Seeing, hearing and smelling - there is hardly a more complete experience of the classic car hobby at a trade fair. In Friedrichshafen, not only was a classic exhibition celebrated, but there was also the finish of a rally to watch and racing cars to experience on a circuit.
A real feast for the audience, which, at 37,200, turned up in the same numbers as before the coronavirus pandemic.
On the ground and in the air
The special feature of Klassikwelt in Friedrichshafen is that it combines the different elements of ground, water and air, even if the boats were reduced to stationary vehicles. Aircraft, on the other hand, could be observed in the halls as well as in the air.
And the Zeppelin, which of course belongs to the airship, also made its rounds again and again.
Classics in action
Historic sports and racing cars showed what they were made of on the circuit. The entire spectrum was on display, from monumental four/six-cylinder American LaFrance displacement giants to the lightweight Brabham BT3 V8 Formula 1 car.
Also of interest to the public were the fast versions of the Volvo Amazon, the Opel Kadett, the VW Polo and the BMW 3-series. And the VW Beetle and Alpine-Renault anyway.
The Brixner NSU was also on parade, as were pre-war sports cars, and the Opel Commodore station wagon with its powerful, tire-killing rear-wheel drive once again caused a ruckus.
In total, there were around 200 racing cars and motorcycles on the road between the exhibition halls and the airfield, more than ever before.
Be part of the show
The weather gods were also in a good mood and provided the event with largely dry weather, which was certainly appreciated by the camping fans between the halls.
However, this was even more important for the many visitors who wanted to arrive in classic cars on two and four wheels and were not only able to save on the parking fee, but were also allowed to park in the middle of the action.
This turned the area between the halls into a cross-brand classic car meeting, where you could see some rarities that were not even on display in the halls.
Special shows in several halls
As soon as you entered, you came across the special show "75 Years of Porsche", which not only celebrated the Porsche 911 in many variants (including its 60th anniversary), but also the brand's less popular classics such as the 914 and the 928.
There was also a Le Mans winner from 1971 on display, the Porsche 917 in Martini livery.
There was also a Porsche 956 and a Formula 1 car from the factory collection.
BMW also wanted to celebrate 100 years of motorcycles, and a selection of two-wheelers from the white and blue brand showed how they have developed since 1923.
Another special show presented rare coupés and cabriolets against a beautiful backdrop.
These included some rarities that are rarely seen at motor shows, such as a Steyr 220 or the Rometsch Lawrence as a coupé and convertible.
Some visitors came across model variants that they may not even have known about, such as the VW Scirocco Safari with vinyl and roll-up roof.
The clubs with their specialties
Once again, the widely represented clubs provided special cars and interesting discussions. Audi/NSU in particular were represented with many exhibits, including a very rare NSU Kettenrad, but BMW, Ford, Glas Mercedes-Benz, Opel and Volkswagen, to name just a few examples, were also eagerly waved and flags waved.
Anyone who wanted to compare all Ford Capri generations or wanted to understand how the Audi brand has developed over the decades, for example, found many objects to look at on site.
Down-to-earth price level
Of course, Friedrichshafen was not just about showing cars, many of the 800 exhibitors also wanted to sell something - vehicles, accessories or even beach chairs, depending on their focus. The price level of the cars seemed to be quite realistic, after all, some dealers also stated on Sunday that they were satisfied with their sales.
A striking feature was the large number of Fiat Nuova 500s, of which almost a dozen were on sale in various colors and versions.
Bread-and-butter cars were on offer as well as rare sports cars and freshly restored super classics.
Expensive items also found new owners and many a visitor left the show with a souvenir that they had never expected.
A show for the general public
While Essen or Stuttgart are primarily classic car fairs geared towards sales, Klassikwelt Bodensee has been targeting a large and broadly interested public for many years. The fact that many come simply out of curiosity is part of the concept; you don't have to own a classic car or necessarily want one to be entertained in Friedrichshafen. This is ensured by the diverse design of the trade fair, which offers something for everyone.
This was once again achieved with flying colours at the event on 5 to 7 May 2023, and project manager Roland Bosch, who has been organizing the trade fair for many years, can only be congratulated.
The picture gallery with almost 260 images provides a comprehensive insight into the events in, between and outside the halls.
