Cernobbio 25th-26th of May
Last weekend saw this year's Concorso d´Eleganza in the famous
gardens of the Villa d´Este and the nearby Villa Erba at the Lake
Como. First held in 1929 the original Concours was one of the
most important shows for the designers in an era when most of
the premium manufacturers delivered rolling chassis to be bodied
to the taste of the owner at various independent coachbuilder.
Especially the Italian and French names of Touring, Pinin Farina,
Zagato, Castagna, Figoni & Falaschi, Franay or Saoutchik but
also the in-house design of Mercedes-Benz or Erdmann & Rossi
from Berlin could be found in the entry lists of the time showing
their latest creations at the glamorous five-star hotel at Como.
... MediaCenter Car by car gallery (396 images) >>>
When the monocoque revolutionized the automobile design the
variety of the pre-war years came to an end as just a few
manufacturers like Ferrari or Maserati offered different body
design on the same chassis whereas most of the new models
had a fixed design either from the own design department or the
few surviving styling houses. This meant that the amount of one-
offs was reduced to the various Concept Cars or special orders
from wealthy individualists leading to the end of the classic
concours as most of the new models were shown on the big sale
shows in Paris, Geneva, London or Frankfurt on this side of the
Atlantic or in New York on the other side.
In the mid 1980s the Concorso d´Eleganza was revived as an
classic car event building up a superb reputation attracting some
of the most important cars from all over the world over the next
years. When BMW took over the event in 1999 this secured the
financial future of the Concorso as this is a rather small show
compared to the big American Concours making it impossible to
raise the needed funds just by the tickets sales. More than just a
main sponsor the BMW group also delivers the needed logistic
and press work for an event of this prestige. Today the concours
features a private day on invitation in the garden of the Villa
d´Este and a public day at the nearby Villa Erba attracting more
than 6000 visitors this year.
The Days of Elegance officially started on Friday when the
entered cars arrived at the grounds of the Villa d´Este to get their
final inspection from the FIA representatives and the entrants
checked in at the hotel. Unfortunately the weather on Friday was
just as indicated the days before in the weather forecast so the
cars just disappeared in the underground parking to avoid the rain
showers instead of being set up on the various locations in the
gardens to take some pictures to remember.
In the late afternoon the sun was out for a few hours giving the
needed conditions for the evening reception in front of the hotel
with the unveiling of the BMW Pininfarina Gran Lusso Coupe, a
new premium coupé based on the 7-series.
Unfortunately the weather did not really improve over the night and
big clouds were hanging over the Lake Como when the cars left
the parking lot early in the morning to be set up an the historic
grounds. Among the first cars entering the field where the two
absolute stars of this event, the two Pebble Beach winning
entrants from the US. Being used to the very early beginning of
the American events where the cars are set up even before
sunrise the 2012 winning Mercedes 680S Saoutchik was driving
in by restorer Paul Russell before all the other cars just followed
by the long awaited Bugatti T57 SC Atlantic. Owned by American
fashion mogul Ralph Lauren the Bugatti was a rumoured entrant
several times over the last years before finally finding its way to
Como this year. Restored by Paul Russell as well this gem gave
Ralph Lauren his first Best of Show at Pebble Beach back in
1990 and now, 23 years later the car is still in immaculate
condition. Six years ago his Trossi Mercedes SSK already made
a sensational debut at the Villa d´Este but with his personal
appearance this year Ralph Lauren caused even more interest,
the car was surrounded on both days by the spectators and as
soon as the famous owner was around things went well over the
top causing a crowd never seen before as everyone was keen on
taking a picture of him in front of his car.
The Bugatti T57 SC Atlantic is one of just four build to this
design (including the prototype called “Electron”) and one of just
two surviving original examples. The sister car was in all media
when sold in 2010 for a record price in a private sale, this
example (Chassis 57591) might be even worth more as it is
considered even more original although it is painted in Mr.
Lauren's favourite black colour scheme rather than the original
blue. All four examples feature some special design elements,
this car for example is the only one with external chromed head
lamps rather than integrated in the front fenders and it has
uncovered rear wheels making the rear a little less heavy
compared to the low front with the typical v-formed radiator of the
SC-chassis.
Unsurprisingly this car was not just the favourite of the public
giving it both the Coppa d´Oro Villa d´Este (public vote at the Villa
d´Este) and the Public Referendum at the Villa Erba but also the
Trofeo BMW Group by the international Jury. This is just the third
time that one entrant could take home all three top honours after
the Alfa Romeo 8C 2900 B Touring Berlinetta in 2009 and last
year's winning Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 Figoni Coupé.
Unfortunately this left the sensational Mercedes-Benz 680 S
Saoutchik Torpedo Roadster just with the Best in Class
award although this would have been a certain contender for the
top prizes in every other year. Chassis 35949 was ordered by
Charles Levine in 1928 but he never took delivery of the car. It was
repainted from the original grey to a more stylish yellow to sell the
car on the 1929 New York Motor Show. The car remained in the
first owners family for almost 8 decades before it was first sold in
2006 prior ending up in the current ownership just recently. The
car was brought back to its original specification with a pigeon
grey exterior and a very extravagant red lizard-skin interior (made
of 760 lizards) by the skilled hands of Paul Russell's restoration
team and took the top honours at last year's Pebble Beach
Concours in its post-restoration debut. Compared with the Bugatti
it is easy to see that the design of the 1930s is a little bit more
pleasing as the longer wheelbase and the higher radiator of the
1920s Supercharged Straight Six Mercedes-Benz chassis gave
the designer a bigger challenge to create a sportive two-seater.
Even with low windscreen of the Saoutchik design the Mercedes
looks much more massive than the design of Jean Bugatti on the
later Atlantic.
The other cars beside the Mercedes in the class A (Kings of the
Road) included the big Hispano-Suiza Cabriolet de Ville, an
elegant Isotto Fraschini 8A Torpedo Castagna and a duo of Rolls-
Royce. Whereas the Continental II was a more common Sedanca
by Gurney Nutting the Wraith was coach build by Erdmann &
Rossi, back in 1939 this was very uncommon to bring a British
car to a German design house due to the tensions between the
two countries just before the war. Last but not least one of two
Mercedes-Benz of the Straight Eight era with in-house
Sindelfingen design was the 540 K Cabriolet A (the very same car
that was sold at the RM auction at the same venue two years
earlier), the other one leading directly to the next class.
Class B (Thoroughbreds) included beside the already mentioned
Bugatti Atlantic a fantastic Mercedes-Benz 500 K Special
Roadster. For many this is the best design on this model range
with the floating lines on the back. Today many of the less
attractive Cabriolet B and C are converted to this body style but
the few remaining original Special Roadsters are amongst the
most valuable pre-war cars in today´s market as can be seen by
the last example sold by Gooding&Company last year in
Monterey for more than 11,7 million $. The car in Como is known
as the “Butcher´s Car” due to its remarkable history as the car
was bought by a butcher in the 1950s. He drove the car as long
as he could afford it but increasing petrol prices in this era took
the car of the road and into storage where it was rediscovered
three decades later when a wall was taken down behind the
butcher shop for reconstruction work. Since then the car was
restored to concours winning condition and was part of the Rosso
Bianco collection in Aschaffenburg (Germany) before it found its
way into the superb Louwman Collection in the Netherlands.
Other entrants were the Rolls-Royce Phantom I, an experimental
chassis with Boat tail body by Javis, a small BMW 328 as a rare
Wendler Cabriolet and a classic Zagato design, the Alfa Romeo
6C 1750 Grand Sport that just completed the Mille Miglia the
week before. Just as the MG in a later class a good polish made
forget the gruelling tour through the bad weather of the MM. The
class was rounded off by a Lagonda LG45 Rapide.
Class C was dedicated to the years of transition after the
war. As mentioned above the time of the coachbuilders came to
an end and just a few of them survived the transition to the
monocoque era just as some manufacturers did not survive that
change. A duo of Talbot-Lago designed by Franay and Letourneur
et Marchard are good examples for this era, or the Stabilimenti
Farina designed Jaguar MKVII. Others like H-J.Mulliner or Park
Ward became the coachbuilders for the standard design of
Bentley and Rolls-Royce. The last of the cars in this class was
the Ferrari 500 Superfast prototype (s/n 5951SF) representing the
time when Pininfarina became the favoured designer for the whole
Ferrari range in the early 1960s. This car featured some unique
details not found on the later cars including the bulge on the
bonnet or different side vents.
The first of this year's anniversary classes featured the
centenary of Aston Martin in class D. Aston Martin was
founded in 1913 by Lionel Martin and Robert Bamford. Starting to
built cars for small races and hill climbs the company was named
after its founder and the local Aston hill climb. Before the war the
company changed hands a few times with its most successful
era in the early 1930s when the 1.5 litre model had some
success in the international racing with class wins at Le Mans or
the Ulster TT. Unfortunately this part of the history was not
honoured in Como as the earliest car already dated from the
David Brown era after the war. The “Spa Replica” is one of the first
cars built after the war based on the Atom-Prototype and a 2-litre
engine and won outright the 1948 Spa 24 hours. This was the
base for the DB race program that led to the Le Mans victory in
1959 with the DBR1 and this car already features the three-piece
grill of the later DB2 that was the first proper car with the David
Brown signet in the name.
The second car in the class is one of the most famous Aston
Martin of all time, the DB4 GT Zagato lightweight with the famous
registration number “2VEV”. After David Brown achieved his goal
of winning Le Mans in an own car and after the unfortunate
excursion into formula 1 Aston Martin had no official race program
any more. Nevertheless there was a “semi-works” Essex Racing
Stable by John Ogier who entered two special commissioned
DB4 GT Zagato in the hands of such famous drivers as Jim Clark
and Roy Salvadori in Le Mans and Goodwood. At the end of its
active racing (a replacement was already ordered by Ogier)
“2VEV” was driven by the Equipe National Belge with Lucien
Bianchi in Spa 1962 where the car was badly crashed. For tax
reasons the ordered new lightweight car was numbered to the
Chassis number of the crashed car and took over its place in the
future (this is why just 19 and not 20 Zagatos exist). The “new
2VEV” was later driven by Jim Clark in the Tourist Trophy were it
collided with John Surtees´ Ferrari 250 GTO. This lightweight
design features a lowered roof line and front to reduce drag and a
very thin aluminium racing body and might be the best looking
DB4 GT Zagato.
Two of the other three cars in this class have one thing in
common: they both appeared on TV. The DB4 Cabriolet was the
car that was intended to be driven over the cliffs in the original
“The Italian Job” and was reunited in Como with one of the Mini
drivers in the movie who was also responsible for the acquisition
of the film cars including a Lancia Flaminia Cabriolet to “double”
the Aston in its ride over the edge.
The orange DBS is more known due to its typical colour: it was
the transport of Lord Sinclair (Roger Moore) in the 1970s TV-
series “The Persuaders” wearing its famous registration “BS1”.
Class E was dedicated to the two famous companies from
Modena, Ferrari and Maserati. Just as the previous special
exhibition in the Casa Enzo Ferrari (Enzo Ferrari´s birth house)
this class was named “Prancing Horse vs. Trident” in a time when
Ferrari and Maserati were main rivals on the track and the road.
Three cars each from the early 1950s and 1960s displayed some
of the best designs on the twelve and six cylinder cars. The
earliest one was the 212 Ferrari Export Barchetta by Touring
(0136E) brought over from the US. The pendant at this time was
the Maserati A6G 2000 built in two series in 1950 and later in
1954. Three cars were shown in Como with a Frua Cabriolet (s/n
2030) representing the first series and a unique Zagato Spider
(s/n 2101) and another Frua Spider (2182) representing the
second series. The Zagato Spider is a very unique car displayed
recently in Modena but not few had the opinion that the Zagato
design suits better in the coupé version. The two Frua designs
were very different with a vertical radiator mask on the older
version and the later horizontal design on the later one giving it a
lower elegant appearance.
The class was rounded off by two representatives of the Ferrari
250 series, an open headlight SWB California Spider (2505GT)
and a Street SWB Berlinetta (2649GT). The later one had some
exclusive features for its first owner including chromed vents and
a special leather covered dashboard.
Class F was called California Dreaming and was dedicated to
the small roadsters and spiders that were very popular in the
sunny climate of California. With small or even without weather
protection they were specially designed for this important market
just as the Porsche 356 Speedster. As the normal Cabriolet
featured a padded hood, side windows and a massive windscreen
frame the Speedster had a unpadded hood and a spartan interior.
Maybe the most elegant and open air possibility to drive a Fiat 8V
engine was the Siata 208S. Although not specially designed for
the American Market most of these cars were sold to the
sunshine state, the car in Como was in immaculate condition in
an elegant dark blue colour.
Best in class went to a car that was born by chance. At the end
of its active racing career with a lot of international victories the
Jaguar D-Type finally was not up to date anymore and some cars
remained unsold. But what was not good enough for the race
track any more was more than welcome for the road so the
remaining chassis were converted for street use with bumpers, a
top and a luggage rack to be called XKSS. This might have been
the first Supercar before this name was invented years later for
the Lamborghini Miura.
The first car in class G (Speed and Style) had something in
common with the XKSS, it was converted from a race car, but the
history of the Ferrari 250 LM Stradale is a different one as it was
built one the peak of the 250 LM race career.
After the GTO was dated in 1965 Ferrari introduced the all new
250 LM but unlike with the GTO a homologation in the GT class
was refused as the car was more similar to the prototypes 250 P
than to any of the road cars. Some say that to show that the 250
LM could be a road car as well this one-off road legal version was
built for the Geneva and New York Auto show by Pininfarina. It
features small bumpers and a plexiglas rear window, a red leather
interior and electric side windows. The frame of the side windows
made a new door layout necessary so the door is not containing
parts of the roof like the “normal” 250 LM but a separate part to
fold up to ease entrance. As the car has an all American history
this was the first time in years that this car was seen in Europe to
win its class.
Another Ferrari in the class was the 250 GT TdF (0903GT), the
last version with 1 louvre behind the doors. This car was seen
before at Pebble Beach and at this year´s Cavallino Classic.
Two years ago the Bertone Collection was sold at the RM Auction
at the Villa d´Este and part of this collection was the Lancia
Sibilo. This concept car was bought by Corrado Lopresto who is a
regular entrant at the Concorso and known for his preference for
one-offs. It was very funny when during the winners parade
Lopresto's small dogs was looking out of the small round windows
very much to the enjoyment of the public giving the ceremony a
funny and personal moment.
Class H featured the 50th anniversary of Lamborghini. The
story of Lamborghini is well known to begin with a visit of
Ferruccio Lamborghini in the Ferrari factory where Enzo Ferrari
told him that the unreliability of Ferruccio's personal Ferrari was
not a problem of the car but of the owner who is used to drive
tractors (as Lamborghini produced tractors) rather than sports
cars. This lead Ferruccio to built his own sport car and the first
350 GTV was introduced in 1963. According to Simon Kidston
(who led through the parade as usual in fluent English and Italian
telling a lot of entertaining stories), who has an own passion for
the cars with the bull in the signet the first car was displayed
without engine (but some bricks inside simulate the engine load)
as the engine did not fit in the compartment of the prototype.
Certainly this was corrected after the show and the 350 GT (with
revised front) went into production in 1964. The Concorso featured
a very early 350 GT (with the tractor badge rather than the sports
car badge) and the very first open Lamborghini, a 350 GTS that
also won the class.
On the following 400 GT Touring built a shooting break one-off the
Flying Star II named after the famous one-off design on a Alfa
Romeo and Isotto-Fraschini before the war.
Certainly there is no display of Lamborghini without the legendary
Miura, maybe to most famous of all Lamborghini models. The
extravagant Miura was ordered very often in very bright colours
underlining the advanced design of the early 1970s, most popular
was an orange and yellow but the French blue suits as well.
The last of the classic car classes (Class I) was dedicated to
the race cars and featured the already mentioned MG K3, a Fiat
508 CS MM, the smallest car of the concours (Bandini 750
Siluro), and a duo of Ferrari. The 250 GT TdF (0563GT) was one
of the first series TdF and was also entered at the Mille Miglia the
week before were it finished.
Last but not least the Ferrari Dino 166P/206P (0834) was shown
again at the Villa D´Este. Last year the current owner bought this
prototype of the 206P after a very active racing career in historic
racing and have shown this multiple Targa Florio entrant at
numerous events. On all outings the small Dino won its class and
at the SchloĂź Bensberg Classic it was even awarded Best of
Show. In Como it was again Best in Class and joined the winners
circle lined up in front of the hotel on Sunday evening when the
Best of Show was announced after the Gala Dinner.
Since BMW took over the event a special class for modern
concept cars was established. As the previous date early in
April collided with the Shanghai Motor Show that attracts most of
these prototypes the Concorso was even rescheduled to today´s
May date.
The new concept cars included a design study of Aston Martin to
honour the centenary including design elements of the famous
DBR1. Other cars of interest were the Pininfarina “Sergio”
Barchetta in memory of the late Sergio Pininfarina, the all new
McLaren P1 (both cars not in drivable condition), a Subaru
Crossover and a electric Infinity Coupé. Zagato brought the TZ3
Stradale and Touring the new Alfa Romeo Disco Volante that won
the concept car prize.
This year Concorso was again superb. Whereas the ever
increasing value of the top cars tends to keep them away from the
driving events the international concours become even more
important to see these cars. Many events on both sides of the
Atlantic are competing for the best cars and few can match the
selection of the Concorso d´Eleganza. Compared to the American
shows at Pebble Beach and Amelia Island this is a rather small
event as the space in the historic gardens limits the number of
entrants. On the other side this generates an ambience that is
superior to the usual golf course concours, a characteristic that
attracts cars from all over the world. Although the Best of Show at
Pebble might be still of more importance also the American
owners love to show their cars in a historic surrounding that
cannot be found in the US.
With a two day program in the Villa d´Este and the public day this
gives everyone the opportunity to admire the cars on the field and
a day of bad weather could be compensated. On Sunday the
weather was as expected in Italy with sun all day after a rainy and
very cold Saturday.
The weather also led to a funny moment on Saturday during the
parade: new this year in the jury was Swiss concept artist,
entrepreneur and former singer of 1980s cult band Yello. Dieter
Meier. When feeling cold during the parade Meier helped himself
and this might have been the first time a honoree judge was
sitting in an additional bathrobe on the podium.
For the moment we have put together a preview including all the
cars on show that weekend, the galleries will be updated next
week after the Gaisbergrennen in Salzburg (Austria)
that is on the program this weekend.
Report & images ... Peter Singhof
www.ClassicCarPhotography.de
Entries
002 Mercedes-Benz 680S (1928) Torpedo Roadster by Saoutchik
- Paul Andrews
004 Hispano-Suiza (1929) Cabriolet de Ville by Hibbard & Darrin -
Hans Hulsbergen
006 Isotta-Fraschini 8A (1930) Torpedo by Castagna - Jorge
Fernandez
008 Rolls-Royce Phantom II Continental (1933) Sedanca (3-
Position) Drophead Coupe by Gurney Nutting - Jay Moore
010 Mercedes-Benz 540K (1937) Cabriolet A by Mercedes-Benz
Sindelfingen - Kriton Lendoudis
012 Rolls-Royce Wraith (1938) 2-Door Saloon by Erdmann &
Rossi - Saulius Karosas
014 Rolls-Royce Phantom I (1928) Open Tourer Boattail by Jarvis
- Alexander Schaufler
016 Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 Gran Sport (1931) Spider by Zagato -
Steve Adler
018 Mercedes-Benz 500K (1936) Spezial Roadster by Mercedes-
Benz Sindelfingen - Evert Louwman
020 BMW 328 (1937) Sport Cabriolet by Wendler - Daniel Pfirter
022 Lagonda LG45 Rapide (1937) Open Tourer by Lagonda - Ron
Rezek
024 Bugatti 57SC Atlantic (1938) Coupe by Jean Bugatti s/n
57591 - Ralph Lauren
026 Talbot-Lago T26 Grand Sport (1949) Cabriolet by Franay -
Michael Kaufmann
028 Jaguar Mk VII (1951) Coupe by Stabilimenti Farina - Daniel
Marachin
030 Bentley R-Type Continental (1952) Sports Saloon Fastback
by H.J. Mulliner - Barry Fitzgerald
032 Talbot-Lago T14 LS (1956) Coupe by Letourneur et Marchand
- David Buchanan
034 Bentley S1 Continental (1959) Drophead Coupe by Park
Ward - Dean Kronsbein
036 Ferrari 500 Superfast (1964) Berlinetta by Pininfarina s/n
5951SF - Luc Laureys
038 Aston Martin 2-Litre Sports "Spa Replica" (1948) Roadster by
Aston Martin - Daniel A. Waltenberg
040 Aston Martin DB4 GT (1961) Coupe by Zagato - David Eyles
042 Aston Martin DB4 SS (1962) Saloon by Touring - Jean-Pierre
Slavic
044 Aston Martin DB4 (1962) Cabriolet by Aston Martin - Brian
Morrison
046 Aston Martin DBS (1970) Saloon by Aston Martin - Edward
Stratton
048 Ferrari 212 Export (1951) Barchetta by Touring s/n 0136E -
Jack Croul
050 Maserati A6G 2000 (1952) Cabriolet by Frua - GĂĽnther
Krumpl
052 Maserati A6G/54 (1955) Spider by Zagato s/n 2101 - Brandon
Wang
054 Maserati A6G/54 GT (1956) Spider by Frua - Roland D'Ieteren
056 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California (1961) Spider by Scaglietti s/n
2505GT - Claudio Caggiati
058 Ferrari 250 GT SWB (1961) Berlinetta by Scaglietti s/n
2649GT - Destriero Collection
060 Jaguar XK120 (1949) Roadster by Jaguar - Christian Jenny
062 Siata 208S (1954) Spider by Motto - James Utaski
064 Jaguar XKSS (1956) Spider by Jaguar s/n 769 - Peter
Neumark
066 Porsche 356 A (1957) Speedster by Reutter - Ni Peng Loh
068 AC Cars Cobra 289 (1965) Roadster by AC Cars - Kurt
Engelhorn
070 Fiat 8 V (1953) Coupe by Rapi - Bruce Vanyo
072 Ferrari 250 GT Tour de France (1958) Berlinetta by Scaglietti
s/n 0903GT - Peter McCoy
074 Ferrari 250 LM (1964) Berlinetta by Pininfarina s/n 6025 -
Lionshead West Collection
076 Lancia Sibilo (1978) Coupe by Bertone s/n 12201 - Corrado
Lopresto
078 BMW M1 (1980) Coupe by Giugiaro - Detlef HĂĽbner (BMW
Classic)
080 Lamborghini 350 GTV (1963) Coupe by Scaglione s/n 00001 -
Albert Spiess
082 Lamborghini 350 GT (1964) Coupe by Touring - Georg
Gebhard
084 Lamborghini 350 GTS (1965) Spider by Touring - Emanuel
Reich
086 Lamborghini 400 GT (1966) Shooting Brake by Touring
"Flying Star II" s/n 0904 - Jean-Claude Paturau
088 Lamborghini Miura SV (1972) Coupe by Bertone - Mario
Rossi
090 MG Magnette K3 (1933) Sports Roadster by MG - Peter
Briggs
092 Fiat 508 CS MM (1938) Coupe by Savio - Giuseppe
Boscarino
094 Bandini 750 Siluro (1955) Barchetta by Bandini - Alex
Vazeos
096 Ferrari 250 GT Tour de France (1956) Berlinetta by Scaglietti
s/n 0563GT - Martin Gruss
098 Ferrari Dino 166P/206P (1965) Spider by Ferrari s/n 0834 -
Andreas Mohringer
C02 Fuij Heavy Industries Subaru Viziv Concept (2013) Crossover
- Tateo Uchida
C04 Zagato Alfa Romeo TZ3 Stradale (2011) Carbon Coupe -
Andrea Zagato
C06 Touring Superleggera Alfa Romeo Disco Volante by Touring
(2013) Coupe - Melvin Goh
C08 Nissan Motor Company Infiniti Emerg-E (2012) Mid-ship 2-
seater sports - Shiro Nakamura
C10 McLaren Automotive McLaren P1 (2012) Coupe - Patrik
Nilsson
C12 Pininfarina "Sergio" Barchetta - Fabio Filippini
C14 Aston Martin Lagonda Aston Martin CC100 Carbon Fibre -
Ulrich Bez
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