Lake Como – It would be hard to find another event where beauty, elegance and technical perfection come together as spectacularly as during the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este. The atmosphere surrounding the Grand Hotel Villa d’Este on the shores of Lake Como has turned this beauty contest into a unique experience for all visitors since its inauguration in the year 1929.
On the last weekend in April, more than 50 classic cars along with 12 concept cars and prototypes once again accepted the invitation from the Grand Hotel and the BMW Group to line up before the appreciative gaze of the public and the Jury.
This year the BMW Group Design team took up the time-honoured tradition of designing cars exclusively for the Concorso d'Eleganza and unveiled its BMW M1 Homage. This design study, inspired by the BMW M1 and BMW Turbo, embraces tradition and modernism to give an insight into BMW's own vision of a historically inspired automotive future.
Voted "Best of Show" by the Jury to take the Trofeo BMW Group was the Ferrari 166 MM Berlinetta Touring from the year 1949. Count Giannino Marzotto had acquired the Ferrari 166 MM from Enzo Ferrari, which was then given an aerodynamic coupé body by Touring based on their trademark superleggera, or lightweight, construction method. This model was exhibited at the 1950 Geneva Motor Show.
The Ferrari was then equipped with a new V12 Colombo Type 195 engine and went on to win the 1950 Mille Miglia. In the late 1950s the Ferrari was deployed in small-scale racing events in the USA before being sold with its original 1949 engine to an American collector in 1965, who kept it until 2001. Its present owner, John Croul, acquired the car in 2003 and had it completely restored to its original condition.
Visitors to Villa d'Este on Saturday elected the winner of the Coppa D'Oro, with the largest number of votes going to the Mercedes-Benz 540 K Autobahnkurier dating from 1938. Just two streamlined coupé bodies were built onto the chassis of the Mercedes-Benz 540 K. The car on show was purchased in 1938 by Dr Ignacio Barraquer and remained in family ownership until 2004. The Autobahnkurier then went to Deborah and Arturo Keller, who had it completely restored.
For the Trofeo BMW Group Italia, visitors voted the 1937 Delahaye 135 M by Figoni & Falaschi the winner. The roadster was presented at the 1937 Paris Motor Show and bought by an Indian maharaja. 50 years later the Delahaye left India and was restored in England. Its present owner, Peter Mullin of the USA, acquired the car in 1993.
Electing the most beautiful model in the Concept Cars and Prototypes class, visitors at Villa Erba on Sunday cast their votes in favour of the Bugatti Veyron Fbg Hermès of 2008. With the Bugatti Veyron Fbg, Hermès has taken its cue from the erstwhile collaboration between car-crazy saddle-maker Emile Hermès and horse-loving car designer Ettore Bugatti to build a Hermès special based on the Bugatti Veyron.
The complete results of this year's Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este: Trofeo BMW Group
Best in Show by the Jury
Ferrari 166 MM Berlinetta Touring, 1949, John Croul, USA
Coppa d’Oro Villa d’Este
Best of Show by Public Referendum at Villa d’Este
Mercedes-Benz 540 K Autobahnkurier Coupé Mercedes-Benz, 1938, Arturo Keller, MEX
Trofeo BMW Group Italia
By Public Referendum at Villa Erba
Delahaye 135 M 2-seater roadster Figoni & Falaschi, 1937, Peter Mullin, USA
Concorso d’Eleganza Design Award
By Public Referendum at Villa Erba
Bugatti Veyron Hermès Bugatti, 2008, Georges Keller, D
Class Winners and mention of Honour
Class A: TOURING TITANS – Status Symbols of the 1920s & '30s
Class Winner
Daimler Double Six Sport Saloon Martin Waletr, 1932, J. Peter Ministrelli, USA
Mention of Honour
Hispano-Suiza J 12 Berline Fernandez & Darrin, 1936, Jorge Fernandez, AUS
Class B: KINGS OF THE ROAD High Performance Model of the 1920s & 30s
Class Winner
Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 SS Cabriolet Pinin Farina, 1940, Marc Caveng, CH
Mention of Honour
Delahaye 135 M 2-seater roadster Figoni & Falaschi, 1937, Peter Mullin, USA
Class C: STREAMLINED - Style and the speed
Class Winner
Mercedes-Benz 540 Autobahnkurier Coupé Mercedes Benz, 1938, Arturo Keller, MEX
Mention of Honour
Bugatti 57 SC Atalante 2-door Coupé Gangloff, 1937, Antonius Meijer, NL
Class D: RIVIERA CRUISING - Post War European Cabriolets
Class Winner
Maserati A6 G 54 Cabriolet Frua, 1956, John Bookout jr., USA
Mention of Honour
Bentley S1 Cabriolet Graber, 1956, Franz-Josef Paefgen, D
Class E: SPEED & STYLE – Sports Cars in Italian Suits
Class Winner
Ferrari 250 GT Serie 1 Spider Pinin Farina, 1958, Peter S. Kalikow
Mention of Honour
Fiat 8V Coupé Ghia, 1954, Jan De Reu, B
Class F: THOROUGHBREDS – The Golden Age of the Granturismo
Class Winner
Bentley S1 Continental 2-door Saloon Mulliner, Fred Kriz, 1959, MC
Mention of Honour
Ferrari 250 Europa Coupé Pinin Farina, 1954, Johan Van Puyvelde, B
Class G: ITALIAN DREAMS – Show Cars by Italian Designers
Class Winner
Lancia Stratos Coupé Bertone, 1970, Chris Hrabalek, UK
Mention of Honour
Ferrari 206 S Dino Competizione Berlinetta Pininfarina, 1967, James M. Glickenhaus, USA
Class H: ENDURANCE LEGENDS – Racing Greats of the 1950s
Class Winner
98 Ferrari 166 MM Berlinetta Touring, 1949, John Croul, USA
Mention of Honour
Ferrari 500 TRC Spider Scaglietti, 1957, Gabriele Artom, I
Special Prizes by the Jury
Trofeo del Presidente della “FIVA”
To the best preserved car by the Jury
Jaguar XK SS 2-seater sports Jaguar, 1957, Gary Barlett,USA
Trofeo Rolls-Royce
To the most elegant Rolls-Royce by the Jury
Rolls-Royce Phantom III Sport Saloon Barker, 1937, Heinz Eymann, CH
Trofeo Auto & Design
To the most exciting design by the Jury
Pegaso Z-102 Thrill Berlinetta Touring, 1953, Roland D’Ieteren, B
Trofeo Girard-Perregaux
Special Prize of the Jury
Bugatti 57 SC Atalante 2-door Coupé Gangloff, 1937, Antonius Meijer, NL
Trofeo BMW Group Classic
To the most sensitive restoration by the Jury
Bentley S1 Cabriolet Graber, 1956, Franz-Josef Paefgen, D
Trofeo Automobile Club di Como
To the car driven from farthest away
Bentley S1 Continental 2-door Saloon Mulliner, 1959, Fred Kriz, MC
For further information visit: www.concorsodeleganzavilladeste.it
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