The devil you don’t know
It’s amazing that some concours cars go on tour like rock stars. That they can chalk up destinations and list them like the fanciest shops score their outlets: Pebble Beach, London, Lake Como the equivalent of London, Paris, Milan, New York. And all the time spreading their story to tens of thousands of enthusiasts.
When Octane drove this 1950 Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 SS Supergioiello (‘super-jewel’) it was between ‘gigs’ at the latter two of those; having previously taken a Post-War Touring Class win in California in 2019 it secured an honourable mention at Hampton Court. As one of the genuine stars of our 2021 concours season, making its post-re-restoration return to Europe with a huge splash, it enthralled wherever it went and rounded off its ‘season’ with a second place in the Granturismo All’Italiana class at Villa d’Este, separated from the winning Jan de Reu Fiat Otto Vu Vignale only by the skin of its teeth… or the originality of its paint.
After hibernating in the UK this winter, it may yet do more British and European events before being flown back home to California. There it will be in good company, in the blossoming collection of San Diego architect Jonathan Segal. The son of British immigrant (and Olympic sprint medallist) David Segal, he has quietly revolutionised SoCal high-density urban housing, pioneered the architect as developer (so the only client he needs to appease is himself)
