While a visit to the major international classic car shows often feels like a stressful and hectic business trip, a day at Motorworld Classics Berlin is more reminiscent of a vacation, especially when the sun is shining, as was the case on the weekend of October 4-7, 2018.
That's when the outdoor area, aptly named the summer garden, really comes into its own. You can sit in a deckchair, perhaps with a beer or a Coke in your hand, nibble on a delicious tarte flambée and watch the classic cars pass by.
Not just stationary vehicles
In contrast to most other classic car fairs, the indoor area of Messe Berlin invites you to stroll past. Upcoming and departing classic cars are commented on by the well-known eloquent speaker Johannes Hübner, so that the public also learns something new.
Of course, this parking situation is not designed for thousands of cars, but with a manageable rush, everything is in order. A year ago, a storm made it impossible for some of the old cars to drive in, but in 2018 the weather cooperated again.
Oases in the turmoil
In general, the organizers of Motorworld Classics are very concerned about the well-being of their visitors. The aisles between the exhibitors are wide, the halls (mostly) bright and there is no shortage of coffee supplies, thanks to the many espresso outlets and other catering stands.
The "Gentlemen from the Petrol Station", the "Ladies" and the "Rufus Temple Orchestra" also provide background music and put a smile on visitors' faces.
If you get dirty shoes, you'll find a shoeshine boy. If you need to replace your trousers, there's a clothes store. Everything is taken care of and, as already mentioned, it almost feels like a vacation.
Good response for the long night of classic cars
For the first time, the Berlin trade fair begins with a pre-evening program, appropriately named "Long Night of Classic Cars". The evening event (from 17:00 until almost midnight) is well attended and the guests are enthusiastic.
Art and motor racing in symbiosis
A BMW M1 from 1979 with a colorful paint job welcomes visitors right at the entrance and is set up as an eye-catcher. The only exhibit on the spacious BMW stand is the 1979 Le Mans participant, which was painted by Andy Warhol. The valuable Group 5 racing car was driven at the time by professional Manfred Winkelhock and the two amateurs Marcel Mignot and Hervé Poulain. The latter was the initiator of the "Art Cars".
Winkelhock was at the wheel for around 15 of the 24 hours and did not spare the car at all, despite the unique paintwork. In the end, he finished in 6th place, certainly a very good result for a semi-pro entry.
Since then, the car has hardly seen the sun, the special paintwork should be spared, which for the M1 usually means the climate chamber as a place to stay. In 2018, however, it will be able to cause a stir again, first at Motorworld Classics Berlin and then in a longer exhibition at the BMW Museum, together with six other art cars.
Clubs with an educational mission
Once again, it is primarily the clubs that ensure that trade fair visitors learn something new.
Whether celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Peugeot 504 or the 70th birthday of the Ente (Citroën 2 CV) - the interest groups always surprise visitors with elaborately researched information boards and interesting vehicles, some of which are also quite bizarre, such as the narrow-gauge Duck from 1985.
The Brennabor "special show"
Unlike most other classic car fairs, there are no special shows in Berlin in the true sense of the word. The gap is filled by clubs and dealers who bring special exhibits to Messe Berlin. In 2018, the initiative of the 1st Brennaborverein deserves special mention.
Brennabor was founded in 1871 by the brothers Adolf, Herrmann and Carl Reichenstein in Brandenburg, initially under a different name. Their initial focus was on the manufacture of baby carriages, followed by bicycles in 1882. In 1902, the brothers started producing motorcycles, and in 1905 the first automobile was built.
By 1924, cars were already being produced on an assembly line. In 1928, 120 cars and 1,000 bicycles and a considerable number of baby carriages were produced every day. By 1932, the family business had already become a public limited company, and automobile production was discontinued in 1933. After the war, which had left the production facilities largely destroyed, everything was dismantled and what was usable was taken over by the Russian occupying forces.
The extensive stand presents excerpts from the entire Brennabor product range. The original documents are a feast for the eyes. If you want to find out more about Brennabor, the stand is certainly the right place for you. Anyone who missed the opportunity can make up for it at the Brandenburg an der Havel Industrial Museum.
Manageable range of vehicles
The Berlin trade fair cannot compete with the "big ones", there are not 4,000 cars on site and in many cases it is mainly the vehicles that you already know. However, between the well-known Mercedes-Benz 190 SL and Porsche 911, there is always a rarity that you may never have seen before.
One example is the 1958 VW "Feniks", which was built in 1958 by engineer and glider builder Bogumil Szuba on the basis of a 1941 VW Kübelwagen. In addition to the original parts, components from other manufacturers, such as Wartburg and Warszawa, were also used.
During the development of the car, whose body is made of plastic, Szuba was in close contact with Volkswagen and when he asked one day whether he could name the car Phoenix (Feniks in his language), the answer was that this was possible, but only in conjunction with the installation of a VW badge. After all, the technical basis was a Volkswagen.
Yes, that's how it was back then. The result can be considered a success, and the car certainly aroused interest among the Berlin public.
This also applies to the smallest passenger car at the trade fair, the Peel P50, which is on the P.S. Speicher stand. Just one person can sit in the single-seater, and there is no reverse gear.
If necessary, you can lift the back of the car and turn it around if you're not trapped in a lift, like Jeremy Clarkson from Top Gear, who made the tiny car world-famous.
From the region for the region?
Of course, there are also international visitors in Berlin, but the public is certainly primarily coming from the region to enjoy a day away from everyday life. The organizers are therefore only partially suitable as a sales fair for visitors, and most exhibitors will book their presence as marketing expenditure anyway.
The good atmosphere in the halls prevents the salespeople from looking too grumpy and, finally, the trade fair girls also bring over a hot coffee from time to time. You can stand it that way.
Visitor record
The officially reported visitor numbers confirm that the concept of the Berlin trade fair organizers is proving successful. While there were 28,500 in 2017, 31,500 trade and public visitors were registered in 2018. It is safe to assume that they had a great time.
