Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este 2018
On the grounds of the Grand Hotel Villa d’Este and Villa Erba, set against the stunning background of Lake Como in Cernobbio, Italy, the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este 2018 was held from May 25–27.
The 2018 edition of Concorso offered the opportunity to admire 51 classic vehicles representing eight decades of automotive history and enjoy the numerous attractions outside the exhibition. The showstopper of the exhibition is the unique concept of the 1970 Lancia Stratos, which still looks very futuristic.
The theme of the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este 2018 is “Hollywood on the Lake”. The range of masterpieces nominated for the beauty contest taking place next to Lake Como spans all periods in auto and film history, from the silent film epoch to the current days. Owners from 15 different nations presented the vehicles chosen for this year’s beauty contest. While seven marques in each example are from Italy and Switzerland, twelve automobiles were owned by US citizens. Between 1909 and 1985, a total of 28 different manufacturers produced the artefacts that were ultimately chosen.
The Villa d’Este Concorso d’Eleganza, supported by the BMW Group, has been held annually in May on the grounds of the Grand Hotel Villa d’Este and the nearby park of Villa Erba since 1999. The first edition was hosted at the same venue in 1929.
The Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este was last conducted in 1949 with the first brand-new post-war cars, after which the competition was forgotten for over 40 years.
The Consorso was revitalised by Italian historian and author Tito Anselmi, who also teamed up with the Villa d’Este Hotel in Cernobbio to reestablish the Concorso d’Eleganza.
The first effort at a comeback was made in 1986, though this occasion included classic cars rather than brand-new ones. Unfortunately, this was to remain a landmark occasion as it took another nine years before the 1995 Concorso retook place. The following two Concorsos happened in 1996 and 1997. There was a considerable risk that Concorso could have been totally lost to history.
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