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1932 Alfa Romeo Wins Best Of Show, Signifying Shift To Preservation In Historic Vehicles
For the first time, a 'preserved' car has won Best of Show at a prestigious concours event, marking a significant moment for the historic vehicle movement. At last month's Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este 2024, the coveted Trofeo BMW Group – overall award for Best of Show – went to the 1932 Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 by Figoni, owned by 27-year-old Belgian collector Thibault De Meester.
"The huge significance of this moment is that a car which has been largely preserved, rather than restored, took the highest accolade," says Tiddo Bresters, President of FIVA (the Fédération Internationale des Véhicules Anciens or international federation of historic vehicles). "It clearly highlights the trend towards preservation over restoration, a shift that FIVA has long championed."
FIVA has been at the forefront of this movement, having launched its 'Best Preserved Vehicle' award at Pebble Beach in 1999. The Villa d’Este result is not an isolated case. In 2023, a Duesenberg SJ that was last restored more than 20 years ago won Best of Show at Villa d’Este. Now, this perfectly preserved 1932 Alfa Romeo confirms that attitudes have changed.
Bresters concludes: "Looking 'brand new' isn’t the point – the importance of a car is in its history; its authenticity; its place in our automotive heritage. It’s extremely encouraging to see this appreciation of a well-preserved car spreading through the highest echelons of the historic vehicle world, as well as through the bedrock of the classics owned, maintained and enjoyed by the millions of enthusiasts we represent around the globe."
FIVA now looks forward with great interest to Pebble Beach 2024. Whether or not a ‘preserved’ vehicle takes the top prize there in August, FIVA – in partnership with the Hagerty Drivers Foundation – will again be presenting trophies during Monterey Week. These awards have been renamed ‘in honour of Dr Frederick Simeone’, the preservation award judge and automotive historian who passed away in 2022.
FIVA (the Fédération Internationale des Véhicules Anciens) is dedicated to the protection, preservation and promotion of historic vehicles and related culture, as well as their safe use. Since 2017, FIVA has been a non-governmental partner of UNESCO.
For more press information or to speak to a FIVA representative for a specific country, please contact Gautam Sen, FIVA’s Vice President Communications at [email protected] or via phone at +33(0) 6 87 16 43 39 (mobile), or +33 9 66 12 44 64 (landline).
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