The mammoth Retro Classics show was bigger and better than ever from 17-20 March and is set to expand yet more in the future. The event now in its 16th year took over eight vast halls at Messe Stuttgart and totalled more than 125,000sq m.
As with every year, the halls were awash with local Porsches and Mercedes, with many more 1980s examples of each than in previous years, some outrageous asking prices – including €43,000 for an admittedly lovely Sunbeam Venezia – and some superb celebrations and special features.
The undoubted highlight was the exhibition of cars from the Louwman Museum in The Hague which featured everything from the novelty Cygnet (baby Swan Car) to the magnificent Mercedes SSK, threatening to overshadow even Maserati 8CM, ‘Teardrop’ Talbot and Jaguar D-type.
The other main feature was a fantastic selection of Veritas cars (and one ‘bike) mainly drawn from a single collection. Sadly, the slightly cramped corridor presentation detracted from the enormity of seeing Meteor streamliner, Meteor II, a pair of Rss and the sensational C-90 Coupé altogether.
Another big stir was caused before visitors had even got into the event with the presentation of a giant replica of the Bugatti Type 41 Royale Esders roadster. Using an original engine from a railcar, the car has attempted to recreate the car that was rebodied into the Binder Coupe de Ville that is now owned by Bugatti parent company Volkswagen.
Other big cars that impressed included the Maybach SW38 presented by the marque museum. Some of the oddities also appealed, including Vignale’s dramatic, almost Ferrari-esque take on a 1952 MG TD and Porsche’s own EA425 924 prototype.
Also on show was Futurliner number 9 (of 12), making its last public appearance before undergoing a projected four-year restoration.
The bias of the autojumble seemed to be rather more towards automobilia this year, but the club displays were as strong as ever, helped by some themed grouping of clubs representing, for example, Wankel-powered cars or the Auto Union brands.
There is always some intriguing engineering madness to be seen in the “trucks and commercials” hall and this year it was a selection of wood-burners. Most were farming or industrial workhorses, but there was also Opel Olympia, VW Beetle and Willys Jeep.
