BMWs in the Alps, Concours on Lake Como, A Rolls-Royce to Goodwood

It’s been a busy couple of weeks, full of the old car stuff that we dream of.

I landed in Munich on a Wednesday evening, and Thursday morning I set off on a caravan of BMW 7-series old-timers, across the Alps to Lake Como in Italy.

I drove a variety of BMWs, the earliest being a 1939 335 four-door cabriolet. My favorite was a 3.3 iL, which, even though it was an automatic, had a crisp-feeling suspension and a terrific “sit-high” driving position. The most powerful was the late-model 750 iL. Although it was a wonderful performer, it didn’t have the personal connection offered by the earlier cars.

Saturday and Sunday were spent at the Villa d’Este concours, an intimate event with only 51 cars in the featured classes. I had the chance to chat with many SCMers, and the combination of historic Italian architecture and classic cars was fitting. Sunday featured micro-cars and motorcycles, and included a tribute to the 40th anniversary of event sponsor BMW’s M cars.

That afternoon, the second leg of the adventure began, as we set out in a new Series II Rolls Royce Phantom coupe from Como to Goodwood, England. At $360,000, we expected opulence and excellence and were not disappointed.

Now, a week later, it's back to reality, back to my family and my office in Portland, where we're putting the final touches on SCM August. Sometimes it's as if I never left - except for the memories and photos.