Villa d’Este showcases some of the world’s greatest automobiles
The Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este in Italy was slightly smaller this year, but that provided the opportunity to get closer to some rare and beautiful automobiles
Lake Como in Italy is a picturesque and tranquil place with the sound of waves gently lapping at the shore as exquisitely crafted motor boats cruise across the water. The trees that line the mountains around the lake are interspersed with old villas that all have their own stories to tell. It’s all a picture of serenity that most of the year is disturbed only by the sound of the seaplanes that fly from one end to the other or an old Vespa being swiftly driven by a teenage rider though one of the many villages.
One weekend a year though, some of the world’s most esteemed car collectors arrive in Cernobbio at the beautiful Villa d’Este estate to allow a panel of judges and guests to scrutinise their cars, many of which are not only very rare but extremely valuable too.
The event is the famous Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este, which this year attracted 1,000 entries from around the world. Those entries have to be reduced to just 50 across eight categories with eloquent names such as “Touring Torpedo to Racy Roadster” or “Space, Grace and Pace”.
Villa d’Este was significantly smaller in 2021, with no public allowed and a limited guest list due to the pandemic. It provided more of an opportunity to get a closer look at the cars, to chat to the owners and to also talk to representatives of BMW, long time sponsors of the concours.
Oliver Zipse, chair of BMW Group and the former chair of BMW SA, described it perfectly when he said you can “feel the winds of history when you visit Villa d’Este”. It was fitting that BMW Classic brought such models as the 507 and 328 Mille Miglia to the event, but they also brought some electric concepts in the form of the i-Vision Circular as well as the iX and i4 Gran Coupe, both of which are launching in SA shortly.
There was another Lamborghini that attracted a great deal of attention too in the form of a Countach LP500. This recreation of the 1971 Geneva show car made its debut at the concours after having been painstakingly built by the team at Lamborghini’s Polo Storico division for one very wealthy client. Some mistook it for a restoration of the original, but that disappeared after undergoing crash testing and it is believed that it no longer exists in any form.
The Concorso once again showcased not just great cars, but great inspiration, with Zipse saying “those who understand the past will be the pioneers of the future.” Well that’s the kind of philosophical discussion point we never expected to get from a classic car show, even one as exclusive as Villa d’Este.