50 Photos Of Rally Beasts Conquering The Italian Coast

Photography by Luca Garau & Mauro Prevete

Photographer Luca Garau was recently on hand to experience the reborn Costa Smeralda Rally, an event for historic machines held near the coast in northern Sardinia, Italy. On nearly every other day of the year, it’s a beachside tourist destination for the world’s elite—house prices can reach about $3,150 per sq. ft., making it one of the more expensive locations in Europe.

Sailing regattas and polo matches are a common sight nearby, but the rally has some history here, too. It was first held as part of the European Rally Championship in 1976, running until 1994. In the interests of sharing a great video, this is what the event looked like in 1985. Last year, it was resurrected by local Italian clubs and driving associations as a historic rally.

Now, with a laid-back atmosphere and vistas only seen on the island of Sardinia, the Costa Smeralda Rally looks like an absolute blast.

If you’d like to see more photography from Luca, check out the Italian site 2Cromia.com, which is a project Luca co-created with his best pal Mauro Prevete. We’re republishing Luca’s photos of the Costa Smeralda Rally with permission.