Alfa 4C beats Aston Martin DBS (AM310) to Villa D'Este prize

The Alfa Romeo 4C has beaten the Aston Martin Project AM310 (new AM DBS) to the prize for best concept at Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este.

As you can’t have failed to notice, this last weekend was the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este, an elegant and delightful car event on the shores of Lake Como in Italy. And the new Aston Martin DBS (Project AM310) was the big news.

But why was the new DBS at Villa D’Este as a concept car with a concept badge – Project AM310 – instead of a Vanqish or Vanguard or whatever Aston Martin are going to call the DBS?

Because Aston Martin had to show it as a concept to gain entry to Villa D’Este, and they were no doubt hoping to emulate last year’s concept win at Villa D’Este by the V12 Zagato. But it was not to be.

The Alfa Romeo 4C – due to go in to production next year – pipped the new DBS to the prize to take a second win for Alfa at Villa D’Este in two years (the Alfa TZ3 Corsa won in 2010). Which won’t have thrilled AM too much, but the new DBS certainly got the most coverage. Which is probably more important.

But well done Alfa Romeo. The Alfa 4C looks hugely promising with low weight and decent power. Let’s just hope the reality lives up to the enormous promise when it arrives in production guise in 2013.