The excitement was great, because not only had the "Grand Basel" been announced a year in advance, but exhibition organizers Mark Backé and Paolo Tumminelli had also announced something completely new. Instead of simply being a sales show, Grand Basel wanted to be a curated exhibition with a manageable but all the more interesting selection of classic and modern cars.
Even at the opening, well-known greats of car design, such as Giorgetto Giugiaro and Andrea Zagato, showed that they have a lot to gain from this new concept.
Like in an art gallery
Walking through the exhibition in the Muba hall in Basel felt less like a classic car show and more like an art gallery. All the cars were displayed in uniformly and stylishly designed cuboids that only minimally distracted the eye from the exhibits. The (neutral-colored) lighting ensured that the cars could literally be shown in the best light.
The pillars and partitions made the cars look like they were in a picture frame, allowing a view of details and special accents.
Gerhard Berger, the former F1 racing driver, said after his visit: "This is exactly how cars should be shown!". However, he would have liked to see even more racing cars.
Incidentally, Grand Basel is not entirely without precedent in the automotive sector. Back in 1951 , the Museum of Modern Art in New York exhibited eight cars of particular beauty, including, unsurprisingly, the Cisitalia 202, which was also on show again in Basel.
In general, visitors to the fair were impressed, but sometimes also a little perplexed. Anyone who hadn't downloaded the "app" for their cell phone in good time could only just find the make/type and year of the exhibits, as well as the exhibitor, but no background information.
Road vehicles and racing cars
113 vehicles were presented on 32,000 square meters. On the contrary, there was no sign of crowding here. Each exhibit had plenty of space to "breathe" and there were also wide aisles for the 12,000 visitors, so there was no need to stand on each other's feet.
On display were mainly road vehicles, supplemented by a few thoroughbred racing cars, among which the single-seater BRM P83 from 1966 naturally stood out. At its rear is a rather unorthodox sixteen-cylinder engine with 32 valves and a displacement of three liters.
Despite high engine performance, it was never enough for a victory due to reliability problems, but the BRM was more than just visually impressive. The second monoposto, a Benetton B194-05 from 1994, was also a hit at the exhibition, not least thanks to its colorful livery.
The racing cars naturally also included some of the two-seaters on display, such as a Maserati Tipo 63 Birdcage from 1961, a Porsche Carrera 6 from 1966 and the Simca-Abarth 1300 Corsa from 1965.
Among the road cars, the Italian super sports cars naturally had a strong presence, but Aston Martin and Porsche were also well represented, while other brands such as BMW, Cisitalia, Pesaso and Bugatti had just one exhibit.
The two Monterosas
One of the highlights of the first edition of Grand Basel, with further exhibitions abroad to follow, were certainly the two Isotta Fraschini from the Italian collector Lopresto. On display were a coupé (from Touring) and a convertible (Boneshi) from 1948 and 1947.
As is well known, the Monterosa was the swan song of the famous car manufacturer Isotta Fraschini before the war. The car was presented in October 1947 at the Grand Palais in Paris.
It is rare to see one of the few hand-built prototypes, but it is even rarer to see two cars exhibited together.
Rarities non-stop
In addition to the two Monterosa Isottas, there were also some cars to marvel at that you don't come across very often. The Advisory Board had deliberately chosen a broad spectrum.
There was an Iso Isetta as a cabin scooter from 1952, a Ford Consul Capri as a coupé from 1961, but also a Fiat Panda from 1979 (a masterpiece by designer Giorgetto Giugiaro) or the aforementioned Cisitalia 202 SC from 1947, still one of the most beautiful cars ever built.
In between, there were also vehicles that are better known, such as a Lamborghini Miura, a Maserati Ghibli or a Jaguar E-Type.
And then there were rarities that were only built in very small numbers, such as the Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato, the Fiat 8V Vignale, the Pegaso Z-102 with Saoutchik cabriolet bodywork from 1954 or the Alvis TF21 with Graber cabriolet bodywork from 1967 (incidentally the last Graber Alvis to be built).
A very special premiere
The international premiere presentation of the 1:1 model of the car that Gio Ponti, an Italian architect, had designed in many sketches and collections of ideas at the beginning of the 1950s was certainly also typical of the exhibition organizers' aspirations.
The construction of the original large model was made possible by the FCA Group; the wheelbase anticipated at the time also corresponded to the Alfa Romeo 1900, which was also presented as a 1950 counterpart just behind it.
Ponti's car may not be aesthetically convincing, but conceptually the architect was one or two decades ahead of the car manufacturers of the time with his "user centric design".
Interesting comparisons
Depending on how you look at it, 113 vehicles, including some cars from the 20th century, are either a lot or a little. Those who immersed themselves in the individual shapes and vehicles were certainly exhausted after their tour.
However, he (or she) was also able to make an excellent comparison of shapes and design approaches, with the Lamborghini Miura, Countach, Maserati Ghibli and Monteverdi Hai models standing just a few steps apart; all that was missing was a Ferrari 365 GT4/BB to make the quartet a quintet.
In any case, the Ferrari Daytona was just as present a few steps away as a De Tomaso Pantera and the Iso Rivolta range.
Of course, enthusiasts could always have named one or two vehicles that would have fitted well into the exhibition, but this also showed the limits of an exhibition that ultimately has to show what paying enthusiasts make available. There is hardly any other explanation for the fact that there was more than one example of certain vehicles, while other classics of the century were missing.
Technology secondary
What was certainly not the focus of the exhibition was the technology beneath the beautiful sheet metal. Open hoods were just as frowned upon as exposed chassis or glimpses under the bodywork.
One of the hotly debated questions among the visitors was whether this did not deny the automobile a part of its soul.
A commercial success?
Can the calculation of showing 113 cars on 32,000 square meters to 12,000 visitors work out, even if exhibiting a car already cost CHF 25,000 and admission was not exactly cheap at around CHF 45.00? This question must surely be answered by the trade fair organizers in particular, but even with successful spreadsheet acrobatics, the margins are likely to be very tight.
However, some exhibitors were quite positive, such as Marc Kienle from the restorer/dealer of the same name: "We feel we are in the right place at Grand Basel. The environment is perfectly suited to our vehicles. We have met many interesting guests who correspond exactly to our target group. We have already been able to deepen and expand our discussions with potential buyers. We had a great time at Grand Basel and are very interested in participating in one of the next shows."
Grand Basel also aims to build a bridge between the classic car fair and the well-established motor show, such as the one held annually in Geneva, which is dedicated to new vehicles. The premieres celebrated in Basel should also be understood in this way.
For example, the Tesla Roadster, which has never been shown in Europe before and is due to be released in 2020, was on display, as was the Delta Integrale Futurista, a reinterpretation of the Lancia Delta Integrale by Automobili Amos. Given the expected high-caliber audience, it is understandable that these suppliers dropped money to show their vehicles.
It is therefore to be hoped that Grand Basel was not a flash in the pan, as the attractive concept for visitors can certainly be expanded.
Vehicles on display at the Grand Basel 2018
| Make | Type | Year | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abarth | 2200 Allemano Coupé | 1959 | Year extrapolated |
| Abarth | Series II 2000 Periscopio | 1968 | |
| Abarth | Simca 1300 Corsa | 1965 | Extrapolated vintage |
| Aestec | GTS | 2018 | inspired by Porsche 904 GTS |
| Alfa Romeo | 1900 Berlina | 1950 | |
| Alfa Romeo | 6C 1750 GS Zagato | 1931 | |
| Alfa Romeo | 6C 2500 Competizione - Bodyframework | 2016 | |
| Alvis | TF 21 Graber |
1967 | |
| Aston Martin | DB 4 GT Zagato | 1960 | |
| Aston Martin | DB2 GT Team Car | 1951 | |
| Aston Martin | DB3 | 1952 | |
| Aston Martin | DB4 Convertible | 1963 | |
| Aston Martin | DB5 Volante | 1966 | |
| Aston Martin | DB6 | 1966 | |
| Aston Martin | DB6 Vantage | 1969 | |
| Aston Martin | GT 12 1/1 | 2016 | twice, additional model 2015 |
| Aston Martin | One-77 | 2011 | |
| Aston Martin | V8 Vantage Volante | 1987 | |
| Aston Martin | Virage | 2011 | |
| Avion Voisin | C25 Aérodyne | 1935 | |
| Benetton | B194-05 | 1994 | Formula 1 car |
| Bentley | Continental P116 | 1996 | |
| Bentley | S1 Flying Spur | 1957 | |
| Bentley | S2 Convertible | 1961 | |
| BMW | 507 Series 2 Roadster | 1959 | |
| BMW | M1 R | 1981 | Racing car |
| BRM | P 83 - H16 | 1966 | |
| Bugatti | Chiron | 2018 | |
| Bugatti | Veyron Legend "Les Legendes" | 2013 | |
| Cisitalia | 202 SC | 1947 | |
| Citroën | DS 19 Chapron le Dandy | 1958 | |
| Corvair | Testudo | 1963 | Vintage documented |
| Daimler | V8 Saloon | 1967 | |
| De Tomaso | Pantera | 1988 | Vintage extrapolated |
| Delahaye | 135 M | 1949 | |
| Ducati | 750 Corsa Imola | 1972 | |
| Ferrari | 250 GT Coupé Pininfarina Series 1 | 1962 | |
| Ferrari | 250 GT SWB California Spyder | 1960 | 1963 |
| Ferrari | 250 GT SWB Coupé | 1960 | |
| Ferrari | 250 GTE | 1962 | |
| Ferrari | 275 GTB | 1966 | body only |
| Ferrari | 275 GTB /C | 1966 | |
| Ferrari | 312 P | 1969 | |
| Ferrari | 330 GTC | 1966 | Vintage extrapolated |
| Ferrari | 365 GTB 4 / Daytona Competizione | 1971 | |
| Ferrari | 365 GTB 4 / Daytona Coupé | 1973 | |
| Ferrari | GTC 4 Lusso "azzurra" livery | 2017 | |
| Ferrari | LaFerrari | 2013 | |
| Ferrari | SP 38 Deborah | 2017 | |
| Ferrari | 250 MM | 1953 | Vintage extrapolated |
| Ferrari | F40 | 1991 | |
| Fiat | 500 Abarth - "azzurra" livery | 2017 | |
| Fiat | 500 Ghia Jolly | 1959 | |
| Fiat | 500 Spiaggina by Garage Italia | 2018 | |
| Fiat | 8V Berlinetta Rapi | 1953 | |
| Fiat | 8V Vignale | 1953 | |
| Fiat | Panda | 1979 | used up, but drivable |
| Fiat | 500 Spiaggia Boano | 1958 | |
| Ford | Consul Capri Coupé | 1961 | |
| Ford | GT | 2005 | |
| Ford | GT 40 | 1966 | |
| GFG Style | Sibylla GG80 | 2018 | |
| Gio Ponti | AutomobileDiamante (model) | 1953 | Model 2018 built |
| Graber | Alvis TS21 | 1967 | |
| Invicta | S | 1932 | Extrapolated vintage |
| Iso Rivolta | 300 Gran Turismo | 1962 | |
| Iso Rivolta | Fidia | 1968 | |
| Iso Rivolta | Grifo | 1969 | |
| Iso Rivolta | Isetta | 1952 | |
| Iso Rivolta | Vision GT | 2017 | |
| Isotta Fraschini | 8C Monterosa Cabriolet | 1948 | |
| Isotta Fraschini | 8C Monterosa Coupé | 1947 | |
| Jaguar | E Series 1 Convertible | 1965 | |
| Jaguar | E-Type Flatfloor | 1961 | Vintage extrapolated |
| Lamborghini | Countach LP 400 | 1974 | |
| Lamborghini | Miura P400 | 1968 | |
| Lancia | Delta Integrale Evoluzione | 1992 | |
| Lancia | Delta Integrale Futurista | 2018 | |
| Lancia | Sibilo Berton | 1978 | |
| Land Rover | Series 1 - Special V 8 | 1954 | Vintage extrapolated |
| Lincoln | Continental "Picasso" | 1963 | Extrapolated vintage |
| Maserati | Ghibli Spyder | 1972 | Year extrapolated |
| Maserati | Tirp 63 Birdcage | 1961 | |
| McLaren | P1 | 2013 | |
| McLaren | P1 GTR | 2015 | |
| Mercedes Benz | 300 D Cabriolet D | 1960 | |
| Mercedes Benz | 300 SL Gullwing | 1954 | |
| Mercedes Benz | 300 SL Roadster | 1957 | |
| Mercedes Benz | 320 A Cabriolet | 1938 | |
| Mercedes Benz | 600 Pullman Landaulet | 1963 | |
| Monteverdi | Hai 450 GTS | 1970 | |
| Pagani | Huayra | 2018 | |
| Pegaso | Z-102 Series 2 Saoutchik convertible | 1954 | |
| Peugeot | 203 Special | 1955 | |
| Porsche | 550 RS Spyder | 1956 | |
| Porsche | 550 Spyder 1500 RS | 1956 | |
| Porsche | 906 Carrera 6 | 1966 | Extrapolated vintage |
| Porsche | 918 Spyder | 2015 | |
| Porsche | Ateliers Diva Targa | 2018 | |
| Porsche | Carrera 911 2.7 RS | 1973 | |
| Porsche | Carrera 911 GT2 RS | 2018 | |
| Rolls Royce | Phantom I | 1925 | |
| Tesla | Roadster | 2018 | expected for 2020 |
| VW | T1 racing service | 1959 | |
| VW | T1 racing transporter | 1964 | |
| Zagato | Zele | 1970 |
