The Zagato Car Club 50th international gathering
An intriguing 1967 Rover TCZ, the car prototype that never went into production and is still the only one in existence, arrived for the occasion from London. One of the only two Fiat 132 Asters ever produced, winner of its class of “Geometric Roars” at the concours d’elegance of the event: the author was also present at the 50th Zagato Car Club gathering, the car designer Marco Mittino, who was part of the jury together with the coachbuilder Mario Galbiati, a long-time collaborator of Zagato, the artist Max Robino and the journalist Laura Ferriccioli. Again, speaking of absolute rarities, the 1968 Lancia Fulvia Sport Spider was awarded its class of “Gritose Speciali”, a unique example of great value restored by the owner Guido Lamperti together with his son Luca, present at the three-day event (17-19 June).
This round-figure gathering of the Zagato Car Club, founded in 1979 and chaired by Guido Portinari, with 500 members in different countries was a truly event full of rarities. All spectacular cars, distinguished by the unsurpassed style of the famous Z with the lightning bolt. There was something to shine your eyes not only thanks to the 26 cars selected for the contest but in general throughout the parterre of the event, made up of 45 beauties. Among them also another unique model, this time the makeover of a one-off: a single Lancia Aprilia Aerodinamica racer from 1938 of which the original model no longer exists.
Several Fiat Abarth 750 Zagato’s were seen, including one Bialbero which won in the “Spericolate Corsaiole” class, and four Lancia Flavia Sport Zagato‘s, all in splendid shape. In addition to a wonderful Lancia Flaminia Sport, an Appia Sport and several Lancia Fulvia Sports, among which a preserved green 1300 was the winner of the “Streamlined Aerodynamics” category. One of the Fulvia, white, belongs to Maura Zagato – Ugo’s nephew – who guided her to the event, which she attended together with her brother Luca. While Andrea Zagato, current CEO of the company, took part in Sunday morning at the Grand Hotel Villa d’Este in Cernobbio, on Lake Como, where the grand finale of the event was celebrated with an exhibition of the finalists, a short conference and awards. The Best of Show? None other than a Fiat 8V, that is to say another superlative rarity, bodied by Zagato in the 1950s.
Among the personalities of the automotive world present, also the engineer Giordano Casarini, who worked for the great Milanese design firm for several years. In the previous days the regularity tests were held, with the prizes awarded on Saturday at the gala dinner, and the tour took place that touched places in Lombardy such as Monza, with a parade of participants on the flyover, and Como, with a visit at the Centro Canottieri and a tour of the lake. Other prizes reserved for members then involved a photographic competition held within the Club, where you can perceive a warm, friendly and almost familiar atmosphere, with beautiful cohesion and a sense of belonging to the Lightning bolt. After being postponed for two years in a row due to the pandemic, the 50th annual meeting of the association has thus returned to honor the masterpieces that Zagato has been able to give to the world.
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