Mille Miglia racers at the 1996 Geneva Autoshow

With a dozen vehicles UAP recalled the greatest moments of the Mille Miglia. The original race was held between 1927 and 1957.
The 1600 km long race, non-stop from Brescia to Rome and back. Winners included Tazio Nuvolari, Nando Minoia, Piero Taruffi, Rudolf Caracciola and others. The most famous victory was in 1955 when Stirling Moss with Denis Jenkinson completed the 1597 km long race in 10 hours, 07 minutes and 48 secs (that's 157.6 km/h average speed) with a Mercedes-Benz 300SLR.
In 1957, after Marquis Alfonso de Portago lost control his Ferrari and ran into the crowd. He, his co-driver, Ed Nelson and ten spectators died and with them, the race as well.
Since 1977 it's on again as a veteran-rallye. The pictures show a timeline in three rows. The order is from top to bottom.

Mille Miglia
OM 665 S (1927)
This car was the winner of the first Mille Miglia in 1927 with Nando Minoia and Morandi. It has a 2-liter, 6-cylinder engine (65 bhp at 4000 rpm). In 1967 OM was absorbed by the Fiat group.

Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 (1931)
This legendary model debuted at the 1931 Mille Miglia and won in 1932 with Borzacchini at the wheel, 1933 with Nuvolari and in 1934 with Varzi!

MG Magnette K3 (1934)
This type was on the racing scene in the '30s and '40s. At the Mille Miglia in 1933 MG got the team- and the class-victory.

BMW 328 (1937)

Fiat 1100S MM (1947).
After the 2nd World War many sportscar were based on the Fiat 1100 This aerodynamic coupé is factory bodied. In 1947 a class-victory was reached with it.

Cisitalia 202S MM (1947).
With this Cisitalia the 55-year-old Tazio Nuvolari finished second in 1947. The elegant two-seater is based on the Fiat 508.

Aston Martin DB 3S/5 (1953)
For non-Italian cars winning the race was nearly impossible. Aston tried from 1935 to 1955 with this car.

Ferrari 250 MM.
Ferrari won the MM race 8 times. The 250 MM marked the beginning of the collaboration with Pininfarina. With the 2953 cc engine of the car had a max. speed 250 km/h. This Ferrari haven't win any MM.

Porsche 550 A/1500 RS (1953)

Lancia D24 (1954)

Maserati A6GCS (1954)

Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR (1955)

Pictures were taken from UAP issued postcards.


Go back to the Genf 1996 report!
Copyright March, 1996
Paul Negyesi
: Budapest, Hungary.
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