The one-off 1932 Maserati V4 Sport Zagato has taken Best in Show at the inaugural Anantara Concorso Roma, emerging as the standout car at one of Europe’s newest concours d’elegance events in Rome. Competing against some of the most historically significant Italian classic cars ever assembled, the Maserati secured top honours in a world-class field.
Held at the Casina Valadier, overlooking the historic city of Rome, the Anantara Concorso Roma – presented by UBS – marked a significant new addition to the international concours calendar. Postponed in 2025, the event returned in style, attracting leading collectors, rare pre-war coachbuilt Alfa Romeos and modern competition icons including the Le Mans-winning Ferrari 499P.
Organised by Minor International, the hotel group behind Anantara, the concours combined exceptional cars with a luxury hospitality experience rarely matched in the concours world. Chairman William Heinecke, himself a major collector, played a key role in assembling both entrants and partners, helping establish the event’s credibility from its first edition.
The winning Maserati V4 Sport Zagato, owned by Lawrence Auriana, carries extraordinary provenance. Known as the ‘Sixteen Cylinder’, the car set a world speed record over 10km at Cremona in 1929, averaging more than 246km/h. It later passed to Professor Riccardo Galeazzi, physician to the Pope, before receiving its distinctive Zagato spider body in two-tone green.
Returning to Rome for the first time in more than 90 years, the Maserati’s victory carried a strong sense of occasion. Acquired by Auriana in 1999 and restored to its original specification, the car previously won its class at Pebble Beach in 2023 before adding Best in Show at Anantara Concorso Roma to its growing list of accolades.
Other notable class winners at the Rome concours included Corrado Lopresto’s 1949 Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 SS Berlinetta by Pinin Farina, Kevin Cogan’s 1951 Ferrari 340 America Barchetta Touring, and the 1965 Ferrari 500 Superfast owned by Byron DeFoor.
Beyond the cars, Anantara Concorso Roma set itself apart through its elevated guest experience. Judges, collectors and guests were hosted within a single luxury hotel environment, with seamless transport, meticulous organisation and a black-tie gala dinner at the Palazzo Brancaccio – famously featured in Roman Holiday starring Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck.
Rome has long been associated with automotive elegance. The original Concorso Romano delle Carrozzerie was first held in 1926 in the gardens of Villa Borghese, before disappearing from the calendar in 1993. The return of a concours d’elegance to the Italian capital, now reimagined as Anantara Concorso Roma, signals a compelling new fixture on the global classic car circuit.
With its combination of historically important cars, strong collector backing and a distinctly Roman setting, Anantara Concorso Roma looks set to establish itself as a major event in the international concours season.
Full set of Class Winners:
Class I – Le Zagato ante-guerra: 1932 Maserati V4 SportZagato, Lawrence Auriana
Class II – Le 8C Alfa: 1933 Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 Cabriolet Castagna, John Bentley
Class III – Le Alfa 6C 2300: Alfa Romeo 6C 2300 Grand Turismo Pescara Spider Touring, Private Collection
Class IV – Le coupé del primo dopo-guerra: Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 SS Berlinetta Pinin Farina, Corrado Lopresto
Class V – Le barchette Ferrari: 1951 Ferrari 340 America Barchetta Touring, Kevin Cogan
Class VI – Le aperte del dopo-guerra: 1955 Lancia Aurelia B24 Spider Pinin Farina, David Gooding
Class VII – Le prime granturismo di Modena: 1955 Ferrari 375MM Coupé Speciale Ghiam, Tom Pack
Class VIII – Vestite leggere da Zagato: 1966 Alfa Romeo Giulia TZ2, Simon Kidston
Class IX – Le berlinette Ferrari di Pininfarina: 1965 275 GTB, Ronnie Kessel
Class X – Le spyder di Viale Ciro Menotti: 1959 Maserati 3500 GT Spyder Vignale “prototipo”, Billy and Tisa Hobbs
Class XI – Le spider di Maranello: 1986 Ferrari Testarossa Spider, La Storia in Rosso
Class XII – Le Ferrari vincitrici a Le Mans:
Class XIII – Le eleganti Ferrari di Pininfarina: 1965 Ferrari 500 Superfast, Byron DeFoor
Class XIV – Le granturismo sportive degli Anni Sessanta: 1968 Lamborghini Miura, Fritz Kaiser
Class XV – Le sportive degli Anni Ottana e Novanta: 1993 Bugatti EB 110 GT, Maurizio De Angelis
