In the last few weeks, lots of stories have been told about the inaugural Retro Classics in Essen. And no, not all of them were positive. On the contrary, most were downright negative. And honestly, even though I was disappointed too, I do believe that many of the stories were somewhat exaggerated, and did not give enough credit to the organizers. After all, we are living in challenging times, the world is changing, and it isn’t easy to be the organizer of a classic car show nowadays, is it ? And let’s not forget, Techno Classica, the predecessor of the Retro Classics Essen, was going downhill for many years too, and they absolutely did not maintain the quality in the last editions, they used to have, like 10 or 15 years ago.
That said, we do agree that there were certainly areas that could be improved. The main themes of the show, in my opinion, should be more emphasized and brought to the attention of the visitors. And we do believe that it is better to have a smaller show without empty spots than a large surface with just a handful of cars on it. The Bugatti Royale, for example, deserved better presentation.
But yes, there were some great cars to be spotted too. Mainly in Hall 3, the true enthusiasts could indulge their passion. And now I might even disappoint you, but the perfect clone of Porsche 550-089 really drew my attention. I’m convinced many believed the car to be original. Another clone that stood out was the Porsche 917-021, created by a Norwegian fan, and absolutely fantastic, though not original.
Regarding the visitor numbers, we can be short. With close to 65.000 visitors, the show was far less crowded than Techno Classica. But let that not be a reason to not visit the show next year. After all, the visitors partially make the show. Exhibitors that don’t sell are not willing to invest in the next edition.
Next edition April 14 – 18 2026
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