30.08.2004 ITALIAN CARs take annual dutch concours d'elegance at paleis het loo by STORM

The annual Dutch Concours d’élégance at Paleis Het Loo took place on 28 and 29 August. The classic car event is unequalled in its kind in the Netherlands, representing the finest cars in a royal setting.

This year a National Concours featured on Saturday whilst an International Concours was held on Sunday. During the event in the royal park on the premises of Palace Het Loo in Apeldoorn, an expert jury assessed the cars of the participants and elected the best car in each class.

This year’s jury included Pininfarina’s design director Lorenzo Ramaciotti and Andrea Zagato. The ‘Best of Show’ award went to the 1952 Fiat 8V Demon Rouge, designed by Giovanni Michelotti and bodied by Vignale. The award for the most authentic car in the national concours went to a 1979 Alfa Romeo Alfasud.  

As usual, a fine array of Italian cars were present, ranging from exotica such as a brace of Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 competition cars, to concours examples of popular classic Fiats such as the 500 and 600 Multipla.  

In association with the 50^th anniversary of Franco Scaglione’s Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint, Bertone symbolized one of the show’s special features this year. Bertone-bodied cars included a 1954 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint, the 1958 Jaguar XK150 S ‘XKE’, the 1961 Aston Martin DB4/GT Jet, an Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint Speciale, a 1966 Lamborghini Miura, the 1968 Alfa Romeo Carabo (based on a Tipo 33), an Iso Grifo 7 Litri and the recent 2004 Aston Martin Jet 2 concept.

By far the most outrageous car of the show, the Bertone Carabo was the first car to implement the scissor door design later made legendary on the Lamborghini Countach.  

Lancia was represented by a beautiful 1938 Astura Convertible, a 1952 Aurelia Pinin Farina Coupe Speciale, an Aurelia B20 GT, an Appia GTE Zagato and a pair of gorgeous Aurelia Spiders, including a rare B24 America Spider.   

Glamorous Alfa Romeo’s included the 1947 6C 2500 S Cabriolet ‘Extra Lusso’ with one-off Stabilimenti Farina bodywork designed by Michelotti. This particular example represented the basis of the production cabriolet model introduced in 1948.  

A number of Ferrari’s were also in attendance, including a pristine 330 GTC, a 365 GTB/4 ‘Daytona’ and a rare 250 GT Boano. 

Other Italian beauties included a charming Pinin Farina Cisitalia 202 Gran Sport, a Bizzarrini GT Strada 5300 and a sharp-looking Lamborghini 350 GT.

A sprint organised along the Palace ground’s central tree-lined avenue demonstrated a number of the presented cars in motion to the public. Due to the event being sponsored by Dutch tyre manufacturer Vredestein, some drivers took full advantage of their free tyres.

Meanwhile an aerobatics display by leading Dutch aerobatic pilot Frank Versteegh wooed the crowd in his Extra 300 L. Versteegh is one of the world’s top 5 aerobatic display pilots, and to make his brilliant stunts even more unusual, Frank always flies with Joe, his Jack Russell terrier, as co-pilot.  

By James Granger

Photo credits: James Granger

Additional photography (stated): Wouter Melissen, www.ultimatecarpage.com