Villa d'Este Concours d'Elegance


 

Como, 20 April, 2001 

Prologue

Have you ever visited the lovely Lake Como in the very North of Italy in Spring ? No ? – than this fact alone certainly would justify a trip down to Italy. But imagine this beautiful scenery combined with even more beautiful vintage cars, all displayed on the estate of one of the most charming and exclusive Hotel Resorts of the world – the famous Villa d’Este -!

It’s almost impossible to describe how fantastic this event was but I try it this way: This is an event where your wife or girlfriend never would say: ”Go ahead and leave these old cars where they are – I want to go shopping !” This says all…

The highlights

A wide range of hugely differing cars could be seen this year, all built between 1950 and 1967. Oldest car ”on the grid” was a very cool looking Lancia Aurelia B 50 Pinin Farina Cabriolet and the youngest participant was simply the highlight of this years Concours d’Elegance:

Ferrari 330 GT 2+2 Vignale Station Wagon s/n 7963

The fantastic and unique 1967 Ferrari 330 GT 2+2 Station Wagon, the very last Ferrari Carrozzeria Vignale had bodied ! I’ve never seen this car before in reality but the curious lines impressed me deeply. Already in 1968 this unusual metallic green painted Ferrari was able to fascinate visitors of the 50th Turin Motor Show and it hasn’t lost one dime of its fascination then.

Mr. Paturau from France, the lucky owner of this one-off, drove all the way from Paris to the Villa d’Este. Guess, he and his wife had no problems with the luggage…

Lamborghini 400 GT Touring Flying Star II s/n 0904

Mr. Combes, also from Paris, followed him with a Lamborghini 400 GT s/n 0904, a car which also was shown first on the Turin Motor Show but in 1966. Chassis 0904 ? Yes, the famous one-off Touring bodied Flying Star ! Felice Bianchi Anderloni’s last creation ! Do you need even more superlatives ?

Mr. Bianchi Anderloni personally awaited the arrival of this Lamborghini and welcomed Mr. Combes very friendly with the words: ”I’m the man who designed your car !”.

To achieve his aim, building a Station Wagon on a Lamborghini 400 GT, the chassis had to be shortened from 2.55 cm to 2.45 cm which confers the Flying Star its compactness. Together with the low roof line it looks very aggressive and more like a Coupe than a Station Wagon ! Sadly, Touring’s last work remained an unique car which later was sold on to Jacques Quoirez, the brother of the famous French writer Francoise Sagan. Like the different ownerships it changed more than once its colour from metallic silver to a bright yellow and back to silver.

Ferrari 340 America Touring barchetta s/n 0114 A

Very interesting because not seen very often in public the black 340 America Barchetta of Louis Frey from Switzerland attracted a lot of attention. This 340 has spended all its life in Switzerland; its first owner – Otto Wild from Muri – entered it in the Mille Miglia in 1951 but could not finish it in the end. From far away this Touring bodied Ferrari barchetta looks exactly like a 166/212 MM but when you get closer you will notice that the car is wider and bigger in every aspect although the proportions are the same.

Ferrari 212 Export Vignale Berlinetta s/n 0096 E

Erich Traber entered another important early Ferrari in the Concours – the 212 Export Vignale Berlinetta s/n 0096 E. Raced very successfully by Jacques Peron in the 1951 Tour de France where it finished 2nd OA it later went to Lino Fayen, a rich Venezuelan gentleman racer who lived in Paris in the Fifties. After a long racing career with Fayen this car was imported in 1956 into Switzerland. After the stock fall in the States last November Mr. Traber took the chance and brought it back to Switzerland.

Aston Martin DB 4 Madness

To meet a Aston Martin DB 4 GT is a rare sight when you know that only 75 were produced. Standing a DB 4 GT Zagato next to it, we’d certainly call this ”Aston  Martin  Heaven” ! 19 DB 4 GT chassis got this exceptional Zagato bodywork – one of the great milestones in the Automobile era. But… Mr. Weidmann from Switzerland could present an even more exclusive Aston Martin DB 4 GT – the DB 4 GT Jet from Bertone ! This is an unique Aston Martin though the lines – especially the front - remember a little bit the also Bertone styled Ferrari 250 GT SWB one off s/n 1739GT.

What an exhibition: Three completely different bodyworks on the same chassis !


Villa Erba display

On Saturday morning, all Concours participants drove at the shores of Lake Como to Como’s famous Piazza Cavour where the cars were displayed in an quadrate. Unfortunately the weather could not manage with all these wonderful cars and so it tried to sabotage this display with rain and cold temperatures. But in the afternoon the sun came out and made the Villa Erba display – a conference centre with park grounds besides the Villa d’Este Resort – to an unforgettable event. 

Alfa Romeo Disco Volante Coupe

All those who want to see the only Disco Volante Coupe normally only have the opportunity to visit Alfa Romeo’s own Museo Storico. But not at this weekend ! An almost complete Alfa Romeo exhibition could be presented in the foreground of Villa Erba and the Museo Storico had brought two cars with them. The one and only 2 litre Disco Volante Coupe s/n 1359.00003 and the aggressive looking ‘308’ which was entered by Raymond Sommer and Clemente Biondetti at Le Mans in 1938. Sadly, they had to retire after a race accident.

Plane tree exhibition

On Sunday afternoon, all Concours cars were displayed at the big plane tree terrace of the Villa d’Este Hotel. Thanks to the kindness of the most owners they answered the request of the photographers for the ultimate motive and posed their cars each exactly in the best possible way. On the terrace, not only the cars were playing a big role but also the personalities. There, you could get in touch with the already mentioned Mr. Bianchi Anderloni, Sergio Scaglietti or Paul Frere.

Vintage car display in Como

Another interesting vintage car display could be seen in Como on Sunday  morning. The ”Como Cuore” a heart health syndicate organised this charity run through Como. Though this exhibition contained more common cars like an Alfa Romeo Giulia SS or Lancia Aurelia B24 S Spider however it included one very special car, the Ferrari 166 Inter Vignale Coupe s/n 0065S, a car which would have made a good entry at the Villa d’Este Concours, too.

Epilogue

At this point normally you have to publish the whole Concours result. But who cares ? I couldn’t have made any decision between such exceptional cars.

Which car would you have chosen ?

The fantastic Aston Martin DB 4 GT Zagato or the unique Ferrari 330 GT 2+2 Vignale Station Wagon, the elegant Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 ”Villa d’Este” Cabriolet s/n 918089 or the spectacular Lamborghini Flying Star II ?

Almost each car would have deserved the Best of Show – Award, so it’s your choice.

 

Bjoern Schmidt