THE CONCORSO D’ELEGANZA VILLA D’ESTE RETURNS TO LAKE COMO IN MAY

From May 15 to 17, 2026, one of the most prestigious events in historic motoring returns to Lake Como: the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este, organized by BMW Group Classic together with the Grand Hotel Villa d’Este.

Approximately 50 cars of the highest historical and collecting level will be selected to compete in the various classes of the competition. The most anticipated moment will be the awarding of the BMW Group Trophy – Best of Show, decided by an international jury.

2026 Competition Classes

The Selection Committee has already announced the official categories for this edition:

• Viva Villa d’Este: Extravagant 1950s Style
• “The Top Goes Down, The Price Goes Up”: Selling Sunshine (dedicated to iconic convertibles)
• They Earned Their Names: Enzo’s Endurance Legends (great Ferrari endurance race cars)
• Every Scratch Tells a Story: Ageing Gracefully Without Restoration (preserved cars)
• From Carnaby St to the Autostrada: The Swinging Sixties GT
• The Pace Race: The Supercar Comes of Age

Car entries are still open via the event’s official website.

BMW Anniversaries Celebrated in 2026

The 2026 edition will celebrate several historic models of the Bavarian brand:

• 90 years of the BMW 328
• 40 years of the BMW M3
• 50 years of the BMW 6 Series
• 60 years of the BMW 02 Series

Many of the celebrations will take place in the park of Villa Erba, which hosts activities open to the public.

The Public Weekend

The program will again include Public Days at Villa Erba:

• Sunday, May 17 → Public Day – The Festival
  • parade of the competition cars
  • events and activities for the public and families

The “Amici & Automobili – Wheels & Weisswürscht” event will also return, an informal gathering of European car clubs and communities under the motto “Casually celebrating cars.”

The Broad Arrow International Auction

The auction house Broad Arrow Auctions will organize a sale of collector cars on May 16 and 17 at Villa Erba. Among the first lots announced:

• Ferrari F40 Classiche certified – estimate €2.3–2.5 million
• Bugatti Type 43 Roadster – estimate €2.5–3.5 million
• Honda NSX-R – estimate €700–800 thousand
• Honda NSX Type S – estimate €200–250 thousand

The Best of Show Award

The overall winner will also receive an exclusive timepiece crafted by A. Lange & Söhne:

• 1815 Chronograph in 18-carat white gold
• solid pink gold dial
• hand-engraved case back with the competition’s coat of arms

The German maison has been a partner of the event for 15 years.

Fact: The Villa d’Este competition is considered one of the three most prestigious in the world, along with the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance and Salon Privé Concours, and often features cars valued at over €20-30 million.