A unique and historic recognition: for the very first time, the Automotoclub Storico Italiano (ASI) has awarded the prestigious Targa Oro not to a car or a motorcycle, but to a steam locomotive. The ceremony took place at Palazzo di Varignana, a prestigious venue that has long hosted the Concorso d’Eleganza Varignana 1705 and has now reaffirmed its role as a landmark for historic motoring culture in all its forms.
The honored locomotive is a true jewel of Italian railway engineering, meticulously restored with historical accuracy and brought back to its original condition. The ASI Targa Oro— the highest accolade certifying authenticity and outstanding preservation of a historic vehicle—thus marks an epochal step: the official recognition of railway heritage within the ASI-certified historic mobility world.
The event was attended by leading ASI representatives, transportation historians, and a wide audience who had the opportunity to admire up close a piece of history that, although born for the rails, embodies the same spirit of passion, engineering, and shared memory that drives collectors of classic cars and motorcycles.
With this initiative, ASI opens a new chapter, strengthening its role not only in safeguarding historic motoring, but also in promoting the broader heritage of historic mobility—from automobiles to railways.