To the Victor the Spoils

Text & Images: James Nicholls

Many readers will remember the catchy Morcheeba song from the turn of the century: “Rome wasn’t built in a day.” The phrase itself originates from the English writer John Heywood some 500 years earlier, who added: “But they were laying bricks every hour.”

Such must have been the feeling among the organisers of the first Anantara Concorso Roma, held in April 2026 after the planned inaugural event in 2025 had to be postponed following the death of Pope Francis. Undeterred, they continued laying the foundations for a new concours which immediately established itself among the leading international events of its kind.

 The organisers enjoyed one obvious advantage: location. Held in Rome, the Caput Mundi, or “Capital of the World”, the concours was devoted exclusively to Italian automobiles. Few cities provide a more appropriate backdrop. Everywhere one looks there is tangible evidence of civilisation’s long history, from antiquity to the present day.

Often referred to as the Eternal City, a description used by classical writers including Tibullus, Ovid and Virgil, Rome remains a centre of culture, style and art. It was precisely these qualities that formed the setting for a celebration of automotive art at the magnificent Casina Valadier on Pincio Hill.

Situated above the city within Villa Borghese, the Casina Valadier offers some of Rome’s finest views. Surrounded by gardens and steeped in history, it provided a spectacular setting for seventy of Italy’s most beautiful automobiles. The combination of remarkable cars, elegant architecture and Roman grandeur proved irresistible.

Positioned high above the city, the Casina Valadier has long been associated with elegance and refinement. Surrounded by the gardens of Villa Borghese and commanding sweeping views across Rome’s rooftops, domes and monuments, it offered a setting every bit as memorable as the automobiles assembled there. The venue’s unique combination of history, beauty and atmosphere ensured that visitors were constantly reminded that this was not merely another concours, but one taking place in one of the world’s most celebrated cities.

The event began with the Giro d’Anantara, a convoy through the Lazio countryside. Departing from the Anantara Palazzo Naiadi on Piazza della Repubblica, the participants escaped the bustle of central Rome before arriving at the magnificent Villa Aldobrandini in Frascati. Still owned by the same family since 1598, the villa is renowned for its imposing façade, terraces, fountains and gardens. 

After an excellent luncheon, participants returned to Rome for a private guided tour of the Quirinale Palace, one of the largest palaces in the world and the official residence of the President of Italy.

The following day brought the serious business of judging. The jury comprised leading classic-car experts and historians under the guidance of Chief Judge Adolfo Orsi, whose family once owned Maserati. He was joined by Honorary Judges Lorenzo Ramaciotti, former design chief at Pininfarina and Fiat, and Jean Todt, former head of Ferrari and later President of the FIA.

Yet describing the process as work hardly seems appropriate. Judging such an extraordinary gathering of Italian automotive masterpieces felt more like a continuation of la dolce vita. The evening gala dinner at the magnificent Palazzo Brancaccio only reinforced that impression. Built in the nineteenth century and set among Roman ruins and gardens near the Colosseum, it provided an appropriately opulent setting for the occasion.

Among the cars I had the pleasure of judging were three magnificent Lancia Aurelias: two 1955 B24 Spiders and a 1958 B24 Convertible, all designed by Battista “Pinin” Farina. The class winner was a B24 Spider fitted with the rare Fontana hardtop. Runner-up was a delightful 1951 Cisitalia 202 SC Gran Sport Cabriolet by Vignale, owned by a French doctor who plans to bring the car to the 2027 Sydney Harbour Concours d’Elegance.

 I was also honoured to judge the Maserati 3500 GT Spyder class and present its awards. The winner was the remarkable 1959 Vignale Prototype, making its first appearance following restoration.

Everywhere one looked, there was another exceptional Italian thoroughbred. Highlights included a 1933 Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 Cabriolet by Castagna, a one-off 1949 Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 SS Berlinetta by Pinin Farina, a Ferrari 340 America Barchetta that competed at Le Mans, a stunning Ferrari 375 MM Coupé Speciale by Ghia, a Ferrari Testarossa Spider created for Gianni Agnelli, and a beautifully preserved Ferrari 500 Superfast.

Particularly memorable was the famous orange Lamborghini Miura featured in the opening sequence of the cult film The Italian Job. Displayed with its striking white interior, it narrowly defeated a superb 1968 Bizzarrini 5300 GT to win its class.

The various class and special award winners received beautifully sculpted Roman columns inspired by the broken ancient examples found throughout the city. Crafted from travertine, the stone that helped build imperial Rome and the Colosseum itself, the trophies perfectly reflected the spirit of the event.

The ultimate prize, however, was reserved for Best of Show: an extraordinary Murano glass sculpture depicting a Roman auriga, or charioteer, driving a horse-drawn chariot fashioned with strands of 24-carat gold.

This prestigious award went to the magnificent 1932 Maserati V4 Sport by Zagato. Known as the “Sixteen Cylinder”, the car achieved numerous competition successes, including a world speed record over 10 kilometres at Cremona in the hands of Baconin Borzacchini. Originally sold in Rome, it returned to its home city for the first time in almost ninety years.

Its victory provided a fitting conclusion to a remarkable inaugural event. In Rome, history is never far away, and nowhere was that more evident than at the Anantara Concorso Roma. Surrounded by centuries of culture, art and architecture, some of Italy’s greatest automobiles found the perfect stage upon which to be celebrated.

After all, all roads do lead to Rome.