The Concorso d’Eleganza at the Villa d’Este, which is well worth seeing, was already the most beautiful and exclusive car event in Europe – not only supported by spectacular vintage cars, but not least the unique ambience of Lake Como around it. But once only supported by the two joint organizers BMW and the hotel operator of the Villa d’Este, this time there is much more to see between Cernobbio and Como. Hyundai already unveiled the Pony Coupé Concept design icon created by Giorgio Giugiaro in a new edition on Thursday, BMW let its fans dream a day later with the Touring Coupé, which is well worth seeing, while many of the visitors could look forward to the impressively grown Fuori Concorso which this time was all about aerodynamics.
Anyone who is really enthusiastic about cars and is not attending the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring, which is taking place at the same time this time, will find it difficult to avoid the Como Auto Festival. Even if the northern Italian holiday region made it harder than usual this time with cool temperatures and constant rain. Nevertheless, the registration lists for the highlight of the Concorso d’Eleganza with its unique vintage cars were long, the queues for the fan festival at the neighboring Villa Erba were impressive despite the rain and those who weren’t completely soaked weren’t just attracted to the mighty Porsche exhibition be enchanted by Villa Olma. In the more exclusive part, the Fuori Concorso offered aerodynamic icons from the Mercedes 540 K streamlined car to the BMW 328 Mille Miglia Coupé and the VW XL1.
Classics, new cars and studies braved the rain just as much as the multi-million dollar classic cars in their various classes, which turn the Villa d’Este hotel park into an island of automotive bliss every May. Alvis Speed 25 C from 1937, the grandiosely elegant Delahaye 145 Coupé Chapron or the Rolls-Royce 20 HP Allweather Tourer Windowers with its 3.2-liter in-line six-cylinder from 1925, which not only fits perfectly in terms of its name – you can all get them at a normal classic event just as little to see as the Lancia Florida Coupé Pinin Farina from 1955, the Mercedes 300 SL Coupé racing car, which also competed in the Le Mans class, the Ferrari 250 GTO from 1962 or the 1976 Porsche 936/77 with Spyder Sports prototype -body.
It’s no surprise that in the year of the 100th anniversary of the Le Mans 24 Hours, the world’s best-known racing event not only left its mark on the Concorso. At the informal fan meeting point at Villa Erba, visitors were also able to marvel at countless rare Le Mans racers from the past decades. Just a few meters away are Porsche 911 youngtimers, elegant Italo limousines, sleek BMW M3s or a historic Mini collection – all from private collectors and traveled to Cernobbio on their own. In proper style, there are caviar appetizers for 36 euros at the sales stand – they taste good even when it rains. Right next door is the RM Sotheby’s auction with classics and sports cars worth seeing – of course preferably from Italian production. One of the stars, for example, was the elegant Ferrari 400 Superamerica SWB that changed hands for 3.1 million euros. Here, too, the Como Auto Festival has long since followed in the footsteps of the Monterey Auto Week, with the highlight of the Concorso d’Eleganza in Pebble Beach in mid-August.
In addition to many current designers from car manufacturers, Giorgio Giugiaro also paid a visit to the Como Auto Festival. This time not only as a visitor, but also together with his son Fabrizio with a relaunched Hyundai Pony Coupé, which was re-unveiled on Lake Como 50 years after its first creation. The typically angular concept study was the European market entry for the Korean car manufacturer at the Turin Motor Show. In addition to many current designers from car manufacturers, Giorgio Giugiaro also paid a visit to the Como Auto Festival. This time not only as a visitor, but also together with his son Fabrizio with a relaunched Hyundai Pony Coupé, which was re-unveiled on Lake Como 50 years after its first creation. The typically angular concept study marked the Korean car manufacturer’s entry into the European market at the 1974 Turin Motor Show. “I designed the Hyundai Pony when I was a young designer at the beginning of my career. I was very proud to be able to design a vehicle for a company and a country that was about to make its mark in a highly competitive global market,” recalls the 84-year-old, who enjoyed the Lake Como events as much as they did other fans – and hopes for better weather next year.
