Racing Icons and Design Legends: Broad Arrow to Auction Historic Motorsport Marvels at Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este 2025
Where Competition Pedigree Meets Collector Prestige
Broad Arrow Auctions, in partnership with BMW AG and under the banner of Hagerty, is set to debut its inaugural Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este Auction at the historic Villa Erba on the shores of Lake Como this May. Over the course of May 24–25, 2025, the auction will present up to 70 exceptional collector cars, including a highly curated selection of motorsport icons—vehicles not just revered for their rarity but for their irreplaceable place in racing lore.
Each car on offer carries a story written in tire rubber and grit, making this auction a destination for serious collectors and enthusiasts with a taste for heritage on wheels.
The Dakar Titan: 1990 Citroën ZX Rallye Raid
Estimate: €475,000 – €525,000
Few vehicles have endured the punishing terrain of cross-country rallying like the 1990 Citroën ZX Rallye Raid—especially chassis C05, which competed in three consecutive Paris-Dakar Rallies as part of the Citroën factory team. Piloted by Alain Ambrosino and later restored to 1990 Pharaohs Rally specification to honor its stint with rallying legend Ari Vatanen, this Citroën played a crucial role in Citroën Sport’s domination of the FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Rallying in the early ‘90s.
Post-competition, C05 became part of the Citroën Heritage collection until 2011 and has since undergone a comprehensive two-year restoration. Today, it arrives at Villa Erba as a Paris-Dakar veteran, complete with original 1991 Citroën Sport racing suits and extensive documentation. A frequent invitee to the Goodwood Festival of Speed and Salon Privé, the ZX Rallye Raid is as desirable as it is battle-tested.
The Car That Started It All: 1936 Fiat 570 Bertone Barchetta Special
Estimate: €325,000 – €375,000
Automotive design history traces a compelling arc through this 1936 Fiat 570 Bertone Barchetta Special, the very first car built by Nuccio Bertone himself. Purchased with his own savings and modified from a humble Fiat 500 A Topolino, the car marks both the origin of Bertone’s racing career and the beginning of one of the most storied design houses in automotive history.
The barchetta competed under Squadra Corse Stanguellini and ran in four Mille Miglia events, notably placing second in its class in 1948. Decades later, Bertone rediscovered the car in 1996 and began a personal restoration project. Though he passed away before its completion, the vehicle remained in the family’s collection until 2021. Now, this meticulously restored masterpiece returns to Villa d’Este with full documentation and a provenance that is difficult to rival.
The Periscope Racer: 1966 Fiat Abarth OT 1300
Estimate: €400,000 – €450,000
Lightweight, rear-engined, and impossibly quick for its displacement, the 1966 Fiat Abarth OT 1300 was built to surprise and surpass. Known affectionately as “Periscopio” for its roof-mounted air intake, this car stood its ground in the Targa Florio—one of the most punishing endurance races of its time.
Chassis 0047 not only competed in three Targa Florio races but won its class on debut and was later owned by Vincenzo Osella, the man who carried forward Abarth’s racing legacy and founded his own Formula One team. In true barn find fashion, this car has spent the past 40 years in Italian storage and is offered in unrestored condition, providing a compelling opportunity for a full historical recommission.
The Gentleman’s Racer: 1965 Elva BMW Mk 8
Estimate: €175,000 – €225,000 | Offered Without Reserve
An engineering collaboration between Elva and BMW, the 1965 Elva BMW Mk 8 embodied lightweight British racing design with German mechanical muscle. Chassis 80/09 was campaigned in the Road America 500, finishing 10th overall in two consecutive years.
Its illustrious ownership includes placement in the renowned collection of Dr. Julio Palma, followed by active vintage racing under Roger Wills, who took the car to the Goodwood Revival and the Members Meeting. Fittingly, the Mk 8 will return to competition at the 2025 Goodwood Members Meeting before crossing the block at Villa d’Este.
A Celebration of Motorsport Heritage
The vehicles on offer at this year’s Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este Auction reflect more than just performance or design pedigree—they encapsulate turning points in motorsport history. From the global dominance of Citroën’s rally program to the formative years of Nuccio Bertone, and the underdog triumphs of Abarth, each model brings with it a layered narrative ready for its next custodian.
As Joe Twyman, VP of Sales for Broad Arrow’s EMEA Region, affirms:
“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.”
Joe Twyman, VP of Sales for Broad Arrow’s EMEA Region
For discerning collectors and passionate enthusiasts alike, this May’s sale offers a rare intersection of art, competition, and provenance—hosted at one of the world’s most elegant automotive stages.