The Swiss RetroMecanika in Fribourg is known to have a relatively young history. It was only launched last year as the successor to the traditional classic car and parts market OTM. The "Dakota Events" team led by Dominique Durussel helped the market to make a comeback after the Covid break and the bankruptcy of the previous organizer.
Of course, not everything was the same as before - the 2022 edition had been significantly downsized compared to the last OTM in 2019. But most visitors were happy that "something was going on" again. The visitor numbers were certainly impressive and it was interesting to see how the second edition on March 25 and 26, 2023 would turn out.
All-weather cars
Well, the weather didn't cooperate. Rain showers alternated with dry, but cool and windy sections. Fortunately, many people were not deterred by this and made the pilgrimage to Fribourg anyway. Those arriving by classic car were once again allowed to park directly opposite the exhibition grounds free of charge.
The visitor parking lot for classic cars was the first ray of hope on this gloomy day. It offered an extremely diverse smorgasbord of cars from across the history of the automobile. The strong presence of bread-and-butter cars was striking. Presumably, many had left their chic convertible in the garage and arrived in an all-weather alternative classic car instead.
It was often these cars that caused the corners of the mouths of visitors to the parking lot to turn upwards. Volvo 245, Citroën GS, Opel Rekord or Datsun Bluebird characterized the street scene in the past and made some people reminisce. "Look, when was the last time you saw one of those?" or "Cool, I used to have one of those!" was a common refrain.
Empty on the outside, pleasant on the inside
After entering the grounds, however, many people said "Oops". Apart from the food stands and two or three particularly weather-resistant traders, the outside area was practically empty. Various tape markings showed that this was probably not the plan from the outset. Organizer Dominque Durussel solved the mystery: "The weather was great in 2022 and the outdoor area was very busy. But now it was pretty unpleasant outside and various traders moved inside."
It was nice and warm and dry there, and the atmosphere was relaxed. The market was slightly larger than in 2022. In addition to the lower Hall 1 and the foyer, the upper floor (Hall 6) was now also occupied by vehicles and exhibitors again. Only Hall 3, where the club show was held until 2019, remained closed.
So there was again more exhibition space and additional stands. Compared to OTM times, however, there was still a relatively large amount of "air" in the aisles. Nevertheless, there was a lot of hustle and bustle. In any case, we found it difficult to take photos of the various cars on display, as there were always people standing in the way, looking at them with interest.
We couldn't blame them, because the vehicles on sale were also great for reminiscing. Among the vehicles on offer were many former everyday cars such as the Fiat 1100, Hillman Minx and Ford Anglia. Once again, the bread-and-butter class had the clear upper hand. It was easy to get into the classic car hobby in Fribourg for a four-figure sum.
"Automobilia" in vogue
Of course, there were not only entire cars (and motorcycles), but also parts. And, as in 2022, an extraordinary amount of automobilia. Model cars of all sizes were on sale, as well as literature, decorative objects, tin signs, old petrol cans and all kinds of other things that have a more or less strong connection to classic cars. Anyone looking for suitable clothing or an old suitcase for the roof rack could also find what they were looking for.
In contrast to conventional car parts, "Automobilia" tended to outweigh the rest. Typical parts dealers were still to be found in Fribourg, but their number was relatively modest compared to earlier times. On the other hand, there was a little more time and space to browse through their wares and perhaps find one or two things that would have been overlooked in the past.
Various club stands again provided variety (and an opportunity for a chat). And on the upper floor there was a small but excellent exhibition dedicated to the history of the PTT. On display were an old Saurer post bus, a VW "Fridolin", a Beetle in PTT trim and various other exhibits from postal history.
Conclusion
Most of the stand operators we interviewed were satisfied with how the event went. There was "always something going on", was the tenor. The mood among visitors was mixed: some remembered the earlier OTM times wistfully, when it was a little busier and there was more on offer, while others were happy about the "airier" atmosphere and the petrol talks across the Röstigraben.
The organizers also drew a positive conclusion. They counted a total of 11,000 visitors, slightly more than last year despite the significantly more miserable weather. It was a "jolie dernière", Dominique Durussel sums up with satisfaction.
Yes: "Dernière". The event is moving away from Fribourg. Not because the organizers no longer liked it: "We would have liked to stay," confirms press officer Jean-Marc Kohler. But the Forum Fribourg is being redesigned. Trade fairs in the previous style will no longer be possible there from 2024.
In Geneva in future
However, the event has already found an alternative location: Next year, Swiss RetroMecanika will take place in Geneva - if everything works out. "With the Palexpo infrastructure, we have the best conditions there. The large international catchment area with over a million inhabitants also gives us confidence," explains organizer Dominique Durussel. For exhibitors and visitors from German-speaking Switzerland, the journey will be significantly longer. But press officer Jean-Marc Kohler hopes that some will still find their way to RetroMecanika: "We will certainly have to do some convincing. But some exhibitors from German-speaking Switzerland have already confirmed their attendance."
A classic car fair where the motor show used to be? Not a bad idea per se. The date has not yet been set and will be communicated as soon as possible.
