Bernina- Gran Turismo. A classic car event like no other.
I am honoured to have been chosen as one of the first three Ambassadors for the Bernina-Gran Turismo https://www.bernina-granturismo.com/index.php/en/
Along with Porsche-girl Michelle Hambly Grobler from Cape Town and designer Gustav Magnussun from New York City I am helping to promote one of the most exciting classic car events going.
Forza Italia
What a fantastic trip to Italy! First up was a visit to the incredible Mauto, the Museo Nazionale dell’Automobile (http://www.museoauto.it/website/en) which very kindly lent me this stunning Lamborghini Miura S from its Marcello Gandini exhibition to play with in Turin. The Miura of course was one of Gandini’s greatest designs and I was also lucky enough to meet the legend himself and be accorded an exclusive private interview. I also retraced the footsteps of The Italian Job for its 50th anniversary by staying at the old Fiat factory, Lingotto and was granted the honour of walking its rooftop pista. Then on to Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este where despite some rain a great time was, as usual, had by all.
Interior of the Lamborghini Marzal by Marcello Gandini
Gandini and Nicholls
On Days Like These
The Italian Job
Lingotto
Cheers
Selfie with Elvis’s BMW
Onwards and Upwards – Do Not Miss It!
This stunning re-interpretation of a Jaguar XK120 made its world premier at the Sydney Harbour Concours d’Elegance and caused quite a stir. If you missed it in Australia however, do not despair as it will be shown at The Quail, a A Motorsports Gathering on Friday August 16th during Monterey Car Week, and then again in England at Salon Privé Concours d’Elegance on Thursday 5th – Sunday 8th of September at Blenheim Palace.
This is what Ian Callum, Director of Design, Jaguar, has to say about the work of its creator, Justin Hills, “It is naturally very beautiful and with great heritage, so any modification had to be done with sympathy and elegance. I think what Justin has done is not only beautiful but emphasises the very epitome of Jaguar. Lower and sleeker and with just the right amount of drama and amazing stance. The mechanical installation of the magical Jaguar V12 just adds to the magnificent beauty of this car. Sir William Lyons would have approved, I am sure.”
Cool Vid
The dates are set for the second Sydney Harbour Concours d’Elegance powered by Ferrari, which will be held on March 5 – 7 MMXX.
And just in case you missed the first one here is a little taste of what you can expect in 2020. Video link –https://drive.google.com/file/d/1leoA_sJsYDifiezuDQiE5wx4U95zt7QD/view?usp=sharing
Coming Up
Please find below a list of up coming stories from me over the next few months which I hope you find of interest. There should be something for everyone, classic cars, design, history, boats, lifestyle, travel, architecture, art, and current affairs.
Should you have an interest in or any requirements for any of the stories please let me know. I look forward to hearing from you.
Sydney – The Essential Duchamp. The travelling exhibition from the Philadelphia Museum of Art concludes at the AGNSW following on from the Tokyo National Museum, and the Museum of Modern & Contemporary Art in Seoul, Korea.
Turin – The Italian National Automobile Museum. In particular focusing on the exhibition of Marcello Gandini, designer of the Lamborghini Miura (May)
Turin – Test driving the 1947 Cisitalia 202 SMM spider of Tazio Nuvolari (May)
Lake Como – 90 Years of the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este (May)
Paris – the City after the Notre Dame fire (June)
The Chateau de Chantilly – Chantilly Arts & Elegance where I am a member of the Jury for the Concours d’Elegance (June)
Venice – following the secret Venice of Hugo Pratt’s protagonist Corto Maltese (July)
Trieste – Classic Riva Days, cruising the Northern Coast and the Slovenian Coast in a 1965 Riva Super Florida (July)
The Bay of Naples – exploring the islands of Procida and Ischia (July)
Lake Como – re-launch of the 1954 Albatross Supersport hull #127 after its restoration having been purchased as a wreck at auction three years ago (July)
Lake Como – the legendary boatbuilders and designers of the Lake: Fabio Buzzi; Tullio Abbate; Colombo etc (July)
Lake Como – Museo Barca Lariana; the recently re-opened international vintage boat museum (May or July)
Rome – Gio Ponti and his hotel designs; the Parco dei Principi in Rome and Sorrento (July)
Talking Bear
It was a privilege to attend a lecture on the history of Maserati given by my good friend Dottore Adolfo Orsi when he visited Sydney recently. Adolfo, literally learnt at his grandfather’s knee, honing his passion for cars as the grandson of Adolfo and son of Omar Orsi, who held the reins of Maserati between 1937 and 1968.
What this learned man does not know about Italian sports and racing cars is not worth knowing. The historian, leading expert in authenticity and restoration, and judge at leading concours events including Pebble Beach, Villa d’Este, Salon Privé, Zoute, 21 Gun Salute in New Delhi and many, many others, gave an informative, educational and entertaining lecture on the Italian marque and his and his family’s personal involvement. What an insight! Grazie Mille Dottore.
David Brabham announced as Patron
Following the highly successful inaugural Sydney Harbour Concours d’Elegance March 7 -9, David Brabham has been announced as Patron of the event moving forward. David is the youngest son of three-time Formula One World Champion, Sir Jack Brabham, and one of the most successful and experienced specialists in sports racing having won the Le Mans 24-hour race in 2009.
Most recently, David created the Brabham BT62 which appeared at this year’s Sydney Harbour Concours d’Elegance. The BT62 is truly a work of art, with only 70 planned for production out of Adelaide. In February, one of the first of these cars became the fastest ever around the iconic Australian circuit, Bathurst, claiming the lap record.
David Brabham, Patron of the Sydney Harbour Concours d’Elegance commented, “I thoroughly enjoyed the celebration of fantastic motor cars and bikes at Lindesay this month. I believe in the vision that the team behind the Sydney Harbour Concours d’Elegance have, and I’m thrilled to be partnering with them to bring the next iteration of this event to life in 2020.”
In addition to the BT62, there were 27 of Australia’s finest classic and contemporary vehicles on display at the Sydney Harbour Concours d’Elegance, including the limited edition Ferrari Monza SP1 flown in directly from the Factory in Maranello especially for the event; the only McLaren F1 in Australia; a Rolls-Royce Phantom II that was once the property of the owner of the Titanic; and the very first Bentley to run at the very first Le Mans 24-hour race in 1923.
The first-ever Sydney Harbours Concours d’Elegance hosted garden parties by day, which were anchored in a dreamy world of free- flowing Perrier Jouët and garden fountains overflowing with flowers.
By night, the car and luxury connoisseurs were treated to intimate black tie dinners, including a Perrier Jouët Champagne Degustation on the Friday evening, which featured a decadent indoor forest at the InterContinental Double Bay including 20 trees reaching 3.5M tall accompanied by ambient LED styling and DJ produced forest sounds remixed to chill wave music. The glittering evening events continued on Saturday night at the palatial Royal Automobile Club of Australia and home to the Inaugural Trophy Gala celebrating both the announcement of the newly-appointed patron, David Brabham as well as the Concours award recipients.
Recipient of the coveted Best in Show award was the amazing 1962 Aston Martin DB4 Vantage which was the original Factory press car. The beautiful and fun, 1972 Ferrari Dino 246GTS was the recipient of both the People’s Choice and Women’s Choice awards.
The full list of motor vehicles displayed at Lindesay as part of the Sydney Harbour Concours d’Elegance were:
1. 1904 De Dion Bouton
2. 1923 Bentley 3 litre
3. 1930 Rolls-Royce Phantom II
4. 1933 MG K3 Magnette
5. 1937 Alvis 4.3L
6. 1951 Vincent Black Shadow
7. 1953 Jaguar XK120
8. 1955 Porsche 356 Pre-A Speedster
9. 1958 ‘Jocko’ Johnson Streamliner
10. 1959 Manx Norton
11. 1959 Jaguar XK150S Drophead Coupé
12. 1960 Ferrari 250 GT PF
13. 1962 Aston Martin DB4 Vantage
14. 1963 Ferrari 250 GTE
15. 1964 Austin Mini Cooper S
16. 1965 Bentley Continental S3 Flying Spur
17. 1965 Jaguar Eagle E-Type
18. 1966 Morris Mini Moke
19. 1967 Porsche 911S
20. 1968 Lancia Fulvia 1.3S Zagato
21. 1968 Lamborghini Miura P400
22. 1971 Monteverdi 375L Highspeed
23. 1972 Ferrari Dino 246GTS
24. 1979 Rolls Royce Camargue
25. 1991 Ferrari F40
26. 1994 McLaren F1
27. 2018 Ferrari Monza SP1
28. 2018 Brabham BT62
“Best event I’ve been to in Australia”
Those are not my words, but those of a guest at the inaugural Sydney Harbour Concours d’Elegance, powered by Ferrari, last weekend. Maybe he is the sort of chap who does not get out much and has not been to the Melbourne Grand Prix, but his words were echoed by many, including owners whose cars have graced the Concours fields of Villa d’Este, Quail Lodge, Pebble Beach, New Delhi, Windsor Castle, Hampton Court and who were on show.
As one owner put it, “Thanks and congratulations you to you and your team for putting on a world class event.
For the first stunning year I’m sure it will attract greater success and recognition around the world as the years progress. It was a privilege to be part of the first Sydney Harbour Concours.”
So for those for you who could not be present herewith a couple of shots from our official photographer, Matt Hart #matthartphotography.
Sydney Harbour Concours d’Elegance
To find out more about this exciting new event coming up next month go to:-
http://www.sydneyhabourconcours.com
or contact
fiona@sydneyharbourconcours.com
or
The Old Man & The Sea
The 2019 Australian Wooden Boat Festival was held in February in Hobart, Tasmania. A fabulous event, it was blessed with clement weather (well it is pretty close to Antarctica…), with plenty of activity around Constitution Dock and the waterfront in general. Wooden boats, large and small, came from all over Australia to be there and enjoy the Tasmanian hospitality along with the plethora of entertainment, good food and wine.
My star of the show was Mistral II, the classic 64 foot two masted schooner built in 1922 in North Sydney by W. Ford for the then Commodore of the Sydney Yacht Club. One of the nine yachts that completed the first Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race, the beautiful New Zealand kauri planked hull is to be restored in time for its Centenary.
Mistral II
