This year sees the celebration of the centennial anniversary of the historic Peking to Paris Rally, triumphantly won by Scipione Borghese, the driver of the legendary Itala, who came in first three weeks ahead of the other competitors. When Le Matin launched the challenge in 1907, it was expected for a French motor vehicle to win the rally. But the Italian crew got the first place instead on an all-Italian vehicle. This came as a surprise to many.

A whole century, the Itala wants to continue to amaze, and to celebrate its hundredth birthday it has decided to treat itself with a trip. After so many years spent in the Automobile Museum of Turin, it can't wait to loosen up its wheels and roar the engine once again. In spite of the age, old Itala is still capable of running its forty horsepower in pursuit of its dream. And we bet it will make it. Itala is curious. It heard that the world has drastically changed after a whole century and wants to see it in person. Itala will cover the same route as the one it drove along in 1907, however it will travel the opposite way this time, starting from Paris all the way to Peking, travelling through France, Belgium, Holland, Germany, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Russia, Mongolia and part of China – about 16,000 kilometres to cover in a little more than two months. This time it can travel in a more relaxed manner just as an old lady would. It will have time to look around with its headlights wide open. The world has really changed in the short turn of the century.

On the anniversary of Itala’s victory, which the whole world still remembers, we also wish to pay homage to the men who made this victory possible. We would like to honour the engineers, the mechanics, the entrepreneurs, the workers and the people who are moved by a passion that we know so well because it has been the driving force of our economy for one hundred years. With this tribute paid to an era gone by and a glorious time, the same Italian pride which inspired Borghese and his crew and led them to victory will be in evidence again.

PARIS - BEIJING 2007 THE ITINERARY OF INTERNATIONAL STAGES

UNITED KINGDOM (London July 16-17)

Itala Exposition in the foyer of the Royal Automobile Club in Pall Mall in London. Inside the Club, a display of antiques, documents and photographs of the business in 1907. Monday, July 16: 12:00 PM, meeting with the British press and cocktails at the Club. 8:30 PM, gala dinner with a hundred invitations for club members, opinion leaders, media, institutions.

FRANCE (Paris July 18/19/20)

Itala Exposition in Place de la Concorde in front of the Automobile Club of France offices. Gala dinner scheduled for July 19 at 7:30 PM for guests including Automobile Club of France members, media, institutions and opinion leaders with several Italian dishes and wines. In Paris, Itala will thank the Automobile Club of France and ideally the French daily “Le Matin” (no longer in existence), which, 100 years ago, conceived and organized the Beijing- Paris. Leaving from Paris, a procession of historic automobiles that will escort Itala and the caravan.

BELGIUM (Liège July 21)

From the French border to Liège, the caravan will be preceded by a parade of historic Italian automobiles, organized by the Royal Automobile Club of Belgium (RACB). July 21 is the Belgium national festival, and Itala will celebrate at Liège, home to a large and prominent Italian community.

BELGIUM (Brussels July 22)

From Liège, Itala will reach the European capital and will visit one of the most important automobile museums in the world: the Autoworld del Parc du Cinquantenaire di Bruxelles, just a short distance from the European Commission headquarters. On July 22 at 6:30 PM, there will be a gathering inside the Autoworld with an Italian buffet for media, opinion leaders, institutions and members of the Royal Automobile Club of Belgium.
 

NETHERLANDS (Raamsdonksveer, Amsterdam July 23)

The caravan will enter the Netherlands on July 23 at Minderhout, taking the highway to Raamsdonksveer (50 km from Amsterdam) where it will stop at the Nationaal Automobiel Museum (NAM), thanks to the collaboration of the Koninklijke Nederlandsche Automobiel Club, the Dutch association of historic automobile owners.

GERMANY (Berlin July 26/27/28)

In collaboration with ADAC, the association of German automobiles, an event will be organised in one of the central squares in Berlin, where Itala will be presented together with the trucks of the Overland caravan. Also on the schedule is the customary meeting with the German media and a reception buffet with the associations of historic automobile collectors and with the ADAC.

POLAND (Warsaw July 29/30/31)

In Poland, in collaboration with the Polish Automobile Club, Itala will be presented with the Overland trucks in one of the central squares of the capital for a well-attended event.

LATVIA (Riga August 3/4/5)

In Riga, Latvia, on August 3, Itala will meet Spijker, its ex-rival from 1907. This Dutch automobile from the same period will be travelling from Beijing to Paris, together with other historic automobiles.

RUSSIA (St. Petersburg August 6/7/8; Moscow August 11/12/13; Kazan August 17/18/19)

In St. Petersburg and Moscow, events are scheduled in institutional and prestigious sites for the Paris - Beijing partners. In particular, the Emilia-Romagna Region will be featured with several events in collaboration with Russian and Emilian Universities, presenting to media, opinion leaders and admired individuals, Motor Valley, the High Mech district and dignitaries of the Emilia-Romagna agro-industrial sector. A big party is scheduled in Kazan, promoted by the Italian Cultural Institute of Kazan in collaboration with the Dal Bianco Foundation, Florence.

MONGOLIA (Ulan Batar September 12/13)

On the outskirts of Ulan Batar, Itala and the caravan will participate in a spectacular welcome ceremony in a Mongolian camp composed of yurts (ger in Mongolian), the typical felt tents of Asian nomadic people.

CHINA (Beijing September 20 - 30)

On September 20, Itala will enter Beijing, where it will be received at the Casa del Popolo, completing the circumnavigation of Tien-am-Men Square. In Beijing for 10 days at the Capital Museum will be a display-event dedicated to Itala, with documents and images of the business in 1907, photographs and video from 2007, in addition to a selection of 10 automobiles from the “Biscaretti Ruffia” Automobile Museum in Turin.

CHINA (Shanghai October 5/6/7)

On the occasion of the Formula 1 Grand Prix of China, Itala will take one lap at the race track and will be the main guest of several events promoted by the Region of Emilia-Romagna and by other Paris - Beijing partners.