Unique cars that have made automotive history.
A unique event that does not aim to resemble already existing competitions. Lugano Elegance 2023 offers something completely new. It is a big family made up of the City of Lugano, Lugano Region, Via Nassa Lugano Association, Monteceneri Municipality. And then there are also sponsors and partners – such as Excellence Magazine, which is the event’s Media Partner and announced the competition a while ago – who wish to raise awareness of the culture associated with classic cars from 1900 onwards. True collectors’ items that not only represent a great step in economic development, but also have in their DNA an aesthetic approach. And hence the concept of ‘Beautiful and well made’.
It is not only a way to celebrate classic cars, but also to raise money. In fact, the event, started in 2013 as a charity project of the Monteceneri Lions Club, has evolved over the years into an international event. So far, the project has raised and donated to charity around 140.000 Swiss francs (about 143.000 euros).
The 2023 edition of Lugano Elegance
The 2023 edition of Lugano Elegance opened on Friday, 5 May and was under the name of art, at the Imago Art Gallery, with the preview of the collection of automobilia “The Bonmont Sale”, which will be presented at the Bonhams auction on 18 June 2023. On the following day, Saturday 6 May, more than 50 classic cars enlivened the squares in the city center of Lugano and the lakeside promenade, staging a veritable tribute to savoir-vivre and the city of Lugano.
Among the brands featured in this edition were Alfa Romeo, Alvis, Aston Martin, Bentley, Bugatti, Delahaye, Ferrari, Iso Rivolta, Jaguar, Lagonda, Lamborghini, Lancia, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Riley, Rolls Royce, Siata, and Tatra. In addition, splendid vintage motorboats, granted by Cantieri Navali Classici, completed this parade.
Sunday 7 May, the Lions in Classic
The 9th edition of the Lions in Classic regularity rally was presented on Sunday. The main focus of the rally was on rediscovering and enhancing the local area. The competitors, starting from the Splash & Spa in Rivera, challenged each other with several regularity and skill tests on the roads of the Mesolcina and Calanca Valleys, all the way to Lostallo where a lunch with some Swiss Lachs delicacies was served, opened by the greeting of the Mayor of Lostallo.
The prize-giving ceremony
The prize-giving ceremony was with the Mayor of Lugano, Michele Foletti, partners, sponsors and lively spectators. There was a parade of cars along the lakeside during the prize-giving ceremony, with commentary in Italian by Franco Ronchi and in English by Max Girardo.
The winner of the Best of Show award was the Bugatti 57 Gangloff, year 1938. The car, which also won the ‘Travelling in Style’ category, came out on top against two other pieces of history: a 1938 Delahaye 135 M Chapron and a 1929 Mercedes-Benz 710 SS Rennwagen.
In addition to the Lugano Elegance trophy, designed by Marco Pagot, the Best of Show also won a Lonville timepiece, a Rallymaster chronograph dedicated to the world of classic cars and produced in a limited series of only 88 pieces.
The other prizes
The two prizes mentioned earlier were not the only ones at Lugano Elegance. In fact, two other special prizes and eight category prizes were also awarded. The special prize ‘Best Preserved Alfa Romeo‘, by RIAR-Registro Italiano Alfa Romeo, went to the Alfa Romeo 1750 4th Series J. Young, year 1930. The winner of the special “Best Documented Car” award, by The Motor Chain, was the Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 cabrio Turinga, year 1949.
The gala dinner
As mentioned earlier, Lugano Elegance is not only a unique moment to admire classic cars, but also a moment to raise funds for charity. For the occasion, a charity dinner was organized at the Sala Panorama of the LAC with around 200 guests. After a fashion show by fashion designer Miriam Tirinzoni, in collaboration with Petra Peter, there was a charity auction held by Max Girardo, former auctioneer of the RM Sotheby’s auction house. The items included a very rare and sought-after book on the EB110 edited by Julius Kruta and then one of Marco Pagot’s NFT creations.
