A day at the largest classic car show in Europe: Techno-Classica Essen

A true motoring icon, an original VW Golf GTI, Mk1 was up on display. They were asking for Euro 17,000. A new Ford Fiesta will cost more!

BHPian Jeroen recently shared this with other enthusiasts:

I have just returned from our annual trip to the Techno Classica in Essen, Germany, with Peter. For many years, if not decades, the Techno Classica was by far the largest Classic car show in Europe. There are a few other large Classic car shows, and the Techno Classica has shrunk a bit over the last few years. Still, it is always an interesting show. From next year onwards, it will be headed by a different organisation, and the format will be adjusted. Not sure what that will bring, we will see.

Peter and I must have visited this show probably at least a dozen times if not more. We used to drive to Essen and back again in one day. These days Peter lives further up North in the Netherlands, and we like to take things a little easier. So, for the last couple of years, Peter has driven down to our place the night before and stayed with us, the next day we drive to Essen, spend the day there and in the evening we spend in Essen having a drink and some nice food. I book us a simple hotel and we drive home the next day.

This year we added a bit to our usual program.

So Peter arrived early Thursday morning at our marina, and we spent a whole day sailing our yacht Sirion. Had a nice evening at our home, and we set off early Friday morning and reached Essen by about 10 o'clock.

We walked around the show till about 1600 hours. Always lots to see. I have posted a number of threads on previous Techno Classica events. It is massive. So I will only post a limited number of images of some special stuff we noticed.

When we talk about CVT on TeamBHP, you should know that the inventor was a Dutch guy! He invented it, and it was used in his other creation, the DAF.

Here is a very nice cutaway model of the CVT and the little two-stroke two-cylinder boxer engine of the first DAF models. Notice these days, they don't have belts anymore but special sort of chains that can both pull and push!

By and large, Techno Classica caters for the more well-to-do Classic car enthusiast. You will be hard-pressed to find a simple MG or Morris. Most cars on display have a price tag of upwards of 100K Euro. Quite a few, well over one million euros

This one is just under half a million (Excluding VAT which is around 20%)

Don't ask us what this car was doing at a classic car show. First time ever we got a chance to take a close-up look. It will set you back well over 200k Euro!

A bit of an overview:

Believe it or not, but these are newly built!! Check out this company.

A true motoring icon, an original VW Golf GTI, mk1. They were asking Euro 17000. A new Ford Fiesta will cost more!

Another piece of Dutch motoring history: Spijker!

As some of you are aware, Peter about from being my best friend and spanner mate is also a professional classic car evaluator. That is what does for a living.

A couple of days ago, he got a call from a customer of his. This guy has a pretty sizable collection of classic cars. And he keeps buying and selling. He just bought another one, it would be on display at the Techno Classica, and could Peter do a valuation for the insurance? Sure, no problem.

It is an Osca. I had never heard of it. There are fewer than about a hundred of these cars. They tend to come up in classic car auctions now and then across the world. Depending on the exact type and condition, think 3-400K Euro.

The Citroen DS is a remarkable car. Still going strong as an affordable, sort of, but practical classic car. This convertible version of the DS is much more rare. Especially this version, the Chapron.

It has a truly unique dashboard, known as the Jagear Tableau and even the radio is completely customised to fit the dash!

Sort of an "extreme" cut away model!

As you might know, one of my favourite classics, which I am still hoping to own someday, is the Mercedes-Benz W113 Pagoda. We did not keep count, but we must have come across at least 25 of them. In a price range from 75K to 245K Euro!

Another favourite of mine (and I actually own a W123 sedan) is the W123 long-wheel base. Pretty rare these days!

At around 1600 hours we were done. There is only so much walking, talking and looking at classic cars one can do. So we drove to our nearby Hotel. right in the centre of Essen. The sun was out, so we had a drink on the terrace. In the evening, we headed over to our usual restaurant and ordered our favourite dish: Schnitzel!

I bought two items. Several years ago I bought one of these nodding doggies for on the parcel shelves of my W123. Very period as they say. Mine is an original MB accessory. I bought it online from the MB museum shop in Stuttgart.

I found a baby version, so now she has company.

Also, I bought another dozen gloves. I use various gloves and I like to keep my garage well stocked with them!

All in all, we had a splendid and very enjoyable two and a half days together. In a few weeks, I will meet up with Peter and our other Spider friends for our usual four-day trip to our friends in France!

Jeroen

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