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An Unforgettable Weekend in Italy
Ferrari Cavalcade Classic 2017
text | Ztephen Lee
photography | Kimio Ng
edit | Taryn Kelly, Henry Lau

The Ferrari Cavalcade Classic is a driving tour held in one of the most beautiful countries on Earth, hosted by the legendary carmaker based in Maranello. Exclusively for Ferrari owners from all around the world, each year not more than a hundred Ferraris gather in Italy for the occasion. As the only media invited to participate in the Cavalcade Classic this year, here is our recap of this exciting driving tour accompanied by imagery from the finishing celebrations in Maranello.

With 2017 marking the 70th anniversary of Ferrari, it was only fitting for 70 of the automaker’s finest classic cars to attend this year’s Ferrari Cavalcade Classic. This special occasion brought many of the best clients and most loyal collectors of the Maranello carmaker together to share the passion for the Prancing Horse, and to drive their beloved machines through Italy’s most beautiful landscapes.

Last year, the Cavalcade Classic was held in Venice, the ancient and glorious “Serenissima Republic” with its inestimable historical, artistic and cultural heritage, listed among the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. This year, Ferrari chose Tuscany, a region in central Italy renowned for its fascinating landscapes, old traditions, art history and of course, wine.

There were three scenic routes taken this year, including Cinque Terre, Lucca and Pisa, and the Abetone Road, making the driving distance for this tour approximately 140 km per day.

The four-day event, which took place from May 5 – 9, began at the Villa Agnelli, the former villa of the Agnelli family, where guests were formally welcomed and their stunning classic vehicles were displayed. On the following day, the participants drove through the iconic Cinque Terre, a UNESCO world heritage marvel which features perfectly preserved architecture and a network of enchanting coastal and mountain trails, to the “Gulf of Poets” in La Spezia, to learn about the broad and profound history of Italian seamanship.

On Sunday morning, the participants got the chance to drive around the amazing cities of Lucca and Pisa, challenging the hillclimb to the famous Mt. Serra, which was a twist on last year’s event when they challenged the hillclimb to “Tre Cime” di Lavaredo. They then drove across the Apuan Alps and the Apennines on the legendary “Via Abetone” on Monday. As if those driving experiences weren’t already exciting, they then had the chance to drive on the famous circuit of Fiorano, the private racetrack owned by Ferrari for development and testing purposes. The celebrations came to an end with the 70 vehicles returning “home” to Maranello, where they were displayed in impressive fashion outside the marque’s headquarters.

Overall it was certainly another successful driving tour for Ferrari, as well as for the Ferrari owners who participated.

For more images and further reading, look out for the Summer 2017 issue of the Blackbird Automotive Journal.

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