Posted on Sat, Aug. 14, 2004 on MontereyHerald.com

Concorso Italiano -- La dolce vita!

You don't have to speak the language to celebrate a nation's 'amore' for fast cars

Not a lot at Concorso Italiano, a premium event celebrating Italian automotives held Friday in Seaside. Scarcely a word of Italian was uttered among the on-lookers, drivers, vendors, owners, or aficionados.

The most phrases heard were those uttered by master of ceremonies and radio disc jockey Barry Brown, or sung by Monterey tenor Erasmo Aiello.

There was, however, plenty of Italian to celebrate: The sophisticated Maserati, sharp Lamborghini, elegant Alfa Romeo. More than 550 Ferrari models. Groups of Vespas, Riva boats and Fiats.

And molto, molto di piú.

The upscale car show, which drew hundreds to Blackhorse Golf Course, was one of several events that make up Classic Car Weekend. Fans, dressed in upscale casual clothing or T-shirts and caps boasting manufacturer brand names such as Pirelli and Agip, wormed through rows of vintage classics from the old country.

Some hovered around certain favorites, swapping trivial knowledge about the models. (Of course, at a car show like the Concorso, no automotive knowledge is considered trivial.)

Others kept low profiles, attending only to spend time with the cars.

That's what radio and television personality Adam Carolla did. The actor-comedian -- who, incidentally, has Sicilian roots -- co-hosts the nationally stockaded radio show "Love Line" and up until last year co-hosted "The Man Show" with Jimmy Kimmel.

Carolla, 40, non-committedly eyed several cars throughout the day. It is the second year he's come up from Los Angeles to see the cars, but he hasn't yet driven one home. His garage is filled with BMW M3s and a Porsche, he said.

" I've been looking out here for a while," Carolla said, locking his glance on a red 1968 Miura Lamborghini.

" Man, I'd like one of these," he said, walking away.

The Concorso, which means "competition," was more than mere eye candy for the Italian car enthusiast. More than 100 concessionaires pitched sales from their tents, including Hagerty Insurance and Winstons Jewelers. Carmel retailers hosted a fashion show.

Francesco Sciortino, consul general of Italy, came down from his San Francisco office to attend, his third Concorso in as many years.

" This is an international event. Anyone can appreciate an Italian car, even if they don't speak Italian," Sciortino, who is from Sicily, said in Italian.

Clearly, visitors needn't be Italian to appreciate these cars; they don't even need to know the cars' inner workings or intimate histories.

They just have to love them. And maybe, like Carolla and dozens of others, have enough money to buy one.

" There is no need to understand Italian to appreciate Italian cars and the beauty that Italy is making," Sciortino told a crowd of spectators. "Being here means you like beautiful things and that you are friends of Italy."

By VICTORIA MANLEY, Herald Staff Writer
(831)646-4478 or vmanley@montereyherald.com

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