Classic Days Berlin 2023 - Berlin, music and old cars

This article was auto-translated. We apologize if some words are confusing or simply amusing. Would you like to help us improve?

Created on May 8, 2023

Text:

Ralf Kruse

Photos:

Ralf Kruse

Contrasts - or not: lightly patinated vehicles that still need a bit of work, in front of advertising that may also cost money - Classic Days Berlin 2023

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

On Saturday, the rows were thinner, both in terms of spectators and vehicles. The crêpe vendor in the Citroën HY does not yet know that he will make really good sales the following day - Classic Days Berlin 2023

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Local public transport was also on the move in contemporary style - Classic Days Berlin 2023

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

The Mercedes 450 SLC presented by the presenter in impressive original condition, even with air conditioning - Classic Days Berlin 2023

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

A classic car meeting in folk festival dimensions - Classic Days Berlin 2023

Bild von Partner Porsche AMAG Mai Foto-Galerie 2026

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Wide range of vehicles presented. From neatly patinated to as good as new - Classic Days Berlin 2023

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

I still have a suitcase in Berlin....with a Beetle on it - Classic Days Berlin 2023

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Johannes Hübner presents the incoming vehicles, here a Mercedes-Benz 450 SLC - Classic Days Berlin 2023

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Striking design elements on the Opel GT. The club was on site with a full team. In addition to these three GTs, there were around ten other vehicles - Classic Days Berlin 2023

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Quiz question: which vehicle is in the line of sight of the Hardrock Café? Photographing cars was anything but easy. The Mercedes-Benz 600 deserved to be shown in its stately splendor - Classic Days Berlin 2023

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Lots of classic and vintage cars on Ku'damm and even more people. The Memorial Church in the background is unimpressed by all this - Classic Days Berlin 2023

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Abarth 1000 TC replica () - 75 hp from 4 cylinders move 600 kg car - Classic Days Berlin 2023

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Abarth 1000 TC Replica () - Not really original, but lovingly restored - Classic Days Berlin 2023

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint GT (1967) - Berlin is also worth a trip from Rome. Especially with the beautiful Giulia Sprint - Classic Days Berlin 2023

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint GT (1967) - Photographed with too long a shutter speed out of sheer emotion. A beautiful car - Classic Days Berlin 2023

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Alpine A 110 Berlinette 1300 (1976) - classic sports car, the modern interpretation in blue in the background - Classic Days Berlin 2023

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Amphicar 770 (1961) - Floating car built in Berlin, which was less unsuccessful in the USA than in Germany. This example is part of the Volkswagen Autostadt collection - Classic Days Berlin 2023

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Amphicar 770 (1961) - For the younger ones among us: no joke, these really are the propellers for propulsion on the water. Also note the raised exhaust - Classic Days Berlin 2023

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Audi 80 CD (1983) - When the five-cylinder engines were not yet called Audi 90: B2 in Lhasa metallic and with the original "waffle iron wheels" - Classic Days Berlin 2023

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Bentley Turbo S (1993) - An extraordinarily bold color scheme. Red on the outside, red on the inside. The optic nerve needs a few minutes to get used to it - Classic Days Berlin 2023

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

BMW 318is (1990) - With this model, four-valve technology also found its way into BMW beyond the M models - Classic Days Berlin 2023

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

BMW 525e (1985) - The Greek letter Eta stands for efficiency in technology. Long before modern downsizing, BMW took the exact opposite approach - Classic Days Berlin 2023

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

BMW 525e (1985) - with 2.7-liter engine and rev limit at 4500 rpm. It had the same performance as the 520i, but around half the torque - Classic Days Berlin 2023

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

BMW 730 (1978) - An E23 with carburetor engine and four-speed manual transmission. There are probably not many similar seven-seaters left - Classic Days Berlin 2023

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

BMW 2002 (1972) - Simple and striking in "golf yellow". A clearer design is hard to imagine - Classic Days Berlin 2023

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Borgward Isabella Coupé (1961) - A late Isabella as a coupé in beautiful condition - Classic Days Berlin 2023

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Buick Riviera (1973) - with somewhat anachronistic whitewall tires - Classic Days Berlin 2023

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Cadillac Coupe de Ville (1977) - The US faction was again strongly represented - Classic Days Berlin 2023

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Cadillac Series 62 Coupé (1941) - A picture of a radiator mascot - Classic Days Berlin 2023

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Cadillac Series 62 Coupé (1941) - An incredible amount of car with a manageable amount of space - Classic Days Berlin 2023

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Chevrolet Corvette (1960) - very nice Corvette of the late first series - Classic Days Berlin 2023

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Chevrolet El Camino (1972) - Eye-catching car in eye-catching color - Classic Days Berlin 2023

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Citroën 11 CV Commerciale (1956) - The 1900 model also found its way into the ID and DS almost unchanged - Classic Days Berlin 2023

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Citroën 11 CV Commerciale (1956) - The gangster sedan as a very late model. The DS was built at the same time. Here as Commerciale with large trunk lid - Classic Days Berlin 2023

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Citroën 11 CV Commerciale (1956) - Plenty of legroom can be put to good use - Classic Days Berlin 2023

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Citroën 11 CV Commerciale (1956) - Simple and functional - the dashboard. Steering wheel from the accessories, the second horn next to the original temperature display too - Classic Days Berlin 2023

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Citroën DS (1974) - A late example. Production of its successor, the CX, began in the same year - Classic Days Berlin 2023

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

D-Rad R 0/4 (1925) - Produced in Berlin-Spandau when there was still no talk of rear suspension on motorcycles - Classic Days Berlin 2023

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Dino 246 GT (1972) - Driven by Tony Curtis as Danny Wilde in the series "The 2" - Classic Days Berlin 2023

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Ferrari 512 TR (1992) - When pictures tell stories... - Classic Days Berlin 2023

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Fiat 2300 S Coupé (1967) - Back then, Fiat still built large and thoroughly luxurious cars - Classic Days Berlin 2023

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Ford Capri 2600 GT (1972) - Only the RS 2600 was more powerful in the Capri range back then - Classic Days Berlin 2023

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Ford F-100 (1954) - Shiny pick-up built with a lot of effort. On the right, a Chevrolet Apache in matt gray. Former rivals, now colleagues - Classic Days Berlin 2023

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Ford Model A Fordor Sedan (1929) - It is not known whether this vehicle was possibly one of the approximately 37,000 cars produced at the Ford plant in Berlin between 1929 and 1931 - Classic Days Berlin 2023

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Ford Model A Phaeton (1931) - here as a rather unusual right-hand drive - Classic Days Berlin 2023

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Ford Model A Phaeton (1931) - Sparse dashboard and a very long gearshift - Classic Days Berlin 2023

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Ford Model A Phaeton (1931) - Another radiator mascot for a quiz - Classic Days Berlin 2023

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Honda Civic (1987) - One of the everyday heroes that have all but disappeared from the everyday street scene - Classic Days Berlin 2023

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Indian 7HP (1914) - Restoration base offered for a slim €50,000 - Classic Days Berlin 2023

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

IWL Wiesel SR 56 (1957) - Two exceptionally beautiful examples, probably better than new. Its successor from 1959 was the "Berlin SR 59" scooter - Classic Days Berlin 2023

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Jaguar E-Type V12 (1972) - Cliché maintenance: E-Type in British Racing Green in rainy weather - Classic Days Berlin 2023

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Jaguar XJ-S 5.3 H.E. (1986) - H.E. stood for High Efficiency - and they meant it in Coventry. In fact, the twelve-cylinder had become significantly more economical with the Fireball combustion chambers developed by Michael May - Classic Days Berlin 2023

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Jaguar XJ-S 5.3 H.E. (1986) - Very original vehicle in rather untypical red. One of 2950 left-hand drive cars of this model - Classic Days Berlin 2023

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

McCormick International Farmall D-320 (1957) - A rare picture on the Kurfürstendamm - Classic Days Berlin 2023

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Mercedes-Benz 190 SL (1958) - To each his own... - Classic Days Berlin 2023

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Mercedes-Benz 219 (1958) - The "big pontoon" in small. Front end like the 220, from the A-pillar like the four-cylinder. A little-loved compromise at the time of construction, sought after today due to its rarity - Classic Days Berlin 2023

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Mercedes-Benz 220 SE Cabriolet (1964) - as the 220, the most frequently built convertible version of the W 111, but still very rare - Classic Days Berlin 2023

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Mercedes-Benz 220 SE Cabriolet (1964) - The good star on all roads. Here it shines in particular - Classic Days Berlin 2023

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Mercedes-Benz 220 SE Cabriolet (1964) - Wooden dashboard with wild grain - Classic Days Berlin 2023

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Mercedes-Benz 230 E (1980) - This W123 was delivered to Berlin in 1980 - Classic Days Berlin 2023

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Mercedes-Benz 230 E (1980) - Green tinted windows to the Sahara yellow paint. Otherwise somewhat sparsely equipped - Classic Days Berlin 2023

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Mercedes-Benz 250 CE (1972) - The first Daimler-Benz with electronically controlled fuel injection - Classic Days Berlin 2023

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Mercedes-Benz 250 CE (1972) - with custom-made Nardi steering wheel - Classic Days Berlin 2023

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Mercedes-Benz 600 (1969) - demonstrated what is technically feasible in automotive engineering - Classic Days Berlin 2023

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Messerschmitt KR 200 (1959) - Convertible without "cheese bell" - Classic Days Berlin 2023

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Opel Kadett GTE (1984) - year-old car condition and completely original. A dream that remained unfulfilled at the time - Classic Days Berlin 2023

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Opel Rekord 1700 L Cabriolet Deutsch (1967) - only 50 Rekord C were converted into a convertible by coachbuilder Karl Deutsch in Cologne - Classic Days Berlin 2023

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Opel Rekord 1700 L Cabriolet Deutsch (1967) - originally all 50 Rekord C in white were delivered to Karl Deutsch - Classic Days Berlin 2023

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Peugeot 104 ZL (1981) - vehicle offered for sale in used car condition, but should have good substance - Classic Days Berlin 2023

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Peugeot 205 Automatic (1994) - relatively late two-door car in annual car condition - Classic Days Berlin 2023

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Porsche 911 (1992) - 964 in largely original condition. The second-to-last row with air cooling and before the gradual onset of obesity - Classic Days Berlin 2023

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Renault 4 CV Gordini (1957) - a little patina, but the 36 hp should still be fully assembled - Classic Days Berlin 2023

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Renault 4 CV Gordini (1957) - front marked by rust, mosquitoes and stone chips - Classic Days Berlin 2023

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Renault 5 Turbo 2 (1984) - Competition car for the price of an S-Class - Classic Days Berlin 2023

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Renault 5 Turbo 2 (1984) - 160 hp live between the big cheeks - Classic Days Berlin 2023

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Renault Floride S (1962) - Real 40'000 km run, repainted 35 years ago, otherwise original - Classic Days Berlin 2023

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Renault Fuego GTX (1981) - A coupé that has completely disappeared from our street scene outside of classic car meetings - Classic Days Berlin 2023

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Renault-Alpine A 310 V6 (1983) - Larger spoiler, otherwise largely original, behind it the successor Renault-Alpine V6 Turbo - Classic Days Berlin 2023

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Rover P2 (1936) - radiator mascot. Did we already have this in a quiz? - Classic Days Berlin 2023

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Rover P2 (1936) - Representative limousine with small six-cylinder engine - Classic Days Berlin 2023

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

VW 1600 L (1972) - There are also normal stores on Kurfürstendamm - and cars with patina - Classic Days Berlin 2023

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

VW Beutler flatbed (1951) - Later such models were called Caddy and even later Amarok - Classic Days Berlin 2023

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

VW Derby (1978) - Derby and Dior. Berlin unites opposites. Who knew that more Derby cars were sold than Polo cars in 1977? - Classic Days Berlin 2023

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

VW minibus (1962) - A moderately tuned T1, here not as a Samba - Classic Days Berlin 2023

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

VW Polo Coupé Fox (1988) - There was also something like this to see on the Kurfürstendamm: an 86 C in the economical-colored Fox equipment in annual car condition - Classic Days Berlin 2023

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

VW Rometsch Lawrence Cabriolet (1959) - Rare example of traditional coachbuilding craftsmanship from the Volkswagen Autostadt collection - Classic Days Berlin 2023

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

VW Standard (1951) - Every better VW dealership used to have a Pretzel Beetle on display - Classic Days Berlin 2023

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

VW XL1 (2016) - For €111,000 there was at least air conditioning and a Garmin sat nav - Classic Days Berlin 2023

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

VW XL1 (2016) - two-seater with diesel hybrid drive. 200 units were built between 2014 and 2016, new price €111,000 - Classic Days Berlin 2023

Auch der Personennahverkehr war stilecht zeitgenössisch unterwegs – Classic Days Berlin 2023

Auch ganz neue Fahrzeuge wurden gezeigt – für jeden Geldbeutel – Classic Days Berlin 2023

Der vom Moderator vorgestellte Mercedes 450 SLC in beeindruckendem Originalzustand, sogar mit Klimaanlage – Classic Days Berlin 2023

Ein Oldtimertreffen in Volksfestdimensionen – Classic Days Berlin 2023

Große Bandbreite der präsentierten Fahrzeuge. Von ordentlich patiniert bis neuwertig – Classic Days Berlin 2023

Ich hab noch einen Koffer in Berlin....mit einem Käfer dran – Classic Days Berlin 2023

A short prologue from the life of a writer: In search of a humorous introduction, a Google search was used to find a reference to a cheerful pop song from the 1920s about Berlin's Kurfürstendamm. Well, the search results revealed rather gloomy German rap lyrics from more recent times. A cross-reading then revealed: Camaro (i.e. Chevrolet), Maybach (also -ufer, but also car), Mercedes, Lambo (Lamborghini), Bentley, Santana (no, that probably meant Carlos, not VW), Porsche, CL (probably the S-Class Coupé, not a VW Jetta CL). Some rap bards allegedly also walked across the Ku'damm or even took the bus - or complained about a 30-euro ticket for parking in the wrong place. So nothing to do with hits. And the hauntingly sung about Berlin air - well...

A classic car meeting in folk festival dimensions - Classic Days Berlin 2023

Be that as it may: the Ku'damm seems to be inextricably linked with cars. It's not just that the artist Wolf Vostell embedded two Cadillacs in concrete there as a permanent installation in 1987. There was also a large classic car gathering to celebrate the 125th anniversary of Kurfürstendamm in 2011. Since then, the Classic Days Berlin have been regularly celebrated on the Ku'damm at the beginning of May or the beginning of June, apart from the coronavirus-related cancellations.

Rain on Saturday, sun on Sunday

On 6 and 7 May 2023, around 2000 historic vehicles and around 700,000 visitors were once again expected, with two kilometers of the Ku'damm completely closed for the event. As classic car rallies usually take place in the open air, it is important to talk about the weather at this point. This year, May is a bit April-fresh, so Saturday morning was still quite rainy. It didn't get really dry all day, and so only the weatherproof and hardy classic car owners turned up with their precious vehicles. The owner of the gray Citroën 11 CV from our picture gallery even reported that his little treasure was clearly sensitive to the weather: on Saturday it simply wouldn't start, but on Sunday it purred away immediately without further ado.

Citroën 11 CV Commerciale (1956) - The gangster sedan as a very late model. The DS was built at the same time. Here as Commerciale with large trunk lid - Classic Days Berlin 2023

Like the rain, the first day saw a rather sparse crowd trickling down the magnificent boulevard. This changed dramatically on Sunday. The sunny skies saw hundreds of historic vehicles and many tens of thousands of interested visitors. It remains to be seen whether the targeted 2000 cars and 700,000 people turned out in the end. It felt like the event on Sunday made up for what was missing on Saturday.

Jaguar E-Type V12 (1972) - Cliché maintenance: E-Type in British Racing Green in rainy weather - Classic Days Berlin 2023

Crowd like a folk festival on Sunday

It is fair to say that the event - without malicious intent - had a certain folk festival character. The great popularity is certainly due to the central location in the (West) Berlin city center as well as the fact that no entrance fee is charged. And so the public formed long queues in front of drinks and food stands and sometimes gigantic clusters of people around the particularly interesting vehicles. This did not make the reporter's job any easier, and so the long focal lengths were left in the photo backpack from the outset. Thankfully, many a classic car owner bravely intervened in the stream of visitors and enabled a quick "shot" of their vehicle. The serious approach of the classic automobile as a rolling cultural asset was taken into account at the Classic Days by, among other things, a highly knowledgeable and expert presentation of the incoming vehicles.

Johannes Hübner presents the incoming vehicles, here a Mercedes-Benz 450 SLC - Classic Days Berlin 2023

Exciting mix of vehicles

And there was a lot on offer in terms of interesting vehicles. It's true that you can't expect to see many exhibits from the brass era at classic car meetings, which are usually attended on their own wheels. There were also only a few pre-war vehicles on display, at least compared to the total number of cars on show. The clear focus was on vehicles from the '60s and '70s, with a surprisingly high proportion of US classics.

Cadillac Series 62 Coupé (1941) - A picture of a radiator mascot - Classic Days Berlin 2023

It is also remarkable that the ranking we recently commented on (April 20, 2023, "More and more classic cars and youngtimers in Germany") of vehicles registered in Germany with H license plates has been turned on its head. The reporter found only a few Mercedes-Benz models from the W 123 and W 124 series, but a whole armada of "dash eights", i.e. the W 114 and W 115. The most registered youngtimer, the VW Golf, was also heavily underrepresented. In general, it felt like there were more Corvettes than Volkswagens. The Opel scene was also very strong. The Opel GT Club alone came with more than a dozen vehicles.

Mercedes-Benz 250 CE (1972) - The first Daimler-Benz with electronically controlled fuel injection - Classic Days Berlin 2023

Francophile youngtimer fans also found what they were looking for, although it was already very thin on the ground before the mid-sixties and Simca, for example, did not appear to be represented at all. The Japanese were also rather thin on the ground, whereas the British were well represented with a few Rolls-Royces, Bentleys, Triumphs and a whole range of MGs and Austin-Healeys. The secret star of the reporter was a little-noticed Opel Rekord C as a Deutsch convertible. Karl Deutsch GmbH in Cologne-Braunsfeld built just 50 of this model in 1967. The star of the show was undoubtedly a Bentley Speed-Six, which is unfortunately missing from our picture gallery - the crowd around this gem was so dense and persistently new-forming that it was impossible to take a photo.

Opel Rekord 1700 L Cabriolet Deutsch (1967) - only 50 Rekord C were converted into a convertible by coachbuilder Karl Deutsch in Cologne - Classic Days Berlin 2023

The nice thing about such rather informal classic car meetings is the enormous range of vehicles. From everyday vehicles in better-than-new condition such as the Opel Kadett GTE or the two IWL-Wiesel scooters to somewhat patinated classics that need a well-meaning inspector every two years, to more or less freely interpreted quotes from racing treasures such as the small Abarth 1000 TC, everything is there. An estimated 95 percent of the vehicles are privately owned. As a result, an event like this is much more dominated by the regional club scene and loosely associated enthusiasts than by registration statistics. All the better that the Autostadt was also represented at Ku'damm with a Beutler flatbed, an Amphicar and a Rometsch coupé - vehicles that are otherwise almost only seen in museums.

VW Beutler flatbed (1951) - Later such models were called Caddy and even later Amarok - Classic Days Berlin 2023

Everyone satisfied

So everyone was satisfied on Sunday: Vehicle owners and the public, organizers, restaurateurs and traders in motor vehicle appraisals, insurance, new cars, real estate, vehicle restorations and motor vehicle accessories, who had set up camp on the edge of the boulevard. Although the term "warehouse" does not really describe the chic glass cubes that the organizer had made available to them. Only the photographer was not entirely happy, as he would have liked more of a "free field of fire" here and there. On the other hand, coverage of such a large event must ultimately remain incomplete. It's better to go there yourself.