Villafranca di Verona – 4 July 2018, The steering wheel as a symbol of technology and in particular of the “beauty of speed”, that evokes emotions on the racetrack and on the road.
Passione Volante is an exhibition dedicated to the excellence of “driving”, the first and only collection of F1 steering wheels put together by photographer Daniele Amaduzzi over a period of 20 years while visiting the racetracks, signed by the drivers, and now owned by Museo Nicolis. More than 100 items signed by famous drivers and an additional 70 sports and grand tour pieces.
The steering wheels belong to one of the most interesting periods in F1 history, during which an incrediblenumber of champions won over the hearts of racing fans: Michael Schumacher, Ayrton Senna, NigelMansell, Alain Prost, Michele Alboreto, just to mention a few, driving Ferrari, McLaren, Lotus, Williams,Benetton, and many others.
The image that best represents the exhibitions is probably great photographer Louis Klemantaski‘s most famous: Peter Collins driving his Ferrari 3.5 litre 857S to victory at the Giro di Sicilia, on 8 April 1956, with Klemantaski as his navigator. Used also by Enzo Ferrari for the cover of the famous book “Piloti che Gente”, it expresses all the emotions and energy of sports driving, as well as total control over the car. Such a symbolic and sophisticated image evokes all that the “Passione Volante” Exhibition represents: elegance, style, technique, innovation and sportsmanship”.
The atmosphere, worthy of the sports heirlooms on display, accompanies visitors along an itinerary dividedinto 4 areas that use unique cars to tell the stories of the protagonists of the road and racetrack in different historic moments, evoking the meaning of driving. The focus of the exhibition is not just on engines, drivers and iconic cars, in fact, visitors will see a cultural and social side and learn curious new facts.
Why “Passione Volante” – Silvia Nicolis, President of the Museum
“A lot of thought and passion has gone into this initiative designed to boost the international reputation of the Museum. It won’t be the usual themed temporary exhibition with a curator, it represents the beginning of a new era for Museo Nicolis. This is why we asked a person of great experience, such as Giovanni Perfetti, to join our team, formed of professional, passionate and young people. Our objective is to evolve from Company Museum to Museum Enterprise, to strengthen the culture and history of our collections and teach new generations the love for new techniques in all their possible expressions”.
“The steering wheel is connected with the hands, the arms, the heart, the brain. All parts needed to make decisions, express personality, courage, style of life. That round object in front of us when we sit in a car, is a magic symbol that puts us in contact with a world. It takes us towards an enchanting universe of emotions and, most of the times, dreams”.
Source “Nardi, Una Storia di Automobili e Volanti (Nardi, A story of Cars and Steering-Wheels” by Franco Varisco, 1987.
The exhibition, structured in four different sections, with an unusual and captivating take, opens with a rare Delahaye 135 M from the 30s, featuring an electromagnetic Cotal gearbox, which can be described as the forefather of modern sequential gearboxes.
1 | Origins, a section dedicated to the pleasure of driving: Bugatti tipo 49 and Lancia Lambda.
2 | Grand Tour, the enhanced performance that marks the exciting transition into the sports world: Lancia Astura Gran Sport Pinin Farina, Fiat I5OO C Bertone, Ferrari 25O GTE 2+2. A special series of GT and Sport steering wheels representative of the period.
3 | Sport, test beds for the talent of those who dared take on racetrack challenges: Ferrari 75O Monza, Fiat Sport Motto MM and Zanussi Sport, cars that delighted a generation of fans.
4 | Formula I, the maximum expression of motor sports, reign of professionals, lucky holders of the super licence: Maserati 250 F, Cooper Maserati and Lotus 21, accompanied by over IOO FI steering wheels as in a never-ending Grand Prix.
For racing fans of all eras, the display never ends, as visitors of the exclusive exhibition move on to the Museum (an itinerary more than 1 km long), a journey into the application and different use of driving equipment involving a plentiful selection of unique cars, all perfectly functioning, often stars of the most prestigious concourses d’elegance, as well as motorcycles, scooters, bicycles and planes, all part of the permanent collection.
#PassioneVolante is a hashtag: on Social Networks you can post pictures and comments that will be streamed along the museum itinerary.
Where: via Postumia, 71 | Villafranca di Verona
When: from Tuesday to Sunday I IO am – 6 pm | closed on Monday
Contacts: tel. 045 6303289 | info@museonicolis.com | www.museonicolis.com
Admission: Combination Ticket for the “Passione Volante” Exhibition and all Museum Collections
Full € IO I Reduced € 8 I Child € 4 I Free for children between O and 5 years old
https://www.museonicolis.com/prezzi-e-orari/
PRESS OFFIC E
Giulia Brandiele
press@museonicolis.com | M. +39 342 9158700
