30.04.2004 THE ALFA ROMEO 8C COMPETIZIONE CONTINUES TO IMPRESS AS THE STUNNING SPORTSCAR CONCEPT SWEEPS UP TWO PRESTIGIOUS AWARDS AT THE VILLA D'ESTE CONCOURS

Last week the 75th edition of the highly prestigious Villa d'Este Concours d'Eleganza took place and Alfa Romeo's stunning 8c Competizione concept sportscar led the way, winning no less than two of the main eight highly coveted awards available.

Sponsored this year by the BMW Group, the annual event, held at the famous Villa d'Este hotel on the shores of Lake Como in Northern Italy, is easily one of the most important on the concours calender.

British specialist luxury manufacturer Rolls-Royce, now part of the BMW Group, used the event to celebrate its 75th anniversary.

The rear wheel drive Alfa Romeo 8c Concept, powered by a Kompressor-enchanced 4.2-litre V8 engine, was first unveiled to widespread public acclaim at last September's Frankfurt IAA. Last month in Geneva the concept's interior was seen for the first time and it proved to be every bit as exciting as the exterior's flowing lines had been.

The 8c swept up the 'Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este Design Award' and in full recognition of its exciting design it also was awarded the 'BMW Design Trofeo'.

In the hotly contested 'Modern Concept & Prototype' category it brushed aside opposition from the Zagato Aston Martin Vanquish, the Mercedes-Benz CLK Vision, Nissan Jikoo, Rinspeed Splash, Lancia Fulvia and VW Concept R.

The Centro Style-created Lancia Fulvia concept, also first seen in Frankfurt last autumn, drew strong admiration from the crowds, on a rare outdoor public appearance away from the glare of the motor show lights.

This year the emphasis was on cars built between 1950 and 1969 and the event in general featured a mouth watering line up which included the amazing Bertone-created BAT7 coupe concept and the famous racing Alfa Romeo TZ2.

Italian cars swept up in all the award categories. As well as the two honours for the 8c Competizione, a 1957 Pininfarina Ferrari 250GT Cabriolet claimed the 'BMW Group Best of the Show Trofeo', a Castagna bodied 1933 Lancia Astura Double Phaeton won the 'Coppa d'Oro d'Trofeo di Villa d'Este' and the 'Trofeo BMW Italia', while another Pininfarina-styled Ferrari, this time a 375 America from 1955, won the 'Trofeo Corrado Millanta'.

Alfa Romeo rounded off their excellent event when the legendary 1951 6C 2500 Coupe Ville d'Este claimed the 'Carlo Felice Bianchi Anderloni Memorial Trofeo'.

Photos courtesy of CarsFromItaly.com