Broad Arrow presents motorsport stars at Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este Auction
Legendary Paris-Dakar 1990 Citroën ZX Rallye Raid campaigned by Ari Vatanen heads to Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este Auction
Sale also features 1936 Fiat 570 Bertone Barchetta, the first car created by famous designer, Nuccio Bertone
Targa Florio “giant-killer,” 1966 Fiat Abarth OT 1300 and Elva BMW Mk 8 which competed in Road America 500 also on offer
Broad Arrow Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este Auction takes place 24-25 May at Villa Erba
Broad Arrow Auctions, a Hagerty (NYSE: HGTY) company, will present a number of historically significant motorsport models at its inaugural Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este Auction on 24-25 May 2025.
Broad Arrow Auctions has partnered with BMW AG to become the official auction partner of the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este, offering up to 70 of the highest quality collector cars for sale on the shores of Lake Como. The exceptional cars on offer span the most desirable categories of the collector car market, from coachbuilt classics to the latest modern classics and supercars along with legends of motorsport across nearly every era and type.
“Our Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este auction will offer some of the world’s finest cars,” says Joe Twyman, VP of Sales for Broad Arrow’s EMEA Region. “I am delighted to announce four of these today, all with a special history within motorsport.”
1990 Citroën ZX Rallye Raid (Estimate: €475.000 - €525.000)
This 1990 Citroën ZX Rallye Raid campaigned in three consecutive Paris-Dakar Rallies with the Citroën factory team. In 1991 it was driven to sixth place in the Paris-Tripoli-Dakar Rally by Alain Ambrosino and over the next two years it finished seventh in both the Paris-Dakar-Cape Town Rally and the Paris-Tangiers-Dakar Rally. These results meant that Chassis C05 played a crucial role in Citroën Sport winning the FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Rallying.
When ZX C05 finished campaigning, it entered the Citroën Heritage collection until 2011, when it was purchased by a private owner. This remarkable piece of international rallying history then underwent a full two-year restoration to 1990 Pharaohs Rally specification when driven by rallying legend, Ari Vatanen.
The 1990s are often regarded as the pinnacle era of cross-country rallying and the provenance of chassis C05 makes this a rare opportunity to acquire a genuine piece of Paris-Dakar Rally history. Regularly invited to prestigious events such as the Goodwood Festival of Speed and Salon Privé Concours d’Elegance, this car is still very much in demand.
Chassis C05 is accompanied by an extensive history file, including authentic competitor information. Documentation relating to its full restoration and subsequent service work is included and the sale also includes two Citroën Sport racing suits from the car’s 1991 season.
1936 Fiat 570 Bertone Barchetta Special (Estimate: €325.000 - €375.000)
This 1936 Fiat 570 Bertone Barchetta Special is the first car created by Nuccio Bertone after he inherited the family carrozziere from his father. Bought with his own money, Bertone transformed a Fiat 500 A Topolino into this beautiful barchetta, effectively making it the car that would launch his remarkable career.
The design features a number of signature hallmarks of Bertone, who raced under the Squadra Corse Stanguellini banner in 1947. Just as the car signifies the start of Nuccio Bertone’s design legacy, so too does it represent the start of his racing career, finishing in 12th place on its debut. The car continued to race successfully until 1950, including four consecutive participations in the famous Mille Miglia where it placed 2nd in the Sport 750 class in 1948.
Decades later, in 1996, Bertone found the car again and initiated a full restoration. Sadly, he passed away before it was completed, but this historically significant Fiat 570 remained in the Bertone family collection until it found a new owner in 2021. It has appeared at a number of globally renowned concours events, including Villa d’Este and returns to this prestigious event complete with extensive documentation and a place in automotive history that is hard to match.
1966 Fiat Abarth OT 1300 (Estimate: €400.000 - €450.000)
The 1966 Fiat Abarth OT 1300 is the epitome of a Targa Florio entry—a road-legal race car that took on more powerful rivals in the legendary race. It is a true GT racer, full of character and ability with its light weight, rear engine, 147hp and unmistakably Italian styling. This includes the distinctive roof-mounted “periscope” air duct to cool the driver, a feature that earned the car the nickname of “Periscopio.”
Registered in 1966, chassis 0047 not only competed, but was classified as a finisher in three Targa Florio events, including winning its class on its very first outing. This car has an impressive motorsport pedigree, especially as it was owned in the 1970s by Vincenzo Osella, who took over the racing division of Abarth in the 1970s and was the owner of the Osella Formula One team.
This Abarth OT 1300 continued to compete until it was sold in the late 1980s and placed in storage in Italy. It remained there for the next 40 years and its “barnfind” condition means it will require recommissioning. It represents a superb opportunity to restore a car that made a huge impact during the golden years of the Targa Florio.
1965 Elva BMW Mk 8 (Estimate: €175.000 - €225.000 | Offered Without Reserve)
Frank Nichols collaborated with some of the greatest automotive companies to produce road and race cars. However, it was his focus on racing that created some of his best work in the form of the Elva Mark series. This 1965 Elva BMW Mk 8 was Nichols’ first to use a 2.0 litre BMW engine mated to a Hewland HD5 gearbox. Chassis number 80/09 debuted in the Road America 500, finishing an impressive 10th overall, a feat it repeated the following year. The car later formed a part of the world-renowned collection of Dr. Julio Palma before being brought back to the UK by seasoned historic racer Roger Wills who raced it at the Goodwood Revival and Members Meeting, as well as a number of races across Europe. Prior to being auctioned at Villa d’Este, this Elva BMW Mk 8 will compete again at the 2025 Goodwood Members Meeting and will be eligible for the Madgwick Cup at the annual Goodwood Revival.
“Every race car has a story to tell, but these cars are not just race cars, they are superb artifacts of motorsport history, deeply connected to some of the greatest races in the world,” adds Twyman. “We are immensely proud to be able to offer the car that began the career of the legendary designer, Nuccio Bertone as well as an example of the Citroën ZX Rallye Raid that proved so successful on the Paris-Dakar. Together with the Elva BMW and Fiat Abarth OT 1300, these are cars that made a name for themselves in motorsport around the world and will bring a great deal of prestige to any collection.”
