Where did all the old cars go?
During my visit to the “Auto e Moto d’Epoca” last weekend , I still had some time left for a leisurely stroll through Bologna.
It’s definitely worth it, because the city center in particular is steeped in history and full of interesting buildings. As a classic car enthusiast, I was naturally on the lookout for old cars and was surprised that hardly any passed by my camera lens.
Anyone expecting to spot an old Alfa Romeo Giulia, a Fiat 127, or an Autobianchi A112 in Bologna will be disappointed.
The oldest cars I spotted—such as a Fiat Seicento or a Mercedes-Benz R129 series (pictured above)—date back to the 1990s.
Even the first-generation Fiat Panda was more likely a model from toward the end of its production run.
And the parked Ford Ka is barely 30 years old.
Even the Lancia Y, which is very popular in Italy, wasn’t built until 1995.
In fact, the average age of the cars seems to be younger than that of the bicycles, which could be seen chained up and being ridden everywhere.
I couldn’t come up with any explanations off the top of my head; in any case, the restricted zones only apply to the city center, and classic cars are treated the same as other cars there. And in the low-emission zone, there are even exceptions for ASI-certified classics. Perhaps a reader can shed some light on this for us?
In any case, we were a little disappointed by the lack of Italian automotive history on Bologna’s streets …
