Far less visitors at the Retro Classics 2020 in Stuttgart
Most classic car fans consider the Retro Classics show in Stuttgart as one of the best shows in Europe. We don’t feel the need to disagree with them. 2020 however is not the average year. Unfortunately the Corona virus turned up, and spread around the world. And that has consequences, like a serious drop in spectators at the last Retro Classics show. The official statement tells us a drop of about 30%. But we heard from both visitors and exhibitors numbers up to 50% less visitors. But let’s not forget, those that showed up, could admire some real beauties again.
The ROFGO Gulf Heritage Collection
Last year at the press conference, the organization proudly announced the presence of the ROFGO Gulf Heritage collection at the Retro Classics show in 2020. I presume none of you will blink your eyes now, not knowing what the ROFGO Gulf Heritage Collection is. For the very few that don’t know : Rolang Goethe became passionate about Gulf livery race cars during the height of the Gulf -JW Automotive team’s success at the World Sportscar Championship -1968-1969. In 2008, Goethe started collecting these cars. Nowadays, the ROFGO Gulf Heritage collection houses no less than 38 cars in this iconic livery. Quite a few of them could be admired in the special exhibition at the Retro Classics in Stuttgart
The Porsche 908/3 and Porsche 917 were 2 of the Porsches in the ROFGO Gulf Heritage collection that made it to Stuttgart. Porsche 908/3 bears chassis number 012. Originally Porsche only intended to race this car in 1971 at the Targa Florio and the Nürburgring 1000Km. The Targa Florio entry was no succes at all. In the Nürburgring 1000Km, Porsche entered 4 Porsche 908/3, 2 of them to be handled by the John Wyer team. Jo Siffert and Derek Bell drove Porsche 908/3-012 and qualified 5th. In lap 6 however, bad luck stroke back, and the car retired. That was the one and only race in Gulf Colours for Porsche 908/3-012.
The Porsche 917 in the ROFGO collection started life as chassis 026. In the 1970 Le Mans race, the car was raced by David Hobbs and Mike Hailwood. Hailwood crashed the car, after wich it returned to Porsche. The factory rebuilt the car using chassis 031 before it resumed its race-career in the John Wyer Team.
The Porsche Museum highlights the future of electromobility
As the Retro Classics takes place in Stuttgart, the home-town of Porsche, there is no way around. They have to be present at the show. Where the Porsche Museum had a great display last year to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Porsche 917, many classic car fans left the stand a bit disappointed this year. It looked as if Porsche sort of forgot about their heritage, only to emphasize the future of electromobility. The Lohner Porsche can be considered as the grandfather of all electric Porsches. The replica of the Lohner Porsche that Porsche built some years ago received a prominent spot, just as the Porsche 356 Number 1. But we don’t see the use of showing modern cars at a classic car show. At least not in the number the Porsche museum did at the Retro Classics with the Porsche Taycan, a display model of the Porsche Cayenne and a Porsche 918 Spyder. To us, it felt a bit like denying the history of the brand.
Picture gallery Retro Classics Stuttgart
Pictures by Wilfried Geerts and Ronny de Meulenaere
Find out more about the ROFGO Collection on their website.
