Mussolini's Motors - myth or mystery?

Whether Benito Mussolinihad a genuine and authentic passion for motors or not is hard to tell, but his image as the leader of the Italian people, and therefore 'first sportsman of Italy'was often associated with motorcycles and cars.

He was famously photographed cutting corn with a sickle, and mixingit with the peasants whilst wearing a pair of motorcycle goggles on his head . The famous Bianchishot increased his image as a man of motors, and he was also often photographed at the helm of aeroplanes, cars and tractors.

There are two Bianchimotorcycles purported to have been Mussolini'sinthe villaat Predappio in

Italy which was his childhood home, and on an Italian website there is currently a 1933 Bianchi175 that is also claimed to have been the property of 'IIDuce'. Mussoliniwas also connected to cars, one of which was a 1935 Alfa Romeo 6C 2300 Pescara Spyder, and that recently changed ownership at auction for lots and lots of money. The matching numbers car was a special order by Mussolini,and was raced by his personal chauffeur ErcoleBaratto inthe 1936 Mille Miglia,finishing third in class .

Ten years ago, a box kept in the Italian State Archivecontaining some of Mussolini'slast few effects in his possession when shot by partisans was opened and examined. It was said to have contained just grey mechanic's overalls and a motorcycle helmet covered with lambskin. Legend has it that you can still hear the ghost of Benito roaring through his favourite five towns on the coast road south of Rome on a big Moto Guzzi...

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