugatti, still in the colours he chose nearly 90 years ago. For a Belgian audience this is about as good as it gets: national history, racing pedigree and one of the most beautiful cars Molsheim ever built, all on home soil in Knokke-Heist. The wider Zoute Grand Prix Car Week is already a highlight of the European classic calendar, but the Type 59 Sports gives the 2026 concours a centrepiece with real emotional weight. We will be counting down to October.
For more Bugatti, see the brand's Tourbillon-inspired Honma golf clubs. For more restored icons, there is the colour-shifting Land Rover Classic Defender V8. And if you are driving to the coast for it, mind the higher Belgian traffic fines from July.
