What a weekend, being able to see some of the most beautiful and rarest cars worth over 300 million euros up close within a radius of just over a kilometer. If this wasn't worth a trip to the small village of Cernobbio on beautiful Lake Como, what is?
Cloudy affair
Over 50 superlative vehicles competed for awards and prizes at the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este, which was held from May 19 to 21, 2023, initially for insiders and on Sunday also open to the general public.
On average, the cars were almost 70 years old, many were built without a fixed roof and for beautiful days. You would think that St. Peter would have mercy and let the sun shine? Far from it. It was already quite wet on Friday evening, Saturday was damp throughout, and only on Sunday did it dry out and get a little warmer.
Some of the million-dollar cars must have seen more rain over the weekend than in ten years. Nevertheless, the owners put on a good face and showed their cars open when the jury came by. You can't blame some convertible owners for leaving the roof up for the promenade on Saturday afternoon.
The owner of the 1961 Ferrari 250 GT California Spyder, which won the coveted Coppa d'Oro public prize, was particularly clever. In view of the expected weather conditions, he immediately fitted the hardtop and stayed dry.
The fact that the noble cars do not particularly like damp weather was demonstrated by various starting difficulties, which could not be solved straight away even with plug changes and other interventions. Because a perfectly starting engine as well as a fully functioning signaling and lighting system are mandatory at a concours, one or two participants had to retire prematurely.
A third of pre-war vehicles
A total of seven classes were dedicated to classic cars that were at least 20 years old, with the first three classes being largely made up of pre-war cars. In the first group called "The Fast and the Formal: Pre-War high speed Luxury", six fast and elegant cars competed, including a 1920 Pic R2 from Switzerland, which stood out from the competition thanks to its valveless engine, but did not win any prizes.
The winner in this class was the beautifully designed Chrysler Custom Imperial CL LeBaron from 1933. 10,000 hours went into its restoration, which has returned the car to its original "Moonglow" color. Only 50 such cars were once built, and the hydraulics and vacuum technology were unusually complex for the time.
The Lagonda V12 Rapide from 1938 was also honored, but the extremely elegant Lancia Astura from 1937 with a Pinin-Farina body came away empty-handed.
Pre-war Granturismi
The second class was dedicated to cars that were also suitable for racing at the weekend. A brute Mercedes-Benz 680 S from 1928, the progressive Lancia Lambda from 1924 and the Delahaye 145 with V12 engine and Chapron bodywork, as well as the delicate BMW 328 from 1937 and the Bugatti Type 57 S Corsica from 1936 were all on show here.
So there was no shortage of tonal colors here. The "Best of Class" deservedly went to the lavishly restored Delahaye, and the BMW 328 was also honored.
Unfortunately, the interesting and attractive Bugatti with an eight-cylinder in-line engine, which stubbornly refused to work on Saturday afternoon but ran perfectly again on Sunday, came away empty-handed.
The cars of the Maharajas
The third pre-war class was dedicated to the luxury cars that the Indian Maharajas were particularly fond of.
Rolls-Royce, Packard and Duesenberg were the names of the manufacturers, some of whom used kilos of silver and precious metals to give the nobles what they wanted.
The fact that the "Best of Show" came from precisely this category was probably not necessarily to be expected. But obviously this luxury sports car with around 320 hp, clad by Gurney Nutting in a two-tone battail body, impressed the jury just as much as the original buyer, Holkar of Indore.
Second place in the class went to the 1928 Rolls-Royce Sports Phantom, which for once did not boast silky-smooth engine running but sporty performance.
75 years of Porsche
Of course, a class in honor of the Zuffenhausen-based company was not to be missed on the occasion of Porsche's almost milestone birthday. The title chosen was "Delving into the Stuttgart Legend's Iconic and Eccentric Back Catalogue", which more or less meant that they weren't just looking for ordinary road models.
This may not have been entirely successful, as the Pre-A-356 and the 911 Carrera RS 2.7 from 1973 were certainly not over the top.
The other cars were a little more "eccentric", with four racing cars included, from the 904 GTS to the 911 derivatives 934 and 935 to the 917 K, which won at Sebring in 1970. The final car was a GT1 from 1998, an evolutionary model that was barely roadworthy and was only built 23 times.
The winner, however, was the sixth 901 built in 1963 by Alois Ruf, a car that has been in the family of the German tuner and sports car manufacturer for over 50 years.
Second place went to the 356, the racing cars came away empty-handed, apart from the fact that the 917 K, which could be brought back to running order almost every time without any problems, won the prize for the best engine sound.
Anyone who watched the owner start the car was amazed to learn that the air-cooled 12-cylinder boxer is started quite normally with the ignition key.
GT sports cars from four decades
Two-seater sports coupés from five brands took the prize in the "Granturismo: Experimenting with the Post-War European GT" class.
Exotic cars built in minimal numbers, such as the Frazer-Nash Le Mans from 1954 or the ATS 2500 GTS from 1963, competed against the one-off Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 SS Berlinetta Riva "Las Serenissima" from 1950, the Ferrari 330 GTC Speciale from 1967, which was only built three times, and the BMW M1, Lamborghini Miura P400 SV and Ferrari 288 GTO, which were produced hundreds of times.
While the young Concorso visitors opted for the 288 GTO, the jury voted the Ferrari 330 GTC Speciale "Best of Class", followed by the Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 SS, which was definitely worth a second look because it has not been seen in this country for a long time.
Italian design
It wasn't just Italian cars that looked Italian; in the 1950s and 1960s in particular, the Carrozzeria from Italy also dressed British and American cars, as demonstrated by the Aston Martin DB4 GT and the two US exotics Cadillac Series 62 from 1953 and Chrysler GS-1 Special from 1953, which were molded in sheet metal by Ghia.
The fact that an Italian car won out in the end is hardly surprising when you look at the 1956 Maserati A6G/54 Zagato.
Second place also went to an Italian sports car, namely the Ferrari 212 Export by Vignale from 1951. The more eye-catching Americans came away empty-handed, as did the beautiful Lancia Florida Coupé Pinin Farina from 1955, which at least established completely new design lines.
Winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans
With eight cars, the "100 Years of Le Mans" class was the best-equipped group. A total of five overall victories, several class victories and around a dozen participations in the famous 24-hour race in the Sarthe were gathered here.
The fact that the Peugeot 302 Darl'mat, Aston Martin DB2, Mercedes-Benz 300 SL, Ford G40, Porsche 936/77 and Ferrari 512 BB LM were defeated by the Ferrari 250 GTO from 1962 is not consistent with the racing successes, but certainly with the performance of the individual vehicles.
Second place was snatched by the second Ferrari, a 250 Testa Rossa from 1959, which was victorious at Le Mans in 1960, while the consistently restored GTO had only managed fourth place overall or second place in the GT category at the time.
The fact that the Porsche 936, with five participations and one overall victory at Le Mans, came away empty-handed just like the Ford GT40, which even won twice, should only be mentioned here in passing.
The GT40 was at least honored with the "most exciting design", while the Aston Martin DB2 received an award for the best-preserved post-war car.
The other convertibles
The Concorso organizers had obviously hoped for sunshine when they created the last class with the title "Here comes the Sun: Topless done differently". More or less unusual open-top cars were brought together here, with the Citroën SM Espace Heuliez from 1971 and the Isdera Spyder 033-16 from 1986 standing out in particular with their unusual solutions.
The other four cars were more classic convertibles, but certainly not lacking in elegance. The Ferrari 250 GT Spyder California from 1961 won the class, followed by the Ctiroën SM Espace Heuliez.
But the Apollo 3500 Gran Turismo Spyder from 1963, which was only built once, the Bentley R-Type from 1954 and the BMW 507 from 1959 also earned many admiring glances.
A feast for (almost) all the senses
Visitors to Cernobbio were able to enjoy the cars on display from all angles, but they could also smell, feel and hear them. When a Porsche 917K or a Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa is started, the analogy to music is not far-fetched. The star tenor in the BMW 502 Cabriolet thought so too, after all, both have to do with beat/beats.
In any case, the audience enjoyed the cars on display despite the adverse weather and the owners were happy to provide extensive information. Where else can you find out how to start an engine from 1920 or get a Bugatti eight-cylinder running?
The fly in the ointment?
Despite the high-caliber field of vehicles, one or two critical observers noticed that not all the cars were arranged at the same flight level and that interesting and meaningful vehicles were missing in one class or another.
Why not show the BMW V12 Le Mans racing car in the appropriate class? Why were pre-war cars missing from the Le Mans category? Why not dedicate the F class exclusively to non-Italian cars with Italian bodywork? Why did classic convertibles appear in the last category instead of special solutions that you don't see every day?
Of course, the Concours organizers have to make use of the vehicles that are entered. In addition, consideration must be given to previous victories and participations. And so we don't want to be so critical, because we really enjoyed the Concorso 2023.
Participating vehicles and prizes
| Class | SNr | Make | Type | YY | Awards |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Fast and the Formal: Pre-War High Speed Luxury | A02 | Piccard-Pictet | R2 Saoutchik | 1920 | |
| The Fast and the Formal: Pre-War High Speed Luxury | A04 | Chrysler | Custom Imperial CL LeBaron | 1933 | Class Winner |
| The Fast and the Formal: Pre-War High Speed Luxury | A06 | Lancia | Astura 4th Series Pininfarina | 1937 | |
| The Fast and the Formal: Pre-War High Speed Luxury | A08 | Alvis | Speed 25 SC Offord & Sons | 1937 | Car driven from farthest away |
| The Fast and the Formal: Pre-War High Speed Luxury | A10 | Bentley | 4 1/4 Litre Coupé de Ville James Young | 1938 | |
| The Fast and the Formal: Pre-War High Speed Luxury | A12 | Lagonda | V12 Rapide James Young | 1938 | Mention of Honor |
| Grande Vitesse: Pre-War Weekend Racers | B14 | Lancia | Lambda 5th Series Casaro | 1924 | |
| Grande Vitesse: Pre-War Weekend Racers | B16 | Mercedes-Benz | 680 S | 1928 | |
| Grande Vitesse: Pre-War Weekend Racers | B18 | Bugatti | Type 57 S Corsica | 1936 | |
| Grande Vitesse: Pre-War Weekend Racers | B20 | BMW | 328 | 1937 | Mention of Honor |
| Grande Vitesse: Pre-War Weekend Racers | B22 | Delahaye | 145 Coupé Chapron | 1938 | Class Winner |
| Incredible India: The Dazzling Motoring Indulgencies of The Mighty Maharajas | C24 | Rolls-Royce | 40/50 H.P. Silver Ghost Windovers | 1922 | |
| Incredible India: The Dazzling Motoring Indulgencies of The Mighty Maharajas | C26 | Rolls-Royce | 20 H.P. Windovers | 1925 | |
| Incredible India: The Dazzling Motoring Indulgencies of The Mighty Maharajas | C28 | Rolls-Royce | Sports Phantom Prototype Jarvis o Wimbledon | 1928 | Mention of Honor, Most elegant RR |
| Incredible India: The Dazzling Motoring Indulgencies of The Mighty Maharajas | C30 | Packard | Standard Eight 11th Series Dietrich Inc. | 1934 | |
| Incredible India: The Dazzling Motoring Indulgencies of The Mighty Maharajas | C32 | Duesenberg | SJ Gurney Nutting | 1935 | Best of Show, Class Winner |
| Incredible India: The Dazzling Motoring Indulgencies of The Mighty Maharajas | C34 | Rolls-Royce | Silver Wraith James Young | 1949 | Most Sensitive Restoration |
| Porsche at 75: Delving into the Stuttgart Legend's Iconic and Eccentric Back Catalogue | D36 | Porsche | 356 Pre-A | 1954 | Mention of Honor |
| Porsche at 75: Delving into the Stuttgart Legend's Iconic and Eccentric Back Catalogue | D38 | Porsche | 901 Prototype "Quick Blue" | 1963 | Class winner, Best Iconic Car, |
| Porsche at 75: Delving into the Stuttgart Legend's Iconic and Eccentric Back Catalogue | D40 | Porsche | 904 Carrera GTS | 1964 | |
| Porsche at 75: Delving into the Stuttgart Legend's Iconic and Eccentric Back Catalogue | D42 | Porsche | 917 K | 1970 | Best Engine Sound |
| Porsche at 75: Delving into the Stuttgart Legend's Iconic and Eccentric Back Catalogue | D44 | Porsche | 911 Carrera RS 2.7 | 1973 | |
| Porsche at 75: Delving into the Stuttgart Legend's Iconic and Eccentric Back Catalogue | D45 | Porsche | 934 | 1976 | |
| Porsche at 75: Delving into the Stuttgart Legend's Iconic and Eccentric Back Catalogue | D46 | Porsche | 935 | 1979 | |
| Porsche at 75: Delving into the Stuttgart Legend's Iconic and Eccentric Back Catalogue | D50 | Porsche | 911 GT1 | 1998 | |
| Granturismo: Experimenting with the Post-War European GT | E52 | Alfa Romeo | 6C 2500 SS Berlinetta Riva "La Serenissima" Carozzeria Riva | 1950 | Mention of Honor |
| Granturismo: Experimenting with the Post-War European GT | E54 | Frazer-Nash | Le Mans Coupé | 1954 | |
| Granturismo: Experimenting with the Post-War European GT | E56 | ATS | 2500 GTS Berlinetta Allemano | 1963 | |
| Granturismo: Experimenting with the Post-War European GT | E58 | Ferrari | 330 GTC Speciale Pininfarina | 1967 | Class Winner, Honorary Award Best of Show |
| Granturismo: Experimenting with the Post-War European GT | E60 | Lamborghini | Miura P400SV | 1971 | |
| Granturismo: Experimenting with the Post-War European GT | E62 | BMW | M1 | 1980 | |
| Granturismo: Experimenting with the Post-War European GT | E64 | Ferrari | 288 GTO | 1985 | Young Peeple's Referendum |
| The 'Made in Italy' Look: Styles which conquered New Worlds | F66 | Ferrari | 212 Export Vignale | 1951 | Mention of Honor |
| The 'Made in Italy' Look: Styles which conquered New Worlds | F68 | Cadillac | Series 62 Ghia | 1953 | |
| The 'Made in Italy' Look: Styles which conquered New Worlds | F70 | Chrysler | Ghia GS-1 Special | 1953 | |
| The 'Made in Italy' Look: Styles which conquered New Worlds | F72 | Lancia | Florida Coupé Pinin Farina | 1955 | |
| The 'Made in Italy' Look: Styles which conquered New Worlds | F74 | Maserati | A6G/54 Zagato | 1956 | Class winner |
| The 'Made in Italy' Look: Styles which conquered New Worlds | F76 | Aston Martin | DB4 GT Coupé | 1960 | |
| The 'Made in Italy' Look: Styles which conquered New Worlds | F78 | Maserati | 3500 GT Coupé Touring | 1962 | |
| A Century of the 24 Hours of Le Mans: Heroes of the Most Famous Race in the World | G80 | Peugeot | 302 Darl'mat Sport Pourtout | 1937 | |
| A Century of the 24 Hours of Le Mans: Heroes of the Most Famous Race in the World | G82 | Aston Martin | DB2 Coupé | 1950 | Best Preserved Post-War Car |
| A Century of the 24 Hours of Le Mans: Heroes of the Most Famous Race in the World | G84 | Mercedes-Benz | 300 SL Coupé | 1952 | |
| A Century of the 24 Hours of Le Mans: Heroes of the Most Famous Race in the World | G86 | Ferrari | 250 Testa Rossa Fantuzzi | 1959 | Mention of Honor |
| A Century of the 24 Hours of Le Mans: Heroes of the Most Famous Race in the World | G88 | Ferrari | 250 GTO | 1962 | Class Winner |
| A Century of the 24 Hours of Le Mans: Heroes of the Most Famous Race in the World | G90 | Ford | GT40 | 1968 | Most exciting design, Trofeo dei Presidenti |
| A Century of the 24 Hours of Le Mans: Heroes of the Most Famous Race in the World | G92 | Porsche | 936/77 | 1976 | |
| A Century of the 24 Hours of Le Mans: Heroes of the Most Famous Race in the World | G94 | Ferrari | 512 BB LM | 1981 | |
| Here Comes the Sun: 'Topless' Done Differently | H96 | Bentley | R-Type Continental | 1954 | |
| Here Comes the Sun: 'Topless' Done Differently | H98 | BMW | 507 Touring Sport | 1959 | |
| Here Comes the Sun: 'Topless' Done Differently | H100 | Ferrari | 250 GT Spyder California | 1961 | Class winner, Coppa d'Oro |
| Here Comes the Sun: 'Topless' Done Differently | H102 | Apollo | 3500 Gran Turismo Spyder | 1963 | |
| Here Comes the Sun: 'Topless' Done Differently | H104 | Citroën | SM Espace Heuliez | 1971 | Mention of Honor |
| Here Comes the Sun: 'Topless' Done Differently | H106 | Isdera | Spyder 033-16 | 1986 |
The individual participating vehicles, including the concept cars, are all shown in the additional picture gallery .
