Gleaming chrome and swooping curves
You do not attend the Techno Classica in Essen to find out about innovative drive technologies, to admire amazing crossover concept vehicles, to check out the latest trends on four wheels. The narrative here speaks of gleaming chrome, opulent hood ornaments and motoring individualism, aspects which seemed to be increasingly absent from the more conventional international car shows. But it is these elements which make Techno Classica so unique and make it a draw for those who can chat for hours about this or that arcane automotive detail, those who want to sit and dream in drivers’ seats first occupied before they were born, those who see in the automobile not just charm but even karma. No, the Techno Classica is all else than just another car show. Here it is the old-timers and veteran autos which dominate although more and more there is increasingly attention being devoted to the cars which will be the old-timers of tomorrow, the models the Germans so sweetly call ‘Youngtimers’. The cars on show belong to a wide spectrum of history but they all have one thing in common: The are aging and they have a history and they are loved often in spite of their flaws which have grown to be part of their mystique. That’s actually what makes them so desirable. And now that the growing number of Youngtimer fans have discovered the Techno Classica the crowds are bigger than ever.
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- On the Mercedes stand, a golden G-Class model.
Car makers discover Techno Classica
For old-timer fans the gigantism of the overwhelming IAA Auto Show in Frankfurt, which in September will again show the latest automotive trends, is irrelevant. Those now visiting Essen love the cars of yesterday, their chrome and their heritage. And increasingly the major car makers have come to comprehend the need to be present here, not just at the IAA with the cars of tomorrow. Industry leaders like BMW, Audi, Mercedes, Opel, Ford, Mercedes, Peugeot or Citroen now come to Essen to show with pride some of the gems of their marque’s legacy. The huge presence of Daimler in Hall 1 of the exhibition complex is inevitably a celebration of the 125th anniversary of the invention of the automobile. The stand is as lavish as any one might expect to find in Frankfurt, Detroit or Shanghai. Where else could you hope to see together a 600 Pullman, a Mercedes Simplex and a golden G-Class model? Volkswagen are no less impressive with the spotlight placed on the models badged VW, Audi or Skoda. Visitors can admire a Puma GTS, a Cheetah, legendary Quattro models and the fist Golf Cabriolet prototype, one without the roll-bar.
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- Those now visiting Essen love the cars of yesterday, their chrome and their heritage.
Veteran superstars
“In it is not just that we are celebrating automotive tradition, the Techno Classica itself has become part of that tradition,” declares Karl Baumer, head of the BMW Classic Group, “We are particularly happy that Rolls Royce, the ultimate tradition marque, is once again represented on out stand after a five year abstinence.” Although the Peugeot stand is somewhat less grandiose than those occupied by Mercedes, Volkswagen or BMW, the French car maker has brought from the Peugeot Museum in Sochaux the exclusive Landaulet Type 184. “The car is driven by an 80 horsepower six-cylinder engine without valves,” says Heinzrudolf Oberhäuser from the, pointing with reverent pride to the opulence of velvet in the luxurious passenger compartment and the pouncing lion which is the radiator ornament. “In 1928 and 1929 there were just 43 chassis of the Type 184 built.” In it is the veteran superstars who take the centre of the stage even if the real business takes place elsewhere. Year after year the automobile cognoscenti make the pilgrimage to the Techno Classica. They come in many shapes and forms and represent a wide range of enthusiasms. For some their dreams are trimmed with gleaming chrome and tyres have white-walls. Others are after that distributor cap which has been so elusive, or the RPM gauge for the ancient Morris Minor. This year the organizers of the Techno Classica confidently expect 180 thousand visitors.
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- There is no event at which more vehicles change ownership than at the Techno Classica.
Aftermarket and auctions
No old-timer show can be imagined without a large section devoted to spare parts. Since old-timers do, logically, get even older replacement parts are in high demand. No matter whether the car in question is a BMW 700, a Mercedes ‘Flachkühler’ with its low radiator grill or a Fiat Topolino there can be a dire need to find spare parts and accessories to keep the old-timers going. But it’s not just about radiators, leather seats, motor components and rear-view mirrors here in the exhibition halls. There is no event at which more vehicles change ownership than at the Techno Classica. Dealers in classic and veteran autos from Germany, Switzerland, Belgium and Holland use the show as their premium sales platform. And the auctioneers are also present convincingly trumpeting the merits of the cars they have on offer and raking in the cash the visitors seem anxious to part with. All it needs is a stroll through all the exhibition halls to agree with those who call the Techno Classica the world’s biggest Porsche parking lot.
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- The sports convertible Horch 850 was made in 1937. It had a V8 engine which in the 853 produced 120 horsepower.
The world’s biggest Porsche parking lot
The exhibition halls host hundreds of 911 models of all imaginable variants. And knowing fans of veteran cars are well aware of how precious these automobiles are. Most are both visually and technically in impeccable condition, whether it’s a Bentley Blower, a Ford Taunus or a Porsche 912. Here buying an old-timer auto is almost devoid of risk, although the purchaser will need to have a well-filled wallet. Because these are cars whose intrinsic value is subject to a substantial premium on account of their rarity. Relatively unspectacular 911 models from the early seventies fetch from 70 to 90 thousand Euros. A decent Corvette built in the sixties can go for as much as 70 thousand Euros, too. And 86,900 is the asking price for a 1998 Bentley Azure which was in its time the most expensive sports car in the world. These prices make some of the other cars look like bargains in comparison… A perfectly maintained ‘Deux Cheveaux’, a 1966 Citroen 2CV AZ from 1966, will cost the new buyer just 18,900 Euros and a great looking BMW 628i can be had for just 7,500 Euros. Of course one must be prepared to dig far deeper into one’s pocket to have a chance of owning the Horch 853 Sport Cabriolet which saw the light of day for the first time in 1936. There is consolation for those whose budget permits none of these acquisitions in the form of exclusive scale models. In there are many more of these sold than the full-sized originals. For many models in 1:18 or 1:43 scale just as desirable as the 1:1 autos on which they are based.
