Villa d’Este Style 2015
One lake, one car
For the 2015 event, we designed a new programme adding a second day. The event took place over a weekend and on the second day the cars left the magical enclave of Villa d’Este to journey along the lake, enjoying its beauty from a different perspective.
On April 11th, five “Villa d’Estes” met under the century-old plane tree, the crowning jewel of Villa d’Este’s garden. We also had a 1947 6C 2500SS coupé and a later edition 1900SS, both designed by Touring before and after the “Villa d’Este”, showing how its style evolved in the mind and in the pencil of Carlo Felice Bianchi Anderloni.
A very welcome guest was Ms. Elena Lingeri, grand-daughter of Pietro Lingeri and an architect herself. Lingeri was a founding figure of the “Razionalismo” movement, very active in Italian architecture from the 1920’s to the ‘50s. Ms. Lingeri gave a passionate speech about her grandfather’s work, with a particular focus on his Villa Leoni, which was visited the following day.
It was extremely interesting to have both Ms. Lingeri and Giovanni Bianchi Anderloni with us, their knowledge and enthusiasm almost led us to think that the genes and the DNA of these two very influential designers were there with us.
After three static editions, where the motor cars were admired for their lines and finishing details, it was time for us to see, feel and hear them on the road.
No matter how beautiful, a parked car is always missing something: on the road you can instead see all its details and, most importantly, its allure… the way it moves along the bends, on the tarmac irregularities, the way its image follows it in the shops windows and its shade chases it on the side walls.
The ‘group magic’ also made itself felt: when a number of very rare automobiles pass on a road everybody is in awe: sleepy residents, cyclists and tourists who came to admire lake Como were equally surprised and delighted by our small convoy.
Having driven up to Ossuccio, the 6C “Villa d’Estes” were ably parked in Villa Leoni’s garden. A strong contrast with the classical lines of the 500 year old Villa d’Este, was made by Lingeri’s austere lines: the villa was built in the late 1940s, just as Touring was perfecting the lines that were to be hand-beaten for the 6C “Villa d’Este” body.
Thus was written another small page in the history of this rare but seminal automobile, which is going through a period of great interest. At least four more units are currently under restoration, and we hope to see them in Villa d’Este in the next few years.