The exile lasted a year, but on May 13, 2018, the Dolder Classics was back as before on the ice rink above the rooftops of Zurich. The redesign was worthwhile from a classic car perspective, as the renovation of the facility has given the cars more space and the impractical concrete barriers have disappeared.
Weather-sensitive classic car drivers
It seems as if classic car drivers are already concretizing their weekend plans early on. A few days beforehand, weather apps and newspapers painted a rather gloomy picture of the weather on Sunday. And so many classic car owners probably opted for an alternative program. However, the weather turned out to be better than expected, as it remained dry and the sun even peeked out from time to time.
And the fact that the temperatures were closer to 15 than 20 degrees probably bothered the car owners more than their vehicles, which are always grateful for usable cooling air.
Constant change
Unlike previous events, the crowds were limited at the beginning, but during the following hours there was a constant coming and going and by 11 a.m. the square was quite full.
While the vehicle crews were happy to retire to the warming coffee, the classics took turns on the ice rink. Depending on the day's plans - after all, it was Mother's Day - they either disappeared for lunch or arrived later.
Bread and butter and super classics
As usual for the Dolder Classics, the mix was great.
On one side you could see an Opel Rekord or a Commodore, on the other a Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster or a Maserati Mistral.
Parked in one row was a Fiat 500 or a Renault Dauphine, in the next a super-rare Porsche 944 Cup, which, by the way, will go under the hammer at the auction on June 16, 2018 at the Dolder.
It's certainly not every day that you see the Lancia Fulvia Sport Zagato, which stood bright red in the middle of the ice rink.
Also on display were two rare Moretti (124 GS and 850 Sportiva) and a Lotus Esprit Series 1, as driven by Roger Moore alias James Bond in the movie "The Spy Who Loved Me" above and below the water.
The orange-colored Alpine-Renault A110 was certainly also a rare gem - after all, most Berlinettes are blue.
Variety of shapes
Anyone who enjoys studying the breadth and diversity of car design from the 1950s to the 1970s will find many interesting objects to look at at the Dolder, such as the playful details of a Chevrolet Impala SS, the elegant shapes of the Studebaker or the sporty curves of the Jaguar E-Type, to name just a few examples.
Among its peers
As with other regular meetings, there are many regular guests at the Dolder Classics. And of course, they were not missing on May 13, 2018 and met their colleagues again, perhaps for the first time in the new year, which naturally gave rise to a chat or two.
The topics? Experiences with mechanics and workshops, classic car prices, deceased colleagues or the odd ailment in a classic car.
Three more times in 2018
The Dolder Classics will take place four times in 2018, so three dates are still open: On each of the Sundays of June 17, August 12 and September 9, classic cars built up to 1988 are once again welcome on the ice rink. The small contribution towards expenses of CHF 5.00 is easy to get over - after all, a glass of champagne is included.
And especially on Mother's Day, a toast was certainly the order of the day, if you came with your own wife at all ...
