The Classic Gala took place for the 14th time in Schwetzingen from September 1 to 3, 2017. The magnificent palace park provided a more than regal setting for the more than 200 vehicles on display from around 120 years of automotive history.
Hardly any other event can boast such generous space as Schwetzingen. Where elsewhere cars are parked next to cars, in the palace park there is plenty of space between the vehicles and wide footpaths for visitors.
Diversity in the park
Once again, the organizing team led by Johannes Hübner had brought together a wide variety of vehicles.
From steam cars (Stanley Steamer from 1919) to super sports cars from the 1990s (Isdera Commendatore 112i from 1997), there was everything a car enthusiast could wish for. And there were also some cars on display that you may never have seen before. For example, there was the Datsun 200 SX from 1978, which stood out with its bizarre styling, or the angular VW Variant from Brazil from 1973.
Pietro Frua's sports car based on the Opel Diplomat, which was presented in Paris in 1970, was certainly worth a second look. After all, it is considered the predecessor of the Bitter CD.
During a relaxed stroll, visitors were able to view a wide variety of vehicle types and in some cases even observe them in motion.
Ferrari in the center
The 70th anniversary of Ferrari was celebrated right at the entrance. In the center, however, were not two red examples, which were located to the right, but an extremely rare Ferrari 212 with Vignale Berlinetta bodywork from 1951 and a Ferrari 250 GTE, which is known to have been one of Enzo Ferrari's favorites.
A separate Concours class was set up for Ferrari, which the 212 won.
A lot of work for the exhibitors
There was a lot of work for the exhibitors, especially on Saturday, as several downpours repeatedly forced them to close or cover the cars and then dry them out again.
Most of the owners took it in their stride and were delighted every time the sun shone again. And for the photographers, the drops of water offered beautiful motifs.
The enchanting small cars
The small and micro cars are particularly popular with visitors every year, and a whole host of them once again found their way to Schwetzigen in 2017.
There was almost the entire guard of cabin scooters - BMW, Heinkel, Messerschmitt, Fuldamobil, Zündapp Janus, etc. - but also Egon Brütsch's miniatures, a Mopetta and a dwarf.
The nice thing about it was that the little cars were not just standing around, but also drove around the park on Saturday and Sunday at lunchtime, expertly commented on by Johannes Hübner.
So you could also hear and smell them. The convoy also included various Fiat 500 variants and a Beetle, as well as the Tempo three-wheelers, the NSU Prinz, the Champion, the Goliath and the Renault 4 CV.
And the compact cars were of course also judged, with the Fuldamobil from 1953 coming out on top in the "Small Car Grand Prix", followed by the Goliath Pionier from 1932 and the Fiat 500 Weinsberg from 1939.
An ode to Isdera
A special exhibition was dedicated to the Isdera brand and its creator Eberhard Schulz. Among other things, an Isdera 036i, a Commendatore 112i and the Autobahnkurier were on display, along with drawings and illustrations by Schulz.
The Isdera Commendatore 112i was awarded the "Best Supersport after 1971" prize.
The better alternative to the VW Bus?
Almost in the middle of the Schlosspark, the visitor walked past three examples of the VW Bus competitor Ford FK 1000, also known as the Taunus Transit. At the time, the designation FK stood for Ford Cologne and 1000 kg payload. With the 1.3 and later 1.5-liter engine installed in the front, Ford was both faster and more practical than its Volkswagen competitor, but the VW Bus was still ahead in terms of sales figures.
A flatbed van, a closed bus and a camping version were on display in Schwetzingen.
Jaguar parade
In the name of the Jaguar special show "Grace - Space - Pace", sports cars and saloons from the British manufacturer were lined up to the left of the entrance, allowing visitors to follow the model and design development step by step.
These cars were also allowed to parade through the park after the small cars.
BMW was already represented in the front garden of the castle and displayed beautiful examples from the company's hundred-year history, from the Dixi, 502 or 1802, to the passenger cars of modern times.
Look and feast
In the spacious atmosphere of the castle park, there was no stress of crowds, especially on Saturday. The vehicle owners always had time for a little information and anyone who got tired of walking around could get something to eat at one of the various refreshment stands. Whether it was a Danish hot dog, a French crèpe or a sausage in the beer garden, it was up to you.
There was also music on every corner and coffee anyway, whether from the trunk of an NSU Fiat or under an umbrella when it was pouring again.
The most beautiful of the beautiful
The Concours d'Elégance and the corresponding judging were also held in Schwetzingen, almost as a side event. The jury did not have an easy job, as they had to compare vehicles that were sometimes very different from one another. Some classes were extremely heterogeneous, with an Austin-Healey Sprite coming up against a Rolls-Royce. The selection had been better in Schwetzingen, criticized one Concours participant.
But even so, there were a large number of vehicles that deserved a prize and there were also a large number of trophies and entries, over 120 in number. These included special prizes that are not awarded at every Concours, such as the award for the best self-restoration, which went to the Hanomag 10 hp "Komissbrot", followed by a GAZ Volga and a Packard Patrician. Another special award was the "Preis Ingenieux", which went to the Franklin 11 B from 1927.
The Lancia Astura from 1939 with Pinin-Farina convertible bodywork was honored as "Best of Show", followed by the Rolls-Royce Phantom I Ascot Brewster from 1929 and the Alvis TD21 Graber from 1962.
FIVA Class A (until 1904) was won by the Benz Velo from 1898, Class B (1905-1918) by the Adler from 1909, Class C (1919-1930) by the Rolls-Royce Phantom I Ascot Brewster from 1929, Class D (1931-1945) by the Lancia Astura Pinin Farina from 1939, Class E1 (1946-1954) by the Ferrari 212 Vignale from 1951, Class E2 (1955-1960) the Chrysler Windsor from 1957, Class F 1 (1961-1964) the Alvis TD 21 Graber from 1962, Class F 2 (1965-1970) the Maserati Ghibli, Class (1971-1990) the Maserati Ghibli SS and Class H (from 1980) a Porsche 911 Speedster.
The show of American vehicles should not go unmentioned, which was also honored with its own main prize, the "USCCC Best of Show", which was won by a Lincoln Continental Mk V Coupé from 1979, followed by the Packard 900 Light Eight Roadster Coupé from 1932.
The complete list of results will no doubt soon be posted on the event website , where you will also be informed of the date of the 2018 event, which you should definitely make a note of in your diary.
In addition to the selected pictures shown in this article, there are two additional picture galleries with a further 200+ photos, one of the small cars and one of the other vehicles in Schwetzingen.
