Lake Como truly is a mythical place. Breath-taking scenery blended with a fascinating history and sprinkled with a deep admiration of all things motorised, the area becomes a haven for car lovers the moment there’s word an event is taking place. This weekend was no different, as the shores of Lake Como were dazzled one final time for 2024 with Motoring Attitude’s Nautilus event.
Unlike so many style-hungry car events, these guys like to do things a little differently. Sure, you can bring along your finest classic, collector jewel, modern-day hypercar or just about anything in between, but what really set the attendees alight was seeing a plethora of vintage racing boats skim across the steady water like a freshly pulled bullet from a gun. The event brought in more than 70 cars, parked effortlessly alongside Riva runabouts, wooden racing boats, vintage motorcycles and even a seaplane, creating the perfect fleet for the accidental Wes Anderson setting of the Hotel Nautilus.
While the steady roar of V8-powered boats kept us entertained, the atmosphere on land was just as impressive, where we were delighted to see our dear friend, the Fiat Panda 4x4 getting all the attention they so rightfully deserve. One of which was painted in real time by italian designer Tommaso Spinzi! Elsewhere, the timeless elegance of a Lancia Aurelia B20 provided the perfect antithesis to the always wonderful Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren and the fearsome Gemballa Avalanche GTR 750 Evo-R. A staple for many events but brands more than worthy of the limelight, a sea of Porsches, from all eras, as well as several Ferraris, and even E-Type Jaguars and Rolls-Royces were all gracefully parked along the perfect gardens to create a truly dreamy setting. Also present were our friends at Officine Fioravanti, who brought along their wonderful manually converted Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione, as the team were putting the car through its paces on the perfect European road trip.
A few hours later, the jury, chaired by Laura Kukuk, awarded prizes to the top three cars among those that participated in an informal concours d'elegance. First place went to Riccardo Pozzi's Lancia Aurelia B20; behind her was Dirk Rumpff's Maserati Khamsin, and third place was earned by Tom Wheatley's live-painted Fiat Panda 4x4, and among the boats, the main prize went to Bernocchi's San Marco Maserati. It goes without saying by now, but if you’re even remotely interested in vintage racing boats, and happen to own a delectable classic or unique set of wheels, Nautilus is the event for you. It’s rare to see boats such as Francesco Marinoni's Alfa Romeo-powered Molivio, which raced between 1968 and 1972, winning Italian, European and World championships out in the wild, but seeing it blast along the lake while stood metres away from a mouth-watering selection of cars is truly an unforgettable memory. If you can’t already tell, we’re itching to find out more about what the 2025 edition of Nautilus will entail!
Fotos: Andrea Klainguti © 2024
