Interclassics Brussels, sister fair to the traditional annual event of the same name in Maastricht, entered its next round from November 15 to 17, 2019 on an exhibition area of over 43,000 square meters. For many lovers of rolling cultural assets in the Benelux countries and western Germany, this was probably the last classic car fair of the year, as Cologne's Retro Classics was canceled this year.
Established trade fair
Although Interclassics Brussels is still comparatively young, it can already be seen as a constant, as the variety and quality of the range on offer here is just right.
Visitors were once again offered a high-quality range of classic vehicles, spare parts, accessories and other automobilia by 400 exhibitors. The Belgian automobile clubs were also well represented at the trade fair. They clearly did not follow the trend of some market players to blur the boundaries between classic vehicles and "expectation classics" in mint condition, which the reporter found pleasing.
The event also has a "French flavor", as the field of automotive art is much more strongly represented here than elsewhere.
Lots to see
The fair is now so extensive that visitors have to prioritize if they only want to spend one day there. This is also because there were interesting offers on the autoscout24 exhibition area and in the auction area. Another positive aspect is that not only particularly high-priced cars were on offer in the shadow of the Atomium, but there were also attractive offers at the lower end of the price scale. Assuming that the average value of classic cars is currently around EUR 20,000, it was possible to discover some very interesting offers in this price segment.
One example is an Autobianchi A 112 - in my opinion an otherwise rather undervalued car. Sicilian-owned classic car that was confidently offered for around €13,000. And there were even more, cheaper A 112s in Brussels.
Anyone looking for a "dog bone" Escort, Renault R 4 or Citroën 2 CV could also find what they were looking for. And when do you ever see an NSU Prinz 4 on offer? Also worth mentioning was the range of exclusive French classics such as a Delage, Talbot or Delahaye. A rare Hotchkiss 20/50 from 1951 was offered for EUR 65,000.
Two special shows
A special feature of Interclassics Brussels are the special automobile shows. There were two again this year and they alone make a visit to this trade fair worthwhile. The first was dedicated to the traditional British brand Bentley, whose one hundred years of company history was illustrated by eight vehicles. The spectrum ranged from the 3-liter sports car with Harrison bodywork from 1921 to the famous "Blower" and classic cars from the 1950s to the EXP/Speed 8 Race Car from 2003.
The second special show, "Great Italian Designers", featured 15 exhibits with highlights from renowned Italian designers. With two exceptions, these were cars from Italian brands designed by Ghia, Touring, Zagato or Pininfarina. The presentation included icons such as a Lamborghini Miura or the Ferrari 500 Superfast (once owned by actor Peter Sellers), as well as less frequently exhibited cars such as the Pegaso Z-102 or the Fiat 8V.
Once again, the top design achievements of Italian designers from the 1950s to the 1970s were on display. All in all, this year's Interclassics Brussels was a high-quality trade fair that will be a pleasure to visit again next year.
