The Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este is one of the oldest and most important events for the connoisseurs of special cars: the first edition was held in 1929 and for many years it has been “the” appointment for the most important coach builders to present their masterpieces.
Due to the evolution of the car market, the event was stopped and only recently it has been started again with a different approach: a show of wonderful classic cars of the past together with the presentation of new concept cars both from manufacturers and coach builders.
The number of participants is very limited in order to maintain a very high standard of quality in the different classes: this year the total number of cars was only 50.
The Concorso is held the first day in the Villa d’Este, a wonderful hotel in Cernobbio on the lake of Como, and the second day in the near-by Villa Erba, a nice exhibition center on the lake side. The event is open to the public only on Sunday and the public is asked to vote the best in show: this year the winner was the Alfa Romeo 6C 1750GS Flying Star.
The cars are divided in 8 classes plus the concept cars and prototypes.
Looking around in the meadows the feeling is very particular: wonderful environment, fantastic cars, a very expert public and, luckily this year, a very warm and nice weather.
Among the classic cars, I cannot ignore the wonderful Alfas 6C of the 30s, while among the cars of the 50s and 60s, I appreciated the cars built by Siata, Osca, Fiat, Maserati. Of course many Ferraris were present: five racing cars of the 50s with a very rich background, But I was most impressed with the 375MM of the Italian film maker Roberto Rossellini.
The concept cars and prototypes are as usual very innovative both from the design and their technicalities: very soon we will see these cars or cars very similar to these ones on our roads.
Only one world premiere was present: the new Maserati GS by Zagato: it is a very clean car with the traditional bubbles on the roof.
But the attention and the prize of the public has been given to the Ferrari P4/5 Pininfarina of James Glickenhaus, already presented at Pebble Beach and Paris: the happy owner was all the time near to his car explaining that he is really using the car in the daily traffic and finds the car more comfortable than the Enzo from which it derives.
A special attention was given to the genius of Giovanni Michelotti, presenting few cars he had designed during his activity in different coach builders like Farina and Vignale.
Of course there were other cars in the Concorso: Rolls Royce, Mercedes, Aston Martin, Bugatti, plus a number of BMWs (the main sponsor of the event), including a concept Coupè Mille Miglia, a tribute to the 328MM that won the Mille Miglia in 1940.
And as usual, see you in 2008: arrivederci !
There are two pages of photos: Click here to read Page 2..
This Touring bodied Alfa 6C 1750 GS Flying Star won best of show by the public.
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Alfa Romeo 6C 1750SS. This car was bodied by Carrosserie Brichet of Geneva and presented at the Geneva Motor Show in 1931.
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Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 1939. A high performance version of the Alfa, thanks to the Touring Superleggera body.
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Alfa Romeo 1750 engine.
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Alfa Romeo 1900 L T.I. 1952. A Pininfarina version of the Alfa 1900 with a red front grille.
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A nice Vignale bodied version of the classic Alfa Romeo 2000.
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Alfa Romeo 6C 1947. A Farina version of the Alfa 6C: the body was designed by Michelotti, who was working for Farina at the time.
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Ferrari P4/5 Pinifarina 2006. Starting from an Enzo, Pininfarina built this car for Mr. James Glickenhaus. The car was presented in 2006 at Pebble Beach and at Paris Motor Show.
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Mr Glickenhaus uses the car quite normally as you can see from the New York inspection stickers and finds it very comfortable.
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Ferrari 250 Europa 1954. One of the 17 Pininfarina bodied cars of this model.
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The 12 cylinder engine of the PF Europa.
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Ferrari 375 MM 1954. This is the Rossellini car, built initially as a spider by Pinifarina and then rebodied in 1955 by Scaglietti as a coupe.
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The stunning battery of Weber carburettors and the aluminum air filter box.
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Ferrari 340 MM 1953. One of the five Vignale spiders built as the 340 MM: this car driven by Marzotto won the 1953 Mille Miglia.
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Ferrari 375MM 1953. This is the first unit with a Pininfarina body and. winner in 1953 of the 12 hours of Casablanca
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Ferrari 860 Monza 1956. One of the three cars built. Fangio won the 12 hours of Sebring in 1956 with this 860 Monza.
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Ferrari 121LM 1955. One of the four Scaglietti bodied cars driven by Castellotti and Marzotto at Le Mans in 1955.
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Ferrari 250GT LWB TdF 1957. One of the nine units built by Scaglietti of the first series with the air intakes behind the doors. This car raced the last Mille Miglia of 1957 and placed third at Reims 12 hours.
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