Kop Hill Climb 2025 – Car & Classic Takes Part

Following its revival in 2009, the annual Kop Hill Climb has become a fixture of the classic car show calendar. Held in September of each year and located amidst the Chiltern Hills above the historic market town of Princes Risborough, it’s an impressive spectator event boasting a sizeable and diverse paddock.

Today’s charity event pays homage to what was one of the most fiercely contested hill climbs in the country. Held between 1910 and 1925, Kop’s original unmettled surface and steep gradient proved especially testing for early motor cars. Original competitors of note included Malcolm Campbell in ‘Bluebird’, Archibald Frazer-Nash, Henry Segrave, Raymond Mays and Count Louis Zborowski, who set the fastest time of 26.8 seconds in his eight-cylinder Ballot Grand Prix racer.

A minor accident in 1925 involving a spectator prompted the RAC to not only ban racing at Kop Hill but also all on-road motor sport across Great Britain. This ban has never been lifted, so Kop Hill in its current form is a non-timed ‘Exhibition’, the only type of event for which a temporary road closure can be obtained. While a competitive element at Kop would certainly be exciting to see, the atmosphere is undiminished in the hill climb’s current form, with a varied assortment of cars and motorcycles, old and new, taking to the hill to raise money for local causes.

This is exactly the sort of event we at Car & Classic love to get involved with. So, for Kop Hill Climb 2025, that’s precisely what we did. As an online marketplace, we recognise the value of connecting with the classic car community in person. And, frankly, we love to take part in as many events as possible.

We had a stand in the trade village, taking along two marquees that housed refreshments, a lounge seating area, and a free prize draw. Our thanks go to our partners Piston Distillery, The Smallest Cog, Carburettor Coffee, John Gunter Arts, and Joel Clark Artist, all of whom donated items for the draw.

Meet the team.

From our Auction Consignment team, Kate Wingfield has motor racing in her blood. As the daughter of Ford Motorsport legend Bryan Wingfield, Kate’s lifelong passion for all things automotive has ensured she always has project cars on the go. One of which is her Gulf-liveried Gilbern Invader, which harbours a souped-up 4.6-litre Rover V8 under the bonnet. Equipped with high-lift cams, a trick exhaust system, four-barrel carb, five-speed TVR gearbox and limited-slip differential, it’s good for 240 horsepower. When you consider that it tips the scales at just a whisker over a ton, you’ve got a quick old stick indeed.

I live just around the corner from Kop Hill and have attended regularly over the years, but this was the first time I had driven a car up the hill as part of the show. I brought my Alfa Romeo Spider, hoping to enjoy the last few rays of sunshine before winter takes hold and the gritting lorries do their utmost to blow holes in it.  Weighing roughly the same as my colleague’s Gilbern yet with half the number of cylinders and also half the horsepower, it was the rather more pedestrian of the pair, yet still good fun, especially with the roof down.

We pride ourselves on our eclecticism here at C&C. Anyone can find an E-Type, but we fancied bringing something for our stand that would really get people talking. The auction car we brought was a bright yellow 2003 example of the new-shape Volkswagen Beetle with just thirteen thousand miles on the clock. The interest it attracted over the course of the weekend was quite remarkable. It has now sold via Car & Classic Auctions.

While the hill runs are not timed, drivers are encouraged to enjoy themselves and stretch their vehicles’ legs, so long as it’s well within their limits. Those familiar with the UK’s remaining closed-course hill climbs like Shelsley Walsh and Prescott will find Kop Hill to be rather different. The course is mostly a straight line, but it is immensely steep, especially towards the top, where the gradient climbs to one in four.

Kate’s Gilbern made easy work of the incline and was a real crowd favourite over the weekend with its striking Gulf colour scheme, Car & Classic livery, and its ability to lay down number elevens off the start line. The bored-out Rover lump generates immense torque, translating to excellent acceleration from a standing start. As you’d expect, my 128-horsepower Spider made rather more sedate progress off the line, but felt fairly brisk by the summit once its Giuseppe Busso-designed twin-cam was on song.

The Kop Hill Climb paddock is always a treat, punching well above its weight for what is technically a village car show held in school playing fields. Spanning over a century of motoring history, a diverse array of motor vehicles take part, some of which wouldn’t be out of place on the Concours lawns of Pebble Beach or Salon Privé.

2025 highlights included some outstanding Italian cars from Lancia Aurelia and Alfa Romeo Montreal. A stunning 1967 AC 428 Frua Spyder was a personal favourite, while crowds were also treated to an array of pre-war delights, among which were Bugattis, Lagondas, Hispano Suizas and several aero-engined Edwardian racers. When the hill climb ran back in the 1920s, Kop Hill hosted a great many motorcycles, and that tradition continues today with an array of early machines taking to the hill. The two-wheeled highlight this year was unquestionably the sizeable gathering of Brough Superiors – the “Rolls-Royce of motorcycles” beloved of TE Lawrence.

We had a wonderful time at this year’s Kop Hill Climb. It was wonderful to meet so many classic enthusiasts, many of whom are regular visitors to Car & Classic. We’ll certainly be back.