Macaluso Foundation, a treasure chest of Motorsport

A rally driver, a designer, an entrepreneur, a collector. Gino Macaluso was this and much more, a man of great intuitions and admirable tenacity who cultivated a passion for art throughout his life. A man with a unique aesthetic taste, which supported him in the creation of new watches and in the restoration of historic cars.

Gino was a collector, and his collection probably represents his most important creative legacy. For this reason, in October 2018, a Foundation was created in Turin in his memory by will of his family. A reality that intends to spread the culture of vintage cars and sports competitions, which often promotes and participates in events and which rarely opens its doors. He did so, in a completely exceptional way, on the occasion of the 2023 Suzuki Single-Make Trophies Award Ceremony on Saturday 27 January.

Few journalists, in fact, have had the opportunity to enter the heart of the Foundation and discover its treasures guided by the precious explanation of Stefano Macaluso, Gino's son. Few people have had the opportunity to see up close the protagonist cars of various Motorsport categories carefully restored in what Stefano himself defined as the “operating room” of the Foundation, the workshop, where the mechanical part is taken care of.

And it is precisely here that, like a slap, the history of motors becomes present: from the Lancia Beta Montecarlo with which, in 1980, Riccardo Patrese and Eddie Cheever won the 6 Hours of Mugello, to Jacques Laffite's Ligier JS11 which took part in the world championship Formula 1 car from 1979.

But that is not all. After passing through a second room dedicated to watch-related restoration, the visit continues towards another warehouse where other more or less recent cars that have made the history of rallies are displayed with immaculate precision. Choosing one in particular on which to report the achievements achieved is difficult. But more than the others, the 1990 Toyota Celica GT-Four ST165 cannot fail to capture attention: with the crew formed by Carlos Sainz and Luis Moya, the Japanese team won the first World Rally Championship in its history.

The Gino Macaluso Foundation for Historic Cars is comparable to “the Teatro alla Scala of motor enthusiasts”, as defined by the CEO of Suzuki Italia, Massimo Nalli. A true treasure chest of Motorsport which, like all precious things, is only shown to those who choose to show it.