If you look westwards from the heights of the central Black Forest and have a reasonably clear view, a dark peak rises out of the plain: Strasbourg Cathedral. Behind it, further west, almost on the Vosges mountainside, the car enthusiast can make out the small town of Molsheim, birthplace of the legendary Bugattis. Those with even more gasoline in their blood will remember a car brand that once produced over 90,000 automobiles in Strasbourg: Mathis. The factory, whose buildings still exist, was located in the Meinau district.
And the Mathis brand will be a highlight at the Alsatian Auto-Moto-Classic show from April 28 to May 1, 2018.
For the first time, Strasbourg is hosting a classic car trade fair in 2018, with over 150 exhibitors on an area of 25,000 square meters on the exhibition grounds near the EU Parliament, according to the organizers.
The salon will last four days with the highlight on May 1, 2018, the classic car auction by auction house Osenat.
French dominance
As you would expect, French car brands dominate, including those that have little presence at the major German trade fairs.
But first things first. It's nice that no parking fees are charged and that a separate vintage parking lot is organized for visitors who have registered with their classic cars.
The three halls are spacious for visitors. Wide aisles invite you to stroll around without the crowds. And if you need the right outfit, you'll find it in style. Whether with hats, shoes, shirts, pants or jackets in a race or vintage look, men and women can eat baguettes and drink vin rouge freshly dressed.
A salon for looking and strolling
And while the woman is still trying on clothes, the man can take his time buying that long sought-after model car and the book he has finally spotted about his newly acquired classic. The exhibiting artists also provide inspiration for decorating the home.
A salon is first and foremost a place to look. And there are an astonishing number of rare things to look at. Who knows a Manurhin SM75 or a Buffalo Buggy or a Renault Alliance or a Porsche 914 Murene or a Benjamin Torpedo Sport RS?
Long-forgotten brands are represented by the clubs: Delage, Facel-Vega, Hispano-Suiza, Hotchkiss, Lorraine-Dietrich, Mathis, Rosengart, Salmson, Talbot-Lago , Voisin.
Almost 30 examples of the Strasbourg brand Mathis found their way back to the exhibition in their home town. Among them are also models of the Matford brand, a cooperation between Mathis and Ford.
In honor of Strasbourg racing driver Bob Wollek, the Kremer Racing Team is exhibiting the Porsche 935 K2 and K3, with which Bob Wollek was successful in the World Endurance Championship.
With auction
Finally, on May 1, 2018, you can bid for automotive treasures at Osenat. Over 49 lots of automobilia, including numerous more or less desolate pedal cars for the child in the man, and 61 vehicles will go under the hammer. The vehicles range from EUR 400 for a Motini 50 Cross to the mid hundreds of thousands for high-end automobiles.
When viewing the treasures, one is left in awe and amazed at the range of nine Bugatti luxury, sports and racing cars alone. A few numbers with and without letters should inspire you to dream: 23 Brescia, 35, 35A, 35B, 46 Coupé de Ville, 49 Torpedo, 51, 57 Galibier.
For the writer of these lines, this salon is a Retromobile Alsacienne and for all Francophile classic car enthusiasts it is actually a visit obligatoire. The salon will probably also appear in the 2019 calendar ...
