Concorso Italiano Returns to Monterey Car Week for Its 40th Anniversary
The event will feature exclusive displays of rare & custom-built cars, luxury activations & celebrity appearances…
Concorso Italiano returns to the Monterey Peninsula on Saturday, Aug. 16, 2025, for its 40th anniversary celebration during Monterey Car Week. Once again taking place at Bayonet Black Horse, the event will welcome collectors, enthusiasts, media, and Italian automotive icons for an immersive day of style, history and performance, event organizers said in a press release.
Celebrating the 80th Anniversary of Cisitalia
This year’s Concorso Italiano will celebrate the 80th anniversary of Cisitalia with a centerpiece display that showcases four factory team cars, a gathering rarely seen outside of museum walls. Among them are two original D46 monopostos that competed in Cisitalia’s very first race in September 1946, alongside the Nuvolari Spyder and the pioneering Aerodynamica 202 coupe, both of which participated in the 1947 Mille Miglia.
“Cisitalia was born in the ashes of World War II, but their ingenuity and artistry signaled the rebirth of Italian automotive culture,” says Ed Godshalk, internationally recognized Cisitalia authority and U.S. representative of the Cisitalia Register. “This will be a unique opportunity to see a collection of significant Cisitalia factory team racing cars in one place.”
Godshalk, who has spent decades researching and collecting Cisitalia cars, will be on hand to help tell the story of these groundbreaking vehicles.
Many Unique Cars Will Be on Display at Concorso Italiano
Ed Bolian, founder of VINwiki and a respected voice in the automotive digital space, will unveil a long-rumored icon that has remained hidden for years: the Victoria’s Secret Lamborghini Diablo. Made famous in the 1990s through the brand’s high-profile fashion catalog spreads, often flanked by angel-winged supermodels, this striking exotic is set to return to the spotlight. Its public reappearance at Concorso Italiano will serve as the crown jewel of the Lamborghini display in observance of Diablo’s 35th anniversary, noted the release.
Concorso Italiano’s Global Exotics Display will feature a creation by modern-day coachbuilder Christopher Rünge: The Helios. Shaped entirely by hand using traditional coachbuilding methods, The Helios embodies both old-world craftsmanship and futuristic vision, with its polished aluminum body, flowing curves and dramatic gullwing doors.
Alongside the vehicle, Rünge will present a full-sized aluminum tube buck and English Wheel to demonstrate the meticulous process used to form every panel. Rünge, whose work has been featured on Jay Leno’s Garage, has gained international recognition for creating bespoke, drivable sculptures that pay homage to historic racing forms while pushing the boundaries of modern design.
The Totem GT Super “Jarama” by Totem Automobili debuts on the Monterey Peninsula this year and can also be found on the show field. Designed with a custom-built powertrain, chassis and body, it is a modern reinterpretation of the Alfa Romeo Tipo 105 designed by Bertone in the late 1960s.
The Valentino Balboni Award & Chairman’s Award
Legendary Lamborghini test driver Valentino Balboni will travel from Italy to the Monterey Peninsula in celebration of Concorso Italiano’s 40th Anniversary. A beloved figure within the Concorso Italiano community for four decades, Balboni will be present throughout the day, beginning his morning with a personal review of the Lamborghinis on the show field. Engaging directly with owners and carefully examining each vehicle, he will select the one he believes most deserves the highly coveted Valentino Balboni Award, which will be presented during a special moment in the afternoon awards ceremony.
Concorso Italiano is assembling a special display comprised of vehicles that have won one or more Concorso Italiano awards over the past four decades. Together with past chairmen Tom McDowell and Jack Wadsworth, current event chairman Tanya Kosta will bestow one vehicle with the Chairman’s Award.
The Paddock Monterey
It was also recently announced that The Paddock Monterey will be making its official debut this year at Monterey Car Week. This new space will feature a curated selection of automobiles with no class structures or formal judging.
