It just has to be love...
It's happening again—the legendary Muri Drive-In in the canton of Aargau, likely one of the oldest drive-ins in Switzerland! This year, from July 23 to 25, Muri will once again transform into a magical place for movie and car lovers. And just because the idea of a drive-in theater is nearly 100 years old, it's not just classic cars that are welcome there—everyday cars are just as welcome. From a—let's say—“auto-cratic” perspective, it's a “demo-cratic” event.
It's a charming concept that's gaining more and more traction. Classic cars emerged in the 1980s, “youngtimers” appeared shortly before the turn of the millennium, and for more than a decade now we've seen “neoclassics” at auto shows—and someone has even coined the term “Future Classics.” While classic cars were a hobby for older men just 25 years ago, people of all ages are now enthusiastic about the classic cars from their childhood—which they each consider to be “contemporary” in their own eyes. The passion for old and new classics is increasingly transcending time and generations. And they all come together where the excitement is—whether at car shows or drive-in theaters.
This brings us to the heart of the classic car phenomenon. Fifty years ago, the goal was to save beautiful cars that, back then, rarely lasted even ten years—mostly because they rusted away and had a residual value of just ten percent. Out of this love and passion, the classic car community has evolved. And with every model year, there were always new collectible vehicles—and at first, they were anything but one thing: old. They only became “classic” much later.
As a result, another term has long since emerged that encompasses all these cars under a single heading: collector's and enthusiast's vehicles. All of them are special models, which is why the feared “classic car glut” caused by the VW Golf never materialized. No one wanted to keep the 1500s or the naturally aspirated diesels, but the GTD and GTI were fair game.
And just as old and new collector's items have long stood side by side in harmony at classic car shows, so too will the scene continue to evolve. Ultimately, classic car drivers from the Classic Days will meet up with tuning fans from the Essen Motorshow: car culture fueled by passion. Not just at the drive-in.
