The 48th edition of the retromobile show dedicated to vintage cars and all collector’s cars, as well as vintage motorcycles, was held from January 31 to February 4, 2024, Pavilion 1, 2 and 3, Parc des exhibitions de la Porte de Versailles (75015) in Paris. This year’s theme revolved around the MG brand on the occasion of its centenary. An MG EX 181 also appeared on the official poster of the event. Furthermore, with the Dakar among the other themes, it was possible to admire many cars that took part in rally-raid 4.

Created IN 1976, this show receives more than 100,000 visitors and is the second largest show of its kind in Europe, welcoming more than 600 exhibitors and 1,000 vehicles. Each year, the show highlights a theme that allows exhibitions and activities to be presented.

The MG EX 181 ON THE POSTER

Nicknamed “Roaring Raindrop”, this vehicle is reminiscent of a space vehicle with futuristic lines, exuding an English style. Its green color is reminiscent of “British Racing Green”. It also stands out for the speed it can reach. In 1957, on the Bonneville Salt Lake in Utah, British driver Stirling Moss reached a record speed of approximately 395.31 km/h while equipped with a 1500 cc turbo-charged MGA Twin Cam engine. , developing 290 hp at 7,300 rpm, thus setting a new world speed record. A new attempt was made 2 years later, in 1959 by Phil Hill and an engine pushed to 300 hp, bringing the record to 410.5 km/h. After more than 60 years, the MG EX 181 can be found in the British Motor Museum, a few dozen kilometers from Birmingham, England.

THE 2024 PROGRAM

Wednesday January 31, 2024
from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. – The resurrection of Mandarine with Gazoline
from 11 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. – The Monneret saga: the love of two wheels, a family story!
from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. – Meeting with Mike Wilsmore
from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. – Signing session of volume 1: Literature and the automobile

Thursday February 1, 2024

from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. – Saga Monneret exhibition
from 10:45 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. – The Dakar Rally told by Jacky Ickx
from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. – Driving a classic vehicle in ZFE

Friday February 2, 2024

from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. – Signing session in the presence of Magnus Walter and Gerry Blyenberg
from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. – Motorcars Artcurial auction
from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. – Preservation of know-how: careers around the automobile
from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. – Saga Monneret exhibition

Saturday February 3, 2024

from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. – Dynamic demonstration of the Chaffee M24 tank by the Teuf Teuf club
from 1 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. – MG Rétro Tour
from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. – Centenary Autodrone Exhibition UTAC Linas-Montléry

Sunday February 4, 2024

from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. – How to obtain a certificate for your collector vehicle
from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. – Signing session for volume 1 Literature and the automobile
from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. – How to become a collector: acquisition and maintenance

Monday February 5, 2024

from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m.: Mauto Museum demonstration
from 2:30 p.m. to 3 p.m.: Guided tour of the Centenary AUtodrone UTAC Linas-Montléry exhibition
The highlights of the 48th edition

Apart from the signing sessions, the guided tours of exhibitions including that of the centenary, it was possible to acquire a collector’s vehicle and receive advice on maintaining it. In addition, an Artcurial auction was organized by the show’s partners. There were exceptional vehicles sold for millions of euros to collectors from all over the world. For those who could not afford the car of their dreams at a reasonable price, Rétromobile offered collector’s vehicles for less than 25,000 euros, in total 220 lots including iconic models. For the first time, the Artcurial Motocars sales area offered 2 series of auctions: one dedicated to collector’s cars and 2-wheelers and the second on the theme “Racing, Flying & Yachting”.

Favorites for 2024

Favorites were offered to visitors:

1968, Porsche 911 ex Jean-Claude Killy. With an aesthetic evolution (Funchs rims, moldings on the bumper, gold lettering…) the new model offers new features including an engine developing 160 horsepower and 180 Nm of cutting thanks to forged pistons, nitrided connecting rods, cylinder heads modified with larger diameter exhaust and intake valves and new camshafts, ventilated disc brakes…

1958 Ferrari 250 GT California Spyder LWB. The different versions have a 3-liter V12 and are divided into 2 categories: racing vehicles and road vehicles. From the marriage of these two families, the 250 GT California Spyder was born, produced in only 47 examples. Now blue in color, it receives the “Red Book Ferrari Classiche” certification, certifying that the model is in every respect as when it was originally approved.
1966 Citroên HY Motorhome by Currus with its velosolex. An atypical and unique model, this camper van was made at the request of its original Parisian owner by Currus. With a 9 horsepower engine, the model is equipped with all the essential elements for camping (bathroom with WC, modular table for 8 people that can be transformed into a bed, independent heating, water reserve.) A Solex 3800 from 1966 can be hung on the rear of the vehicle which has been completely refurbished.
1956 Mondial 250 cc Grand Prix. The Mondial brand is little known to the general public. It was created in 1929 in Bologna and became interested in 2 wheels from 1948. It achieved numerous successes in competition in 125 and 250 cm3. Cecil Sandford won the 1957 world championship thanks to his double overhead camshaft controlled by a cascade of gears and benefiting from double ignition.
The Dakar

This year, the Dakar is in the spotlight thanks to an exhibition of dozens of models that have marked the history of the rally. A few days after the arrival of the 2024 edition and Audi’s first crowning achievement with its RS-Q e-tron, the show offers a retrospective of 45 years of the discipline’s history. We could find 2 cars present during the first Dakar in December 1978 (the Renault4 of the Marreau brothers and the KZ “La Gazelle” of 1926 entered by Daniel Nollan and made from around twenty vehicles.) We could also discover vehicles of the 1980s including René Metge’s victorious Porsche 959 in 1956, or the Peugot 405 T16. Thierry Montcorgé’s 6-wheeled pick-up nicknamed “Jules II” as well as Romain Grabowski’s Lada Niva as well as the Nissan X-Trail driven by Johnny Hallyday and the Audi RS Q e-tron (winner this year). Concerning the motorcycles, there were 3 two-wheelers on display with the BMW of Hubert Auriol (winner in 1983), the Honda HLS 240 of Eric de Seynes ridden in 1982 and the Yamaha XT 500 of Thierry Sabine

BALANCE SHEET

The results of this 48th Rétromobile show are satisfactory with the reception of 130,000 visitors, a better figure than last year (second figure since its creation in 1976.) Rétromobile is an unmissable event on the automotive calendar of the year with a loyal audience that loves classic vehicles.

The 100 years of MG with the EX181 prototype had a vital role for the brand. For its part, the 50th anniversary of the Volkswagen Golf attracted young people. Mercedes put the 300SL in the spotlight and the Renault stand dedicated its stand (the largest at the show) to the Rafale with an authentic device on display alongside the 4-wheel version. The Skoda “Superb” introduced the history of the brand with its 90 years of existence.

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