FuoriConcorso: Lake Como’s Celebration of Automotive Culture

Images: Courtesy FuoriConcorso

Every May, as the world’s collectors, designers and enthusiasts descend upon Lake Como for the legendary Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este, another event has rapidly become just as essential to the modern automotive calendar: FuoriConcorso.

Founded in 2019 by Guglielmo Miani, the event has transformed the elegant lakeside villas of Villa del Grumello and Villa Sucota into a theatrical celebration of automotive art, engineering, and style.

Unlike traditional concours events focused primarily on judging originality and preservation, FuoriConcorso embraces emotion, design, speed and contemporary car culture.

The name itself — literally meaning “outside the concours” — perfectly captures its spirit.

FuoriConcorso is less formal than the classic concours tradition and more immersive, blending rare automobiles with fashion, photography, music, design and Italian lifestyle. The event has become known for attracting a younger, style-conscious audience alongside serious collectors and industry insiders.

Each edition revolves around a carefully curated theme. Previous years have celebrated Italian speed, motorsport heritage and avant-garde design, while the 2026 edition, titled KraftMeister, paid tribute to German automotive engineering and craftsmanship.

Historic racing cars, landmark production models, futuristic concepts and extreme tuner creations from marques such as Porsche, Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Audi were displayed against the extraordinary backdrop of the lake and mountains.

What makes FuoriConcorso unique is its atmosphere. Cars are not hidden behind ropes or treated as distant museum pieces; instead, they are integrated into gardens, terraces and courtyards, allowing visitors to experience them as moving sculptures.

The setting itself plays a central role. Lake Como’s aristocratic villas, cypress-lined pathways and shimmering water create an environment where automotive design feels inseparable from art and architecture.

The event has also become an important platform for manufacturers and luxury brands. World premieres, concept cars and bespoke commissions are regularly unveiled at FuoriConcorso, reflecting the growing overlap between high-end automotive culture and luxury lifestyle branding.

In recent editions, companies such as Brabus and Bizzarrini have used the event to present new creations to an international audience.

Beyond the cars themselves, FuoriConcorso represents a broader shift in the collector-car world. It is not simply about preservation or historical significance, but about storytelling, aesthetics and experience.

Photography exhibitions, curated installations, fashion collaborations and live discussions all contribute to an event that feels closer to a cultural festival than a conventional concours.

In only a few years, FuoriConcorso has established itself as one of the most influential and visually spectacular automotive gatherings in the world.

Set against one of Italy’s most glamorous landscapes, it captures the evolving relationship between automobiles, luxury and contemporary culture — proving that the automobile can still inspire passion not only as a machine, but as an object of beauty and identity.