The world's premiere classic car show will be celebrating the history of electric cars alongside its usual displays of classic automotive racing prowess and rows of concourse condition collectables that are ready to drive away -- if a visitor can meet the asking price, of course.
Thanks to a 130,000-square-meter display space, the ability to attract 1250 exhibitors, over 200,000 visitors and offer over 2,500 collector cars for sale alongside museum-quality exhibits of the world's rarest and most exotic classics, the annual Techno Classica Essen is quickly establishing itself as the world's leading classic car fair.
And when the doors of the Messe Essen officially open for this year's show on April 5, visitors will be treated to a dedicated display of the actual cars that competed in the legendary 1957 Grand Prix of Monaco, including the Maserati 250F that Juan Manuel Fangio drove past the chequered flag a full 25 seconds ahead of the pack.
This year's event is also a chance to look back to the future with a showcase of electric cars past and present including what is considered the world's first battery car, the 1882 Ayrton & Perry. It will be on show alongside a Detroit Electric from 1915. The show's organisers want to highlight that just as today, back in 1900 the automotive industry was at a powertrain crossroads.
Though truly international in its ability to attract historic marques, a show based in Germany tends to attract the crème-de-la-crème of historic Mercedes, VWs, Audis, Opels, Porsches BMW and this year is no exception. Mercedes will be displaying 11 historic models that chart the company's motorsport capabilities from a 1903 Simplex and a 540K Streamliner plus the 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé, only two examples of which were ever built.
Likewise, Opel, about to become part of Peugeot, will be bringing what it considers the eight greatest cars from its 80-year history including the 1937 Admiral.
Fiat, Lancia, Alfa Romeo and Abarth meanwhile will be using the event to mark the 90th anniversary of the Mille Miglia race with a host of classics that took part in that very first road race.
Meanwhile, on April 8 Coys will be hosting the event's official classic car auction which this year boasts 117 eclectic lots from collectable tractors and a Mercedes 300SL Gullwing to what is claimed to be the world's only convertible Porsche 959. It has a tentative reserve price of €1.2-1.5 million.
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