Rarities in the dry
06/01/2024
The first day of the Swiss Classic World trade fair in Lucerne did not exactly benefit from good weather. In fact, it poured continuously, but those who were allowed to stroll through the well-protected halls of the classic car fair had a good time.
There was also plenty to see at the 10th edition of the popular event at the Allmend in Lucerne. Lots of Porsches, Ferraris and Mercedes-Benzes, of course, but also exotic cars and rarities that you've probably never even seen before.
Let's start with the white TVR Tuscan LWB Wide Body from 1970, which may look like an M-series TVR, but it was launched years earlier and was based on the Tuscan of the time, which was actually still based on the Grantura chassis. Under the long hood, a Ford V8 engine provided quite a bit of propulsion, with 253 hp according to the supplier and a weight of just over 1000 kg. Only nine such cars are said to have been built in 1969/1970, and the white left-hand drive car is now on sale in Lucerne.
The Mathis from 1932, which we discovered on another stand, is hardly less rare. Only a few Mathis ever found their way to Switzerland, most of them were sold in France, the country of manufacture.
And then there was this Studebaker monoposto from the 1930s, which we spotted on the Belmot stand. This is probably the only one of its kind for miles around.
In comparison, the Nash-Healey was already produced in large numbers. 302 cars with a Pinin-Farina convertible body are said to have been sold between 1952 and 1954. But what made this explicit sports car particularly special on the first day of the fair yesterday was that it drove through Hall 2 as part of the Mille Miglia warm-up rally like all the other participating vehicles. The crew was probably not at all unhappy about the few dry minutes in the hall ...
Today the fair enters its second day and will continue until Sunday afternoon. So if you have not yet been to the Swiss Classic World in Lucerne, you still have the opportunity to do so today and tomorrow.
