Acciaio e Motori Is a Hidden Gem among Classic Car Events

Photos by Federico Bajetti

Acciaio e Motori (“Steel and Motors”) is a sports car reunion held on the hills above Salò in the province of Brescia, famous for the concentration of foundries and industries active in the metal sector. To celebrate two great passions of Brescia—steel and cars—once every year since 2009 a group of enthusiasts gather for two days of pure road racing on public streets.

Starting from the Salò harbor, all the cars made their way to Odolo, located in the heart of Val Sabbia. The event consists a series of rally stages, hillclimbs, and a town track. The event is different from most, however: there was no competitive racing at all, and no prizes for specific classes of cars. Those who participate to Acciaio e Motori just want to drive and have fun without worrying about any race strategies or regulations: it’s always good to see Lancia 037s racing next to Opel Asconas, Ford Escort Cosworths, various BMWs and, of course, Porsche 911s.

After the various rally stages, the cars converged on the town of Odolo, where the organization set up the road circuit. The track had something reminiscent of the Cerda and Collesano of the Targa Florio, where the cars went past local bars with people sitting there enjoying their afternoon rest.

There’s more value to an event where you can relax, sipping a cold drink while three (!) Lancia 037s pass at full throttle just feet away from you! For writers and fans alike, it’s much easier to take notes and pictures while sitting comfortably and enjoying wonderful food… There were a few disappointments, though: the event was well-advertised, but there weren’t too many “big name” classics. Aside from the ones I mentioned above—and a startlingly cool NSU 1100 TTS—there weren’t too many exotics.

Still, events like this are best enjoyed in the context of the atmosphere and the passion that brings people together. Acciaio e Motori is a typical Italian sports car reunion, where the excitement and the will to spend a nice week in good company encourages enthusiasts take out their cars for a few stints of proper racing.