If you've thought about a vacation in Rome, stop thinking and reserve your room in the Savoy. The great Italian city will host a concours d'elegance in September 07 that promises to be unique in location and vehicles displayed. So unique that it is being billed as "the first edition of The Unique Cars International Concours." What does unique mean in this context? "Cars built as one-off models, prototypes, cars that are the sole remaining examples of a small, limited series, show and concept cars, rare cars (of which fewer than 20 were built or have survived), and the concept cars that manufacturers and their Styling Centres have used to study new lines and experiment with cutting-edge technologies."
Wow! If that's not enough to persuade you consider that "the cars and the jury, made up of expert Italian and foreign designers, will be seen in the splendid setting of Casina Valadier, an historical residence in the Pincio park, where in the past the great Roman families had the largest, most ornate gardens in the city. The programme also envisages a parade and a presentation of the cars to the public in the Piazza di Spagna."
Lancia is entering several one-off cars in its collection. Web pages already created include the Lancia Flaminia 2.5 Coupé Loraymo that was designed by Raymond Loewy, the well-known stylist and creator of the Coca-Cola bottle, built on the floorpan of the Flaminia Coupé 2.5 and exhibited at the Paris Motor Show in 1960, and the 1954 Lancia D50 Formula 1 car (see photo). Among those that became famous for other reasons is the 1910 Graef & Stift in which Archduke Francis Ferdinand and his wife Sofia, were assassinated, sparking WW1. Some of Europe's best-known museums are expected to display their most unique autos. Thanks to Nigel Matthews for this heads-up.