Celebrating “the Art of Italian Motoring,” the 2011 Rodeo Drive Concours d’Elegance showcased the finest of Italy’s famed automotive factories and carrozzerias.

The notion of the automobile as art continued to gain traction this past week with the opening of the Allure of the Automobile, a new exhibit at the Portland Art Museum that features 16 of history’s most aesthetically pleasing cars.

Nicola Bulgari, the vice chairman and scion of the Bulgari luxury goods firm, purchased the very last example of the DTS luxury sedan to roll off the assembly line two weeks ago, complementing his significant bicontinental collection of Cadillacs.

His Serene Highness, the Sovereign Prince Albert II of Monaco, took a few laps last Saturday in the first production example of the Fisker Karma, the long-awaited plug-in hybrid luxury sedan from noted designer Henrik Fisker.

It may not be the world’s best known concours d’elegance, nor the biggest. But when it comes to premium cachet, the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este that is held each May in Italy is widely recognized to be the act to beat.

Whether behind the wheel of BMW’s strapping new 650i convertible or enjoying the dreamlike environs of Cabo’s Las Ventanas al Paraiso (Windows to Paradise) luxury resort, I couldn’t help but let the closet Modernist in me drink in the environment-as-muse.

Morgan Motors has engaged conceptual artist Hornsleth to decorate 10 of their classic 4/4 sports cars, the first of which was exhibited at London’s GGGallery last week.

If there are automotive gods, then they were clearly smiling on Greystone Mansion last Sunday, providing clear skies for the outstanding field of classic automobiles that were being exhibited at the onetime home of the influential Doheny family.

Saab hired Jason Castriota last June to breathe new life into the Swedish company’s design, and the onetime Pininfarina and Bertone stylist has obviously taken the task to heart.