Start small
01/29/2026
The 50th Rétromobile in Paris has become even bigger and more diverse, and some of the exhibits are also larger than in other years. This year, for example, it is the Bugatti railcar, the Autorail "Présidentiel" - powered by no less than 4 engines and a rather modest 800 hp. The Swiss may be a little arrogant, but a somewhat larger electric shunting locomotive could probably do the same in 1934. But that's not the point.
Because the autorail is impressive all the same. One only wishes that it could be allowed to run from time to time, the acoustic experience should actually be tremendous. But a trade fair is more of a static event. And the models, which I had a quick first look at immediately after arriving at the Rétromobile 2026, are also static.
Highlight at the Spanish slot car manufacturer Velasor: display of a hall with workshops in 1/32
It's almost impossible to get past Velasor, what the Spaniards produce there - for slot cars in 1/32 - is utter madness. It is unlikely that anyone will ever drive these hand-built, super-detailed models. That anyone will even drive them in tough slot races is probably out of the question. The fact that the prices are many hundreds of euros is actually understandable. Because even if they couldn't drive, these models are absolutely unique.
Because Velasor is somehow too expensive for me, I take a quick look at Monsjeur Bigaudet from "Arts, Toys and Design". I haven't asked him about prices yet, but his mostly mint & boxed MIB models of the greatest tin cars from the 1920s to 1950s from France are - very sought-after, I'll say that. What stops me is the fact that I don't have to get rid of the little hand money I brought with me to the Rétromobile in the first 15 minutes. It doesn't burn that much in my pocket after all.
Somerville are nice and heavy, I'll show you the contents another time - because there's another story...
Finally, I bought two 1/43 models from the British small series manufacturer Somerville, the Volvo PV 444 from 1947 and the Duett from 1960, released in 1983 and 1990 respectively. So both are real classics - and both were a bargain at less than half the original price. So, even if many things seem noble, expensive and at the upper end of the scale here in Paris, there are also good opportunities, you just have to look for them.
Yan-Alexandre Damasiewicz's "The Ferrari 250 GTO Spotting Guide" is the author's first book
But the most important thing was, once again, the conversation. I must have spent three quarters of the first hour talking. There was a journalist colleague from French-speaking Switzerland and his colleague who has written a book on all the chassis numbers of the Ferrari 250 GTO. I will come to that later. Peter Schetty, the former race director of Ferrari from 1970 to 1972 and European Hillclimb Champion in 1969, was also available for a brief chat. And finally, I also enjoyed a simple but very filling bistro dinner with our editor-in-chief.
I hadn't actually planned to visit the Rétromobile until Thursday, but the fact that the entrance to the fair is just a few hundred meters from my hotel persuaded me to do a kind of preview, fortunately! So I was able to take care of the little things first. Tomorrow, I'll single-mindedly visit the most important highlights. And my modest camera won't run out of power after just a dozen pictures...
