Published on May 21, 2026
BMW/Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este
Image Credit: BMW/Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este
Despite threats of rain and clouds, the sun shone brightly upon the shores of Lake Como, where the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este has been running since 1929. This year’s event felt as special as ever, offering its typically tiny but eclectic array of competitors along the storybook lawns of the Renaissance-era Villa d’Este.
Image Credit: BMW/Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este
The Vision BMW Alpina, a design study which prefigures a new model that will go to production next year.
Image Credit: Basem Wasef
The long, low Mercedes CLK GTR was built first as a race car and later homologated for road duty.
Image Credit: Basem Wasef
The Volkswagen W12 Nardò Concept never made it beyond the two prototypes and one driver seen here, which features inboard suspension and carbon-fiber-fitted luxury.
Image Credit: BMW/Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este
With a silky smooth flat-12 power plant, the wide-hipped Ferrari Testarossa was Maranello’s side-straked flagship when introduced in 1984.
Image Credit: BMW/Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este
One of the last examples of the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster to leave the factory, this car remarkably wears its original paint.
Image Credit: BMW/Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este
Shiny, perfectly restored examples of the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL tend to be the rule not the exception, which made this lovingly patinated droptop version of the model stand out.
Image Credit: BMW/Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este
SIATA, short for Società Italiana Auto Trasformazioni Accessori, was a Fiat tuner and accessory supplier which began building lightweight sports cars in the early 1950s. While between 30 and 35 examples of the 208 model were built by 1955, only seven bodied by Balbo remain.
Image Credit: BMW/Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este
This one-of-a-kind 1937 BMW 328 “Bügelfalte” had the chops to win Best of Show, the Villa d’Este’s top prize.
Image Credit: Basem Wasef
Weighing a trim 1,598 pounds, this lightened roadster competed in the 1940 Mille Miglia and finished sixth overall.
Image Credit: BMW/Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este
While the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance sees over 200 show cars, this year’s Villa d’Este featured only 54 competitors from 13 countries.
Authors
Basem Wasef is an automotive and motorcycle journalist and photographer with two coffee-table books to his credit: Legendary Race Cars and Legendary Motorcycles. A contributor to publications…