Report: InterClassics Brussels 2018

| 22 Nov 2018
Classic & Sports Car – Report: InterClassics Brussels 2018

The Belgian edition of InterClassics at Brussels Expo (16-18 November) celebrated the 60th anniversary of the World Expo, held at the same site. Indeed, the now-famous 335ft high, nine-sphere structure called the Atomium, built for the 1958 Brussels World’s Fair, as it was also known, still looms large as you arrive.

As part of this theme, the ‘Cars of ’58’ exhibit was on a four-lane road (above), bisecting Hall 5, and included an Alpine A106, an Opel Olympia Rekord, a Peugeot 203, a Jag MkVIII and a very lovely droptop Lancia Aurelia.  

And, to complement the cars of 1958, period memorabilia was also on show, thanks to the Belgian Vintage Vehicles Association.

Classic & Sports Car – Report: InterClassics Brussels 2018
Classic & Sports Car – Report: InterClassics Brussels 2018

Classic & Sports Car – Report: InterClassics Brussels 2018
Classic & Sports Car – Report: InterClassics Brussels 2018

Clockwise from top left: more from the ’58 display; Iso for sale; elegant Delage; Swiss-built Monteverdi

Elsewhere in the same hall, the over 23,000 visitors who attended the fourth running of this show could feast their eyes on a wonderful two-tone Rolls-Royce Phantom II, a blue Monteverdi 375L High Speed, and an Iso Rivolta GT (IR340) in a fetching bronze metalizatto.

Or how about a glorious, black 1937 Delage with a cream roof and whitewalls that’s surely the perfect way to arrive at any party.

The bunting was also out for Porsche’s 70th birthday, and if you stepped into hall 6 you couldn’t miss the marque’s 356-heavy stand including a rather attractive Mille Miglia coupé.

Classic & Sports Car – Report: InterClassics Brussels 2018
Classic & Sports Car – Report: InterClassics Brussels 2018

Classic & Sports Car – Report: InterClassics Brussels 2018

Porsche's impressive 70th-anniversary display and the ever-eye-catching Gulf-liveried GT40s

Classic & Sports Car – Report: InterClassics Brussels 2018

Classic & Sports Car – Report: InterClassics Brussels 2018
Classic & Sports Car – Report: InterClassics Brussels 2018

Anyone for a hot hatch? Renault 5 Turbo, Clio Williams and Peugeot 205 T16 all spotted

But, of course, it wasn’t just ’50s cars that starred.

Among the eclectic classics on display, and demonstrating the wide variety across the four halls, our eyes were particularly drawn to a white and black Renault 5 Turbo, a 1979 Toyota Land Cruiser BJ40, a Fiat Ritmo 200 Abarth, a Renault Clio Williams and a pretty red ’68 BMW 1600 GT Coupé.

Elsewhere, a line of three generations of Ford GT40 in Gulf colours was certainly getting lots of attention from cameraphones.

Classic & Sports Car – Report: InterClassics Brussels 2018
Classic & Sports Car – Report: InterClassics Brussels 2018

Classic & Sports Car – Report: InterClassics Brussels 2018
Classic & Sports Car – Report: InterClassics Brussels 2018

Clockwise from top left: Fiat Ritmo 200 Abarth; ’79 BJ40 up for €29,950; Pagoda desk with matching stool; a tractor unlike any other

And among the more unusual displays was a clockwork Mini and a souped-up Lamborghini tractor, with a diamond-encrusted gold key – a mere snip at €250,000! That’s one way to plough a field. Or how about a writing desk made from the bootlid of a Mercedes-Benz Pagoda?

Either way, with more than 1000 classic cars for sale and trade stands selling a wealth of parts, there was something at InterClassics Brussels to suit enthusiasts of every budget.

Couldn’t make it to Brussels? Its sister event InterClassics Maastricht takes place on 10-13 January 2019. 


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