Beauty By The Dozen: The Concorso D'eleganza Villa D'este

* The Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este presents ten current concept cars and two world premieres.
* Group presents three design studies.
* Special exhibition: The Past of the Future

Como/Munich - April 17, 2006: The Concept Cars competition will be staged for the fifth time as part of the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este, organised by BMW Group. The scene at Lake Como over the weekend of April 22-23, 2006 will include a line-up of forward-looking concepts alongside 50 spectacular classics.

Presenting concept vehicles at the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este is actually a tradition that goes back to the early years of the event, when car manufacturers and coachbuilders began presenting their latest creations to the public here in 1929. The Concorso d'Eleganza revived the idea in 2002. Since then, design studies affording a glimpse into the future of the car have been an integral part of the event held in the grounds of the Grand Hotel Villa d'Este and the Villa Erba. The international reputation of the competition for the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este Design Award, and the BMW Group Design Award, has grown steadily, and is reflected in the fact that this year sees two concepts being unveiled for the first time to celebrate their world premiere at Villa d'Este.

World debut: Ferrari 575 GTZ
In the 1950s, Milan coachbuilders Carrozzeria Zagato created several models of timeless beauty featuring the legendary "double bubble roof" on Ferrari chassis. The Ferrari 575 unveiled for the first time in Como marks Zagato's revival of this tradition with the presentation of the 575 GTZ sporting the company's hallmark "double bubble roof". The body of this car, which is also a nod to the Ferrari 250 GTZ of 1956 - likewise bodied by Zagato, is made entirely of aluminium. Zagato thus celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Ferrari 250 GTZ in true style and adds to the Concorso d'Eleganza a car that comes straight from of the Italians' strong traditional passion for automotive culture.

World debut: Russo-Baltique Impression
The second of the two world premieres in the Concept Car contest similarly has an unusual background. The Russo-Baltique Impression luxury coupé takes up the tradition of the Russo-Baltique brand that disappeared soon after the Russian Revolution. In doing so, the brand - which once supplied cars to the Court of Russian Tsar - returns to the luxury car segment ahead of its 100th anniversary. The model has a carbon-fibre body and is powered by a V12 with 555 bhp.

Additional highlights of the Concept Car contest

2005 Aston Martin Rapide Luxury Concept:
The Aston Martin Rapide is a concept study for a four-door coupé that was unveiled to great acclaim at this year's Detroit Auto Show and Geneva Motor Show. Its breathtaking design displays harmonious proportions that disguise the fact that this is a four-door coupé.

The new Alfa Romeo 8C Spider:
Alfa Romeo presented the 8C Coupé in 2003, a concept study whose design represents a seamless continuation of the Alfa Romeo tradition. In 2005, this 8C was built as a Spider variant and presented in the USA. This design study now makes its European premiere at the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este.

Pininfarina Birdcage Sportscar Study:
To mark its 75th anniversary in 2005, the Pininfarina company created an ultra-low-profile, high-performance coupé based on the Maserati MC 12 that recalled the legendary Maserati Birdcage two-seater racers of the 1960s. The fully glazed wrap-around front and middle section opens electrically to allow access to the cockpit.

2006 Renault Altica Sports Estate:
According to Patrick Le Quement, Renault's Senior Vice President, Corporate Design, Renault's aim with this model is to strike a successful balance between flowing and sporty lines. The Altica concept car is an original and futuristic vision of the estate car.

Three brands, three concepts

BMW Group, the organiser of the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este, is presenting concept and experimental cars from all three of its brands at the Concorso, although none of these are taking part in the competition. On the initiative of BMW Group, the Concept Car competition was taken up into the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este in 2002 - a decision rewarded in 2006 with record participant numbers.

Vision of a Grand Touring Coupé:
The Rolls-Royce 101EX A special highlight of the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este 2006 is the presence of the Rolls-Royce 101EX. This pure experimental car is a modern design for the 21st century that pays respectful homage to the past while at the same time pointing firmly into the future. Villa d'Este with its exceptionally beautiful location and luxurious ambience provides the best possible setting for a successful presentation. Following the sensation caused by the open-topped Rolls-Royce 100EX at the 2004 Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este, the involvement of the British marque is set to create another stir this year.

Concept study of the BMW Z4 Coupé:
The BMW Z4 Coupé concept study epitomises motoring fascination. With its outstanding performance, this study embodies the classic values of the BMW brand. Against the background of a steadily expanding market for premium sports cars with real personality, it is an obvious move to go into series production with such an emotion-packed two-seater sports coupé.

MINI Concept Geneva - A homage to the glory days of the Monte Carlo Rally:
From 1964 to 1967, Mini dominated the Monte Carlo Rally and laid the foundations for its legendary reputation as an agile sports car. To mark the centenary in 2006 of the birth of the Mini's creator, Sir Alec Issigonis, and in tribute to the triumphs of the Mini brand some 40 years ago, the MINI Concept Geneva represents a modern-day interpretation of the Mini Traveller, Countryman and Clubman models.

BMW Art Car

The BMW M3 by Ken Done and Michael Jagamara Nelson The 77th edition of the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este offers an occasion to ogle two BMW M3 Group A racing versions from the BMW Art Car collection. The collection is composed of fifteen BMWs transformed into works of art by fifteen internationally famous artists. The two cars that will be displayed on Sunday, April 23 at Villa Erba were created in 1989 by Australian artists. The first was done by the painter and advertising graphics artist Ken Done, while the second is the work of the Aborigine artist Michael Jagamara Nelson. The BMW Art Car collection will soon acquire its sixteenth 'piece', the BMW H2R transformed into a work of art by the contemporary artist Olafur Eliasson.

Special exhibition

The Past of the Future With the special show "The Past of the Future", the organisers of the Concorso d'Eleganza are offering a particularly attractive exhibition on the public day at Villa Erba that showcases historic concept cars which once caused a sensation at motor shows. Shown alongside these models are the cars that adopted elements of the concepts for serial production. The pairings point out to the motoring enthusiast the influence that design studies have on the cars that eventually make it onto the roads. This unusual exhibition idea promises to be a further highlight of the public day.

"Open" Sunday

The weekend of April 22-23 provides an opportunity to admire these dream cars of the last eight decades and the flamboyant concept cars of the modern era. While Saturday sees the media and invited guests inspecting the vehicles against the picturesque backdrop of the Grand Hotel Ville d'Este, Sunday is "open day". It gives the general public, too, a chance to vote for their own favourites among the Concept Cars. Admission is €10 (single) or €20 (family ticket), with concessions at €8. In addition to the cars already displayed on Saturday, Sunday will roll out a host of other high-calibre classics for the public to view in special shows.

Visitors can find further information in English, German and Italian at www.concorsodeleganzavilladeste.it