From October 2nd to 3rd, the enchanting Villa del Grumello in Como will be hosting the 2nd edition of “Fuori Concorso”, a unique format aimed both at fans of extraordinary cars, and at aficionados of culture, lifestyle and exclusive experiences. This year’s theme is Turbo technology, which in recent decades has been a feature of the engines used in cars that have become part of the collective unconscious.
In the curated spaces of the 17th-century residence majestically overlooking the banks of Lake Como and centrally located in the town of the same name, visitors can admire a priceless selection of mass-production models, racing cars, concept vehicles and prototypes, all equipped with turbo engines and borrowed from automakers’ museums and major private collections.
The schedule also covers encounters with F1 and Rally drivers, and with experts from the automotive world, including Roberto Giolito – an internationally renowned designer and Stellantis Head of Heritage for Alfa Romeo, Fiat, Lancia and Abarth. He will talk about the milestones of the department established in 2015, tasked with the retrieval, protection and enhancement of the tremendous historical heritage of these four prestigious Italian brands, and specifically about the fleet of the more than 600 vintage cars it owns.
In addition to more educational museum activities, it is also worth a mention that Heritage offers a full platform of services for fans and collectors of historic cars: certification, maintenance and restoration, and unobtainable spare parts recreated in conjunction with Mopar®. Plus, with the “Reloaded by Creators” service, the department searches for classic cars from all over the world, brings them back to life, certifies them and puts them back on the market, in an approach similar to an art museum, by funding the acquisition and restoration of other masterpieces.
“Participating in these events is an honor for us,” said Roberto Giolito. “We are aiming to disseminate knowledge of the historical and technological heritage of our brands, as widely as possible. And we firmly believe that supporting these initiatives – including by lending out our vintage cars – contributes to the renown of a project we have been working on consistently for over 5 years. Indeed, direct from the Stellantis Heritage collection comes the Lancia ECV2 racing prototype, now on display in “Fuori Concorso”. A unique model – never used in a race due to a change in the regulations of the World Rally Championship, it enchants to this day for its adoption of innovative technology solutions aimed at achieving peak performance. The Lancia ECV2 present at the prestigious event will therefore embody the values of Made in Italy in terms of technology and sportiness.”
Built in 1988, the Lancia ECV2 prototype represents the evolution of the Lancia Experimental Composite Vehicle (ECV), albeit with a less ostentatious body design and with a supercharger metering system optimized for low speeds depending on the action of the dual turbochargers.
The car was made to study the entry into competition at the World Rally Championship of new composite materials, to be used in body construction and to manufacture some of the mechanical components, including the crankshaft and wheel rims.
Use was therefore made of carbon fiber panels, honeycomb structures and rigid foams. The result was a weight more than 20% lower than that of the Delta S4 used as a starting point, while still maintaining its torsional rigidity.
The Lancia ECV2 is equipped with a 1759-cc 4-cylinder engine that delivers up to 600 hp at 8,000 rpm, made possible by its dual turbocharger system with intercooler, as well as by the brand-new technical specification of a modular pressure control system. The Lancia ECV2 reaches a top speed of 220 km/h and accelerates from 0 to 200 km/h in only 9 seconds.
