Prestige carmakers support Mille Miglia

Alfa Romeo and Jaguar will be heavily represented in this year's Mille Miglia. The two illustrious manufacturers have both announced that they're co-sponsoring the famous event in its 75th year.

Jaguar plans to field as many as 27 vehicles sourced from all around the world. Those will comprise XK120, C-Type and D-Type models -- a four-car team of the XK120 participating in the 1950 Mille Miglia, with Stirling Moss at the wheel of one.

"The Mille Miglia is one of the world's premier driving events, and one where Jaguar has always felt very much at home," said Jaguar MD, Mike O'Driscoll, who will be competing in the 2010 event, driving a C-Type.

"Our association stretches back to the 1950s, when XK120 and XK140s were a regular sight and C-types and even a D-type also competed.  This year I am proud to see another very strong contingent of classic Jaguars."

"2010 marks the 75th anniversary of the Jaguar name, and 75 years of looking forward, designing and building cars that represent the very best of technical innovation, design leadership and sporting success."

In addition to the company's competitive participation in the event, Jaguar will be lending 25 XF cars to the organisers of the Mille Miglia for the duration of the event.

Also a sponsor for the 2010 event, Alfa Romeo has committed five museum pieces from the Automobilismo Storico Alfa Romeo this year. The Italian maker -- also celebrating an anniversary with its centenary -- will enter a 6C 1500 Super Sport (pictured) from 1928, a 6C 1750 Gran Sport from 1930, an 8C 2300 Le Mans from 1931, a 6C 2300 B from 1937 and a 1900 Super Sprint from 1956. Three other rare Alfas will be entered by private owners. These are another 6C 1750 Gran Sport (from 1932), a 6C 2500 Cabriolet from 1951 and a Giulietta Sprint from 1955.

Alfa Romeo won the Mille Miglia 11 times between 1928 and 1947, the first occasion in 1928 going to a 6C 1500 Super Sport crewed by the works team of Campari and Ramponi. An identical model competing in this year's event has won the revival three times, in 2005, 2007 and 2008.

Among the other Alfas competing this year is the 6C 1750 Gran Sport, similar to the car that won in 1930 crewed by Nuvolari and Guidotti. The supercharged 8C 2300 Le Mans will be driven this year by Prince Bernhard of Holland, co-driven by Dutch architect Roberto Meyer. This car was originally owned by Henry 'Tim' Birkin and driven to victory in the 1931 Le Mans 24 Hour race.

For 2010, the Mille Miglia -- named for the race that ran originally between 1927 and 1957 -- will cover a 1600km route from Brescia in northern Italy. The route runs through Bologna and Rome, returning to Brescia for the finish. Along the way, the cars will visit the racing circuits of Imola and Fiorano. Competitors will be flagged away from the start on May 6.

Unlike the original Mille Miglia (Italian for 'Thousand Miles' -- the distance of the route), the modern-day Mille Miglia is a 'regularity run', focusing more on precise timing between checkpoints than outright speed. Vehicles eligible to enter the 2010 event must be of the same vintage as the original event -- built between 1927 and 1957 -- and be known to have competed in the event at least one of those years.

Read the latest Carsales Network news and reviews on your mobile, iPhone or PDA at www.carsales.mobi