LOPRESTO - BEST IN SHOW
Guardian and more often than not even saviour of some of the most important cars which left a mark in the automotive culture, Corrado Lopresto has established what is known today to be one of the most significat collection of classic cars. The assembly consists of protoypes, one offs and most prominently, the very first examples produced in different lineages of automobiles. All rigorously Italian. And here is where Lopresto's raison d'être takes on a more meaningful meaning than just sweeping one "Best In Show" trophy after another. Travelling the world and showcasing their prized cars, the members of the Lopresto family have became in a way the country's ambassadors, a country whose products have demonstrated time and again to stand a notch above in terms of technical innovations, performance and style. We were honoured to be able to visit their headquarters, a veritable pantheon of Italian automotive culture in Milan where we met Duccio Lopresto, now proudly following in his father Corrado’s footsteps and fully commited to maintaing and even help expanding the ever growing collection of unique, special cars. Here is what we learned…
•What made you fall in love with Alfa in the first place?
My first car related memory is of an Alfa Romeo. The first car I ever sat on was an Alfa Romeo 2300 Ministeriale (we still own it), that I nicknamed "Muccona" (big cow) for its impressive size. My whole life has been going around the world to show Alfas or to drive Alfas at events. I was born with this brand inside me. I think Alfa has a unique appeal. The mix of incredible heritage, innovative design, joy of driving, racing DNA and racing pedigree. It's just unique, there's nothing like Alfa anywhere else in the world. Furthermore, I am from Milano and I love my city. Alfa is the greatest expression of Milanese excellence in terms of Design / Engineering and Brand Power.
• What’s the first Alfa you would recommend somebody to buy?
I think the Duetto Prima Serie, Alfasud Sprint or Alfa GT Scalino. Great, great cars to drive. Lovely design. Not so hard to maintain and timeless emotions. Also, a pre-war 1750, if you have more money to spend.
• What is the biggest misconception about Alfa?
That they are not reliable. It's totally untrue. If you compare a ‘60s / ‘70s Alfa to a British car of the same era, it will be much easier to maintain and will give less problems. Then, people who don't know much about car history may think that Alfas are not "fast". You just need a quick check of Wikipedia to see how much impact Alfa has had in racing and production of some of the greatest sport cars.
• What project would you most like to build or get involved with?
I love pre-war Alfas, especially the 6C 1750. Anything that is a pre-war Alfa for me will be a great project to be involved in. Otherwise, a Giulia GTA. We had one and I rememeber working on the engine. Oh, what a jewel!
• What’s your favourite event?
Mille Miglia, Goodwood, Villa d'Este are the most enjoyable. Pebble Beach is the one that impressess me the most every year in terms of quality of cars, just sensational.
• What’s your favourite place to take your Alfa to?
I love to take with my girlfriend in our Duetto Osso di Seppia Prototipo to the Barolo region, this area has such great roads! Also, Liguria, near Portofino. Otherwise, I love to drive in Switzerland, Passo del San Bernandino for example.
• How does owning an Alfa change you?
It will make you understand why people get so mad about them. You just need to look at them, then jump on-board and enjoy the most enjoyable driving machine ever made! All the problems will become the real pleasure.
• What is the next "big" Alfa in the collectors' world?
The 33 Stradale is the Holy Grail today. But to me, the best will always remain the 1930s 8C. 8C 2300 Monza, what a crazy machine. I had the luck to drive the original one from Scuderia Ferrari in Monza. Timeless emotions. Otherwise, the 2900 8C... Sculpture in motion.
• Which Alfa is not part of your collection at the moment but you would like to have in the future?
We are happy with what we have, every Alfa is special or unique. But if I had to choose, I'd say the 8C 2900.
•What differentiates the Italian automotive style from other cultures for you?
Genius and unruliness. It's part of us Italians. Part of our DNA, it's our way to see and interpret the world. We are not happy with normal things. We like beauty to surround us. I love Dante's phrase from the Inferno "Considerate la vostra semenza: fatti non foste a viver come bruti ma per seguir virtute e canoscenza", which translates into: Consider well the seed that gave you birth: you were not made to live as brutes, but to follow virtue and knowledge.
Photography by Luca Danilo Orsi
