Brussels fêtes the European elite
For its third running, Interclassics Brussels drew some 23,000 visitors to the Belgian capital from 17-19 November. The centrepiece celebrated the European ‘Big Five’: the Dutch Louwman Museum; Brussels Autoworld; the UK’S National Motor Museum; the French Cité de l’automobile; and Italy’s Museo Nazionale dell’automobile.
Each was invited to choose three of their most cherished cars for the display. From The Netherlands came a 1915 Simplex Crane Model 5, 1937 Talbot-lago T150SS and ’62 Porsche 718/2. Autoworld chose a 1921 Minerva OO Vanden Plas, ’65 AC Cobra and ’85 Arrows F1 car. Beaulieu supplied its iconic 1909 Rolls-royce Silver Ghost, a 1930 Bentley ‘Blower’ and a 1967 Lotus 49. The former Schlumpf Collection presented a 1902 Serpollet Type H, 1933 Bugatti Type 46 and the 1948 Panhard Dynavia (C&SC, March 2017). Finally, from Turin came a 1922 OM 469N, ’28 Fiat 250 and ’47 Cisitalia 202 SMM.
Among the highlights from the second main theme – Cyclecars & Grand Sport – was a 1926 Amilcar CGS Coupé by Duval. Further rarities included the unique 1961 Neretti, designed and built by local Roland D’ieteren using a 1584cc VW engine and an Apal body.