Retromobile 2020: 45th edition full of surprises

The 45th edition of Rétromobile was held from 4 to 7 February 2020 at the Parc des Expositions, Porte de Versailles (75015) with Motul as an official partner.

For 5 days, nearly 150,000 visitors came from around the world to discover in 3 pavilions, more than 1,000 vintage cars, meet manufacturers and find spare parts for their old vehicles; 620 exhibitors and 120 clubs were present at the show. In addition, the Automobile Art Gallery, « Artist ‘Auto », a cultural space bringing together sculptors, photographers around the subject of locomotion, offered the works of 60 artists and as every year, we could attend car sales and exhibitions including those under € 25,000. On February 7, the 10th edition of the prestigious Artcurial Motorcars auction was held.

For its 45th edition, Retromobile has created its most beautiful exhibition at the exceptional ASI Bertone collection, now on display at the Volandia Museum at Milan Malpensa Airport.

In September 2015, Automotoclub Storico Italiano acquired the historic collection of Carrozzeria Bertone at the auction held after the bankruptcy of the company. It included 79 parts including complete and working vehicles, chassis and styling models. There were 10 prototypes produced between 1969 and 2001: the Runabout Autobianchi (1969), the Suzuki Go (1972), the Citroën Camargue (1972), the Ferrari Rainbow (1976), the Volvo Tundra (1979), the Chevrolet Ramarro ( 1984), Citroën Zabrus (1986), Lamborghini Genesis (1988), BMW Pickster (1998) and Opel Filo (2001). These vehicles, whose total value borders on 2 million euros, were in Paris thanks to a special authorization from the Italian Ministry of Cultural Goods and Activities.

For owners and future owners of vintage vehicles, the FFVE has offered workshops to understand everything about vintage vehicles, from purchasing with all the questions related to them, to catering and regulations, while learning their history and architecture but also the current functioning of internal combustion engines. Founded in 1967, the association brings together no less than 1,200 clubs, 200 vintage vehicle professionals, 40 museums, and 230,000 collectors who own approximately 800,000 vintage vehicles.

The British sports car manufacturer, Aston Martin, revealed all of the Works department’s catering and sales activities located at its historic site.

Volkswagen brings to life the more than 70 years of Combi history, the design of which was produced in 1947 by the Dutch importer. The first copy was released in March 1950.

For its part, the Czech brand Skoda celebrated its 125th anniversary and its return to Rétromobile. Born of the merger of several companies in 1895, the Skoda company was founded by the engineer Emil Skoda in 1925. During the war, it produced military equipment, machine tools, locomotives and aircraft engines. Owner of Hispano-Suiza, she produces the H6B roadster. At the end of the second war, Skoda and Eastern countries became one, which led it to join the Volkswagen group in 1991.

The Italian-American group Fiat Chrysler took advantage of Rétromobile to celebrate 110 years of Alfa Romeo and 40 years of the Fiat Panda without forgetting the remanufacturing of bumpers by the Mopar division. In the exhibition of agricultural tractors, the Fiat Versatile tractor, the giant of the fields with its 4m wide, 4m high, 7m long and weighing 13 tonnes, was on display.

Masérati and Bernard Guénant were at the heart of the « Un Homme, Une Collection » exhibition, dedicated to a Frenchman who, for almost 40 years, has been collecting, restoring and showcasing the Maserati.

Electric cars also marked this 45th show. The first of them appeared at the end of the XIXth century and the first research station in Paris dates from 1898. « Trident Classiche » which represents the Ferrari and Masérati group was designated in 2019 by the Ministry of Economy and Finance « Entreprise du Patrimoine Vivant ». A label that rewards his « old-fashioned » techniques and the quality of his achievements. Peugeot presented many battery models alongside the retrospective of the 404’s 60th anniversary.

After having celebrated its 100 candles last year, the « chevron firm », Citroen celebrated the 50th anniversary of the GS and revived the « Yellow Cruise » in the company of a historian of the brand in the presence of the grandson of the brand creator. Also 50 years ago, the PSA group gave birth to the SM with a Masérati engine, and the technologies of the DS.

Löhner-Porsche, the first hybrid car created by Ferdinand Porsche, a 22-year-old engineer, won the gold medal at the 1900 Paris World Fair. It could go up to 50 km / h. The front brake was electric but weighed a ton due to the 410 kg of the battery and the motorized front wheels (110 kg each).

The Alsatian house Bugatti has returned to its 3 through the presence of an emblematic model of each period since its creation, 111 years ago, and took the opportunity to present a certification program for its most recent models.

The Renault diamond brand has brought together 12 models including 4 from before the war (Type BY from 1909, a fire engine based on Type LO, a Vivasport and several models from the 1960s and 1970s including the Renault Torino and ProtoH.

The Czechoslovakian brand Nesselsdorf (which became Tatra in 1920) presented in 1897 its first car, the Präsident, followed by the Meteor which in 1899 reached a speed of 82 km / h. The history of Ttra ends in 1999.

The Armored Museum and the UNIVEM association held a retrospective of the Battle of France.

McLaren’s privileged partner, watchmaker Richard Mille paid homage to F1 by bringing together several examples of the famous 3-seater road F1 and central drive.

The first charity rally in France, the « Rallye du Coeur » has raised more than € 155,000 in 3 years for research against childhood cancer. Its 4th edition will take place in Versailles on June 20, 2020 with an Official Dresser partner (Vintage Sports), the creation of a village, the presence of key players in the automotive world, and many other surprises. His goal is to raise € 120,000.

For 9 years, the Historic Motoring Awards have brought together the elites of the classic automobile world and have recognized the people, cars, events, museums, clubs, series, books and films that marked the year. This gala evening distinguishes a wide range of categories, selected by Octane experts and a specialist jury. On the occasion of the 2019 edition, at the Rosewood Hotel in London, the Rétromobile Show received on October 17, 2019, the Motoring Event of the year award.

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