Elegance in Megeve: the cream of style masterpieces brought together

Cars are inherently mobile objects. They are neither meant to collect dust in a museum or the back of a garage, nor to wait for sunny days to get some fresh air. Having formulated this postulate, the Italian Alessandro Bortesi, a restaurateur from Geneva (his pizza is one of the best in Switzerland) and a passionate admirer of beautiful cars, organized the Megeve Concours d’Elegance for the second time since 2023. As such, it follows a trend that is spreading to the other side of the Alps with similar demonstrations in St. Moritz and Zell am See. The fact remains that we have not given much of our skin in the game. Collectors are always reluctant to take their cars out in the winter, especially in the mountains where the roads are salty when they are not snow-covered or wet. Alessandro Bortesi not only knows people, but was also able to find arguments to bring some exceptional machines out of their lair. Judge for yourself: the eclectic field includes about fifty models, covering the history of the car from the late 1920s to the present day. Pre-war models were represented by the Bugatti 35 and Alfa Romeo 6C.

But, as often happens, the Ferrari brand was the most represented. Among the fifteen models adorned with the Cavallino Rampante, we noted the presence of the 288 GTO from 1984, the La Ferrari hybrid supercar launched in 2013, the 308 GTB with a polyester body, the 458 Italia, the 812 Competizione Aperta with Tailor Made trim. , from a black 1963 250 GT Lusso and from two Vignale-bodied models: a 1950 166 Berlinette and a 1951 212 Inter convertible. Lamborghini fanatics were not forgotten thanks to the Revuelto Berlinette, Aventador, as well as the 1993 Diablo, the first series Espada from Geneva and the unique Lamborghini Miura. Milleciodi. The latter was modified in the mid-seventies to resemble the famous Jota, which disappeared in an accident. It owes its name to the 1000 rivets that litter the body.

Among the lineup of modern cars were a Lancia 037 restomod by Kimera and an Alfa Romeo Bertone coupe modified by Totem. High quality achievements. Milanese coupes are available with an electric motor or a turbocharged Alfa Romeo 2.8 V8 engine with 600 hp. But in the parking lot of the Palais des Sports in Megève, where the event took place, spectators were looking only at the Laffite Automobili LM1 hypercar, the result of a collaboration between Bruno Laffite, nephew of pilot Jacques Laffite, and his childhood friend Pascal Cohen. With its line inspired by the prototype in the LMP3 category, this car seemed to run off the grid at Le Mans. It is, however, road-legal, and over the weekend we were able to see that it’s not afraid of getting stuck in the ever-abundant traffic jams at this station, where some people seem to take great pleasure in showing off their latest SUVs. .

The Laffite LM1 is powered by Lamborghini’s WEC-racing V8 hybrid engine. The engine has clearly been rebuilt for street use. The jury of the Concours d’Elegance was not indifferent to the quality of the work of the master builder and the line bearing the signature of the Giugiaro style office, awarding it first prize in the Modern category. As for the award in the Classic category, it went to the Jaguar Type E V12. The jury awarded the car’s history. It has always been in the same family, and the burgundy interior has retained the patina of time. The current owner inherited his father’s E-Type, and it was behind the wheel of an English car that he learned to drive. Finally, the Ferrari 166 MM Berlinette in Vignale body received the Best of Show award. This good-natured and friendly event deserves encouragement. The presence of more than 10,000 people over three days clearly shows that the car continues to inspire the dreams of both young and old.