Viva Italia! Art of Italian Motoring, Injecting Fashion into Automobile Engineering

By Laura Medina

The centerpiece of Course D' Elegance by La Dolce Vita in at Beverly Hills' Geary's Jewelry Boutique.

150th years ago, the fiefdoms of the Italian pennisula came together and became the nation of Italy.

To celebrate Italy's birthday, Beverly Hills used it's annual Concour D'Elegance on Father's Day, it's annual fashion show of luxury coups, sedans, and sport cars to honor the best in Italian car design and engineering using Rodeo Drive's and the world's best boutiques as glamorous backdrops.

In celebration of the creation of Italy, Italy's Consulate General, the Italian Ministry of Economic Development, and the Italian Trade Commission descended upon the heart of Beverly Hills on Rodeo Drive to cheer the 150th Birthday of Italy by throwing a week-long bash of the best of Italian design, fashion, art, culture, and cuisine.

What a way to honor the dad in your life by showcasing the best of Italian automobile design and engineering in an upscale car show lining the entire length of Rodeo Drive, creating a Concours d'Elegance to display the best of "The Art of Italian Motoring."

Italian manufacturers, designers, and trade groups welcomed Beverly Hills with open arms by gifting the boulevard with the rarest, the oldest, and the newest of Fiats, Ferraris, Alfa Romeos, Lamborghinis, Lancias, and Maseratis...can't forget the Ducatis and the Vespas.

This was not for appearances for appearances' sake. It is the timeline of Italian industrial design, heritage, and engineering. Basically, it is respecting Italians for injecting their history and love of arts, culture, and design into the automobile innovations since the inception of the car.

The newest and latest Bugatti.

Italy's Consul General Nicola Faganello, "From fashion and automobiles to cinema and dining, the very best of Italy will be highlighted throughout this week-long celebration in Beverly Hills...This is an exceptional way to help celebrate the 150th anniversary of the reunification of Italy and allow Beverly Hills residents and visitors to experience the very best of Italian culture without leaving the city."

Umberto Vattani, the Ambassador and Italian Trade Commission's president is "honored to celebrate the 150th Anniversary of Italian Unification, and pleased to seize the opportunity offered to by such an ideal scenario to promote Italian excellence...the ITC is implementing a new and integrated system for promoting Italian lifestyle, bringing our movie industry and luxury goods manufacture all together in Beverly Hills."

Pietro Celi, Director General of the Ministry of Economic Development, thinks Beverly Hills is the best platform to display the best of Italian design and culture.

Beverly Hills Mayor, Barry Brucker, and Thomas J. Blumenthal, Rodeo Drive Committee president, are honored to be chosen to hold the celebration of Italy, the culture, and the best of Italian art and design.

Mr. Brucker, "Our city offers many of Italy's finest fashions, automobiles, and culinary tastes and this celebration is a wonderful way to showcase those great businesses."

Mr. Blumenthal, "Partnering with the Italian Trade Commission to celebrate Italy's 150th anniversary was a natural connection as Rodeo Drive is home to many of Italy's most famous designers and the world-class Rodeo Drive Concours d'Elegance."

The Piece de Resistance at the Concours d' Elegance is a yellow Ferrari balancing on gold-glided Richard Ginori porcelain espresso cups, under all four wheels, at GEARYS Beverly Hills.

In its 18 year history, Beverly Hills' Concours d' Elegance has this traditon of debuting the latest and newest in high-performance sports cars.

This year is no exception.

Father's Day 2011 was the official launch of the McLaren the sports car to the general public.

It went from being strictly a Formula 1 racing car to an high-end sports car.

It still keeps the strong but light carbon fiber chasis and engine. For the driver, there are two knobs that adjust the powertrain and handling of the car. A first in automobile engineering.

The Launch control system consists of two knobs changing the powertrain and handling, each have three settings for normal, sport, and high performance driving modes. Again, a first in automobile engineering.

Concours d' Elgance is one of the few events where limited edition and unique one-offs are in their best display.

There is a lot of automobile history here. One of them is the Scaglietti, a former competitive car designer to Ferrari. Eventually, Ferrari bought him out then owns it. This particular Scaglietti/Ferrari was a rare collaboration between Ferrari and Corvette in the mid-Seventies where Ferrari would design and build the highest end sports car for Corvette. The union didn't but the Petersen Museum has two of them. Imagine that.

Concours d' Elegance was not all about cars. It also showcased the best in motorcycles and scooters, such as Ducati and Vespa for those who want to zip around town, running errands, not speeding down the motorway.

This past Father's Day is only a start to a week-long celebration of Italy art, culture, and design, culuminating in a mini-Tour d'Italia bike race encircling Beverly Hills through Malibu then back to Rodeo Drive and Wilshire Boulevard. In between, enjoy the fashion, the jewelry, the cuisine at reasonable discounts, and the cinema.

Ciao Bella!