Lamborghinis, Ferraris, Alfa Romeos and more were on display at Stony Brook University for the 18th annual Robert D. Cess Concorso d’Eleganza Italian car show, hosted by the Center for Italian Studies.
Hundreds of fans of Italian automobile design and craftsmanship — along with students, families and other members of the SBU community — flocked to the campus to enjoy this celebration of art on wheels, which was packed with examples of modern and classic cars.
Andrea Fedi, director of the Center for Italian Studies, called the event a success. He noted that crowd favorites included a 1973 Intermeccanica Squire SS100, a large retro-styled roadster inspired by 1930s British designs; a striking green Ferrari 812 with carbon fiber accents and boasting Ferrari’s latest and most powerful naturally aspirated V12 engine; and a classic 1960 Fiat 1500 OSCA Coupe, a two-seater convertible designed by the renowned Pinin Farina.
“I was happy to see that the event drew such a large and diverse crowd, with a notable increase in student attendance this year,” Fedi said. “Members of the campus community, including [College of Arts and Sciences] Dean David Wrobel, joined enthusiasts from Long Island and the city in celebrating Italian automotive craftsmanship and design.”
“We had a beautiful display of Italian engineering, design and styling,” said Anthony Intintoli, president of the New York Alfa Romeo Owners Club, which has had a longstanding relationship and partnership with the Center for Italian Studies. “We want to thank all those who participated and brought a beautiful vehicle for others to admire and enjoy. We also want to thank the Center for Italian Studies for making this another successful Concorso. It was a great day to be outside to enjoy all of these wonderful examples of Italian culture.”
The show attracted more than 60 classic and modern vehicles of various Italian marques, including Alfa Romeo, Ferrari, Maserati, Lamborghini, Fiat, Lancia, Innocenti, DeTomaso, Intermeccanica, Ducati, Moto Guzzi and Piaggio.
Cars and their owners were awarded People’s Choice Prizes for best in show. First prize was awarded to Leonardo Vicente for his 1987 DeTomaso Pantera GT5-S. Gary Pezzella won second prize with his 2023 Ferrari 812 Competizione, and third place was shared by John Lochren with his 1973 Fiat 500, and Mark Offenberg with his 1973 Intermeccanica Squire SS-100. First prize in the motorcycle category went to Tracy Calder and a 2011 Ducati Monster 796.
The Center for Italian Studies founded the Concorso d’Eleganza in 2006, thanks to the efforts of Center founder Mario Mignone and SoMAS Distinguished Professor Robert (“Bob”) Cess, who was a world leader in atmospheric sciences, authoring several influential papers on the greenhouse gas effect and its effects on Earth’s atmosphere. For his outstanding contributions to the field, he was awarded the NASA Exceptional Scientific Achievement Medal, which is NASA’s highest scientific honor.
Outside of academia, Cass held an unparalleled love for classic Italian automobile design. He particularly enjoyed restoring post-war Alfa Romeos, which is what prompted him to approach Mignone about the possibility for a car show. Seeing an opportunity to further connect the Center with the local Italian and Italian American community through shared praise of one of Italy’s finest exports, Mignone and Cess organized the first Concorso d’Eleganza on May 21, 2006. The annual show is named in Cess’ honor.
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