Alfa Romeo Tip B (P3) Wins Concorso D’Eleganza ‘Best In Show’

The Alfa Romeo Tipo B (P3) from 1934 won the contest. Historically, this speedster was by no means just any race car – it was a groundbreaking machine that redefined the concept of Grand Prix racing. Designed by the brilliant Vittorio Jano, this was one of the first true single-seater racing cars. On Sunday, the proud owner from the Auriga Collection in Germany received the prestigious winner’s prize “Trofeo BMW Group – Best of Show”. It was presented by Helmut Käs, Head of BMW Group Classic and President of the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este and Wilhelm Schmid, CEO of A. Lange
und Söhne. Alongside the stunning trophy, the winner selected by the Jury received a unique model of the 1815 Chronograph in white gold. The exclusive watch was created by A. Lange und Söhne especially for the winner of the “Best of Show”.

The “Coppa d’Oro Villa d’Este” selected by Public Referendum was won by the BMW 507 from the year 1957. Its sleek and superbly balanced body design paired with a 3.2 litre V8 engine made it an icon of automotive engineering. The Roadster, which is one of the greatest BMW icons to this day and was presented by Dirk de Groen from the United States of America, received the most votes from visitors to the event.

Friday evening saw the BMW M design world premiere of the BMW M2 CS, a new high-performance sports car conceived for sheer driving pleasure. The BMW Group Cocktail launched a festive first night with two further stunning world premieres: the BMW Concept Speedtop, an exclusive three-door interpretation of a BMW Touring with a unique colour and material concept, and the BMW Motorrad Concept RR, an insight into the next generation of BMW RR Superbikes.

The glamourous setting in the mosaic garden of Hotel Villa d´Este provided a fitting backdrop for marking the 70th anniversary of an icon in automotive design: the BMW 507. In addition, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars celebrated a special milestone, the centenary of the very first Phantom. The movie career of the pinnacle model in the marque’s portfolio was honoured with an exhibition showcasing the Rolls-Royce Phantom Goldfinger, a one-of-one masterpiece celebrating the story of the James Bond film from 1964.

On both Public Days, BMW Group Classic successfully engaged a wide and diverse range of visitors. “Amici & Automobili – Wheels & Weisswürscht“ on Saturday brought together fans of legendary automobiles and numerous enthusiasts from BMW automobile clubs alongside clubs of other brands from northern and central Europe in the extensive park of Villa Erba. An impressive exhibition of various BMW 3 Series models of all generations celebrated the 50th anniversary of the legendary model series. Following the event, an independent BMW-only auction by first-time partner Broad Arrow Auctions honoured the brand’s rich history from the first BMW 328 and BMW 507 to the dynamic BMW M models of today.

Once again sold out, the “Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este Public Day – Il Festival” attracted a large audience with its numerous highlights. Dreams came true for many fans of classic race cars with a special exhibition celebrating 85 years of the “BMW Mille Miglia Icons”. It showcased the surviving original vehicles that achieved a glorious overall Mille Miglia victory for BMW in 1940.  Other attractions on the extensive grounds of Villa Erba included the presentation of Art Car No. 13 by Sandro Chia (an artistically impressive BMW M3 GTR) and an exhibition celebrating the 70th anniversary of the three-wheeled BMW Isetta. The Public Day also gave spectators an opportunity to celebrate their shared fascination for automobility as they watched the spectacular parade of all the Historic Cars competing in the award classes of the Concorso d´Eleganza Villa d´Este 2025. The impressive show spanned an arc from the past into the future, not least through the “Concept Cars & Prototypes” class.

At the end of the parade on Sunday, Helmut Käs (Head of BMW Group Classic and President of the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este) and Massimiliano di Silvestre (President of BMW Italy) presented the proceeds from Saturday’s ticket sales and an additional amount from BMW Group Classic as a donation to Matteo Monti (Mayor of Cernobbio) for two kindergartens in the town of Cernobbio.

“The Concorso d´Eleganza Villa d´Este 2025 offers a unique opportunity to highlight the enduring fascination of mobility, seamlessly bridging the automobile’s storied past with its contemporary and future iterations. We believe this event transcends mere exclusivity. First and foremost, it is about cultivating a vibrant experience for all enthusiasts of historic cars during our dedicated Public Days,” explained Helmut Käs (CEO of BMW Group Classic and President of the Concorso d´Eleganza Villa d´Este).

“Villa d’Este has been the custodian of the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d´Este since 1929, an event that brings together tradition and timeless elegance, with class, design and engineering in a uniquely inspiring setting. Year after year, the success of the event lies in the unique cars showcased along with the emotion and passion shared by generations of motor-car enthusiasts. We are grateful to the BMW Group for the long-lasting collaboration and look forward to many more memorable events in the future,” commented Davide Bertilaccio (CEO of Villa d´Este Hotels).