The Automotive Dream “One man and his dream had not simply left the world with an engine and four wheels; Henry Ford and his Model T had influenced people's everyday lives - where they lived, how they spent their leisure time, even how they viewed themselves.” - Gary...
Monterey Car Week & Concorso Italiano
Written by Irina
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Lagonda 16/80 Special Six 1933
English Touring The car we present to you this week is the Lagonda 16/80 Special Six in the Demers Car Collection. Lagonda was a luxury British car brand that Aston Martin eventually absorbed. Through its association with Aston Martin, it is sometimes hard to remember...
An Introduction to Lagonda
Before Aston Martin “The history of Lagonda cars is synonymous with sophistication, opulence, and groundbreaking performance” - An article for Discovery UK Today, we may recognize the name Lagonda from its association with Aston Martin. Before these two brands...
Cadillac Model A 1903
The Standard of the World “No other American car on the market in the first decade of the century was constructed to higher standards than Cadillac.” - Stephen W. Sears in The Automobile in America Some of you may know that Cadillac has long had the slogan “Standard...
Day 3
The third day was all about Italian cars. We went to the Concorso Italiano, at yet another golf club. Right at the entrance, we were confronted with rows and rows of Alfa Romeos. We decided to get breakfast from a food truck before attacking the rest of the grounds. By this time, we had seen so many interesting cars that we started to get overwhelmed.
At the Concorso, we got to walk around and get close to the cars that were participating in the Concours. We also got the chance to chat with some of the owners and take as many pictures as we wanted. In the Lamborghini section, we saw more Lamborghinis than ever before. In the Ferrari section, old and new Ferraris were competing against each other. There was even a section just for Dinos.
Rosso Corsa
Next to the Ferraris, we discovered a stand selling Rosso Corsa branded make up. Rosso Corsa is the official name of the “Ferrari red” that everyone knows. In Italian, Rosso Corsa means “racing red” in honor of the racing history of Ferrari. The owner of the brand was there and shared with us her story. She wanted to find a “Ferrari red” lipstick to attend a Ferrari event and couldn’t find one. So she decided to make it herself. She also has a passion for racing and developed eyeshadow palettes each to the colors of different F1 teams. The founder is of Italian origin, but the products are ethically produced in the United States. You can find her online or look for her kiosk at different F1 events.
A Little About Cisitalia
Another interesting story that we discovered at the Concorso Italiano is the one of a particular Cisitalia car. We have a 1947 Cisitalia in our collection, but weren’t that familiar with it yet. Talking to the owner of a magnificent Cisitalia, and the only one at the Concorso, we learned more about this short lived brand. Cisitalia produced sports and racing cars from 1947 to 1949 only. About 170 cars were produced in total, fewer than this survive today. Cisitalia cars were well received in their time due to their pioneering design and fusion of art and engineering.
The particular car that we saw at the Concorso Italiano is believed to have belonged to Eva Perón. Wife of ex Argentinian president Juan Domingo Perón, she played an important role in his political career. Evita, as she was better known, was so important to Argentinian society that her life is celebrated in the popular musical of the same name. According to the owner, the car that is now in his possession was given to her as a gift from her husband. The car is said to have contributed to her status and style within Argentinian society and cemented her as an icon of her time.
The Bugatti
We ended the day by returning to the Pebble Beach grounds to see… even more Ferraris. We also took the time to stop at the Bugatti display where we saw the new Bugatti Chiron Super Sport ‘Golden Era.’ The special car, full of artist drawings depicting the past and the future of Bugatti, represents Bugatti’s “Sur Mesure limitless personalization program.” Bugatti is yet another brand that has survived the test of time. As Type 57 Bugattis took over Sunday’s Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, the new supercars still fascinate today’s car lovers. Don’t miss tomorrow’s recap of the much anticipated 2023 Pebble Beach Concours D’Elegance.
