Munich/Cernobbio.
The world’s most exclusive and traditional heritage event for
historic automobiles and motorcycles will be held once more
on the shores of Lake Como, Italy, in 2017. The most beautiful classic
vehicles will be presented at Cernobbio in Northern Italy from 26 to
28 May 2017 in the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este. The motto “Around
the World in 80 Days – Voyage through an Era of Records” will take the
story of automobile production from the early years to the present
day, and will even extend the trajectory into the future. This is
because apart from award classes for the rarities from the past, the
vehicle class for Concept Cars and Prototypes also presents a vision
for the automobiles of the future.
Over many years, this classic weekend has enjoyed a unique position
among beauty contests for classic automobiles and motorcycles thanks
to the elegance of the event, the unforgettable atmosphere, and the
small, exclusive field of participants.
The Selecting Committee made up of international experts has already
defined five of the planned nine vehicle classes:
1. Speed Demons: Endurance Pioneers of the Golden Age
This class features pre-war sports and record cars combining Old
World style with rugged performance.
2. Faster, Quieter, Smoother: Heroes of the Jet Age
Beautiful automobiles from the 1950s and beyond that continue to
define their raison d’être by long-distance feats.
3. Travelling in Style: Around the World in 40 Years
If Phileas Fogg, the hero of Jules Verne’s iconic novel, had embarked
on his epic journey around the world 40 years later, how would he have
motored? Help him choose from the best in Edwardian luxury.
4. The Grand Tour Continues: The Next 40 Years
Would Fogg‘s descendants have followed in his intrepid footsteps? And
would their taste in motor cars have been as impeccable as Great-Uncle
Phileas‘? Unquestionably. Here‘s how they would have travelled between
1946 and 1986.
5. Racers on the Road: Playboys’ Toys
The road-converted racing machines in this category are loud,
unsuitable for the public highway and wholly impractical. In short,
the perfect match for their exuberant first owners, the playboys of
their era.
However, the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este is not simply a
snapshot of the glittering past of automobile construction. The show
also looks at the future of the sector. The class of Concept Cars and
Prototypes presents automobile studies and concepts which showcase the
automobiles of tomorrow. No other classic event in the world looks at
the sector from this perspective. The class features cars penned by
the most prestigious designers of our time. These visions for the
automobile design of tomorrow provide an enticing contrast to the
retrospective show of important historic vehicles and their epochs.
The vehicles in all award classes are judged by a distinguished
Expert Jury. However, the participants also have to appeal to the
public because their votes – as in the case of Concept Cars and
Prototypes – decide on the winners of several special prizes.
Historic two-wheelers and a milestone for mobility.
An outstanding field of participants also awaits friends of classic
two-wheelers. The Concorso di Motociclette is one of the high points
on the second event day. In 2017, the convoy of rare motorcycles will
once again go on an outing along public roads to reach Villa d’Este
and Villa Erba.
In many ways, the motto of the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este in
2017 connects the cars of the present to the cars in history. In 1873,
the novel written by Jules Verne was published for the first time.
This was also the year when Villa d’Este opened its doors as the Grand
Hotel. Even today, the wonderful parkland, grounds and gardens bear
witness to the glamour of this era and this is where the competing
vehicles will be presented. The era famous for travel around the world
also marked a milestone in the mobility of humanity. This was the
first time that people other than sailors, missionaries or scientists
were able to embark on a journey – it became possible for all those
passengers who embarked on steamships or travelled by train. This was
an era when a system of global transport was being created together
with its network structures. During this time, ground-breaking
inventions like telegraphy and the telephone were dramatically
changing the world.
The Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este was held for the first time in
1929 – at the time it was still a show for new launches in the
automobile sector. In 1999, the BMW Group took over as patron, and
since 2005 BMW Group Classic has been working together with the Grand
Hotel Villa d’Este as the organiser of the pageant of illustrious rare
vehicles. Every year, thousands of enthusiasts and participants from
all over the world come to the Concorso.
Registrations
Owners of rare historic automobiles and motorcycles can still
register their vehicle at
http://concorsodeleganzavilladeste.com/registration. The international
Selecting Committee then decides on the final approval for this
illustrious contest.