Retro Classics Stuttgart changed hands last year. The 2024 edition at the end of April was the first to take place under the new management of AFAG. As you probably have noticed when visiting trades and shows, trade fair organizers are facing after Covid stress. A good example was the last edition of Techno Classica in Essen, which is quality-wise slowing down. After a short study of the exhibitors list of the Retro Classics show in Stuttgart, we already knew the 23rd edition was not quite as large as its predecessors.
Of the ten halls, only six were used, the others were closed or allocated to another show that took place in the same venue. My feet and legs were happy to find that out. They didn’t have to bring my slightly overweight body to all the halls. In terms of space, this meant 80,000 square meters, but also slightly fewer exhibitors, as we previously mentioned.
The organization claims to have welcomed about 70,000 visitors. It is hard to confirm, and we don’t have a reason to doubt it. We didn’t count the cars, but it should have been approximately 2000. And next to that, of course, many elaborately prepared presentations by specialists, service providers, event organizers, and museums.
50 years of the Porsche Turbo
This year Porsche celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Porsche Turbo. At Techno Classica, this was celebrated with an outstanding display of Turbo’s by a private exhibitor. Porsche announced weeks before the Retro Classics to turn the spotlights on the Turbo at the Retro Classics too. Porsche dedicated its entire stand to this theme. The number of cars on the Porsche stand was way smaller compared to the Techno Classica celebration, which did not surprise us. The most important Turbos present were the first one ever built and later donated to Louïse Piech and the 1998 Porsche 911 GT1, a thoroughbred race carn with astonishing looks.
Picture gallery Retro Classics 2024 Stuttgart
Pictures copyright Tim Havermans
