The 85th edition of the tradition-rich event on Lake Como in Italy took place from 23 to 25 May. It was hosted for the 10th time by BMW Group Classic and the Villa d'Este luxury hotel. The organisers added programme highlights that tied in with some significant anniversaries.
Visitors to the grounds of Villa d'Este and the adjacent parkland of Villa Erba in the northern Italian town of Cernobbio joined the celebrations to mark the 110th anniversary of the Rolls-Royce brand, and also a 100 years of Maserati. The history of the British luxury car manufacturer was the theme of a special exhibition in the rotunda at Villa Erba.
The Italian sports car brand's landmark was celebrated with a special competition class in the BMW Group Italia Trophy beauty contest and the Coppa d'Oro Villa d'Este prize decided by public vote. Among the entrants in this class was a Maserati 450 S. The 1956 racing machine is the second of only nine examples of this model ever made.
Another competition class was dedicated to the overall theme for this year's event, the visual magnificence of the 1925 novel The Great Gatsby by F Scott Fitzgerald.
Visitors enjoyed the latest remake of the classic movie The Great Gatsby starring Leonardo DiCaprio on a big screen. A gala dinner for guests of honour and a vehicle parade on the Saturday and Sunday also reflected the glamour of the theme. The Great Gatsby class of the historic car competition featured classic examples from the Roaring Twenties, including a model from the legendary Duesenberg brand this year was the fourth year of the Concorso di Motociclette beauty contest on two wheels.
And, like the models in the car competitions, the line-up of historic motorcycles was also immersed in the spirit of the Roaring Twenties. Among the models dating back to the era that formed the backdrop for The Great Gatsby were two four-cylinder mo-dels from US brands ACE and Henderson. Also on the list of entrants was a BMW R 32 bearing the serial number 26, the oldest known example of its type, with which the spectacular history of BMW Motorrad began 91 years ago.
A total of 35 classic motorcycles registered for this year's competition. On the Saturday a convoy of historic motorcycles paraded from Como to Cernobbio. The bikes stopped at the showplace for the Historic Car Parade at Villa d'Este before heading to the adjacent parkland of Villa Erba.
The Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este again providee a bridge between the past and future of vehicle aesthetics, with visionary designs from various eras. Outside of competition, the BMW Group revealed concept studies created by its automotive and motorcycle design experts.
The Mini brand also celebrated an anniversary: 50 years ago, the classic Mini won the legendary Monte Carlo Rally for the first time.
Another highlight was celebrating 55 years of the BMW 700. This has become the brand's highest selling model to date, paving the way for successful development. At the gala evening, a BMW 700 from the BMW Group Classic collection was auctioned with proceeds donated to a charity.
Fifty-five years of the BMW 700 were celebrated at the famous Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este 2014 in Italy with a special charity auction.
