With over 2500 classic automobiles on offer, 1250 exhibitors from over 30 nations, more than 200 classic car club stands, around 25 car manufacturer presentations and an expected 190,000 visitors, the 28th Techno-Classica Essen will once again set standards this year as the number one international classic car and collector's vehicle trade fair.
The organizer of Techno-Classica Essen is also reporting "full house" this year: all the exhibition spaces in the 21 halls of the fair and on the open-air grounds are occupied. Always new ideas, lots of surprises, new attractions and thorough fine-tuning - including improvements to details: This is the recipe for success of Techno-Classica Essen, which makes it the largest and most renowned classic car trade fair in the world.
Organized by S.I.H.A. since 1989, the Classic World Fair offers more superlatives than any other exhibition for classic car fans - and is once again increasing the quality and variety of the range and exhibitor presentations at its 28th edition. This year, the Gruga Hall will be integrated into Techno-Classica for the first time, and Techno-Classica is also building the temporary exhibition hall 14 docked onto the Gruga Hall. This will increase the exhibition area by an additional 7000 square meters - enough space for the presentation and auction of around 80 classic cars by the renowned British auction house Coys and for the offerings of numerous additional classic car suppliers.
The automobile manufacturers, for whom it has been a tradition for many years to present themselves in an exciting way with elaborate and informative historical presentations in Essen, will also offer special highlights in 2016. Some manufacturers are already giving details of their trade fair programs in advance:
- Alfa Romeo presents the new Giulia. Historical models, such as the Alfa Romeo 1900, early Giulia models and their offshoots, such as a Duetto Spider, a "Bertone" GTA and a 156, as it raced in the ITC in 1996, form a worthy backdrop.
- The general theme of the large stand of the VW brand Audi in Hall 7 is simply "Rarities". The plan is to present six to seven cars and two motorcycles. Exquisite solitaires, studies, prototypes or racing cars, including the Audi Avus quattro and the Audi quattro Spyder, are likely to be part of the Ingolstadt-based company's program...
- The Autostadt is the most visited car experience world. This year, the focus of the Autostadt's Techno-Classica appearance will be on the 12 brands of the Volkswagen Group - and historic trucks from the MAN and Scania brands will probably even be on display for the first time.
- The automobile manufacturer Bitter Automotive will be presenting itself with a company stand at Techno-Classica Essen for the first time this year - and with a bang in the form of the world premiere of the Bitter Mokka. The interesting Bitter history will be illustrated with a classic Bitter CD from 1973. Another eye-catcher: the new Bitter Adam.
- BMW celebrates its 100th anniversary and the 50th birthday of the '02 series at Techno Classic
- Instead of Citroën Deutschland GmbH, this year the "Amicale Citroën & DS Deutschland" will be flying the tricolor with its joint club stand "Citroën-Straße" - and celebrating the "125th anniversary". and celebrates the "125 years of Panhard" anniversary of the Panhard & Levassor company, which merged with Citroën in 1957, with fascinating examples of the brand's creative automotive engineering. In addition, a number of Citroën classics will be presented, including a Citroën SM, a CX, a 2CV, a Traction Avant and a DS.
- Fiat is planning the German premiere of the new Fiat 124 Spider - 50 years after the start of production of the historic cult Spider, the Turin-based company is presenting the new edition. And to make it clear where the genes of the new model come from, Fiat is placing the classic car right next to it. And the record-breaking car from 1960 in Pininfarina design from the Fiat-Abarth collection is also on show.
- Fifty years after the Ford GT 40's triple victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Ford will be presenting three GT 40s that match the winning cars of the time. Ford will also be showing some very rare power Fords on its stand, which has been designed together with 13 Ford clubs under the motto "Performance". And there will also be celebrations: La Fiesta - a party honoring the Ford Fiesta, which has been built for 40 years, with rare versions. There will also be other birthday celebrations: 50 years of the Ford P 6, 50 years of the Ford OSI 20m/TS and 30 years of the Ford RS Cosworth.
- Jaguar Land Rover traditionally resides in Hall 2. The British company will probably be focusing on a premiere from the classic car sector, after Jaguar Land Rover already presented their new service divisions at the last Techno-Classica.
- Automobili Lamborghini Holding S. p. A., part of Audi since 1998 and therefore part of the Volkswagen Group, is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Miura with at least two Miura exhibits.
- Mercedes-Benz is showing the new S-Class luxury cabriolet in Hall 1 - with a selection of open-top Mercedes models from the Stuttgart-based company's history. Daimler AG is presenting a total of eleven fabric-roof cars with the three-pointed star - from the Mercedes-Benz 500 K special roadster to the 300 SL and the convertible from the W 111 series of tail fins. A novelty is the vehicle trade "All Time Stars" - the officially recognized Mercedes-Benz Clubs round off the star show.
- Opel dedicates its stand to the Opel GT, which still fascinates visitors today. Opel Classic announces that it will be presenting an unusual GT retrospective.
- Peugeot Germany is relying on the Peugeot 504 Coupé/Cabriolet Club at Techno-Classica Essen this year. With two Peugeot 504 Cabriolets, it is presenting two of the most charming vehicles from the Peugeot brand's more than 125 years of automotive history.
- Porsche is celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Porsche 924 with fascinating transaxle exhibits: The exhibits include a prototype of the 924, a 944 turbo cup from 1986, a cutaway model of the 968 and the last Porsche 928 GTS built. In addition, a Porsche 911 ST, an early competition 911, will be on display alongside a bodyshell of an early three-liter Porsche Turbo (Type 930) currently undergoing restoration. Ten European Porsche Classic partners will also be presenting significant classic cars.
- Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Ltd, part of the BMW Group since 1998, is presenting the current Ghost model with V12 engine and a Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost six-cylinder built in the US Springfield plant in 1923 in Hall 12 under the motto "80 Years of V12".
- Seat is celebrating "20 years of Cupra" with the first Ibiza Cupra from 1996. An Ibiza Kit Car from 1996, whose greatest successes include winning the World Rally Championship three times in the 2-liter class, demonstrates the sporting qualities of the Ibiza. And to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Seat Toledo, a GT 2.0 from 1991 will be on display.
- Škoda is appearing as an official manufacturer at Techno Classica for the 15th time this year. Under the motto "Moving History", the Czech company of the VW Group will be showing a cross-section of over 120 years of vehicle construction with a total of 13 historic vehicles and celebrating two birthdays: 40 years of the 105/120 series and the anniversary of "25 years as part of the Volkswagen Group".
- At Volkswagen Classic in Hall 7, the focus will be on "40 years of the Golf GTI". A large specialty show with six spectacular GTI variants is planned. The current GTI Clubsport with 290 hp will be the link to the present. Volkswagen Classic Parts, supplier of historic spare parts, will also be dedicating a number of exhibits to the anniversary theme. The independent brand Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles is showing a Volkswagen T1 minibus special model "Samba", a T6 Generation Six model and, as has been the case since 2008, the T1 "Becks Bulli".
- The Swedish brand Volvo presents the new Volvo V90 estate. "Volvo - The Estate Heritage" is the logical motto under which Volvo is presenting a range of space transportation vehicles from its 89-year history: the selection ranges from the Volvo PV 445 Duett from 1957, Volvo 145 estate from 1968 to the Volvo Amazon estate from 1969, Volvo 1800 ES from 1972, Volvo 245 estate from 1993 and the Volvo 850 T5-R from 1994.
The club stands, for which interest groups and other associations often spend the whole year preparing, are sure to be another highlight.
And GM's Futureliner won't be easily overlooked either.
Further information on Techno Classics, which opens its doors from April 6 to 10, 2016, can be found on the trade fair website.
