WORDS: ELLIOTT HUGHES | PHOTOS: CONCORSO D’ELEGANZA VARIGNANA 1705
Concorso d’Eleganza Varignana 1705 organisers have revealed the cars and classes curated for the inaugural edition of the exclusive event, which takes place in Italy’s Motor Valley on October 13-15, 2023.
A total of 23 pre-1973 models will compete across six classes within the grounds of the Palazzo di Varignana, bringing this year’s European concours season to a glamorous conclusion.
Several of the world’s leading collectors will showcase prized cars at Varignana, including Corrado Lopresto’s 1939 Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 Berlinetta Touring, Silvia Nicolis’ Fiat 1100 E Vistotal and Hidetomo Kimura’s Fiat 750 GT MM Zagato.
Local marques will be faced with stern competition for silverware
With the Concorso d’Eleganza Varignana 1705 being staged near to the respective headquarters of Ferrari, Lamborghini and Maserati, it’s unsurprising that each of these brands is well represented.
Even so, local marques will be faced with stern competition for silverware. In the Pre-War Elegance class, for example, a 1937 Jaguar SS100 is vying for plaudits against Lopresto’s aforementioned Alfa, as well as a rare alloy-bodied Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 GS Zagato and a 1929 Lancia Lambda VIII Serie Berlina GT Cabriolet.
The Corse Eroiche (Heroic Races) class, meanwhile, is occupied by a stunning quartet of pre-war race cars: a 1927 Bugatti 37/44 Grand Prix, 1926 Maserati Tipo 26, 1929 Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 SS and 1939/46 HRG Le Mans.
A similarly exquisite selection of rare post-war cars can be found in the Italian Fine Gems class, which contains the 1951 Fiat 750GT MM Zagato, Nicolis’ Fiat 1100E and a 1952 Ermini 1100 Sport Internazionale – one of just three examples built.
The Great Sporting Class for 1960s Italian sports cars looks set to be one of the most competitive of the entire event, with entries such as a 1965 Bizzarrini 5300GT, 1963 Ferrari 250GT Lusso, 1968 Lamborghini Miura P400 and Ferrari 275GTB.
The fifth class, Grit and Style, celebrates vehicles that exude uncompromising performance and elegance. Entries include a 1963 Lancia Flaminia Zagato 3C, 1955 Lancia Aurelia B24 Spider, 1964 Alfa Romeo TZ and 1955 Fiat 8V Zagato.
German Icons is the final class curated for the Concorso, and celebrates German machinery that arrived during the post-war era. The class includes an iconic 1956 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing, 1957 300 SL Roadster and 1972 BMW 3.0 CSL Batmobile.
“We are extremely excited by the extraordinary ensemble of exceptional automobiles we have secured for the inaugural Concorso D’Eleganza Varignana 1705,” said Palazzo di Varignana founder Carlo Gherardi. “From the renowned collections of Lopresto, Museo Nicolis and Mr Hidetomo Kimura – to name a few – each of these magnificent automobiles on display will enable us to deliver a truly spectacular event.”
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