From April 16 to 19, the Anantara Concorso took place in Rome, bringing together over 70 historic Italian automobiles in the heart of the city for a weekend of competition and celebration. In the spirit of "La Dolce Vita della Automobili", owners, guests and visitors enjoyed an impressive combination of Roman hospitality and the country's finest vehicles - against the historic backdrop of the Eternal City.
The field of participants was extremely competitive and included many immaculate and historically faithful examples. The Maserati V4 Sport Zagato from 1932, presented by Lawrence Auriana, came out on top. It was awarded the title of "Best of Show". Other notable class victories went to a Lamborghini P400 Miura from 1968, a Ferrari Testarossa Spider from 1986 and a Maserati 3500 GT Vignale Spider "Prototipo" from 1959, among others. The class winners are listed at the end of this article.
From Le Mans-winning Ferraris to immaculate Lancias, the Anantara Concorso Roma is a unique event on the calendar as it is dedicated exclusively to Italian cars. This year, 70 such cars competed in 16 classes - from "Le Zagato ante-guerra" to "Le hypercar". The field of participants included road and racing cars from Ferrari, Lamborghini, Alfa Romeo, Maserati, Lancia, Fiat and other brands.
The Anantara Concorso Roma immediately established itself as a success and a world-class automotive event thanks to the leadership of Jeremy Jackson-Sytner, the supervision of Chief Judge Adolfo Orsi and the dedicated hospitality and organizational expertise of the Anantara Hotels & Resorts team.
Best of Show: Maserati V4 Sport Zagato from 1932
The winner of the first edition in the category "La migliore automobile del Concorso" (Best of Show) was the 1932 Maserati V4 Sport Zagato, presented by Lawrence Auriana. Originally purchased by a wealthy doctor in Rome, the vehicle returned 94 years later to win the prestigious Anantara Concorso Roma. The jury particularly praised its unique provenance and history.
The V4 is an extremely rare and fascinating example of experimental Italian automotive engineering from the 1930s. It combines two 2-liter Tipo 26 engines in a common crankcase to create a 16-cylinder monster. This unique engine enabled the model to break the world speed record in 1929 and set an impressive new record of 246 km/h.
Only two Maserati V4 Sport Zagato were built, with this example being the second. In 1934, it was given a new body by Zagato as a roadster with a two-tone green paint job. It was later sold to the Dutchman Erik Verkade, who dismantled the vehicle shortly after the German invasion and hid the V16 engine in his bedroom for five years. In the late 1940s, it came into the possession of a collector in the United Kingdom, where it remained until the 1990s, when it was acquired and restored by the current owner.
An unforgettable weekend
The Anantara Concorso Roma began on the 16th, when owners and guests arrived at the Anantara Palazzo Naiadi Rome Hotel. Over the next three days, they enjoyed the charms of Rome with exclusive dining experiences, luxury shopping and exploring the Eternal City.
The Concorso opened on Saturday the 18th: All 70 vehicles were presented on the exhibition grounds of the Casina Valadier in the Villa Borghese overlooking the city. Many locals and tourists took advantage of this unique opportunity and secured day tickets to see some of the rarest and most interesting cars in the world. The judging took place throughout the day, while guests enjoyed a champagne lunch and an evening of fine Italian cuisine and entertainment at Palazzo Brancaccio.
On Sunday the 19th, the Concorso continued while the judges prepared the final results. In the afternoon, the winners were announced, including the "Best of Show", accompanied by great enthusiasm about the high quality of the participants in this premiere. The Anantara Concorso Roma 2026 was then officially closed, with the hosts expressing their thanks to owners, guests, partners and supporters.
Class winners
CLASS I - Le Zagato anteguerra
1932 Maserati V4 Sport Zagato
CLASS II - Le Alfa 8C
1933 Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 Cabriolet Castagna
CLASS III - Le Alfa 6C 2300
1935 Alfa Romeo 6C 2300 Gran Turismo Pescara Spider Touring
CLASS IV - Le Coupé del primo dopoguerra
1949 Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 SS Berlinetta Pinin Farina
CLASS V - Le barchette Ferrari
1951 Ferrari 340 America Barchetta Touring
CLASSE VI - Le aperte del dopoguerra
1955 Lancia Aurelia B24 Spider Pinin Farina
CLASS VII - Le prime granturismo di Modena
1955 Ferrari 375 MM Coupé Speciale Ghia
CLASS VIII - Vestite leggere da Zagato
1966 Alfa Romeo Giulia TZ2
CLASS IX - Le berlinette Ferrari di Pininfarina
1965 Ferrari 275 GTB
CLASS X - Le spyder di Viale Ciro Menotti
1959 Maserati 3500 GT Vignale Spider "prototipo"
CLASS XI - Le spider di Maranello
1986 Ferrari Testarossa Spider
CLASS XIII - Le eleganti Ferrari di Pininfarina
1965 Ferrari 500 Superfast
Classe XIV - Le granturismo sportive degli Anni Settanta
1968 Lamborghini P400 Miura
Classe XV - Le sportive degli Anni Ottanta e Novanta
1993 Bugatti EB 110 GT
Classe XVI - Le hypercar
2021 Pagani Huayra Roadster BC
