Touring the world’s most exclusive collector car show, the Concorso d’Eleganza

The Concorso d'Eleganza ranks as the world's most exclusive showing of collectable cars, held for about 60 lucky owners at the Villa d'Este hotel on the shores of Italy's Lake Como. It's a celebration of automotive history on the playground of the world's wealthiest people — and yet many of the treasured cars were once someone else's trash.

Take the ceremonial star of the show, a 1925 Rolls-Royce Round Door coupe, which hasn't left the grounds of the Petersen Museum in Los Angeles in several years. Famed for its Belgian-built body that stretches into the horizon, and lovingly restored at least twice, the car would fetch an eight-figure sum at any auction.

Buddy Pepp, the museum's executive director, says some of his most frightening moments involve the few hundred feet he's driven the car.