Traditionally, a few weeks before the start of Techno Classica Essen, excitement is building among all those involved. Whether manufacturers or dealers, restorers or clubs: those responsible in over 30 nations are currently working with great enthusiasm on their appearance at the end of March in Essen. The trade fair for vintage, classic and prestige automobiles, motorsport and motorcycles will be their stage.
2020 will be particularly exciting: there will be a veritable firework display of important anniversaries in automotive history. Alfa Romeo will be celebrating its 110th anniversary in Hall 3. The Italians are honoring this occasion with an extraordinary jewel: they are bringing along one of the 40/60 HPs built from 1913 onwards from the factory museum in Arese, one of the brand's first racing cars. At Techno-Classica Essen, this mighty model complements the elegant Montreal Expo Concept Car, which anticipated the Alfa Romeo Montreal presented as a production vehicle exactly 50 years ago. Alfa Romeo is also taking a highly topical approach: they are bringing along the sporty Giulia Quadrifoglio - a model that will only celebrate its world premiere at the beginning of March.
A model that comes from the same group but appeals to a completely different clientele is also celebrating a milestone birthday: the Fiat Panda will be 40 years old in 2020. The small car started its great career in 1980 as a "great box" and impressed with its nonchalant, likeable simplicity right from the start. The little Italian is celebrating its four decades of success at Techno-Classica Essen, also in Hall 3, with three extraordinary models: With the Panda Elettra, Fiat is showing an early electric version. It will be complemented by a Panda Aria, an exciting study from 2007 - its clean two-cylinder engine can run on a mixture of natural gas and hydrogen as well as gasoline and delivers an astonishing 105 hp. Fiat completes the sustainable trio with a brand new model whose drive system relies on electric assistance: the Panda Hybrid.
Audi is also celebrating a 40th anniversary. For the Ingolstadt-based company, it is the quattro, which was launched in 1980 and will dominate the four rings' appearance at Techno-Classica Essen in Hall 4 in 2020. The legendary all-wheel-drive sports car not only thoroughly shook up the sports car scene at the time and secured breathtaking sporting success for the previously rather moderate brand. Audi has announced several rare quattro versions (one of them even with all-wheel steering), as well as two quattro rallies in full sports regalia and - a particularly exciting exhibit - a sports quattro drivetrain with a matching body hovering above it. Its history is particularly exciting: the virgin bodywork was only discovered by chance in an Ingolstadt garage last year.
Two brands that are supported by dedicated clubs are also celebrating round anniversaries. The Francophile team of the Amicale Citroën is celebrating the memory of two models that caused a sensation on our roads exactly half a century ago: the successful and luxurious mid-range Citroën GS and the avant-garde Citroën SM first rolled off the production lines in 1970. At Opel, on the other hand - today both brands belong to one group - the Opel Manta sports coupé met with enthusiasm 50 years ago. In contrast, the Opel Calibra seduced its fans for the first time 30 years ago. The always very active Alt-Opel IG is celebrating these anniversaries at Techno-Classica Essen in Hall 2 with selected vehicles and friendly clubs.
The Czech brand Skoda can even boast a three-digit figure in 2020: The first vehicle in the company's history was created 125 years ago. It was not yet a car, but a bicycle - and it was launched under the name Laurin & Klement, the name of the two founders. After the merger with Skoda in 1925, the manufacturer took off on the road to success. At Techno-Classica Essen, Skoda will be exhibiting an early Superb and an Octavia Combi, which was launched in 1960 and is therefore celebrating its 60th birthday this year, in Hall 4. Skoda is also bringing along three pioneering engines from the past 125 years and has already announced further surprises for the event in Essen.
BMW is also celebrating outstanding anniversaries. The Bavarians can look back on 100 years of the boxer engine, a development from the early days of the brand that quickly developed into an icon and today continues to define the benchmark for motorcycles bearing the BMW logo. The second anniversary will not be celebrated with a model, but with a concept at the BMW Group Classic stand in Hall 6: The manufacturer looks back on 90 years of the Roadster. The first model that BMW presented in its history was the 3/15 PS DA 3 "Type Wartburg" in 1930. Robert "Bobby" Kohlrausch, a young driver, drove one of these cars to a maiden victory for the Munich-based company and its Eisenach-based automobile production facility at the Kesselberg race in the same year.
The Autostadt looks back on 20 years of existence in 2020. The popular automotive adventure world in Wolfsburg first opened its doors to visitors in 2000 and has been a real magnet ever since, and not just for car fans. To mark the occasion, the Autostadt is offering an exclusive package called Zeitsprung in conjunction with the luxury hotel The Ritz-Carlton, which is located on the site: It combines a visit to the Autostadt with a drive in a Horch 930 V or a Bentley T2 and a night in the 5-star superior hotel.
Porsche is even announcing a world premiere at the Techno-Classica Essen. The Zuffenhausen-based company will be showcasing two clever, innovative navigation systems in Hall 4. They are concealed in radios with a historic appearance. This means that classic 911 models in particular can be equipped with visually matching devices that offer all the comfort and expected functions of 2020 thanks to state-of-the-art technology. Porsche is also emphasizing its decades-long expertise in historic motorsport in Essen. The Porsche Museum will be sending a surprise model, and this year the manufacturer is also focusing on its experience in the reproduction of specific parts, particularly for racing cars.
Mercedes-Benz, on the other hand, is placing its upcoming appearance at Techno-Classica Essen under the motto "Dream Cars". The brand with the three-pointed star already had dream cars in its program in the early days of the automobile. This year, the Stuttgart-based company is bringing some outstanding models to its stand in Hall 1, which embody this concept in particular with their design, sportiness and glamor: a spectacular Mercedes 70 hp Spider from 1907 will serve as a prelude, complemented by a Mercedes-Benz 540 K, a 320 with streamlined bodywork and the influential CLS concept car, which set a trend that continues to this day.
Ford's motto at Techno-Classica Essen is "The colorful 1970s". With 18 emphatically colorful vehicles from all eras, the Cologne-based company, together with many clubs in Hall 3, is presenting an exciting and broad cross-section of the model range of the past decades. The panopticon ranges from the legendary bathtub to the FK 1000, the Fiesta and the superior six-cylinder Ford 17M P7b from the collection of cabaret artist Urban Priol, which Lebenshilfe Gießen is raffling off in aid of its classic car fundraising campaign.
The lively team around Reinhard Schade and Tina Gorschlüter will also be displaying the main prize of the new donation round for a good cause in the gallery: first prize is a Mercedes-Benz 280 SE Coupé, a representative of the magnificent W 111 model series built in 1970. Lebenshilfe Giessen is also bringing the second prize, a Triumph Spitfire 1500 from 1980, to Essen - as well as a Volkswagen T2a Westfalia. With a donation of five euros or more, visitors can take part in the raffle and win one of the classics.
Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles will be presenting a varied collection of Bulli models in Hall 4. This is not just about visual enjoyment, there are also plenty of culinary delights on offer. Whether coffee or beer, ice cream or currywurst - or even the enormously popular Bulli waffle on a stick: thanks to the Bulli team, there will be plenty of reasons for visitors to enjoy spending time in this area of the trade fair. One unusual feature, however, is "Renate": this is the name of a VW bus in the rare Samba version that was owned by a family for decades. In the meantime, the owners have decided to give up their family treasure after all - Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles was awarded the contract. After a careful and detailed factory restoration, "Renate" will be on show to visitors for the first time at Techno-Classica Essen. It is precisely these real-life stories that make the most beautiful hobby in the world so worth telling.
Auction in Hall 1A
RM Sotheby's, the second renowned auction house alongside Coys to offer exquisite collector's items in Essen, will be attracting a lot of attention in Hall 1A. For its event on 27 March 2020, RM Sotheby's is now providing a first glimpse of its catalog.
The range is impressive and perfectly reflects the openness of Techno-Classica Essen, where the most diverse preferences find expression in a shared passion: RM Sotheby's offerings range from a 1964 Glas S 1004 from the ancient Italian town of Ascoli Piceno to an inspiring 1993 Lancia Delta HF Integrale Evoluzione II (both without a limit) and a spectacular Mercedes-Benz 540 K Cabriolet from 1937.
Extensively renovated exhibition grounds
For the many visitors who will travel to Techno-Classica Essen, the 32nd edition of the leading trade fair will be a special experience. For the first time, the world's No. 1 meeting place for the industry will be able to enjoy the extensively refurbished Messe Essen. The extensively modernized structure offers completely new impressions: the former 18 rooms, some of which were small, have now been replaced by nine state-of-the-art, spacious, single-storey exhibition halls. Thanks to generous glass elements, they open up to the neighboring Grugapark. There is also the well-known Gruga Hall.
Techno-Classica Essen traditionally attaches particular importance to the next generation. Parents with children and teenagers benefit from reduced admission prices, while the youngest fans (up to the age of eight) even receive free admission when accompanied by their parents. There is also a discounted admission ticket for families, which is valid for up to three children. Incidentally, all twins will benefit from a special offer in 2020: In the year of twins, one ticket is enough for two. And another tip for all those who like to save money: Online advance booking offers particularly attractive prices.
Further information can be found on the SIHA website.
