Bologna, 7 - 16. 12. 2007
Variety is the spice of life - The 32nd running of the Bologna Motor Show, sponsored by Barclaycard for
the second year in succession, runs between 7 -16 December in the city’s Fiera complex, offering
visitors a wide range of attractions as well as the traditional manufacturer’s displays. The main outdoor
Shell Arena offered a wide variety of action on different days ranging from rally cars, through Ferrari F430
Challenge races to F1 demonstrations, just imagine the sound of those high revving V8 engines
bouncing off the metal cladding of the surrounding exhibition halls! Apart from this, a number of
manufacturers had their own test tracks set up in the open spaces between the halls, including Abarth,
Alfa Romeo, Lamborghini, Seat and Subaru, the latter’s drivers always providing a great spectacle with
their lurid sideways driving style.
Stop Press - The show’s stature is emphasised by the number of major manufacturers who have a
presence, frequently a complete exhibition hall, and also by those who present either completely new,
upgraded or concept models at the show. This year Porsche had the world premiere of the Boxster
RS60 Spyder which is a limited edition series of 1960 vehicles inspired by the sixties 718 RS60 Spyder,
whilst an even more exclusive world premiere was the Hummer H3 Black Edition, of which only fifty
examples will be produced. There were more mainstream premieres with the Ford Focus Style Wagon,
Renault Modus “Restyle” and Grand Modus, plus a number of European firsts including the Mitsubishi
Lancer Evolution and their rival Subaru with the Impreza 2.5 WRX STI AWD, quite a mouthful of a model
designation!
All Action – One of the great attractions of the show is the activity in the outside arena areas, with
different attractions on each day of the show, together with the galaxy of stars from many facets of motor
sport, both on two and four wheels, in attendance. Ferrari not only support it with the F430 Challenge
races, but have members of the F1 team with a F1 pit stop show, and there is the “Bomb Boogie GT
Challenge, where Ferrari F430 GTs, Porsche 997 Carrera RSR and Lamborghini Gallardos go head to
head on the track. The “other” Italian team Torro Rosso had their new German star Sebastien Vettel in
attendance demonstrating their F1 contender, and there was a demonstration of the MC12 Versione
Corse (the Maserati equivalent of the Ferrari FXX client track car) by Andrea Bertolini, 2006 FIA GT
Champion. Other “names” in attendance participating in various on-track activities included Audi driver
Dindo Capello, ex-F1 drivers Gianni Morbidelli and Gabriele Tarquini, former world rally car driver Armin
Schwarz, World Superbikers like Randy de Puniet and Regis Laconi, plus MotoGP star Marco Melandri,
to name but a few.
Almost all aspects covered - The show aims to provide a complete experience for the motoring
enthusiast, and with its great diversity and size it succeeds. The only down side being the massive traffic
jams that occur at peak times over the weekends, but that is common to any popular event, and popular
this one certainly is if the tens of thousands of visitors every year are any indication.
Images by Daniele Salatin www.danielesalatin.it
Keith Bluemel
12/2007
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