22 rare classics in Germany last week

Essen’s classic extravaganza

Spread across eight halls and four outdoor areas, Techno-Classica Essen is huge.

In fact, this German show covers about 120,000m², the equivalent of nearly 17 soccer pitches.

For this year’s edition, which ran from April 3-7, there were more than 2700 classic cars on display.

Alongside anniversary celebrations – including 120 years of Rolls-Royce, 75 years of the Citroën 2CV and 50 years of the Volkswagen Golf – car clubs, dealers and exhibitors brought along plenty of weird and wonderful machines.

Presented in no particular order, these are some of the highlights from the 2024 show. Enjoy!

1. 1984 Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.3-16

The W201-16V Club e.V. stand had a replica of Niki Lauda’s Mercedes 190E 2.3-16 from the 1984 Nürburgring Race of Champions, an event contested by motorsport legends including Ayrton Senna (who won the contest), Stirling Moss and Alain Prost.

However, the black car in the foreground was actually at the famous race.

The seventh 190E 2.3-16 built, this pre-production vehicle was one of 20 cars delivered to the German circuit for journalists to drive.

It has a few features that differ from the final production model, including a set of gages in the center console.

2. 1939 Citroën TPV

Citroën began developing the 2CV in the 1930s, way before its back-to-basics hero arrived in 1948.

WW2 put the project on hold, however, and most of the early TPVs (Très Petite Voiture, or Very Small Car) were either stashed away or destroyed. 

In the mid-’90s, a Citroën employee stumbled on three pre-war prototypes hidden in an attic in La Ferté-Vidam, France.

This TPV, displayed on the Citroën Veteranen Club’s stand at Techno-Classica Essen 2024, was one of those cars.

3. 1994 BMW M3 Compact

The BMW Clubs presented a fantastic selection of classic cars at Techno-Classica Essen, including a Z8 which was used as a MotoGP safety car, an early X5 to celebrate the model’s 25th anniversary and a bright-yellow 850CSi.

But this one-of-two M3 Compact really grabbed our attention.

The lightweight hatchback was destined to be an entry point to BMW’s M division, but the baby M3 never reached production.

4. 1899 Opel Patentmotorwagen

Opel switched from being a sewing machine and bicycle manufacturer to an automobile maker 125 years ago, when it took over Friedrich Lutzmann’s Rüsselsheim factory.

Its first model, the Patentmotorwagen, was manufactured in small numbers into the early 1900s.

If you look closely, you’ll notice that it uses candles in the headlamps.

5. 1930 Rolls-Royce Phantom II Tourer by Barker

This coachbuilt Rolls-Royce was part of a celebration for the brand’s 120th anniversary.

Powered by a colossal 7.7-liter straight-six engine, the Phantom II was bought new by King Alfonso of Spain.

It was originally fitted with Sedanca de Ville bodywork by Hooper, before Barker transformed it into a tourer.

6. Volkswagen Karmann Ghia TC

The Porsche-esque Karmann Ghia TC is a rare find in Europe.

It was built in Brazil in the 1970s but was never officially exported from South America. 

Designed by Carrozzeria Ghia in Italy, the stylish coupe has a 1584cc flat-four engine slung behind the rear axle.

7. 1953 Buick Super Estate Wagon

You would have been hard pressed to miss this blingy Buick at Techno-Classica Essen 2024. 

One of 1830 built, this restored car is apparently one of 20 still on the road.

Tempted? The V8-powered woodie was for sale for a cool €109,000 (£94,000/US$118,000).

8. 1952 Panhard Dyna Sport Barchetta

Designed and built for the legendary Mille Miglia, this aluminum-bodied Panhard took a class victory in the 1953 event – and it was a highlight on Carola Daimler’s stand at this year’s Techno-Classica Essen.

The one-of-three racer is powered by a 55HP twin-cylinder engine.

9. FESTMA Unimog

This utilitarian classic was on the Unimog Veteranen Club’s stand.

Formerly part of German company FESTMA’s fleet, this Unimog was used in dockyards to help tug ships to mooring points and deliver gangways to vessels.

The club’s imaginative stand showed how it worked by recreating a harbor scene.

10. 1963 Bossaert GT 19

Pietro Frua’s reinterpretation of the Citroën DS sedan resulted in an elegant coupe that preserved the original car’s charm.

It’s understood that just 13 were built between 1960-’64, and the car we spotted at Techno-Classica Essen is one of three remaining examples.

The additional Marchal headlights were a period accessory.

11. 1975 Porsche 911 turbo

There was an impressive line-up of Porsche 911 turbos at this year’s Techno-Classica Essen to mark 50 years of this pioneering model.

This 930-generation car is from the first year of production and it’s finished in a pleasingly 1970s color scheme.

In other words: it’s brown and gold.

12. 1978 Mercedes-Benz 450SE ‘Rammbock’

This V8-powered Mercedes was used by German police for training exercises.

The factory-fitted metal bumper and strengthened front end were put to good use in more than 500 drills, which involved high-security chauffeurs using the car to smash through mock-up roadblocks.

13. 2009 Spyker C8 4.2 Laviolette LM85

Just 14 of these special-edition Spykers were built by the Dutch supercar maker.

The Le Mans-inspired LM85 got a groovy paintjob, Alcantara trim and AP Racing brake calipers.

We spotted this 4750-mile example for sale in Gallery Aaldering’s display.

14. 1938 Steyr 220

Steyr 220s could be had as four-door sedans, four-seat convertibles or as two-seat drop-tops – this car is one of the latter.

Styled by German coachbuilder Gläser, it was fitted with a different grille and spats over the rear wheels, which contribute to its streamlined style.

The 2260cc six-cylinder engine under the hood provides ample power, too.

15 and 16. Elektro Opel GT and Opel Omega Evolution 500

This heavily modified Opel GT was part of an experiment to test early electric-vehicle technology.

Complete with twin Bosch motors and 700KG (c1540LB) of batteries, this one-off concept was tested at the Hockenheimring in 1971, where it broke six world records for electric cars.

Behind it is an Opel Omega Evolution 500, a 230HP sedan built to homologate the model for DTM racing.

17. 1980 Ferrari 512BB Koenig Special

This souped-up Ferrari, found on the DD Classics stand, might not be for everyone, but we couldn’t deny its 1980s appeal.

In ’82, the year Italy defeated West Germany in the FIFA World Cup final and Come On Eileen by Dexys Midnight Runners was released in the UK, this 512BB was sold to its second owner, who was a fan of Koenig Specials.

The following year, it was sent to the German tuner where it received its makeover.

18 and 19. 1974 Volkswagen Golfs

In 1972, the 15,007,034th Volkswagen Beetle rolled off the production line and the model surpassed the Ford Model T as the most-manufactured vehicle in history.

When the VW Golf arrived, it had a lot to prove.

So, in 1974, two cars were tasked with an 18,961-mile journey from Alaska, at the tip of the USA, to Tierra del Fuego, an archipelago at the bottom of South America, a reliability run that helped prove the durability of the new model.

The pair was displayed on the Original Golf 1 IG e.V. stand to celebrate 50 years of the VW Golf.

20. 1982 Mercedes-Benz G-Wagen

Jacky Ickx and Claude Brasseur, in a Mercedes-Benz 280GE, won the 1983 Paris-Dakar endurance rally.

This G-Wagen was later campaigned by a privateer in the mid-1980s, but seemingly disappeared after the ’86 Dakar.

With help from Mercedes, enthusiast Jörg Sand built this faithful recreation and took it to class victory at this year’s Dakar Classic.

21. Lloyd LP 400

A popular small car for post-war Germany, the Lloyd LP 400 was a roomier, more luxurious alternative to microcars like the Isetta and the Heinkel Kabine.

It seats four, but don’t expect to go anywhere quickly; the two-stroke engine makes just 13HP.

22. 1973 LMX 2300 HCS Coupe

The Ford stand was filled with rarities, including some cars that don’t even carry a Blue Oval badge, like this LMX.

The Italian company built roughly 50 cars between 1969 and ’73, including this Ford-powered coupe designed by Franco Scaglione.

Other Ford components used for the LMX 2300 include suspension parts from the Taunus 20M and a Zodiac rear axle.