Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este 2017

Munich/Cernobbio. A triple success achieved by a unique vehicle. The Alfa Romeo Giulietta SS Prototipo was awarded “Best of Show” on Sunday evening when the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este 2017 held in Cernobbio, Northern Italy, celebrated its crowning finale. The Jury conferred the most important award of the competition – the Trofeo BMW Group – on the unique special from the year 1957. Besides being acknowledged as a class winner in die category „Supergioiello – Little Toys for Big Boys“ the coupé contoured with streamlined styling was also rewarded by visitors in the public referendum and won the Trofeo BMW Group Italia. The Jury bestowed the award of “Best of Show” at the seventh Concorso di Motociclette on an endurance touring motorcycle manufactured in Austria. The Puch 250 Indien-Reise was manufactured in 1933 and the machine impressed the experts with its authentic condition and a fascinating history.

The Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este is regarded as being the world’s most exclusive and traditional beauty contests for historic automobiles and motorcycles. Once again this year, the vehicle pageant staged jointly by the BMW Group and the Grand Hotel Villa d’Este lived up to this reputation. The selection of vehicles, the ambience on the shoreline of Lake Como and the knowledgeable and enthusiastic public audience generated an absolutely unique atmosphere. The Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este is also a unique event of its kind that presents modern concept vehicles and prototypes alongside rare historic treasures. This year, automobile designers were joined for the first time by motorcycle manufacturers who also had the opportunity to present their two-wheeled studies. This unique synthesis enables the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este to create an exciting bridge from the past into the future of mobility.

Majestic backdrop for a journey through the history of mobility.

Once more, the magnificent ambience of the Grand Hotel Villa d’Este and the neighbouring park of Villa Erba formed the backdrop for the pageant of rare beauties. The visitors were intrigued by the elegance of the exhibited vehicles and the especially unusual and illuminating episodes from automobile and motorcycle history. Thousands of visitors embarked on a sublime and fascinating journey in time through the history of mobility, with the benefit of bright sunshine and summer temperatures.

This year’s motto of the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este 2017 is “Around the World in 80 Days – Voyage through an Era of Records”. It comes from the novel by Jules Verne and harks back to the era at the end of the 19th century. This was a time when rapid technological progress enduringly expanded the opportunities for mobility and covering large distances. The field of participants was also drawn from different parts of the globe with competition vehicles from 16 countries. In their day, a large number of classic vehicles had created sensations with successes in motor sport, speed records or trailblazing technical innovations.

The members of the two Jurys were made up of renowned experts in vehicle history and well-known enthusiasts. They conferred awards on the individual class victors and the winners of numerous special prizes selected from the 51 automobiles and 40 motorcycles being showcased at the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este 2017. “Here before us, we can see eight wonderful class winners, each of which could also have deservedly earned overall victory,” declared Ulrich Knieps, Head of BMW Group Classic and President of the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este at the grand finale with the “Best of Show” for historic automobiles. “The Jury’s selection of the Alfa Romeo Giulietta SS Prototipo has conferred the award on a particularly fascinating representative of automobile history that is utterly unique. This decision is entirely in the character of the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este.”

The “Best of Show” for the year 2017: synthesis of fact and fiction.

The victorious Alfa Romeo Giulietta SS Prototipo was designed by Franco Scaglione (1916 – 1993) in 1957. The chief stylist at the time of the great Italian coachbuilder Bertone developed the coupé based on three aerodynamic studies that emerged from the cooperation between Bertone and Alfa Romeo from 1953 to 1955 under his leadership. To this day, they are known as B.A.T. Mobiles – the acronym stands for Alfa Romeo Berlinetta Aerodinamica Tecnica. The prototype had an equally elegant and streamlined alloy body. A four-cylinder engine generating 100 hp was mounted under the bonnet and this prototype was a precursor for the series model Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint Speciale presented in 1959. It can therefore be considered as a synthesis between fact and fiction.

The victorious one-off special is owned by Corrado Lopresto. He registered the vehicle at the beauty contest on the shores of Lake Como in the name of Giovanna Scaglione, the daughter of the famous designer, and accepted the prestigious special prize from the hands of Jury President Lorenzo Ramaciotti. “We are overjoyed to have received this prize and doubly delighted because this is the first time that the car has been awarded a prize by a Jury,” declared Lopresto. “I feel sure that the Jury has primarily paid tribute to the design because at the time it was very futuristic. Franco Scaglione was a genius and the automobile sector owes a great debt of gratitude to him.”

The overall victory for the Alfa Romeo Giulietta SS Prototipo means that a vehicle from Italian production has won the most important award from the show presenting classic cars on the shores of Lake Como for the fourth time in succession. The successful home performance of the Alfa was completed by winning the Trofeo BMW Group Italia. This award was the outcome of a public referendum. A majority of the visitors to the park of Villa Erba also voted for this unique special from Bella Italia.

Coppa d’Oro Villa d’Este: Historic, record-breaking vehicle becomes darling of the public.

The most traditional prestigious award – the Coppa d’Oro Villa d’Este is also conferred by public referendum. This special prize was awarded on Saturday to the Lurani Nibbio record-breaking vehicle built in 1935. The visitors to the park of Villa d’Este were enthused by the pristine condition of the compact, open single-seater and with its fascinating family history. It is the creation of the Italian journalist, publisher, automobile designer and racing driver Giovanni Lurani Cernuschi, VIIIth Count of Calvenzano (1905 – 1995). He designed and built the vehicle himself and went on to break numerous speed records driving the car.

The car was powered by a 500 cc two-cylinder motorcycle engine from Moto Guzzi that developed 46 hp, and the Lurani Nibbio broke four World Speed Records with its designer at the wheel. Another eight records followed on from optimisation of the body in 1939. Later a 250 cc engine was mounted in the Lurani Nibbio and the car broke six more speed records in the period up to 1947. The grandson of the constructor, Federico Göttsche Bebert, entered the Lurani Nibbio in the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este 2017. The vehicle has been in the possession of the family until the present day. He brought his grandfather’s car back to life again and was very proud to accept the Coppa d’Oro Villa d’Este. “It is an incredible feeling to be able to celebrate the successes of my grandfather on a stage like this after so many years have passed by,” he declared.

Concorso di Motociclette: Authentically preserved globetrotter is awarded “Best of Show”.

Since 2011, the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este has also had a fixed place in the calendar for fans of historic motorcycles. Visitors were once again able to enjoy the atmospheric Street Run of the competition vehicles through the streets of Cernobbio at the seventh edition of the Concorso di Motociclette. The Jury conferred the most prestigious award on a veritable globetrotter as their favourite from a select field of participants. The Puch 250 Indien-Reise manufactured in 1933 was awarded “Best of Show” and the Trofeo BMW Group went to the Italian owner Peter Reisch. He lives in Bolzano and is the son of journalist, writer and scientist Max Reisch, who made one of his most famous long-distance overland trips riding on the Puch motorcycle. In the year when the motorcycle was manufactured, Max Reisch – famed as a “pioneer of long-distance travel” – joined forces with his research colleague and pillion passenger Herbert Tichy from Vienna to start out on an epic expedition. The two riders travelled more than 13 000 kilometres across the Balkans, through Turkey, Syria, Iraq, Persia and Baluchistan to Mumbai in faraway India.

This legendary long-distance journey gave the motorcycle its name, and the machine has once again been in the limelight on its outing to Lake Como. The Puch 250 Indien-Reise still fascinates to this day, fully equipped with authentic saddlebags, tools and spare parts. The motorcycle was originally manufactured in Graz, Austria, and it appears to have emerged from a journey through time yet at the same time be ready for a new adventure.

BMW Group presents spectacular concept vehicles.

At the launch of the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este 2017, the BMW Group presented two spectacular concept vehicles on the shores of Lake Como. They conveyed fascinating perspectives on the future of individual mobility. The BMW Concept 8 Series is the precursor to a luxurious sports coupé that will already be presented in the marketplace next year. The BMW Group uses this coupé to give a vision of a sports car combining uncompromising dynamic performance with modern luxury. The study continues the successful tradition of large coupés from BMW and interprets classic design attributes in a new language of form. This is expressed in clear and precise line contours and powerful choreography of surfaces.

The BMW Motorrad Concept Link is presented as a vision for all-electric urban mobility. The study is a means of transport and communication platform powered by an electric motor and inspired stylistically by the BMW Motorrad Vision NEXT 100. The design of the BMW Motorrad Concept Link breaks the bounds of established conventions. Right from the start, the vehicle concept was based on the technical attributes of the electric motor and it offers ideal enablers for agile handling in urban traffic and contemporary functionality. New opportunities for digital networking between vehicle, driver and the surrounding environment are created with the innovative control concept.

 

Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este 2017 invites you to an era of records.

Posted: 10.05.2017
Source: BMW

BMW Group Classic and Grand Hotel Villa d’Este present a journey through time and different eras of mobility on the shores of Lake Come from 26th to 28th May 2017 +++ The motto “Around the World in 80 Days – Voyage through an Era of Records” creates the arc between the initial years of the event to the present day +++ 51 rare automobiles and 40 historic motorcycles will line up at the start +++ Motorcycle and automobile auction by RM Sotheby’s.

Munich/Milan. The Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este is the world’s most exclusive heritage event for historic automobiles and mo torcycles.The event has a long tradition extending back to the year 1929, when the first exhibition entitled “Coppa d’Oro Villa d’Este” was held in Cernobbio, Northern Italy, as a showcase for new launches in the automobile sector. This was followed by decades of changing fortunes. In 1999, the BMW Group became the patron, and since 2005, BMW Group Classic has joined forces with the Grand Hotel Villa d’Este as the organiser of this pageant of rare beauties, which several thousand enthusiasts and participants come to see from all over the world each year.

The motto of this year’s classic weekend is “Around the World in 80 Days –Voyage through an Era of Records”. It refers to the end of the 19th century when the world was becoming increasingly mobile. Even before the invention of the automobile, people succeeded in going round the world using modes of transport such as the railway and steam ship.

In keeping with the motto, the field of rare treasures is in itself impressive, with global reach and a rich heritage of supreme achievements. Indeed the sheer range of vehicles is likely to be record breaking. There surely cannot be another automobile beauty contest where the candidates are powered by one to twelve-cylinder engines and generate between 1.5 and 450 hp. The engine with the biggest capacity is mounted in a Rolls-Royce Phantom I: 7668 cc. Apart from the 50 cc motorcycles, the heart of the smallest power unit beats in an Intermeccanica (493 cc).

The concept of the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este and the exhibited vehicles encompass an impressive combination of tradition and vision. This aura is augmented by the award class Concept Cars and Prototypes, which is unique and not replicated in any of the world’s other classic events. The vehicles presented express the creative passion of leading designers in our time, along with their perspective on the future. The focus is on the visions for automobile design in tomorrow’s world, as a counterpoint for the retrospective show of important historic vehicles and their eras. The decision on allocation of the Concorso d’Eleganza Design Awards is taken by a public referendum.

Impressive history and fascinating future

The very special attraction of the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este is provided by the unusual combination of selected historic vehicles on two and four wheels together with the presentation of the latest concept vehicles and prototypes. The beauty contests are the centre of attention in the stylish environment of Villa d’Este and Villa Erba. These pageants set the stage for the display of rare and unusual vehicles from different eras. The automobile contest sees 51 vehicles of outstanding class and with fascinating histories competing in eight categories for the favours of the Jury and the public audience. 40 motorcycles in five categories and a special class provide a blue-riband field of competitors. The different award classes define thematic focuses for reviewing the history of vehicle construction.

The owners of the 51 automobiles come from 16 countries –most of them (12) from the USA. 30 different marques are on show which were produced in seven countries. Italy has twelve marques and therefore has the most manufacturers represented, and it includes Ferrari as the brand with the largest number of candidates (7).

The eight automobile classes

Class A. Speed Demons: Endurance Pioneers of the Golden Age.

This class recalls endurance contests for the Gordon Bennett Cup, the classic Paris – Rouen Race or the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Two racing cars meet here again which competed against each other on the Brooklands race track at Weybridge/Surrey in the UK, already a legend in the 1930s: the French Ballot 3/8 LC from 1920 and the Bentley 4 ½ Litre from 1929.

Class B. Travelling in Style: Around the World in 40 Years.

Luxurious and extravagant automobiles from the pre-war era compete for the favour of the jurors. These candidates were forged in the style of their times and they are not just permitted to exude an aura of decadence – they must epitomise it.

Class C. Goodbye Jazz, Hello Radio: Full Speed into the 1930s.

In 1932, the car radio was launched on its successful trajectory. Rhythmic harmony encouraged drivers to adopt a more rapid driving style. This class shows how different manufacturers responded to this challenge. The full range of responses is presented here encompassing overdrive gearboxes, streamlined coachwork and supercharged engines.

Class D. Faster, Quieter, Smoother: Heroes of the Jet Age.

Sporting beauties came on the scene in the years after 1945 and this class brings them together. The sports cars propelled by powerful engines and a bespoke individual body were definitely way out in front when it came to exclusivity.

Class E. The Grand Tour Continues: The Next 40 Years.

After 1945, large luxury saloons quickly returned to our roads. Numerous specials and unique coachbuilt bodies were also created for the luxury class.

Class F. Fast and Flamboyant: Playboys’ Toys.

This is where the fast cars of high society line up – not particularly practical but absolutely wonderful. Racing cars licensed for road use or a Le Mans racer were once used by smart young epicureans to drive from one night club to the next.

Class G. Supergioiello: Little Toys for Big Boys.

The competitors in this class bear witness to the fact that the exclusivity of a sports car was not entirely restricted to statistics for the number of cylinders, displacement and power. Even an air-cooled two-cylinder automobile can create an impressive sight. The most frequently produced sports car in this class still only achieved a total number of 21. Four of these sports cars remained absolutely unique.

Class H. Shaped by Speed: Racing through the Decades.

These competition cars convey the multifaceted ways in which shape could contribute to aerodynamic effect. The styling of the coachwork was incomparably aesthetic in the years from the 1950s to the 1970s, when the sole purpose was to win races.

The five motorcycle classes

For the seventh time, the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este held on the shores of Lake Como will also rank among the world’s most exclu sive highlights of the year for owners and fans of historic motorcycles. The heritage beauty contest for classic vehicles from different eras provides the backdrop for grand performances on both event days for the rare gems on two wheels. On the Saturday, the motorcycles will line up in a parade for the Concorso di Motociclette. They will go on a street run along the roads of Como and Cernobbio before finishing with a ride through the grounds of the park at Villa Erba and arriving in front of Villa d’Este. On the Sunday, the two-wheelers will be arrayed there for appraisal by the expert international Jury.

In 2017, motorcycle prototypes are also lining up at the start for the first time. This year, too, visitors will for the first time select the most beautiful classic motorcycle from all the candidates.

The award classes defined for the beauty competition enable visitors to experience the important staging posts in the development of the motorcycle and its most important representatives. Five classes and a special class have been defined to focus the attention of the public audience on particularly fascinating types of vehicle and historical phases.

Owners from five countries will present a total of 40 candidates which were manufactured in six countries. 35 different marques make the diversity here even greater than in automobiles. Italy with 25 marques has by far the biggest number of makes. Twelve of these brands are still producing motorcycles to this day.

Class A. Dreams and Adventures – Motorcycles of the 1920s and 1930s for the Great Journey.

Endurance motorcycles line up in this class. They enabled the dream of individual travel to be fulfilled nearly 100 years ago. The Belgian “Gillet Tour du Monde” is here as well. It was the first motorcycle to travel round the world in 1926.

Class B. The Alternatives – 1950s Scooters that did not come from the Market Leaders.

This class shows the beginnings of the scooter boom from 1946. The aircraft group Piaggio launched the “Vespa” on the market and a string of other companies followed suit with a wide range of different designs.

Class C. The Originals – 1960s Street Scramblers from Japan.

In particular Japanese designers developed the “Scrambler” style with elevated exhaust pipes and handlebars. This is a trend that established the Scrambler as an independent motorcycle segment to the present day.

Class D. Framed in Europe – 1970s Fours in new Clothes.

The Honda CB 750 triggered a change in image. Machines with four cylinders were transformed from tourers into racing machines. European specialists supplied new frames converting Japanese models and they even supplied complete motorcycles.

Class E. Motorcycle Design – New Concept Bikes and Prototypes.

Exciting Concept Bikes created in the design studios which have so far generally only been presented internally.

Special Exhibition. Youth Dreams – Sporting 50cc in Italy in the 1960s/1970s.

Small motorcycles with a displacement of 50 cc, 1.5 hp and a top speed of 40 km/h captivated teenagers in the 1960s and 1970s. Design inspired by motor sport provided the basis for these machines.

Programme schedule

On Friday, visitors can already admire the vehicles presented in the parkland of Villa Erba as part of the public days. These vehicles will be auctioned by RM Sotheby’s on the Saturday evening.

At 14.00 on Saturday, the Street Run of the competition motorcycles starts from Villa Erba on an outing to Villa d’Este. In the afternoon, the selection for the first important award is made at Villa d’Este with the “Coppa d’Oro Villa d’Este” public prize.

On Sunday, the 51 competition automobiles and 40 motorcycles parade in front of the grandstand in the garden of Villa Erba where the winners will receive their awards. Finally, on Sunday evening the international Jury of experts will award the most important prize for the automobiles: the title of “Best of Show” at Villa d’Este.

 

Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este 2017: From the beginnings of automobile construction to the concepts of tomorrow.

Posted: 07.11.2016
Source: BMW

Munich/Cernobbio. BMW Group Classic and the Grand Hotel Villa d’Este will present the world’s most exclusive and traditional heritage beauty contest for historic vehicles from 26 to 28 May 2017 +++ The motto will be: “Around the World in 80 Days – Voyage through an Era of Records” +++ Selecting Committee defines the first five classes.