Concorso Italiano®
August 17, 2012
Monterey, California
Photos and report by Cam Hutchins
The 2012 Car Week marked a few celebrations of longevity and from the masses of real Shelby Cobras on the roads it was obvious it was the Shelby 50th anniversary but also the 50th for Lamborghini, the 55th for Fiat 500 and of course the 100th anniversary for Bertone.
The 27th Concorso Italiano was held at the Laguna Seca Golf Ranch just a quick drive from Laguna Seca raceway. Almost 1000 cars of Italian heritage are on display as well as the area set aside for other stunning cars from other countries. As well the walk through the parking lot has a large variety of stunning autos to look at.
But the Concorso Italiano is much more than a car show it is a celebration of all things Italian and the Italian car culture is alive and well in North America with the reintroduction of Fiat and the strong sales of the Italian supercars. The food vendors serve some of the finest cuisine available and the Vino and fashion are on hand to complete the experience.
One of the most….I am at a loss for words…outlandish? cars present was the 2012 Bertone Nuccio Concept. Apparently when Nuccio Bertone was dying his wife Lilli Bertone promised to keep the company going at least to it’s 100th anniversary. He passed away in 1997 and although she had more than a decade to come up with something great they brought the Bertone Nuccio Concept, as polarizing a vehicle as ever shown. The raised brows over the doors are indicative of how many car lovers viewed this project. Built with a Ferrari F 430 running gear it is sure to be fast, and the best one can say about it is maybe it has a nice personality.
On to the good stuff, the 2008 Alfa Romeo BAT 11 from Bertone was amazing astounding and graceful. The colour was great and that is what made the other car look so…different. We are familiar with Bertone’s work and the BAT cars are some of the best designs in the world.