Now an Official FIVA Event

Held from April 13th to 14th, the Concorso d'Eleganza Kyoto 2019 marked the third iteration of this competition celebrating the beauty of classic cars.

The "Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance" in America and Italy's "Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este" are recognized as the two major concours events, both known for their prestigious status and long histories.

While several concours events exist in Asia, none have reached the level of their European and American counterparts. It was with this in mind that Hidechika Kimura, an Art Aquarium artist and the event's Founder & CEO, established the Concorso d'Eleganza Kyoto in Japan's ancient capital, Kyoto.

To maintain its high standards, the event has featured distinguished judges since its inception. This year, judges from the aforementioned two major concours, including their chief judges, as well as Shiro Nakamura, former head of design at Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., were invited to ensure the event's first-class level and prestige. Furthermore, this year marked its official recognition as a FIVA (Fédération Internationale des Véhicules Anciens) event, with the FIVA president also attending as a judge.

Now, regarding this year's event,Last year's themefeatured Carrozzeria Touring, an Italian coachbuilder founded in 1926. This year, to commemorate its 100th anniversary, the event focused on Carrozzeria Zagato and Polostrico, Lamborghini's historic car division established in Spring 2015. Zagato, in particular, plans to use this Japanese event as a springboard for future events in various countries.

From pre-war cars to the latest models

A total of 54 cars were entered, with the vast majority being either Zagato or Lamborghini models. Among them, the Lamborghini "3500GTZ," winner of this year's Best of Show, was a particular highlight. This rare prototype, with only two units ever produced, one left-hand drive and one right-hand drive, served as the basis for the production model.350GTZagato created the body for this car, essentially a double-name collaboration, making it a fitting choice for this award.

This 3500GTZ, entered from America, is road-legal and has obtained license plates. It also participated in a two-night, three-day tour, running through Japan's winding roads with its local license plates, thanks to the Carnet system (a simplified procedure for temporary import duties and registration). This demonstrates that the car is not merely preserved but actively enjoyed by its owner.

Other Zagato models on display included pre-war cars like the Alfa Romeo "6C1750GS Zagato," a prototype Rover "TCZ" exhibited at the 1967 Geneva and London Motor Shows, Japanese cars such as the Autech "Stelvio," and recent models like the Alfa Romeo "TZ3 Stradale", the Maserati "Mostro Zagato Coupe," and the Aston Martin "Vanquish Zagato Volante", all of which garnered significant attention.

Lamborghini models also featured prominently,"Islero" and "Espada"ranging from early grand tourers like the "Islero" and "Espada" to the "Miura" and "Countach," and even the "LM-002," the progenitor of Lamborghini SUVs.

Furthermore, the latest iteration of a Lamborghini-Zagato collaboration was unveiled: the Lamborghini "5-95 Zagato 100th Anniversary." Based on a limited edition Gallardo variant, the "LP550-2 Valentino Balboni," Zagato created a 95th-anniversary model, which was then redesigned for the 100th anniversary. The transmission was also converted from the standard e-gear to a manual, and Mr. Balboni himself tuned the car. He made a surprise appearance to support the event, adding to the excitement.

This year's event, shortened from four days last year to two, was further impacted by rain starting around noon on the final day. Despite this, a large number of visitors attended, exceeding last year's turnout.

The event's growing international recognition is evident, with direct entries from overseas organizers this year. It is hoped that this event will continue in the coming years and solidify its position.