Villa d'Este Style: How to look sharp at Lago di Como

As well as enabling aficionados to get close to some of the world's rarest, most immaculate and most covetable motor cars, the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este also provides an excellent excuse to dump the ubiquitous jeans and baseball caps and indulge in some appropriately sophisticated dressing…

Ever since the event was first held in 1929, the Concorso has been a by-word for sophistication both for its achingly beautiful setting on the shores of Lake Como and for the genteel nature of its gently milling crowds - so, rather like Ascot or the Henley Royal Regatta, it's one of those 'dos' where 'looking the part' significantly adds to its attraction.

Be wise to the weather

For spectating men, it's an opportunity to don traditional summer staples such as pink or blue striped seersucker jackets, ivory linen suits or, perhaps, a classic gilt-button blazer. (In this regard, I would always favour the shamelessly formal 'Squadron' by British brand Daks.)

It is, however, important to be weather-wise - while the 'lago' is undeniably beautiful, even in May it can encourage a biting wind, and the occasional downpour is not unheard of. As a result, a back-up cashmere sweater is advisable, thrown casually over the shoulders 'Euro style' or perhaps contained in your Vuitton shoulder bag along with your compact Leica, telescopic umbrella, Villa d'Este programme and supply of 'cartes de visite' (you never know who you might meet....)

No Nomex, please

If a tie seems a trifle formal, a casually worn cravat of silk or cotton should cover the neckwear department, while Gucci loafers or Tod's driving shoes will ensure hours of pain-free strolling and a proper, roll-up Panama is worth keeping to hand in case the sun gets fierce.

Participating owners, meanwhile, can go to town with the tweed sports coats and lightweight driving gloves - but, even if you're behind the wheel of a piece of hot competition machinery, leave the period overalls at home. And positively no Nomex...

Where every woman looks like Grace Kelly

For women, of course, the Concorso provides a golden opportunity for gossamer dresses, intriguing headwear (brims not too big) and a good reason to pull off your best Grace Kelly. And don't forget - be prepared for erratic weather. And sensible heels only...

Photos: © Jan Baedeker for Classic Driver

Classic Driver reports live from the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este 2014 – and is kindly supported by Berenberg private bank. For the latest articles from Lake Como, click here.

black !

a ride around Paris organized by RRL in colaboration with Blitz Motorcycles

Timeless Classics: Cord 810/812 Convertible

Would you stand on one car in order to get a good look at another – at a motor show? If you’re a Classic Driver type, probably not, but that’s the kind of behaviour attendees at the packed 1935 New York Motor Show apparently resorted to in order to catch a glimpse of the latest Cord…

Hopes were high in the lead-up to the unveiling of the Cord 810 (later the 812); its predecessor, the L-29, had become America’s first front-wheel-drive car. This had led to the marque becoming famous for marrying innovative features to beautiful coachwork – and the 810 would only strengthen this reputation. Penned by the celebrated designer Gordon Buehrig, it was one of eight cars chosen for the Museum of Modern Art’s ‘Eight Automobiles’ exhibition in 1951. To give you an idea of the prestige of such a call-up, other works of four-wheeled art selected for inclusion were a 1937 Talbot-Lago Teardrop Coupé, and a 1947 Cisitalia 202 Coupé.

From show-cars to step-ladders

But what led to the anarchy of the 1935 New York unveiling, at which the audience was said to have clambered onto the bumpers (or roofs, depending what you read) of the other show cars? Well, that might have been an urban myth – but it also could have been the 810’s hidden headlamps (a world-first), the bluff, louvred ‘coffin-nose’, or even the absence of the era-essential running boards. The latter was possible due to the same norm-shunning principles applied within the unibody contruction: the four-speed gearbox lay ahead of the Lycoming V8 that drove the front wheels, equating to a lower car (no need for a step) and a roomier cabin. Further spatial benefits came courtesy of a ‘step-down’ floor, the touring credentials of its larger Duesenberg cousins almost matched in a smaller, arguably better-looking package.

Two up, two down

That package was available in four variants: Westchester and Beverly (both saloons), and two open cars – the two-passenger Convertible Coupe and the five-passenger Convertible Phaeton Sedan. At its Motor City auction in July, RM will offer an example of each open car, both at ‘No Reserve’. The example seen here is an 812 Phaeton, fitted with the supercharger option (see tell-tale bonnet sidepipes) offered to the sporting set later in the model’s short production window. Ultimately, the later-life additions weren’t enough to see Cord fulfil its ambitions of producing an innovative, reliable, high-performance machine with cutting-edge styling and an inexpensive price tag – particularly unrealistic in the wake of the Great Depression.

Ahead of its time

Demand tailed off and the company was closed, but the 810’s legacy would endure. Aside from museum awards and a posthumous 17-year land speed record – set by Ab Jenkins just a month after 812 production had ceased – the car’s brilliance also lived on through its subsequent industry influence on styling and engineering. That brilliance endures to this day thanks to its modern collectability; indeed, should you want to add an American machine to a European collection, one of the prettiest cars built in the States to date would be a fine place to start.

Photos: RM Auctions

This article is part of the 'Timeless Classics' feature series that is presented and supported by our friends at RM Auctions.

Dirt Live Episode

Broadcast live streaming video on Ustream">
Broadcast live streaming video on Ustream

Is the Alfa Romeo 6C 2500SS Villa d'Este the most elegant classic car ever?

As one of the high points in Alfa Romeo’s fruitful relationship with coachbuilder Touring, the 6C 2500SS Villa d’Este Coupé epitomises automotive elegance – and that applies beneath the graceful coachwork, too…

The proportion-perfect 6C 2500SS Villa d’Este Coupé was the last in a long line of legendary six-cylinder Alfa Romeos, a breed that had enjoyed fame and competition fortune during the inter-war years. While its developmental roots lay back in the mid-20s (when engineer Vittorio Jano had sired Alfa’s celebrated straight-six), the configuration was by no means outdated in the immediate post-War period. In fact, the Tipo 256 – also based on a 6C 2500 chassis – had proven itself still relevant in the late 1930s, performing well at Le Mans, the Mille Miglia and in the Tripoli-Tobruk.

A second christening

Incidentally, the Tipo 256 racing car had also been bodied by Milanese coachbuilder Touring – and in the late 40s, it was invited by Alfa Romeo to be the latest house to style a road-going version, of course using its patented Superleggera construction technique. The platform was the shortest-wheelbase chassis of the 6C 2500; the engine it hosted was a triple-Webered version of the 2443cc straight-six, making it an ‘SS’. Shown at an early Villa d’Este concours (namely the 2nd iteration, at which it won the Coppo d’Oro), the gorgeous coupé was green-lit for a limited-production run – and also given the ‘Villa d’Este’ suffix in celebration of winning the coveted award.

Concours queen by name...

Initially planned as a 25-car run for Alfa Romeo’s most wealthy clientele, production would ultimately extend beyond 30 cars (including a handful of convertibles): the most generally agreeable figure is 36. Of these, one is owned by the Villa d’Este hotel and displayed as an art piece. Further testament to its elegance should not be needed; but it’s there should it be required. Pedigree of its mechanical underpinnings and coachwork notwithstanding, the Villa d’Este Coupé can also claim to be the last hand-built Alfa Romeo – thus representing a pinnacle in the storied marque’s timeline.

Photos: © Steve Hall for Classic Driver

The Alfa Romeo 6C 2500SS Villa d'Este Coupé seen here is currently for sale via Dutch dealer Heijstee Classics.

Ogier dans le top-ten au Lausitzring

Le Champion du monde des Rallyes FIA 2013 était ce week-end au volant d’une Audi R8 LMS « ultra » sur le circuit du Lausitzring à l’occasion de la troisième manche du championnat ADAC GT Masters. Le pilote Volkswagen a terminé dans le top-ten.

L’an passé, Seb Ogier avait participé à une manche de Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup sur le circuit de Monaco. Cette année, après avoir assisté à une course d’ADAC GT Masters à Oschersleben fin avril, le Champion du monde des Rallyes a été invité à participer au meeting du Lausitzring sur une Audi R8 LMS « ultra » (550 chevaux) du team Prosperia C Abt Racing.

Le Français était associé à l’Allemand Markus Winkelhock, Champion du monde FIA GT 2012 sur l’Audi N°12. Le team engageait deux autres Audi R8 LMS « ultra » pour ses équipages « experts » : René Rast/Kelvin Van der Linde sur la N°10 et Fabian Hamprecht/Nicky Thiim sur la N°11.

Vendredi, les essais libres des deux champions du monde ont été contrariés par des ennuis mécaniques. C’est donc sans avoir bouclé beaucoup de tours que Seb et Markus ont pris part aux qualifications. L’Audi N°12 s’est classée 12^e des Qualifs 1 et seulement 19^e des Qualifs 2.

Samedi, la course 1 (60 minutes) a tourné court pour la N°12 (13^e à l’arrivée) : « Markus a été envoyé en tête-à-queue par un concurrent au départ. Il est reparti en fond de peloton et on n’avait plus aucun espoir », a déclaré Sébastien Ogier. « Du coup, ça m’a enlevé un peu de pression et j’ai pu me concentrer sur mon pilotage et prendre de l’expérience. »

Le lendemain, Sébastien Ogier a pris le départ de la course 2. L’Audi N°12 a terminé 8^e : « J’ai pris beaucoup de plaisir ce week-end. J’ai progressé au fils des tours et mes chronos n’étaient pas mauvais. Nos résultats auraient pu être mieux, mais on a eu un problème aux essais et nous n’avions pas beaucoup roulé. C’était une super expérience et je tiens à remercier le team et mes équipiers. »

Une session freeride de rêve dans l’Utah

Suivez Ronnier Renner et ses amis pour une session extraordinaire dans le désert de l’Utah.

Ronnie Renner fait partie de deux types de privilégiés : ceux dont le nom de famille est un palindrome et ceux qui gagnent leur vie grâce au FMX. De l’avis de tous, il est bien plus intéressant de faire partie de la deuxième catégorie.

Le pilote américain a emmené ses amis du Ronnie Renner Freeride Tour dans le désert autour de Caineville, dans l’Utah, où les possibilités pour les pilotes de motocross sont infinies. Lignes de rêve, style éblouissant, paysages somptueux : la vidéo ci-dessus se passe de commentaire !

montez !

Triumph Scrambler – Dagger Cycles

I’ve always liked the idea of custom bikes having a soundtrack. So much so, we used to always ask the builders who were featured on the site the same question – ‘if your bike was a song, which one would it be?’ Naturally, most of the answers were somehow related to Rock ‘n’ Roll. And as if by a beautiful stroke of serendipity, today’s feature bike is not only a baby of rock, she’s the spawn of the rockiest rock there is –punk rock. Being big fans of the bloody sprawling mess that is punk, we were naturally all ears… and eyes, too. And what a sight to behold; here’s Dagger Cycles latest and greatest hit, a blacker-than-black Triumph Scrambler with an attitude that makes Sid Vicious look like Sid James.

Dagger’s main blade is Roberto ‘Roby’ Polizzi, from the Northern Italian city of Biella. ”From what I can recall, I’ve always been in the two-wheeled world since I was a little child. I worked in a motorbike spare parts shop in the past and now in a motorcycle garage with my new project Dagger Cycles. The name comes from the two daggers I got tattooed on my arms; I also chose that name because it almost sounds like we’re ‘stabbing’ the stock bikes with modifications. Which is cool.”

Roberto’s current theory is that customising a bike is more or less like listening to punk music. “You can have it hardcore and screaming loud or easy listening and simple. It’s always punk, it’s always a middle finger against pop, but the chords, the voice, the riffs are completely different.”

Dagger Cycles’ first creation was the “Little Misfit,” a sort of post-atomic insect borne from the ashes of a Yamaha TT350. That, says Roberto, was crazy hardcore. Now Roberto seems to have built something completely different. Granted, it’s not a full custom build. We’d like to think of it as more of a re-imagining of the original design, but with much more attitude. Bad attitude.

“Herbert, the bike’s owner, wanted something with more mischief, but without cutting the frame in two. The main parts are in the same place in which they were assembled on the line in Hinckley: just some of the details have changed and, tah-dah, the Scrambler looks very nasty.”

The specifics? The tank was brushed and decorated with a new, bigger logo and finished with coloured, transparent paint. The owner wanted it to ‘look shorter,’ so Roberto modified the rear fender and the seat without removing the bike’s ability to carry a passenger or having to chop the frame.

They then added a lot of little particulars made by Dagger Cycles themselves: a drilled side panel, the indicators, the MX handlebars and the new dashboard. The exhaust was an Arrow one and was literally cooked on a spit to achieve the patina you see here. Yummy. The new rubber is a new pair of Continental off-roaders, flagging that the bike’s more than a little ways away from original. As Roberto says, “why listen to One Direction when you can have Rancid?”

The list of other Dagger additions is long. They fabled up bar-end mirrors, indicators, a seat, exhaust covers and side panels amongst many, many other bespoke pieces. The speedo is from Acewell, and the ‘bars are Ergal MX’s that have been black powder coated. The front and rear lights are Bates replicas. There’s a few after-market Triumph additions too, and it’s all held up with Gazi adjustable rear shocks.

Paolino (L) is Dagger Cycles’ official photographer, Roberto (R) is their Chief Stabber

All up, it’s one hell of a Triumph build and we’re more than a little excited to see what their next album build produces. We’re fairly sure you’ll agree that this is one shop who’s amps definitely go all the way up to eleven.

[via Gianrico Nai]

via PIPEBURN

BRT Normande #2, la vallée de l'Eure pour 2014

L’esprit trail du voyage à moto des années 70/80, au travers d’une rando dans la vallée de l'Eure




Au guidon de votre trail* préféré. (Seul ou avec passager.) 200 km et bien plus de virages encore, (les tétines n’ont qu’à bien se tenir, ) découvrez des petites routes et quelques grands chemins peu fréquentés serpentant le long de nombreux cours d’eau et traversant de pittoresques villages Normand aux nombreux café-terrasses accueillants. ...   

9h00, départ de la Roche Guyon, en direction du Nord/Ouest, à la recherche d'un pont pour traverser la Seine,  petites routes, chemins et traversées de forêts pour arriver sur les rives de l'Eure.

Halte sympa le midi.

Retour vers 17h00 à travers les paysages de Normandie, et les falaises des rives de la seine.



PRATIQUE:

Quand: Dimanche 21 septembre 2014

*Quelle moto: Tous les Trails et Scrambler des années 70/80,  les petites cylindrées et les motos plus anciennes prêtent à rouler dans quelques chemins sont les bienvenues.

Départ: La Roche Guyon, village très sympa en bord de Seine à 60 kms à l'ouest de Paris. Les GPS connaissent.

Arrivée: On fait simple, nous revenons au point de départ (la Roche Guyon pour ceux qui ne suivraient pas).

Comment: Parcours au RoadBook pour un rythme adapté à chaque pilote.

Chiffres: une boucle d'environ 200 kms sur une journée, (autonomie de 70 / 80 kms minimum.)

Pourquoi: Pour se retrouver et rouler cool, sans chrono, au guidon de nos sympathiques trails.

Qui: Le Rétro Enduro Club de France (RECF)

Combien: 39 euros; café, croissants, road-book, déjeuner et pot d'arrivée compris. (Passager, 28 euros.)

Inscription: [Prochainement]

Contact & infos: tpouge at yahoo.fr

via enduro80s

What not to miss at the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este 2014

This coming weekend, the classic beauties of the automotive world meet once again at the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este. Classic Driver is already there – and can now bring you the forthcoming highlights of the event…

For the last 14 years, the international automotive collectors’ community has enjoyed the patronage of BMW for its fabulous beauty contest in the gardens of the Grand Hotel Villa d'Este on Lake Como. The Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este is – along with Pebble Beach, the Goodwood Revival and the Le Mans Classic – one of the major highlights of the classic calendar. And as always, you can look forward to an exceptional programme.

The Great Gatsby on Lake Como

The Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este 2014 is all about 'The Great Gatsby': on Friday evening, the venerable estates of Villa d'Este and Villa Erba will become glamorous open-air cinemas, starring Leonardo Di Caprio on the silver screen. And on Saturday, Gatsby is back again – this time in the form of a dedicated concours category, where you can look forward to Art Deco cars from Hispano-Suiza, Duesenberg, Rolls-Royce and Packard.

Maserati and Rolls-Royce in focus

On Maserati's 100th birthday, the marque enjoys an entire class to itself, with six important models on display, including a 1929 Maserati V4 Sport with Zagato bodywork and a 1957 Maserati 150 GT prototype. Rolls-Royce, too, with its 110-year history, is another venerable marque represented by six important models from its history – with cars from 1908 through to 1963 – displaying the elegant handiwork of bodyshop legends Barker, Gurney Nutting, Park Ward, Harold Radford and Mulliner. In addition, Saturday will see the debut of the new Waterspeed Collection from Rolls-Royce.

Gone with the Wind

The delights continue, with ‘Gone with the Wind’ an apt way to name a class that sees curvaceous 1930s legends from the likes of Mercedes, Lancia and Bugatti, and ‘Villa d’Este Style’ describing the cream of Alfa Romeo, Ferrari and Cisitalia from the 1940s and 1950s. ‘From St. Tropez to Portofino’ combines the best elements of 1950s roadsters and convertibles, while such varied style icons of the circuit as the Ferrari 250 GT Tour de France and Fiat 8V come under the label of ‘Gentleman Drivers’. Meanwhile, hardcore racing machines of the calibre of Jaguar D-type and Porsche 904 GTS can be found in the ‘Da Corsa’ class.

Elegance on two wheels

Even the two-wheelers have their own dedicated class – this being the fourth time that the Concorso di Motocicletti has brought top historic racing machines together. Among the participants can be found the oldest known BMW R32.

Future classics

But the very special allure of the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este is in the mix of great classics andfuturistic design studies. This year, six concept cars have been announced, including the spectacular Maserati Alfieri, the acclaimed Volvo Concept Estate, and the Aston Martin DBS Zagato Centennial. We’re also looking forward to two surprising concept studies from BMW Motorrad andMini…

Classic Driver reports live from the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este 2014 – and is kindly supported by the Berenberg private bank. For the latest articles from Lake Como, click here.