News April 23 2007

Autodelta mark 20 years with a European tour

London based tuning house Autodelta – responsible for tweaked version of the new Brera and 147 GTA to name a few – are marking their 20th anniversary with a European tour.

Not so much a blast through Europe rather a more relaxed drive through and an opportunity for Italian car lovers to join a convoy of exotic Italians southbound to Italy from the UK. Here is the information on the tour straight from Autodelta:

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Autodelta European Tour

200735 Cars, 5 Countries, 7 Days,
1 Fantastic Tour

The Autodelta European Tour has quickly made a name for itself as the choice for dedicated Italian car enthusiasts, and we are pleased to announce this year’s third edition, which coincides with our 20th anniversary, promises a spectacular experience taking in highly memorable routes through five European countries, with exclusive factory tours, overnight stays in the most luxurious of hotels, and racetrack experiences.

It is generally recognised that there aren’t any truly dedicated quality European Tours aimed at the Italian car enthusiast; rather, there are a series of events which are directed either at classic car owners’, leisurely visiting vineyards & chateaux, or “cannonballers” who literally race high powered cars, often attracting adverse and negative publicity. During the last two years Autodelta have filled this gap; organising our own “European Tour” primarily for our customers, but also for all Italian car owners’ and their families alike.

The Autodelta European Tour came to life in 2005 when we were invited to show our latest bespoke model at the well-known Rimini ‘custom & tuning’ show in Italy. This event saw us taking four of our cars on a sprint across Europe, with a string of publicity stops arranged on the way. The trip was so much talked about that it was decided to repeat the Tour the following year, taking in a different route and inviting some of our customers along for a driving holiday.

Instead of participating at a motor show it was decided to combine the 2006 Tour with the launch of our latest bespoke model, the breathtaking Autodelta Brera J5 3.2 Compressore, the world’s first supercharged Alfa Brera. The Tour was a huge success with a cavalcade of cars travelling through seven countries culminating in glamorous Monte Carlo. The 2007 Tour sees this inevitable and logical development of what is destined to be The European Tour for Italian car enthusiasts’.

Strictly limited to 35 cars, the Autodelta 2007 European Tour will kick off with an exclusive launch party in a major London riverside hotel which will take place on July 28th, and the event will include the preview to the media of our 20th Anniversary Limited-Edition Autodelta model.

The following morning the convoy of cars will set off for Dover, crossing the English Channel to Calais, and then on through France to the first continental overnight stop in Dijon. This Eastern French town is not only renown for its mustard and fines wine, but it is also the former home of the French Grand Prix.

From Dijon the participants will head on to Monaco and stay at a fabulous centrally located hotel overlooking the Bay. Arrival will be mid afternoon so as to allow sightseeing or opportunities to relax by the pool. The Principality of Monaco has long been a dominating place on the Côte d'Azur. Unique to the world, this country is a crossroads, filled with history and socio-cultural traditions, as well as economic activities. Monaco is undoubtedly an international centre of attraction and has been since the 1860s, when it was under the rule of Prince Charles III. During our stay in Monte Carlo the 20th Anniversary Limited-Edition model will have its official world unveiling in Casino Square, which will be especially sectioned off for the occasion.

After a night in Monaco, the Tour will continue along the coast to the Italian Riviera. The Riviera is famous for its particularly mild climate which, together with the charm of its old fishing ports and the beauty of its landscape makes it an unforgettable location. The Tour will then chase northwards to the world-famous Modena valley, the historical heartland of the Italian motor industry, and home to the biggest concentration of the famous Italian sportscar marques. Highlights of this stage of the Tour will include visits to Ferrari Galleria in Maranello and a drive to Santa’Agata Bologna to visit the famous Lamborghini factory.

August 1st will see the Tour cavalcade driving northwards to Brescia, a town synonymous with the Mille Miglia and of course the finish line of one of the most famous victories by Sir Stirling Moss. Here we will stay at one of Italy’s best kept secrets, a spectacular palace which has been transformed into one of Italy’s most luxurious hotels.

In the morning we visit the Autodromo di Franciacorta, a truly superb purpose-built new race circuit as well as an awesome kart track, where the participants will be allowed the opportunity to drive their cars to the full, in safe conditions. After taking up the challenge posed by this new track, we continue north to Lake Maggiore and another beautiful hotel affording spectacular views of the lake. Lake Maggiore is the most westerly of the three large prealpine lakes of Europe and the second largest. It has a surface area of about 213 km², a maximum length of 54 km and, at its widest, is 12 km. The climate is mild, producing Mediterranean vegetation, with beautiful gardens growing rare and exotic plants.

Friday morning offers the participants the choice of routes to Basel using either the tunnel or for the more adventurous using the spectacular Simplon Pass famous for its twists and turns and ultimate views of Mont Blanc.

An opulent gala dinner will then be held at the Swissotel Basel to celebrate the final night and the end of the tour; each Tour member will also be presented with a special commemorative plaque while all this hotel’s luxury facilities will be available to the Tour participants. The Tour will return to England on Saturday, August 4th.

For further information on joining this exclusive Tour, please visit www.autodeltatour.com; or contact Autodelta on 020 8838 3535, e-mail info@autodeltatour.com

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Postscript

JVC and Autodelta announce a new partnership

JVC has signed a new partnership agreement with London-based Autodelta. This relationship will include JVC sponsorship of the Autodelta European Tour 2007, which takes place 28 July – 4 August, as well as an on-going agreement to supply a limited range of high-end models including the eagerly awaited in-car entertainment/navigation system the KD-NX5000.

The new in-dash turn-by-turn navigation system is full of hi-tech features such as HDD, which will allow customers to build up a library of huge amounts of music files within their vehicles negating the need to carry their music collections around with them. Compressed (MP3/WMA) or uncompressed files may be stored and replayed at the touch of a button.

The partnership with Autodelta offers JVC the opportunity to communicate directly with its existing and future customer base, which has a proven penchant for high design and performance. For Autodelta, JVC’s cutting-edge in-car infotainment technology can be seamlessly integrated into their exclusive model range.

The JVC KD-NX5000 will be displayed alongside an exclusive new bespoke Autodelta model at a series of high-profile events across Europe this summer.

Lionel Irving, General Manager of JVC’s Mobile Entertainment division said, “We are thrilled at the prospect of working with Autodelta, this arrangement puts JVC alongside a brand which consistently demonstrates that the right products presented in the correct manner can attract the profile of consumer we need to take JVC in new directions.”

Andrew Smith, Autodelta’s General Manager comments: “We’re delighted to announce a new partnership with a company as prestigious as JVC. Customers demand the highest standards of on-board technology and we have been evaluating a new partner to develop the infotainment aspect of our bespoke model range for some time. JVC’s products immediately stood out for their advanced technology, strong features and stylish packaging.”

© italiancar.net 23/04/07