FuoriConcorso will return to Lake Como on May 16-17, 2026 with a new thematic focus, KraftMeister, turning its attention to the engineering-led culture of the German automobile. Staged once again across Villa del Grumello and Villa Sucota, with a parallel exhibition at Villa Olmo, the event continues its established format of combining curated automotive displays with design and cultural programming. There’s also two world premieres – one for Brabus, and another for Bizzarrini.
Where the 2025 edition centred on Italian notions of speed and expression, the organisers frame KraftMeister as an exploration of how engineering discipline, functional design and performance have shaped a distinct automotive identity, one rooted as much in industrial thinking as in aesthetics. The displays will follow a loosely chronological and thematic structure, bringing together historic racing machinery, production cars, prototypes and specialist builds. Rather than presenting individual highlights in isolation, the intention is to examine broader strands of development, from early competition engineering through to contemporary performance and design practice.
Mercedes-Benz will form a central element of the 2026 programme, marking 140 years of automotive history with a curated selection of cars at Villa del Grumello. The display will include a selection of Mercedes-Benz models spanning more than a century, beginning with the 1886 Benz Patent-Motorwagen and continuing through the 1906 Mercedes Grand Prix and the 1928 Mercedes-Benz SSK. Post-war development is represented by the 1955 Mercedes 300 SLR, with the sequence concluding in the present day with the Mercedes-AMG ONE hypercar of 2024.
Motor sport will remain a key strand. Porsche will be represented by endurance-racing icons including the 908 LH, 917 LH and 962, while BMW’s touring car heritage will feature via models such as the 3.0 CSL. Mercedes-Benz will also present its 190E 2.5-16 Evolution and Evolution II, developed for the DTM, alongside the modern interpretation, the HWA EVO.
The tuning and aftermarket scene will be explored through cars from AMG, Gemballa and Koenig Specials, including the Gemballa Mirage GT and the Mercedes-Benz 300 CE 6.0 AMG ‘Hammer’. Meanwhile, contemporary performance will be represented by the likes of Koenigsegg, which is expected to present the CC850, while Bentley will display the limited-production Batur, developed through its Mulliner division.
Pagani will appear with a Zonda Unico model, and Gordon Murray Automotive will present the T.50. The programme will also include restomod and specialist projects, such as the Eccentrica V12 Titano, alongside new work from Bizzarrini and TS Automobili. There’s also the chance to see the latest work from Marc Philipp Gemballa, Donkervoort and Naran Automotive, as well as MV Agusta.
Concept cars will also be a key part of FuoriConcorso 2026, with examples such as the Maybach Exelero and BMW Vision EfficientDynamics illustrating how manufacturers have used experimental projects to explore new technologies and design approaches. Audi, meanwhile, will present a motor sport-focused display at Villa Sucota, including the Sport Quattro, 90 Quattro IMSA GTO, R18 e-tron Quattro and the brand’s forthcoming Formula 1 entry (above).
Porsche will also feature a dedicated air-cooled 911 display, tracing the development of the model through both road and competition examples. This begins with the 1971 911 2.6 ST Tour de France, noted for its Shell livery and its performances in the Tour de France Automobile with Larrousse and Barth. Alongside it is a 964-generation 911 in RSR specification, a winner at the Nürburgring and Spa 24 Hours, driven by Edgar Dören and Bernd Mayländer.
Away from the automotive displays, Villa Olmo will host Helmut Newton. Cars, a photographic exhibition examining the relationship between the automobile and visual culture, from his Via Appia Antica shot of a white Porsche 356 in 1956, to the New Beetle campaigns in Milan in 1999.
As in previous years, FuoriConcorso will combine its curated displays with a programme of talks and discussions involving designers, engineers and industry figures. On May 16, 2026 at 4:00pm, Audi will host a session examining the development of its motor sport activities, from early origins through to current and future programmes. This will be followed on May 17, 2026 at 4:00pm by a broader discussion on German automotive excellence, focusing on tradition, identity and the future direction of the car.
Further details on FuoriConcorso 2026 can be found here. Meanwhile, you can read our interview with Guglielmo Miani, the event’s founder, here.
