Dutch collector Hans Ribbens' 1951 Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 SS Villa d’Este coupé took Best of Show at the inaugural Uniques Special Ones concours d'elegance in Saint Petersburg.
The rare car won the hearts of an impressive judging panel that included Tom Tjaarda and Adolfo Orsi at what is being fêted as the first international concours ever staged in Russia.
After the prizegiving, chief judge Orsi revealed that the battle for Best of Show was close-fought. He said: "The winning Alfa Romeo differed only a few tiny points from the car that took second place: another Alfa Romeo, a 1938 6C 2300 B Mille Miglia berlinetta."
The Gazprom-Neft prize was awarded to the best car entered by a Russian collector and was won by the one-off 1943 Alfa 6C 2500 S Cabriolet Pinin Farina of Kostantin Moshkin.
Organiser Sandro Binelli was delighted with his first event in Russia – Uniques having previously been based in Florence – and has high hopes that it will continue to thrive in the city dubbed 'the window on the west'.
