Have we become too demanding? (from the Techno Classica 2022)
03/25/2022
Over the last two decades or so, not only have the prices of classic cars risen almost constantly, but the scene as a whole has also grown. Car manufacturers recognized the value of their own tradition and used the major classic car fairs to draw attention to their achievements and brand values. Millions were spent on setting up impressive stands and transporting half-museums to the fairs. This was impressive and exciting for visitors and gave car companies the opportunity to mark special anniversaries, highlight new brands and link the present with the past.
Corona, on the one hand, and the wave of electrification, on the other, have now suddenly created a turning point from which we have not yet recovered. Rétromobile Paris has already shown this, and it is even more evident at Techno Classica Essen: for the major car manufacturers, tradition and the presentation of their own history no longer have the same significance as they once did. While at least Renault and Citroën still appeared in Paris as French manufacturers with clearly visible stands, all the major German manufacturers are missing in Essen. Although some of them are represented by their clubs, this of course has a completely different dimension.
Should we be disappointed? Does this make Techno Classica less worth visiting? While the trade fair in Essen has grown in size and attendance almost every year in recent years, the two canceled years of 2020 and 2021 marked a significant break. And in 2022, the focus will once again be much more on retailers and their products than in previous editions.
But if you take the trouble to take a closer look at the cars on display and talk to the dealers, you will notice that there are many interesting vehicles in Essen. After all, when do you ever see an early Ferrari 166 that took part in the Mille Miglia or an Aston Martin with a Vignale body? Or a Stoewer Arkona?
These cars may not be presented in such a pompous manner, but they are certainly exciting. And there are many such trouvailles among the more than 2000 cars in Essen, including on the club stands. Seek and ye shall find!
P.S. Our comprehensive review of the fair will follow soon ...
