October 23, 2002
Story and photos by Marcel Massini
1972 was a very busy year for Ferrari. Their production range included the 365 GTB/4 Daytona Berlinetta, the 365 GTC/4 Coupé Pininfarina and the Dino 246GT/GTS. In Grand Prix racing, Ferrari was extremely active with Swiss Clay Regazzoni, Jacky Ickx from Belgium, the American Mario Andretti and Nanni Galli from Italy. The International World Championship of Makes was totally dominated by Ferrari with the legendary type 312 PB Spider.
1972 was also the year when the Ferrari Owners Club of Switzerland was founded by three enthusiastic Swiss Ferrari owners. Maurice Labhardt and Charles G. Renaud, two private bankers from Basel, and Peter F. Baumberger, an industrialist from Geneva, created the first Swiss Ferrari Club. The foundation meeting took place in the Swiss Transport Museum in Lucerne mid-1972. At that time Labhardt owned a 250 GT Lusso, Renaud another Lusso, a 275 GTS, a 275 GTB and a 212 Inter Cabriolet Vignale. Baumberger had bought an 250 GT SWB Berlinetta in the early 1960’s. Baumberger and his stepsons participated in hillclimbs with three 275 GTB/4s during the 1967 season. The new Ferrari group originally included the Swiss Bugatti enthusiasts and the club appropriately was named the Bugatti-Ferrari Owners Club Switzerland (originating in England). In 1984, Kuno Schär of Solothurn, an energetic and very knowledgeable collector, became the new president of the BFOCS. For quality reasons the numbers of members had to be limited to 200 people ,and the club held meetings twice a year, plus a number of smaller reunions in between. In the early 1990’s the Swiss Ferraristi separated from the Bugatti owners and the club was re-named Ferrari Owners Club Switzerland (FOCS).
The 30th anniversary meeting of the Ferrari Owners Club Switzerland was celebrated over the weekend of 11-13 October 2002 and the Lake Constance region was chosen for the event. The islands of Mainau and Reichenau on Lake Constance are one of Germany’s most attractive landscapes and always worth a visit. Here, you can sail, hike, cycle or play golf. Switzerland, with Zurich, Winterthur and St. Gallen is only a stone’s throw away. The sensational and historically attractive Steigenberger Island hotel, located on a small private island in Constance, was selected as the club’s home base during the weekend. The hotel offers an unparalleled view over the lake. Dating back to the 13th century, history is omnipresent at this former Dominican monastery. The frescos in the cloister reflect its glorious past.
Sixty Ferrari owners and club members arrived during Friday afternoon in Constance. A few had even come from neighboring countries like Austria, Germany and France. The evening was spent on an elegant old vessel, a wonderful steamboat which had been built in 1913. Beautifully and painstakingly restored at a cost of over US$ 7 Million, the legendary ship “Hohentwiel” provided a perfect place for the night-tour on Lake Constance. The perfectly equipped crew and the chef created the finest dishes and regional specialties while the Swiss German Dixie Corporation entertained the Ferrari guests.
Saturday was the day of the rally. Each member received a roadbook and all Ferraris started in front of the hotel for an easy but very interesting tour through the region. Lunch followed at Castle Rheinberg in Gailingen with a great Italian risotto meal and other fine food. It was here where the members had to fill in a list of Ferrari and FOCS related questions. Answering wasn’t easy and many Ferraristi were unable to remember the early days of Ferrari, the races, the company and the club. Questions included the number of cars produced in 1972, and the name of the Swiss politician that had to be excluded from the club because he turned out to be a serious green environmentalist (despite having owned a red Daytona which he never used, preferring his bicycle for media reasons).
Saturday evening the 30th Anniversary Jubilee banquet was held at the Steigenberger hotel ballroom, the nave of the former Dominican monastery with historic frescos and gothic columns. Honorary guest was Dr. Carlo Tazzioli of the Ferrari factory in Maranello. Two sympathetic ladies entertained the guests with songs from various musicals while eight classic twelve-cylinder Ferraris of the 1950’s to 2002 were displayed in front of the ballroom. Which brings us to the cars that the members showed at the FOCS anniversary meeting.
The oldest Ferrari present that weekend was Konrad Lutziger’s dark red 250 GT Ellena. Originally delivered to an US owner, chassis number 0693 GT has been owned by the Swiss since 1996. Another older Ferrari in Constance was Andreas Feigenwinter’s grey metallic 250 GT Coupé which had spent several years in Texas. A gorgeous short-nosed 275 GTB was brought by Hans Notter and several 250 GT Lussos were observed as well. Three Daytonas, a bright yellow 330 GTC and a pair of Series One 330 GT 2+2s also belonged to the group of older Ferraris. Viktor Blöchlinger proudly showed his orange 275 GTB longnose #7181 which had been completely hidden for the past 35 years. He had bought it from Swiss Ferrari racedriver Herbert Müller in 1967. Jean-Robert Grellet arrived from Austria with his yellow 250 GT SWB Berlinetta (chassis #2177 GT). This is the 47th car of only 165 units built and had originally been raced by Swiss drivers Armand Boller, Joseph Siffert and Walter Ringgenberg. The FOCS meeting was attended by many newer Ferraris as well, including all sorts of 8-cylinders, a number of 365 and 512 Berlinetta Boxers, several 550 Maranellos and 456 GTs plus three 550 Barchettas. One of these had been fitted with an ugly aftermarket hardtop made in Switzerland and was brought to the meeting by François Labhardt, the son of the original BFOCS founder.
Sunday morning the entrants left the hotel to drive to nearby Mainau, a private island on Lake Constance and owned by Count and Countess Bernadotte. The flower island consists of a baroque castle and the church, surrounded by fanatically manicured lawns, rose gardens, citrus trees, palms and exotic flora. This great botanical kingdom has been owned by the same family since 1853 when the grand duke Friedrich the first of Baden acquired it as his summer’s retreat. The Ferraris were parked in the castle’s courtyard and along the walkways in the garden. Club members were then invited to a private meeting with Countess Sonja Bernadotte, who subsequently offered a visit through several of the private rooms. This was followed by refreshments and the lunch buffet in the palm house. FOCS president Kuno Schär then distributed farewell presents to each member and participant.
While the first days had been rather cold, foggy and sometimes even rainy, the last day at Mainau was full of sunshine and clear skies. The 30th anniversary meeting of the Ferrari Owners Club Switzerland was memorable and every Ferrarista enjoyed it.
