Italy / EUR €
The Anantara Concorso Roma 2026 marked a new addition to the international concours calendar. Following a pause in 2025 due to Pope Benedict's passing, its inaugural edition arrived in Rome with a clear sense of intent - refined, tightly curated, and grounded in a distinctly Italian perspective on automotive culture.
Hosted at the Anantara Palazzo Naiadi Rome Hotel and presented by UBS, the event brought together over 70 rare and historic Italian cars across 16 classes. Alfa Romeo, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Lancia, Maserati, Fiat, and Pagani were all represented, forming a focused field that favoured quality and significance over scale.
Best of Show: Maserati V4 Sport Zagato
Crowned Best of Show at the Anantara Concorso Roma was the 1932 Maserati V4 Sport Zagato, a technically remarkable model, powered by a rare V16 configuration and known for setting a world speed record of 246 km/h in 1929. One of only two ever produced, the car returned to Rome decades after its original delivery, adding a sense of continuity to its recognition.
Interior Craft: Il Miglior Interno
Among the standout entries at the Anantara Concorso Roma 2026, the Maserati 3500 GT Convertible Vignale prototype proved equally significant. A defining model of Italian grand touring design, it not only won its class but was also awarded Il Miglior Interno, recognising excellence in interior craftsmanship.
The award, created and presented by Schedoni Modena as part of the concours programme, reflects a broader focus on material, tactility, and design elements that remain central to Italian automotive identity. For many of the collectors present, this emphasis felt instinctive. Long-standing relationships within this world often built around bespoke interiors and luggage created for the cars themselves, mean that craftsmanship is not an abstract idea, but something deeply understood and recognised.
Across the Field
Elsewhere, highlights from the Anantara Concorso Roma included a 1968 Lamborghini Miura P400 and a 1986 Ferrari Testarossa Spider, alongside a wider display spanning Le Mans-winning Ferraris and finely preserved Lancias, a reminder of the depth and diversity within Italian automotive history.
Within the City
From arrivals at the Anantara Palazzo Naiadi Rome Hotel to a public showcase at Villa Borghese, the cars were experienced within the fabric of Rome itself positioned against architecture and landscape rather than isolated from it.
