A show dedicated to two celebrated Italian races, the Mille Miglia and the Targa Florio.
Two shows, one passion. Paris puts on a special show for the Mille Miglia and the Targa Florio, in an authentic celebration of two great Italian races that still inspire fans and uninitiated spectators alike.
The location is striking and awe-inspiring: the MotorVillage, showcase of the FCA Group on the Champs-Elysées roundabout. Opened in 2010, the structure was designed by architect Jean-Michel Wilmotte and is inspired by a distinct mishmash of styles. The building looks like a cross between an Italian theatre and a multi-storey car park, with a gorgeous central glass tube extending upwards through the five exhibition floors.
Combining design, technology and fashion, MotorVillage is the perfect setting for an event that transforms tradition into avant-garde trend, and not just when it comes to cars.
Inside the building, the exhibition is structured to highlight the characteristics of both events. Separate and custom spaces emphasise the specific characters of the two races with accurate and detailed mock-ups.
FCA Heritage is attending the show with several specimens from its illustrious collection.
Pride of place goes to the Giulia Quadrifoglio and the Fiat 124 Spider.
They are accompanied by a number of cars that distinguished themselves with memorable performances in the two celebrated competitions.
Milanese brand Alfa Romeo is represented in Paris by the Alfa Romeo 33 TT 12. Developed by brilliant engineer Carlo Chiti, the 33 TT 12 debuted at Spa in 1973 and helped the Alfa Romeo brand to win the 1975 World Championship for Makes with seven victories in eight races. In particular, Nino Vaccarella and Arturo Merzario drove this car to a legendary victory in the Targa Florio.
The story of Alfa Romeo is also inextricably linked to the Mille Miglia, considering that the works team won 11 of the race’s 27 editions. The quintessential model on proud display at the Motor Village is the Alfa Romeo RL Super Sport MM, the first car of the “Biscione” (Viper) brand to participate in the 1927 inaugural edition of the legendary stage race.
Another jewel of automotive engineering on display on the first floor of the MotorVillage is an Abarth model, the Fiat Abarth 750, set against a backdrop depicting the final straight ahead of the chequered flag.
With this creation, Carlo Abarth turned an ordinary car into an extraordinary one, taking the modest Fiat 600 and reworking the mechanicals to achieve an output of 47 hp (with a displacement of 750 cm3). Twenty Abarth 750s started the 1957 Mille Miglia and 16 reached the finish line, securing a class victory thanks to driver Alfonso Thiele.
The icing on the cake of an already spectacular show is an exhibition of works by photographer Giacomo Bretzel, who has collaborated for over 20 years with the world’s most influential magazines and is presenting his stunning photos of Italian car races to the public.
With camera in hand, perched on a tree or balancing precariously on a motorcycle, but always ready to push beyond the limit, this "aesthetic idealist" has long been immortalising the beauty of a timeless sport.
Read the stories of the FCA Heritage cars starring in the 2017 Italian Racing Show:
Alfa Romeo 33 TT 12: the car with the tubular chassis gets a 12-cylinder upgrade.
Alfa Romeo RL Super Sport Mille Miglia: the car that first sported the green cloverleaf.
