With classic car fairs, as with many other things, you can see the glass half full or half empty. As we wandered through the aisles of the seven exhibition halls at the 22nd Retro Classics Stuttgart, we encountered a few people who tended to see the glass as half empty. We tended to take a more positive view, as the classic car fair provided many attractions and special features that you don't see every day.
Of course, it is debatable whether stands with sofa displays, whirlpools or crystals belong at a classic car show. And you can also be annoyed by the large number of used and new cars that some dealers put on their stands. But you shouldn't lose sight of the fact that there were always exciting trouvailles to be found among the perhaps not so interesting cars. This was ensured by the dealers as well as the restorers/specialists and the clubs anyway.
Great response to the transition fair
According to the organizers, 82,000 visitors streamed through the 105,000 square meter classic car fair over the four days from 23 to 26 February 2023, a very good result for the first post-pandemic edition of Retro Classics Stuttgart.
The sale of Retro Messen GmbH from K. U. Herrmann to AFAG Messen und Ausstellungen GmbH had already been under discussion for several weeks, and this became official at the Retro Classics press conference. The third-generation family-run trade fair specialist AFAG took over Retro Classics Stuttgart and Nuremberg, including the summer events at Reichenschwand Castle and Tegernsee, at the beginning of the year.
However, Karl Ulrich Herrmann still wanted to complete the trade fair in Stuttgart, while the managing directors of AFAG, Henning and Thilo Könicke, took the opportunity to gather initial impressions and talk to exhibitors.
Herrmann, an experienced trade fair organizer, has recently experienced difficulties due to the ever-increasing short notice. In addition, it was not possible to park the classic cars in front of the exhibition grounds in 2023 due to construction work at the long-distance train station. But there was free entry for dogs
75 years of Porsche sports cars
Seven Porsche sports and racing cars were parked in the foyer right by the East Entrance to celebrate the milestone birthday of the first Porsche sports car, now known as the "356 Number 1".
The fact that the car on display was a faithful show copy and had no engine was only a minor drawback, as there was also a lightweight 356 SL, an early 911 Targa and a 918 on show. The racing side was represented by a 956, the 959 Paris-Dakar and a 911 Cup car.
The Porsche presence did not end there, as there was also another Porsche stand in Hall 1. Among other things, a McLaren-TAG-Porsche Formula 1 car and a 550A Spyder were on display there. With the motto "Driven by Dreams", the makers behind the cars were also showcased, from Ferry Porsche to Jacky Ickx, along with many others.
Anyway, there were hundreds of Porsche sports cars to admire at the show, the most eye-catching of which was certainly a 944 with six wheels and a pickup body.
100 years of BMW motorcycles
The golden age of huge factory stands, when half the halls were filled with museum exhibits, is well known to be over at classic car fairs. At least Mercedes-Benz and BMW showed up with club support.
At BMW, there were 100 years of BMW motorcycles to celebrate, which led to interesting combinations on several stands.
Mercedes-Benz presented, among other things, a Mercedes-Benz 300 SL reduced to its tubular frame, an interesting exhibit. Visitors were even allowed to take a seat in the Benz Patent Motorwagen from 1886.
In any case, the Mercedes clubs were among the most active. Visitors were allowed to try out seats and even short tours were organized.
One of the highlights in the Mercedes environment was certainly the 190 SL, which has covered over 600,000 km and is still in everyday use after two restorations. As it said on a sticker on a pontoon: "The most sustainable car is the one that has already been produced".
70 years 1953
The trade fair organizer had another interesting idea. Why not simply celebrate a car production year? How exactly 1953 was chosen may not seem logical.
The line-up, which included an Opel Kapitän, a Ford Comète, an Austin A40 Somerset, a Fiat 500 Topolino and two Ponton-Mercedes, was certainly beautiful.
Speaking of milestone birthdays: As at Retro Classics Bavaria, car dealer Fritz Neuser once again had a stand to celebrate his 90th birthday and the 60th of his dealership.
Among other things, several Ferrari BB models and a Testarossa were on display.
Club stands as highlights
Once again, the clubs went to great lengths to bring together interesting vehicles and valuable information and present them in an attractive way.
We were struck by the many Fiat X 1/9 in many colors, but also the phalanx of the three Morris Minor.
At Ford there were Escort and Capri models in the garden, while at an Opel club you could see rare early Kadett variants.
It's also rare to see several Z-series Rovers together, as well as an extended version of the Rover 75.
Or when have you ever come across an MG TC from police stocks?
On the Lancia Club stand, a now rare Beta saloon and an early coupé were on display, as this model variant will be celebrating its 50th birthday in 2023.
If you were looking for information or simply wanted to take a look at different variants of a car that you don't see at every dealer, the club stands were the place to be.
Dealers and specialists with a wide range of products
There was also plenty to discover at the dealer and specialist stands, from Alfa Romeo to Zagato.
At Mirbach, for example, we came across a TVR pair consisting of the Sagaris and Griffith 500 models. Just a few meters away was a Healey Westland Roadster.
The range of vehicles from the home brands Porsche and Mercedes-Benz was quite extensive, but you really can't blame Stuttgart for that, especially as it also had a few gems among them.
Pre-war vehicles were rather poorly represented, but those who took a closer look could see some interesting cars, such as an Alvis Speed 25, a Horch 830 BK or a Mercedes-Benz SSK.
However, pre-war vehicles from France, which had always been a highlight in previous years, were almost completely absent in Stuttgart.
From bread-and-butter cars ...
Around (estimated) 2000 to 2500 cars were for sale in Stuttgart, many of which belonged to the bread-and-butter category, meaning they were once used in everyday life and for a wide variety of purposes.
These included a Ford Fiesta L, several Opel Kadett Cs, various Renault 4s and, of course, a large number of VW Beetles.
Such cars often generate more emotion than some super classics in the seven-digit price range, especially as these cars usually came with four-digit euro figures.
... up to exotic rarities
A few rarities should not go unmentioned, which the writer noticed while strolling through the halls. There are probably not a handful of Devin SS in Germany.
This sports car was a complete model from the American manufacturer, which had concentrated on plastic bodywork early on. As an SS, it had a tubular frame and a V8 under the hood. It was also able to make a name for itself in racing.
The MG ND, which was built just 24 times in 1934 and 1935, was also created for racing. It had an interesting in-line six-cylinder engine with overhead camshaft and a king-shaft drive and produced 56 hp at 5500 rpm without a supercharger.
The DeSoto Firelite Sporstman Coupe from 1955 or the Buick station wagon from 1957 are also rare in our country, and you are unlikely to ever see an Imperial LeBaron from 1972 or a Lincoln Continental from 1956. The selection of lesser-known Americans was quite impressive in Stuttgart.
The German sports car Artega GT was also only available in homeopathic doses from 2007 to 2012, with just 153 vehicles with VW Passat VR6 3.6-liter mid-engine technology and a plastic body designed by Henrik Fisker. Two of them were for sale in Stuttgart!
Rare cars were also available from private and commercial dealers, such as a Volvo P1800 Cabriolet or an AMC Gremlin X, to name just two examples.
The list could go on and on, we recommend taking a look at the picture gallery.
Do it yourself
You didn't have to stay idle in Stuttgart, but were also motivated to be active.
Several SimRacing offerings allowed visitors to take a virtual drive in a sixties Formula 1 car or a newer sports car on various tracks, while the Pitt Stop Challenge also gave mechanics the chance to put their hands on a Mercedes.
At the Technik-Museum Sinsheim Speyer, you could take a seat in a rollover simulator (Golf) if you didn't want to stop at looking at the pre-war winter car Mercedes 24/100/140 from 1925.
So there was a lot to see in Stuttgart, even if you had to separate the wheat from the chaff depending on your interests. However, the search for gems is just as much a part of a major German trade fair as the currywurst and chips at the food stand, isn't it?
