The "Old Wheels" classic car event took place for the fifth time on the German-French language border in Biel/Bienne. Since 2018, this event has also made many friends beyond the region, with visitors traveling from Zurich and even St. Gallen, both with and without classic cars.
The best conditions
The two organizers Stefan Mäder and Gérard Häfeli were able to benefit from almost perfect weather conditions on 16 June 2024. The sun was shining, but temperatures remained in the low 20s.
It couldn't have been better, especially if you look at past weekends with virtually uninterrupted rainfall for comparison.
Over two dozen Monteverdi in the special show
As a highlight of the 2024 event, a large special show was organized in honour of Peter Monteverdi and his car brand. More than two dozen vehicles were on display in the ice hockey hall of the Tissot Arena.
The special show was organized in cooperation with the Monteverdi Foundation and the Lucerne Museum of Transport. Daniel Geissmann, Gregory Holzapfel and other supporters managed to put together what is probably the largest Monteverdi show to date outside the former Monteverdi Museum and the exhibition at the Museum of Transport.
Starting with the Special from 1952 through to the coupé and saloon generations of the 1960s to 1980s, as well as off-road vehicles and SUVs, Monteverdi's entire oeuvre was on display in a very spacious area.
Of course, neither the early high-speed coupés nor the quartet-winning Hai 450 SS were missing from the exhibition, and the Range Rover converted by Monteverdi into a four-door was also represented.
There were also motorsport cars to admire, from the early MBMs to the F1 creations of the 1980s.
Many visitors may have come face to face with a real Monteverdi for the first time; some of the younger visitors in particular knew nothing at all about the brand. Biel was also a good opportunity for the Swiss Museum of Transport in Lucerne to bring the brand to the attention of a wider audience.
Anyone who wanted to deepen their knowledge could ask Daniel Geissmann and the stand staff or buy one of the Monteverdi books.
Unfortunately, Paul Berger, Peter Monteverdi's life partner, to whom this exhibition was also dedicated, was unable to attend in person due to illness. However, the sympathy shown to Monteverdi's life's work by the many interested visitors in Biel will certainly do Berger good.
With audience participation
In addition to the Monteverdi special exhibition, there was of course much more to see. Under the roof of the arena, other interesting vehicles from various brands were on display and suppliers of cars and services also introduced themselves to the public.
However, the contribution made by the visitors themselves was even more important. They were able to set up their classic cars around the Tissot Arena, creating a mobile classic car museum.
The cars were displayed on two levels, namely on the top of the embankment around the halls and one level lower on the Boulevard du Sport. Additional parking spaces were available so that no classic cars had to be turned away.
A colorful mix
The organizers deliberately refrained from imposing brand- or era-specific parking regulations. And so there was a VW Golf next to a Ferrari F355, an Opel next to a Maserati or a young Renault Sport Spider next to a much older Triumph Spitfire.
No matter what the onlookers, who were able to stroll around the halls and through the parking areas, were interested in, there was always something of interest.
The proportion of former everyday or bread-and-butter cars was large, but many American cars and convertibles from various countries of origin also arrived at the Tissot Arena.
Exotic cars such as a BMW M1 or a Maserati Khamsin were also spotted, while the VW Beetle, the most produced car in the world for a long time, was of course omnipresent.
All-round package
Of course, there was no shortage of food and drink on offer at the various stands. Musical accompaniment was provided by the band "Silverhead". And if you wanted to see a bit more of Biel without getting into your own car, you could be chauffeured around the Tissot Arena in a trolley bus from 1940 free of charge.
In any case, a good atmosphere was ensured and so there were almost only friendly and smiling faces throughout the day.
Impressive
What Stefan Mäder and Gérard Häfeli organized in Biel is admirable. With not inconsiderable financial risk and many hours of hard work, an event with supra-regional appeal was established and it is to be hoped that this wonderful event can continue to take place in the future.
