21 dazzling classic cars at Villa d’Este

Beauty and the best

Held annually on the shore of Lake Como in Italy, the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este brings some of the rarest and most valuable cars in Europe together in one scenic location for one of the world’s most prestigious concours events.

About 50 cars from over a dozen countries participated in the 2022 edition of the event, on 20-22 May, returning to its usual slot in the classic car calendar after the disruptions of COVID-19.

Of course the judges recognised one car with the much-coveted ‘Best of Show’ gong – and we will come to that later – but there were plenty of other impressive cars displayed.

Join us for a look at some of our favourite classic cars from Villa d’Este 2022.

1. 1927 Rolls-Royce 20hp

Rolls-Royce envisioned the 20hp it released in 1922 as an entry-level model, though the term was relative. Owning a car – let alone a Rolls-Royce – was an enviable luxury in most countries at the time.

Built in 1927, this example features a four-door body made by Barker & Co. It has an interesting story to tell: it was purchased by the Nawab of Sachin (a small state that joined India in 1948) in 1931 and used for ceremonies. He allegedly replaced the Spirit of Ecstasy ornament with a prancing horse.

2. 1928 Mercedes-Benz 630K Coupe de Ville Saoutchik

Undoubtedly one of the most flamboyant cars displayed at the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este in 2022, this Mercedes-Benz 630K Coupe de Ville wears a body created by Paris-based Russian coachbuilder Saoutchik.

It was designed to be driven by a chauffeur so there is no roof over the front seats while the rear compartment is closed.

And, although Mercedes-Benz also used the letter K to denote supercharged models, in this case it means kurz (‘short’ in German, a reference to the wheelbase; long-wheelbase cars were available as well).

3. 1934 Bugatti Type 59 Sports

While it didn’t win an award, this 1934 Bugatti Type 59 Sports stood out as one of the most fascinating cars displayed at Villa d’Este.

It’s a Grand-Prix-winning car that was part of the factory racing team in 1934 and 1935.

It competed in the 750kg category and was driven by René Dreyfus, among other pilots, before joining King Leopold III of Belgium’s collection in 1938.

It has somewhat miraculously survived for nearly 90 years without being fully restored, though it was repainted in black in the 1930s.

4. 1936 Cord 812 Phaeton

Cord’s 810 stood proud as one of the most innovative American cars of the 1930s: it notably featured front-wheel drive and concealed headlights.

This example was built as an 810 for intrepid American aviator Amelia Earhart in 1936. Cord turned it into an 812 by adding a supercharger to the 4.7-litre V8 engine, the year that Earhart went missing while flying over the Pacific Ocean.

5. 1950 Alfa Romeo 6C-2500 SS Villa d’Este

One of 36 units built, this Alfa Romeo 6C-2500 SS would likely have an amazing tale to tell if it could talk.

It’s a Touring-bodied Supersport model with a design that strikes a balance between sportiness and elegance; it perfectly illustrates the concept of gran turismo.

And yet, it likely spent more time under the road than on it. It was delivered to an owner in Naples in 1951 and discovered stashed in the city’s underground tunnel system in 2005. Shops in Italy and in Germany restored this 6C starting in 2007.

6. 1952 Lancia Aurelia B52 B Junior

The popularity of coachbuilt cars waned in the 1950s, but Lancia continued to offer its models, including the V6-powered Aurelia, as bare chassis for the coachbuilding industry.

Displayed at the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este for the first time, this B52 B Junior wears an aluminium body designed by Giano Paolo Boano and heavily inspired by American design trends.

It’s right-hand drive and one of two units built in this configuration.

7. 1953 Bristol 404

Before it was a Peugeot and an error code online, the number 404 was used by Bristol on a sports car.

The British company also developed aeroplanes at the time and some of the lessons it learned in the sky permeated the 404; the coupé’s rear end notably features a fin.

The example displayed at Villa d’Este was used by Bristol as a test mule for many years and owned by the company’s chairman until 1962.

8. 1953 Siata 208S

Siata, a Turin-based supplier turned manufacturer, created the 208 with coachbuilding in mind.

The example displayed at the 2022 Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este wears an aluminium body that was designed by Giovanni Michelotti and built by Carrozzeria Motto.

It’s one of 33 units made and it was ordered with a five-speed manual transmission – a rare and desirable feature at the time. It was sold new in Ohio and often raced.

9. 1954 Maserati A6 GCS MM

Built for Maserati’s in-house racing team, the A6 GCS MM has competed in a long list of international events, including the 1955 edition of the Dakar Grand Prix (its first race) and the Mille Miglia.

As odd as this might sound, Grand Prix racers were rarely preserved in that era. Many were dismantled and used for parts when they became too old or damaged to race.

This one escaped this fate, partly because it received a more modern-looking body created by coachbuilder Fantuzzi and inspired by the 200 S.

10. 1956 Chrysler Boano Coupe Speciale

Being part of a car company’s executive team means you’re expected to drive (or, at least, be seen publicly in) one of its models. It’s difficult to imagine BMW design boss Adrian van Hooydonk going to work in an Audi A8.

Former Fiat boss Giovanni Agnelli ran into this exact issue: in the 1950s, he commissioned coachbuilder Mario Boano to build this Hemi V8-powered Boano Coupe Speciale on a shortened Chrysler 300 chassis.

He reportedly loved it, but gave it to his brother Umberto before he took the reins at Fiat in 1966. In an odd twist of fate, Fiat and Chrysler are now under the same roof.

11. 1958 Ferrari 335S

This is one of four 335S race cars built. Displayed at the 1959 New York motor show, it was manufactured with a Vittorio Jano-designed V12 engine and entered in numerous races in 1959 and 1960.

Its original engine was replaced with one from a 250GT in 1963 but, luckily, it wasn’t scrapped.

Car and engine were reunited in 1975, and this 335S was treated to a full restoration between 2015 and 2017.

12. 1960 Aston Martin DB4GT

Aston Martin developed the DB4GT as a sportier evolution of the standard DB4.

It was smaller and lighter than the DB4, and it received a more powerful evolution of the Tadek Marek-designed straight-six with a specific cylinder head and two spark plugs per cylinder. 75 units of the GT were built.

13. 1961 BMW 700 RS

Visually, nothing suggests that this hillclimb racer is related to the humble BMW 700.

And yet, it’s powered by an evolution of the 700’s air-cooled flat-twin, though several modifications were made before it was deemed worthy of racing; a pair of fans driven by a complex belt system notably cool the cylinder heads.

BMW built two examples of the aluminium-bodied 700 RS; the example pictured here is in private hands and the second car is part of the BMW collection in Munich, Germany.

14. 1961 Porsche 356B Carrera Abarth GTL

Enthusiasts normally associate Abarth with hot-rodded Fiat models, but the brand has tuned a long list of cars including ones built by Simca and Porsche.

This 356B Carrera GTL was the result of a joint project between the two companies: Franco Scaglione designed a lighter body, which was built by one of two Turin-based coachbuilders, and Porsche’s racing division handled final assembly. 20 were made.

15. 1966 Ferrari 365P Berlinetta Speziale Tre Posti

McLaren wasn’t the first company to place the steering wheel front and centre: Ferrari experimented with this unusual layout in the 1960s.

Presented at the 1966 Paris motor show, the Pininfarina-bodied 365P Berlinetta Speziale Tre Posti placed the driver in the middle of the cabin and offered seating for two passengers, one on either side.

The location of the steering wheel wasn’t the only surprising design decision: the 365P Berlinetta Speziale Tre Posti was also the first road-legal Ferrari with a mid-mounted engine.

16. 1972 BMW 3.0 CSL

Developed with input from Alpina, the 3.0 CSL was the first car created by BMW’s M division. It stood out from the big coupé it was based on with a number of weight-saving measures including a Perspex rear window, a plastic rear bumper and aluminium body panels.

It was a road car that was capable of winning a race and it played a significant role in defining BMW M’s unique breed of performance.

17. 1978 BMW 320 Group 5

The first-generation BMW 3 Series (E21) never spawned an M3 but it nonetheless enjoyed a successful racing career.

This 320 wears one of the 36 kits BMW Motorsport made for teams that wanted to take the E21 racing. Wider, lower and lighter than stock, it’s powered by a 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine tuned to develop about 310bhp.

This example raced between 1978 and 1982 and won over 30 events.

18. 1979 BMW M1 Procar

Numerous design delays prevented BMW from homologating the M1 in FIA-sanctioned race events.

Rather than end up with a race car that can’t be campaigned, the Munich-based firm launched a new series called Procar that only M1s were eligible to compete in.

The event followed the Formula One circus across Europe in 1979, though it was cancelled after the 1980 season. This M1 is one of the Procar models.

19. 1979 Aston Martin Bulldog concept

Recently restored, the Bulldog concept was designed to break the 200mph barrier.

Aston Martin developed a platform specifically for the wedge-shaped coupé and powered it by a turbocharged evolution of the 5.3-litre V8 it used in that era.

Gullwing doors upped the coupé’s cool factor, but the Bulldog couldn’t reach 200mph; it stopped at 192mph in 1981. Another run is planned in 2022.

20. 1989 Porsche 959 Sport

Porsche’s 959 is one of the greatest 1980s supercars: it’s twin-turbocharged and all-wheel drive.

Seeing one is a rare treat, and this example is even more special because it’s one of the 29 Sport models built.

These stood out from the standard 959 with a 508bhp engine and a top speed of 210mph. Better yet, this one has covered about 550 miles since it was new; it’s essentially a new car that’s 33 years old.

21. 1937 Bugatti Type 57S

In 2022, the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este’s Best in Show award went to a 1937 Bugatti Type 57S owned by Andrew Pisker of Monaco.

It is the first of four Type 57S models fitted with a body created by French coachbuilder Vanvooren.

Restoring it to concours condition was a Herculean task. At some point in its life, this Bugatti ended up in the hands of a General Motors vice president who replaced the factory-fitted straight-eight engine with a Buick-sourced V8 and used the car as a test mule.

The original engine was unexpectedly found online about four decades later and reunited with the car.