The Mille Miglia is going back to basics in 2012 with a raft of mainstream classics and saloons competing alongside the usual super-exotica, a true reflection of the original race.
Among the 384 entries that line up for the Brescia start on Thursday 17 May are three VW Beetles, a Peugeot 403, a gang of Fiat 1100 Berlinas, a Mercedes-Benz 180 plus a two-stroke DKW F91.
The inclusion shatters the modern – and even the contemporary – misconception that the endurance race evolved around exotic prototype sports racers, when they were always just the minority of a huge entry for the world’s most famous road race.
Enthusiasts' touring cars started the 1000-mile challenge long before the fastest racers came up on the ramp, and every year the Mille Miglia features an ever-stronger range of classic tin tops, other inspired saloon runners this year include an American entered 1957 Citroën DS and a Dutch equipe’s Borgward TS Isabella. Among the Jaguar team is a pair of works-backed MkVIIs.
Big yanks also feature headed by a '53 Lincoln Capri and a '56 Ford Thunderbird while last over the Brescia ramp is a two-tone Studebaker Golden Hawk of Belgian’s Dyck and Wilemarck, which could get lonely cruising in the wake of the last Ferrari V12s.
