Italian Cars That Made History: “Concorso Italiano 2019”

Saturday, August 17th, as part of the exclusive Monterey Car Week in California, 1,000 Italian dream cars will show off in style to celebrate major landmarks in their history: the 50th anniversary of the Ferrari Dino 246 GT and the Iso Lele, the 60th of De Tomaso and the 70th of Abarth. The event will delight visitors with numerous gems, including an exhibition of seldom-seen Italian motorcycles.

Monterey, 30 July 2019 – It's time for the 34th edition of “Concorso Italiano”, the event that brings together the most prestigious brands in the history of Italian car design for a showcase of current and vintage models, fostering a creative dialogue between product and passion before the discerning American public. About 800 to 1,000 Italian cars gather each August in Monterey, California, and about 10,000 lucky visitors get to admire them in all their splendour.

Tom Mc Dowell, President of Concorso Italiano, says: “The programme of “Concorso Italiano 2019” includes an event celebrating the 50th anniversary of the sinuous Ferrari Dino 246GT. Designed by Leonardo Fioravanti, this model was among the favourites of Sergio Pininfarina. It was the first Ferrari with less than 12 cylinders, and it reflected its creator's ambition to develop a more affordable super sports car. Heacock Classic, a leader in classic car insurance for collectors, will host Jack May and his 1973 Ferrari Dino 264 GT. In 1975, Jack May and his Dino made history when they took part in the Cannonball Baker Sea-to-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy Dash, establishing a world record time for the cost-to-coast run from New York to Los Angeles”.

Many prestigious brands will display their models on the green hills of Bayonet & Black Horse Golf Club, overlooking the Pacific Ocean, at the heart of the most important luxury car market in the planet.

“We at Heacock Classic are proud to again partner with Jack to promote our collector car lifestyle and we’re very excited to bring him to this year’s Concorso Italiano” - said Pete Doriguzzi, Vice President of Heacock Classic - With Concorso’s focus on Italian cars, Jack and his Dino is the perfect policyholder and car to represent Heacock’s support for the ongoing growth of our hobby.”

This year also marks the return of Concorso Ferrari FCA-PR Vintage, where FCA stands for Ferrari Club of America. Ryan Pimentel, the director of FCA-PR Concorso, will chair the jury, joined by a team of experienced and highly talented judges. The VFC (Vintage Ferrari Concours) evaluation is open to all Ferraris pre-2011 and will be carried out along the guidelines of the International Advisory Council for the preservation of Ferrari automobiles (IAC / PFA).

The FCA Group exhibition is dedicated to Fiat, Abarth and Lancia and to the 50th anniversary of Club Fiat America. It was the summer of 1969 when Fiat America was established, together with North America's first Fiat Club. Its mission was - and still is - to promote the image and support the preservation of vehicles by Fiat and its Italian subsidiaries. The Fiat America Race, Rally and Tour Group, which is active year-round and organizes numerous events, will be especially involved this summer on the occasion of its anniversary, culminating with its participation in "Concorso Italiano". As guests, the Fiat and Abarth Clubs will collaborate with “Concorso Italiano” to make sure this is the central event in their celebratory club activities.

Alfa Romeo will also be present, and enthusiasts will have a chance to admire three iconic models by the Biscione house: the legendary Giulietta and Giulietta Spider models from 1955 - four-wheeled emblems of Italian Dolce Vita, and the Junior Zagato, which is celebrating the 50th anniversary of its first appearance in 1969.

Additionally, a rare 1964 Zagato prototype, shipped to America for the occasion by Turin-based collector Marco Gastaldi, will be on display. It is one of only three Zagato prototypes built on a Hillman Imp chassis, based on a design by Ercole Spada. The vehicle is lighter than the original and its design is far more advanced. Elio Zagato held high hopes for this project, even establishing a British-based subsidiary: Zagato Ltd. This model, the only one with adjustable “eyebrows” above the headlights, took part in the 1964 edition of the Earl's Court Car Show. It still has the original UK registration listing “British Zagato Ltd.” as manufacturer.

De Tomaso, another historic brand, will also be among the stars of "Concorso Italiano" as it celebrates 60 years since the company's founding in 1959. For the occasion, KABC-TV meteorologist Dallas Raines will display his 1974 Pantera L, an iconic supercar of the Stylin’ Seventies. The vehicle was recently restored and is ready to be showcased in all its beauty.

Additionally, the Ideal Team Ventures, who secured the De Tomaso brand, has launched and will display the all new P72. This spectacular supercar will sure to please the audience at the Concorso Italiano.

Issimi, the premier platform for peer-to-peer car sales, will proudly showcase the 542-hp MAT New Stratos 2019, built on a Ferrari F430 platform, which pays homage to the legendary Lancia sportscar from the 1970s (492 units built between 1973 and 1978). The striking design of the New Stratos reprises the unmistakable lines of its world-famous predecessor, offering an exciting new twist on the most iconic and successful rally car of the 1970s. For MAT (Manifattura Automobili Torino), being tasked with the realization of the New Stratos represents a reward for all the progress made by the company in recent years. Since its founding in 2014, MAT has been involved in 4 different projects related to the design, development and manufacturing of hypercars and racing prototypes, establishing itself as a niche leader name in the Italian automotive landscape.

UAE-based automaker W Motors will present its newest hypercar, the famous Fenyr Supersport, driven by Ralph Debbas himself, the company's Lebanese founder and CEO. The W Motors Fenyr Supersport was designed and developed in Dubai by W Motors in partnership with Magna Steyr Italy, Studio Torino and RUF Automobile. The vehicle, which sells for 1.4 million dollars, was engineered and assembled in Turin.

Triumph will celebrate the Italia 2000 model, a coupe built on the chassis of the TR3, in limited production from 1958 to 1962. This elegant and highly refined model is a true rarity, sure to awe all those who will be lucky enough to see it live.

Pirelli, one of the world's largest tyre manufacturers and the global leader in the prestige and premium segments, will partner with "Concorso Italiano" through Pirelli Tire North America. Active from over 140 years, the brand has recently expanded its portfolio with a range of premium products that includes classic car tyres, Pirelli Collezione, designed to blend style with performance. This link to the world of classic cars has prompted the company to join “Concorso Italiano” with the Pirelli Perfect Fit award, raising funds for the Concorso Italiano Foundation, which supports the children of Jacob’s Heart Children’s Cancer Support Service.

One of the awards at Concorso Italiano 2019 is the Preservation Award: a special prize dedicated to Doug Magnon in recognition of his lifelong passion. Magnon was a staunch supporter of the local automobile community who firmly believed in the power of cars to enrich people's lives. The prize will be awarded to an owner who has never been tempted to modify their vehicle in the hopes of improving it. Preservation doesn’t mean perfection: it means preserving the original driving experience.

Finally, there will be a pleasant surprise for all two-wheel enthusiasts: the exhibition of a rare models from the Talbott Motorcycles collection. Over the years, Robb Talbott has collected about 200 motorcycles from 16 different countries. Surely, this particular exhibition will warm the hearts of the many riders and bike enthusiasts in attendance.

BEST IN SHOW AWARD 2019

Born from an idea by Raffaello Porro, CEO of StudioRPR and Concorso Italiano ambassador in Italy since 2015, the Best in Show Award returns this year with a brand-new trophy. The intriguing creation, designed by Icona Design Group's Samuel Chuffart and manufactured by Egidio Reali of MR Collection, channels the spirit of automotive design.

Samuel Chuffart, tasked with designing the 2019 Best in Show Award, proudly proclaimed, "As a car designer and lover of Italian car design, being asked to create the sculpture for the 2019 Concorso Italiano award was an incredible honour. I worked as an artist before becoming an automotive designer, so this seemed like an opportunity for me to create a new shape without worrying about “speed”, but rather aiming to create a sculpture that could exist merely as an art object.”

LA BELLA MACCHINA AWARD GOES TO MARIO CARLO BACCAGLINI

To be into the universe of prestige cars, we need an exceptional guest: Mario Carlo Baccaglini, the Italian entrepreneur who for over 30 years has organized the most important event for the historic four-wheelers in Italy, in Padua, “Auto e Moto d’Epoca”. Thanks to his strong passion, the event has become one of the unmissable events on the international scene.

“The city of Padua welcomes enthusiasts from all over the world who come to Auto and Moto d'Epoca in search of Italian excellence every year. Here they find the cars that have made the history of the Italian car, together with the excellent restorers of our country and a vast assortment of original spare parts” Baccaglini explains "I am honored to receive the Italian Competition Award at Monterey Car Week. And to represent the culture of the Italian Classic in the appointment dedicated to the most renowned vintage car in the world. The confirmation of the work carried out in recent years and a symbol of Italian excellence in the world”.

For the first time at Monterey Car Week, Mario Carlo Baccaglini will be the guest of Concorso Italiano 2019 where he will be awarded with La Bella Macchina Award and so he will be part of the “Concorso Italiano” Hall of Fame.

VALENTINO BALBONI AWARD

For the third year running, Concorso Italiano will have Valentino Balboni presenting the award named for him to the most beautiful Lamborghini. The prize for the “Valentino Balboni Award 2019” will be a creation by young Italian artist Francesca Lugli. Born in Carpi (Modena) in 1982, Francesca is a watercolour painter and the second artist from Emilia, after Luca Raimondi, to take part in this prestigious event. Titled “The Sign of Creation”, her work evokes concepts such as speed, strength, character, determination, sensuality and motion. A dream that comes true because it isn’t scared of anything.

Here are Francesca Lugli’s thoughts about Lamborghini: “Ferruccio's dream knew no obstacles, because there are no obstacles to will power. He decided to create something unique against everyone's best advice, convinced that it would be successful and eternal, like an indelible mark in history, destined to keep moving forward.”

Connect2Cars

Wednesday, August 14th, the clubhouse at the Bayonet & Black Horse golf club will host the Speakers Breakfast at eight o'clock, a moment of conviviality that will officially launch the “2019 Monterey Car Week”. This will be a fabulous opportunity to mingle with some key figures in the auto sector, including Barry Meguiar (President of Meguiar, a leader in the production of car and motorcycle care products), Raffaello Porro (Concorso Italiano ambassador in Italy and head of StudioRPR, a consulting firm based in Carpi - Modena), Bruce Wanta (owner of Mulholland Speedster aka “the world's most beautiful roadster”) and Wade Kawasaki (Chairman of the Board of Directors at SEMA and President of Legendary Ventures, owners of numerous brands including Coker Tires). Following the breakfast, Dan Putnam and Nicholas Bergeron of the Rain City Supercars podcast will conduct a series of interviews. Afterwards, all participants will drive off along one of three scenic routes, enjoying the spectacular roads and landscapes of Monterey County. Special thanks go to Heacock Insurance, Pirelli Tyres, Meguiar, Jet Center Events and Solare. Thanks to their support, all proceeds from the event will benefit Jacob's Heart Children's Cancer Support Services, which is actively involved in logistical support for the children with cancer. Jacob’s Heart helps assure the children get to their much-needed appointments, supports the families of the children and helps ease the challenges associated with this disease.

Media partnership

Starting this year, Concorso - whose communication is managed by StudioRPR - will utilise the Lulop platform for the publication of press releases and of all photo/video content.

Concorso Italiano

Concorso Italiano® is the can’t-miss event that blends refinement, taste and luxury, embracing all cultural elements of Italian Style, from music to cuisine and from fashion to tourism. The event is centred around 1,000 Italian collector cars. Concorso is a showcase that celebrates car passion. And although the vehicles are truly magnificent, this event is about people as much as it is about cars. Which is why it's unanimously regarded as a top-notch event that is genuinely fun!

The enthusiasts who take part in this event represent a highly desirable demographic hailing from all over the world. 80% are entrepreneurs or professionals, and 70% belong to the highest income brackets. Concorso Italiano® is also a major contributor to numerous charity organisation at the local, national and international level.

www.concorso.com