CONCORSO D'ELEGANZA VILLA D'ESTE - BEST OF CAR DESIGN PAST AND FUTURE

Munich/Cernobbio. Great classic cars of the past and interesting concept cars
of today met at the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este. This most traditional of
design contests was held in Cernobbio on Lake Como from April 23rd to 24th. A
special exhibition celebrated the 75th jubilee of famous Italian designer
Pininfarina. The BMW Group, a partner in the organization of the Villa d'Este
event, also had reason to celebrate: their classic 503 and 507 sports cars mark
their 50th birthday this year. In particular the BMW 507, designed in 1955 by
the legendary Albrecht Graf Goertz, was the focus of attention.

54 historic cars and eight modern design studies made the contest into a great
success once again. The organizing team had a range of even more stunning cars
from which to choose the best models at this year's event. The contest for
modern concept cars is gaining in importance each year. As Holger Lapp, head of
BMW's Mobile Tradition division, said: "It underlines the connection between
classic and modern design we find here at Villa d'Este." Dr. Jean-Marc
Droulers, President of Villa d'Este S.p.A. and host of the event, added: "It is
great to have an event of such tremendous appeal held here at Villa d'Este.
Guests and participants from all over Europe and the United States prove that
the Concorso has become an internationally important event not only for the
classic car scene."

Italian designer Pininfarina took the opportunity of the Concorso showcase to
celebrate the 75th anniversary of the company with a remarkable presentation of
Pininfarina gems. Classics like the Cisitalia 202 from 1947 or the Lancia
Aurelia B24 S of 1954 rubbed shoulders with the current concept car named
"Birdcage", with technology based on a Maserati. The company was founded in
1930 under the name of "S.A. Carrozzeria Pinin Farina". Since then, Pininfarina
has written motoring history. In recent decades, Pininfarina has succeeded in
winning several important prizes for its innovative design, such as the
Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este Design Award 2003 for the Pininfarina Rossa.

The grounds of Villa d'Este have traditionally served as a catwalk for
four-wheeled gems. Guests, drivers, journalists and the jury take time to
examine the cars and rate them. Finally, the classic cars and the modern show
cars have to drive in front of the jury. Many of them have travelled to Lake
Como under their own steam. In this show the cars are allowed to have a little
patina, explained Holger Lapp. "We want authentic cars rather than perfect show
conditions as at other famous shows in the world."

On Sunday the cars were parked in the gardens of Villa Erba, where the public
was also granted a closer look. Afterwards the public prize was awarded at
Villa Erba. Since the revival of the Concorso tradition, more and more fans,
and even more media representatives, flock to the event each year.

The winner of the Tropheo BMW Group, the award for "Best of Show by the Jury",
was the Alfa Romeo Canguro Coupé Bertone, built in 1964 and brought to
Cernobbio by Shiro Kosaka. It was originally built as a concept car for the
Paris Motor Show in 1964 by Italian designer Bertone. Now the car celebrates a
successful comeback after more than 30 years, not only being voted "Best of
Show by the Jury" but also winning the Trofeo Corrado Millanta press award.

The Coppa d'Oro di Villa d'Este award - "Best of Show by Public Referendum" -
went to the Ferrari 212 Export Spider Vignale, built in 1951.

The Trofea Rolls-Royce for the most elegant coachwork on a Rolls-Royce was won
by a Rolls-Royce Phantom I Piccadilly Roadster of 1927.

The Trofeo del Presidente della FIVA for the best-preserved car was given to a
BMW 507 Roadster from 1957. Even at the age of 50, this car is still a
prize-winner.

The award for the most sensitive restoration, the Tropheo Ruoteclassiche, went
to a tiny Austin Swallow Sports Saloon MkII Coupé from 1931.

In honour of Carlo Felice Bianchi Anderloni, the late Chairman of the Jury of
the Concorso, a special award for the most elegant car with a touring body was
introduced last year. This year the prize went to a Pegaso Z 102 BT Coupé
Touring of 1955.

In keeping with the tradition of the Concorso d'Eleganza, the last four years
have incorporated a competition for concept cars dating from the last two
years. This time, eight cars were featured. The Concorso d'Eleganza Villa
d'Este Design Award by public referendum went to the Peugeot 907 Coupé built in
2004 and displayed by Robert Peugeot.

BMW Group Design Talk discusses "1950's Design"
For the third time, the BMW Design Talk also took place during the Concorso.
This year industrial designer Konstantin Grcic, BMW Designer Adrian van
Hooydonk, Pierre Keller, director of the Ecole Cantonnale d'Art de Lausanne,
Lorenzo Ramaciotti of Pininfarina, and the director of the Cooper Hewitt
National Design Museum in New York, Paul Warwick Thompson, discussed the impact
of fifties design then and now. This event highlights the aim of BMW and the
Villa d'Este organizers to present the automobile in an aesthetic context and
to showcase pioneering developments in car design.