From April 8 to 12, 2026, Retro Classics Essen took place for the first time at the Gruga exhibition grounds after 35 editions of Techno Classica had been held at this location. A comparison with previous years is therefore obvious. However, it is fair to say that the records achieved by previous events up to around 2015 can probably no longer be matched today. So let's not look back, but instead stick to a sentence by Hermann Hesse, according to which every beginning has its own magic...
At the premiere of Essen Retro Classics, the 65,500 visitors were greeted by an exhibition area of 80,000 square meters occupied by over 600 exhibitors. This was spread over eight halls in addition to the Galeria, which had been converted into the "British Lane". Over 2500 vehicles were on display. Hall 3 was considered the "Premium Hall"; Halls 1 and 8 were designated the "Brand Halls".
The first Retro Classics in Essen represented the entire vintage car scene: In addition to classic vehicles and youngtimers, visitors could find workshop supplies, accessories or spare parts as well as model cars, literature and other automobilia. The major car manufacturers themselves were once again absent, but in addition to automobile associations, the relevant (brand) clubs were represented in large numbers. Private vendors were not to be found in the outdoor areas this time, but indoors. This may have been regretted due to the spring-like weather, but it would certainly have been an advantage to have a roof over one's head in the event of rain.
Anniversaries and special exhibitions
Instead, there was a Unimog course and catering outside. Events like this are usually used to commemorate anniversaries. And there were plenty of them in Essen, here are just a few examples: Mercedes-Benz SLK and Audi A3 (30 years), Opel Omega A (40 years) Mercedes-Benz W123 and Volkswagen Golf GTI (50 years), Audi 72 and Opel Rekord C (60 years) as well as 100 years of Pontiac etc.
Let's now take a tour and start in Hall 3 with the special exhibition "100 Years of Bugatti Royale". There is no doubt that the mighty Bugatti Type 41 is impressive with its huge wheels, wheelbase of 4.3 meters and length of over six meters. The Royale was supposed to embody the pinnacle of automobile construction at the time, but ultimately failed due to the global economic crisis, which is why only a few examples were built. Three Royales were on display in Essen, all of them replicas.
On display were the open prototype Packard (1926), the Royale with a fourth body by Weymann (1929) and the Esders Roadster from 1932. The latter was made for the textile manufacturer Armand Esders and had removable headlights because the owner thought they would spoil the appearance and he didn't use the car for night driving anyway.
Unfortunately, the presentation of the exhibits in Essen was not ideal. The three cars looked a little lost in the large space. It would also have been nice if the objects had been effectively illuminated. There were QR codes for more in-depth information, but these are no substitute for explanations. Without any knowledge of the history of the Bugatti Royale, some visitors may have wondered what the exhibited engine was all about, and a supplementary photograph should have been self-explanatory. In short, this presentation was disappointing. There was still room for improvement.
Not so far away from the above special exhibition was the stand of the Argentinian company Pur Sang. They showed two of their excellent replicas, namely a Bugatti Type 35 and an Alfa Romeo 8C. Incidentally, probably the oldest car at Retro Classics also came from Argentina: an Anasagati from 1912.
Usual high prices
The range of high-priced and rare automobiles on offer in Essen was extensive, thanks to the participation of well-known exhibitors such as Gallery Aaldering, Metropole Classics, HK Engineering and Axel Schuette Fine Cars. So let's take a look around. Interesting pre-war vehicles were on display, such as a Lagonda 2 Litre from 1932 or a Maybach SW 38 from 1938, which cost 995,999 euros. It is also very rare to see a Mercedes-Benz 290 Streamline. A VW Schwimmwagen from 1943 could have been purchased for 195,000 euros.
There were plenty of British and Italian sports cars from the 1950s and 1960s to be found in Essen. Examples include a Lamborghini Islero 400 GT for 359,500 euros and a Ferrari 250 GT Boano for 1,295,000 euros; however, most of these cars were marked "Price on request". On rare occasions, a car from the Spanish brand Pegaso was also offered. Here, a Z-102 with bodywork by Saoutchik was offered at a price of 640,000 euros.
Presumably because of the scandal surrounding counterfeit Mercedes-Benz 300 SLs, these cars have hardly been seen at recent motor shows. In Essen, some 300 SLs - including roadsters - were on offer again. The prices asked were of course at a high level, but seemed to be much more moderate than before 2023.
The range of newer and rare sports cars on offer was diverse. For example, an Isdera Spider was offered for 324,500 euros and a Spyker C8 Laviolette for 496,500 euros. BMW M1s were on offer from 489,000 to 599,500 euros. So-called "supercars" were not missing either. For example, there was a Bugatti EB 110 GT for 1,659,000 euros and a Kremer 963 CK6 with British road registration for 1,190,000 euros. A Ferrari Monza SP1 was offered for 2,880,000 euros. An Aston Martin Vantage GTE from 2023 was to cost just under a million.
Rarities and restomods
But there were also a few trouvailles beyond this high-price world, such as a Qvale Mangusta from 2000, which was on offer for 44,000 euros. We had also not expected to see a Boldmen CR4 "First Thirty" for 148,750 euros, a roadster based on the BMW Z4 M 40i, which Friedhelm Wiesmann was involved in developing. A comparison with a Wiesmann MF3 on offer for 149,000 euros was an obvious choice. An Opel Lotus Omega is also rarely offered. The example presented in Essen was sold shortly after the opening.
We were also able to discover restomods at Retro Classics. In addition to the derivatives of the Porsche 911 on offer at the large JB Car Design stand, we discovered another specimen that took some getting used to: Hidden under the shell of a Mercedes-Benz 180 "Ponton" was the newer technology of the W 202, although whether the asking price of 89,000 euros could be achieved for it is beyond our knowledge.
Low prices, low mileage
Some vehicles with very low mileage were also exhibited in Essen, although nowhere near as many as at Interclassics Maastricht. On offer here, for example, was a VW Polo from 1977 with a mileage of 24,000 km or a Mercedes-Benz SLK 230 Kompressor two decades younger, which was on offer for 19,900 euros. A similar SLK, albeit "only" a 200 with significantly higher mileage, would have been available for around a third of this price. However, at a price of 6850 euros, this car was probably the cheapest car at the show.
Let's stay in this price range for a while. A Mercedes-Benz 200 (W123) was offered at 14,900 euros, and a 200 TE (W124) was supposed to cost 18,900 euros. For 16,900 euros, you could have chosen between a VW Golf GTI from 1986 or a 1302 from 1970. A VW 1200 with a folding roof from 1961 was to cost more than twice as much, and a tuned Beetle with a Type 4 engine was to cost 49,900 euros...
It was a good idea to convert the Galeria in the middle of the exhibition grounds into a "British Lane". Here, visitors were presented with an interesting cross-section of cars "from the island". They ranged from the small "riot box" Hillman Imp to classic roadsters, a Morris Minor Traveller and the rather polarizing Morgan AeroMax.
Clubs
At Retro Classics Essen, the (brand) clubs had a pleasing amount of space at their disposal, as they are the heart of the classic car scene. Here are two representative clubs: The exhibition of the TVR Club Germany offered a good insight into the vehicles of the TVR brand, starting with the Grantura from 1961 through to the Sagaris from 2004. The presentation of the BMW Club Mobile Classic, which reminded visitors that the BMW 328 is now also 90 years old, was also remarkable.
As is well known, commercial vehicles are somewhat outside the focus of zwischengas. However, the Krupp Titan trucks and coaches from Aeroplan and Saurer in Hall 5 are a small exception. These vehicles probably reminded not only the reporter of times long past. And so a reunion with the vehicles of Essener Verkehrs AG, especially with the Mercedes-Benz-Anderthalbdecker, was really nostalgic...
Conclusion
Time for a final review. Retro Classics Essen got off to a successful start. The event offered an attractive mix of classic vehicles and accompanying trade, even if not all halls were fully occupied. The ratio of classic cars and younger cars seemed balanced to us. Unlike at Retro Classics Stuttgart - where this is sometimes criticized - there was no dominance of Porsche and Mercedes-Benz vehicles in Essen.
Admittedly, not all the suppliers that used to be found in Essen were present. That was not to be expected. It remains to be seen whether a large exhibition area and the Essen location will continue to have sufficient appeal. However, the days of 120,000 square meters of exhibition space and 1200 exhibitors are probably a thing of the past. The withdrawal of the major car manufacturers from classic car trade fairs and the coronavirus pandemic have also left their mark.
Retro Classics Essen is a major classic car trade fair whose wealth of offerings demands a clear prioritization not only from day visitors. It therefore remains to be seen what place this new event will occupy in its old location within the seasonal trade fairs and beyond.
