For one weekend, Lake Como turns into a meeting point for car collectors, designers, celebrities and people who simply love beautiful cars. During this year’s Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este, the mix of classic cars, lakefront and curated luxury returned this time with the premiere of the Vision BMW ALPINA.
The opening evening at the historic Villa d’Este set the tone. As live music played across the water and guests gathered along the terrace, the new concept car was revealed for the first time. The silhouette, soft coupé roofline and understated detailing felt intentionally quiet.
One particularly meaningful feature is the signature side line inspired by skiing legend Franz Klammer, the Austrian Olympic champion from 1976. Originally introduced by ALPINA in the 1970s, the flowing line references the movement of skis cutting through snow, a subtle nod to precision, motion and elegance. It represents what modern luxury increasingly feels like today: silent luxury.
But what made this event special for me personally was not only the cars. It was the enthusiasm surrounding them. You could feel that many of the people there had turned their passion into their profession. One of them was guest and brand ambassador Paris Brosnan, who had travelled with BMW from Cannes to Italy for the event. During our conversation, he made one thing very clear: kindness and passion matter most to him.
Most conversations with him drifted toward creativity, his art and personal expression. Several of his own artworks were displayed during the Concorso d’Eleganza. He also spoke about how his father, Pierce Brosnan, inspired his relationship with art from an early age. According to Paris, his father has been painting since the 1980s.
At first, Paris resisted art. It felt too strict, too controlled. He thought there was only one right way to do it. But over time, he began to understand the freedom within it, the ability to express yourself completely on your own terms. That has now become part of his own message: expressing yourself through art and staying connected to your innocence and inner child.
And maybe that is exactly what draws people away from their phones again. A longing for physical experiences. For art. For cars. For craftsmanship. For conversations that feel real. And for the simple joy of sharing a passion with other people.
It’s a chance to reconnect with your inner child while still exploring something new. This is why passions are so powerful, they bring people together and build connections, while still allowing everyone to truly be themselves.