Let's start with a revealing detail: this year both share almost entirely the same examining commission, led by Christian Kramer, German by birth but a citizen of the world for recognized automotive expertise.

Another and simpler observation: the level of the cars on display represents the maximum of international collecting and leads the proud owners, the public present, the specialized press, and the technical sponsor, which in Cernobbio is the BMW automotive group, to share the magic of a stylistic and technical perfection that has entered history, and renews its moment of glory in breaking news aimed at an audience of justified, and always welcome, enthusiasts.

In particular, it has been since its first edition in 1929 that the Como competition, by now a practice became a dynastic privilege, is reserved only for the most exclusive automotive production.

But let's continue in order. We remain on the shores of Lake Como, and announce the overall winner of the 2023 edition: it is a 1935 Duesemberg SJ with Gurney Nutting Speedster body, owned by William Lyon, heir to a family of American collectors and who has already won with this model the Californian Pebble Beach concourse.

Technical and historical value overlap with the legend that accompanies this car.

Duesemberg were the favorite cars of film stars such as Gary Cooper, Clark Gable, Greta Garbo, and Jay Gatsby, the protagonist of the "Great Gatsby", the literary masterpiece of the writer Francis Scott Fitzgerald.

The Duesemberg brothers, who emigrated from Germany to the USA at the end of the 220th century, achieved commercial fame in the first post-war period thanks to the performance and power of their engines, especially the winning model in Cernobbio, which already reached XNUMX km/h a century ago.

Purchased in London by a noble Indian Maharaja, the Duesemberg winner of the Lariana review during the Second World War was exported to the States, and later sold to its current owners.

Continuing, among the eight classes into which the ninety cars present in the Villa d'Este 2023 Elegance competition were divided, we point out the Ferrari 250 GT Spider California 1961, from the Keybridge Collection in Hong Kong, plebiscitated by the votes of the 9000 spectators present and winner of the prestigious Gold Cup.

Another acknowledgment from the popular jury was assigned, in the Concept Cars & Prototypes category, to the Coupé Huayra 2022 by the Modenese firm Pagani.

Nonconformist, in a period in which we seem apparently destined to remain silent about electric mobility, was the Engine Song award, awarded to the Belgian Count Christophe of Ansembourg for the roar of his 917 Porsche 1970 K.

But where the Italian colors dominated the preferences of the international public was in the Granturismo category, which saw the prize for a 330 Ferrari 1967 GTC Speciale Coupé with Pininfarina body, owned by the American-Thai philanthropist William Heinecke, followed by the Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 SS Berlinetta with Riva body from 1950, by the American businessman Stephen Bruno.

For the record of the day, this year it was the failure to win the custom-built model presented by Corrado Lopresto, one of the best-known Italian collectors worldwide and for twenty years a permanent presence on the podium of the winners in at least one of the categories on display. at Villa d'Este.

Moral winner, therefore, but not in ranking, Lopresto this year participated with a 1957 Lancia Florida.

Pininfarina bodywork, powered by a 2200cc engine and credited with a top speed of 150 km/h, Lancia's stylistic masterpiece anticipated the lines that would later make the Flaminia famous, the flagship of Italian captains of industry during the economic boom .

Among the side events to the Lariana event we also point out the FuoriConcorso, an event that since 2019 has taken place in the exhibition spaces of the adjacent Villa del Grumello, Villa Olmo, and Villa Sucota; the protagonists of the 2023 edition were modern high-performance cars and, among other things, also the Porsche automotive group which this year celebrates its 75th anniversary.

In parallel with the Villa d'Este Competition, an auction of historic cars was held in Cernobbio which RM Sotheby's organizes every two years.

Overall, the success of this event was also positive: out of the 56 lots offered, only 9 remained unsold.

Dominating the interest of the public, as expected, was the production of Italian brands.

In particular, we point out a 312 Ferrari 1972 PB, in the past the queen of sports competitions in the make category and today the protagonist of the interest of investors, awarded for 12 million euros.

Next, a 2019 Bugatti Chiron, sold for over 2,8 million euros.

A 400 Lamborghini Countach LP 1977 with Bertone bodywork, formerly owned by the singer Rod Stewart, was placed immediately after, and found a new owner for 900 euros.

Peter Haynes, marketing director of RM Sotheby's for the EMEA area, told us that the collector's car market has overcome the uncertainties related to the pandemic and today shows a recovery of interest from investors.

Furthermore, personally, we observe that the preferences of this particular sector are moving towards supercars and youngtimers, while classic cars and post-war production show a readjustment of values, with the exception of cars of particular historical interest.

The online sales sector is also expanding, especially in the United States, as a result of the digital revolution favored by the pandemic and the market entry of a new generation of investors.