Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este 2022
A UNIQUE VENUE THAT NEVER GETS BORING
This year marked my fifth visit at Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este and since the last was in October due to a few postponements related to the pandemic, the wait was much shorter than usual. It even made me wonder – does it make sense to return to Como every single year?
The answer to that is as straight as an arrow - of course! The moment you reach Como and start meandering through the narrow streets of the old town, the sensational Lago di Como touching your feet when you look at the seaplanes taking off… or when you divert north and come across the Thursday’s Prelude Rally. Then there is the moment when you pass the gate of Grand Hotel Villa d’Este and you feel like Alice entering the Wonderland… were there really any doubts in the first place?
A YEAR OF ANNIVERSARIES
It is pretty fair to say that Concorso d’Eleganza would not be as magical a happening if it was not for the venue. Villa d’Este plays a crucial role and this year has marked an important anniversary for the Grand Hotel. It has opened its gates for guests for a mammoth 150th season. It is an impressive milestone for this unique place, especially that the buildings themselves date farther back into the history. If only those walls could speak!
Celebrations did not end here, though! Three times shorter but not any less impressive was the jubilee of M – hands down one of the more recognisable emblems of the motoring world. The specially powerful units of BMW represent the pinnacle of Bavarian technology and to many, they are the embodiment of automotive dreams. Happy anniversary, BMW M!
THE GOLDEN AGE OF ELEGANCE
Jubilees and anniversaries are not the main reason everyone heads to Como every May. The quintessence of Concorso d’Eleganza is of course the spectacular selection of vehicles contesting for the Coppa d’Oro, Best of Show and other important prizes. This year there were seven classes subdividing the vehicles with an additional one for the concept cars. Oddly, three of them were brand-specific, dedicated to supercharged Mercedes-Benz, Ferraris and… BMW M-cars!
The very first class has already brought an amazing winner of the FIVA Trophy – the 1934 Bugatti Type 59 Sports. This phenomenal vehicle with an even more impressive history is a classic lightweight racer competing in the 750 kilo class. Four years after its production it became a possession of the King of Belgium – Leopold III – who was known for his affection to Bugattis. An extremely authentic car which has only had four owners in its nearly 90-year history.
Another Bugatti and another award, this time the impressive Best of Show. Model 57S was brought by Andrew Pisker from Monaco and is one of only four examples bodied by Vanvooren as convertibles. At a point in history its original engine has been swapped for a Buick-based V8. Miraculously, the original was brought back to the car after a successful… internet search!
EIGHT ICONIC CAVALLINOS FOR 75TH JUBILEE
As it turns out, 2022 marks another anniversary as exactly in 1947 Enzo Ferrari has given his name to a car with a Prancing Horse for the first time. As we know, the rest is history and the eight cars gathered in a class of their own would constitute my (and potentially anyone’s) dream collection of cars from Maranello.
Opening my long list of favourites is the 375 America bodied by Pinin Farina. With its athletic power of about 300 horsepower, it was capable of reaching speeds far beyond 200 kmph. That opened the eyes of imagination of the many, but unfortunately only a dozen were built. On display is the very first one, premiered at the Paris Salon and then delivered to Los Angeles, now enriching the Muldoon’s collection in Mexico.
Second in line is another Paris Salon debut, this time from 1966. Known by the extremely long name of Ferrari 365 P Berlinetta Speziale Tre Posti, it was penned by Aldo Brovarone from Pininfarina. Almost a one-off design as only two were ever produced, this Ferrari can be known by a three-seats interior with the driver positioned centrally and flanked back by passengers on either side. Central is also the engine – an impressive 4.3-litre V12.
I am lucky. One of my favourite vehicles of all times is the Ferrari 400 Superamerica, and there was one at the premises of Villa d’Este for two consecutive years. The Aerodinamica version with headlamps covers is one of only fourteen ever made (and eighteen total). This particular car starred in a movie called “Il Tigre” in 1967 after which it was transported to the United States where it changed its colour from silver grey to red. Just look at those sleek lines!
I could go on and on about the dark green on orange 275 GTB/4 or the roaring 335 S but the winner could only be one. Bodied by Zagato, who with great touch and vision supplied the car with its Double Bubble roof, closing on the carrosserie with a C-pillar full of Italian finesse. Inimitable, majestic, beautiful. Mention of honour of the class, ladies and gentlemen – Ferrari 250 GT Zagato!
RACING LEGENDS FROM DIFFERENT ERAS
If you want a car to “win on Sunday and sell on Monday” as the class’ description said, there were handful of choices. Firstly, to pick was a Porsche developed in collaboration with… Abarth. The 1961 356B Carrera Abarth GTL has vividly rich racing history, result of a couple special ingredients – a significantly lighter bodywork by Viarenzo & Filliponi combined with almost mythical four-camshaft, four-cylinder boxer. Presented example was a very authentic car with deep, haunting sound we could listen to at the Prelude Rally.
Another car, another phenomenal job by Zagato and Ercole Spada. 1964 Alfa Romeo TZ1, or Tubolare Zagato, if you like, was built in just over hundred pieces. This particular one - number 16 – I know well. I came across it in one of the Petrolicious videos telling the story of this project car. What I did not know was that it had a rich racing history, having been driven by Nadeene Brengle and Phyllis Gaylard in Southern California – a couple fast women!
A few steps away, parked side by side were two much younger racing beasts – a 1993 Ferrari F40 LM and a Nissan R390 GT1. The former is a masterpiece by Michelotto from Padua, a penultimate car of an exclusive series of just nineteen. Despite having all the right features this particular F40 has not raced much – as it swapped hands between collectors from the US, Japan and Switzerland. The Nissan has quite an opposite historical experience. In 1998 it took part and completed the Le Mans, with the Japanese brand scoring 3rd, 5th, 6th and 10th place. Now registered as street legal, it enriches a car collection of Erik Comas – a former F1 and Le Mans driver (scoring 6th that particular year).
NOT ONLY HONOURABLE MENTIONS
I need to admit I was skeptical about an all-BMW class. Since the Bavarian brand is sponsoring the event it could be weirdly perceived, but after investigating the selection of cars I was converted - mainly for two reasons. The first one is the tiny but mighty 700 RS that stole my heart during the Prelude Rally. This small racer has a boxer engine with only two cylinders – the exact number representing also the population of this model. At 600 kilograms it may be the lightest racer out there… but doubtlessly the rarest!
The second reason convincing me was the BMW 320 Gruppe 5 in Jäegermeister livery. This racing beast is bodied with an impressive yet practical aero kit, which comes in handy at 310 horsepower founded at 760 kilograms base. Enormous power and low mass - if that sounds to you like a winning recipe – it is. This car started in 59 races and has won 33 out of them, mostly hillclimbs. Interestingly, these numbers may increase as the car is ready to race again as part of the 72Stagpower Collection!
Crème de la crème of the show and also the Coppa d’Oro winner was the Aston Martin Bulldog. Entered to the competition by a well-known automotive enthusiast Peter Sarofim, the Bulldog may well be the most famous car of the recent years. Measuring just 109 centimetres tall this futuristic automobile with gigantic gullwing-doors was featured in many photoshoots including one… on an aircraft carrier. Originally, the vehicle was intended to break the 200mph barrier and whilst in 1981 the speedometer stopped at ‘just’ 192mph, a post-restoration test run is scheduled for this year. Fingers crossed!
WHO RULES THE SHOW? PEOPLE!
One of the best reasons to come to Concorso d’Eleganza are the fantastic people creating the event. They may bring their stunning vehicles and compete for trophies, but what they really do is they create this phenomenal, irreplicable atmosphere full of smiles, laughter and enthusiasm.
Having been part of the show since 2017 I get to know more and more people – some I just recognise and exchange familiar smiles with, others I talk with briefly as a yearly tradition. Such magical moments work like magnets for returning to Villa d’Este and this year was no exception. Where else on Earth you can chat to a stranger in a BMW’s closed room (unveiling the XM concept) just to find out he lives in just the same city as you used to and that you have friends in common? Certainly at Grand Hotel Villa d’Este.
SALUT! AND UNTIL THE NEXT TIME
With the usual parade in front of the hotel unveiling last winners and Simon Kidston calling it a day, the Sunday show was slowly coming to an end. Cars headed either out home or to the underground garage and the venue started preparation for the gala dinner. It was this always-coming sad time to go home.
Unfortunately, my stay at Como has been coming to an end, too! With a few friends met at the event we went for a final walk and drove to Bergamo to catch our flights. Another year will thankfully bring another Concorso d’Eleganza and I will be part of it for sure – how could I even doubt if it makes sense in the first place?!
Text & Photos: Adam Pekala ©
