Grand Basel Show
Showcase for automotive masterpieces delivers unforgettable first impression
Grand Basel has closed the doors to its first fair in Basel and is celebrating the resounding success of its debut on the world stage. More than 12,000 people including international connoisseurs, experts and collectors, as well as culture enthusiasts with a broad spectrum of passions.
As an inaugural show that was designed to demonstrate the spectacular presentation of the Grand Basel show concept, approximately one fourth of the cars on display were officially available to buy.
The show's exhibits were carefully selected to just 113 cars, spread over a total show space of 32,000 square metres. Exceptional cars travelled to the show from Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Belgium, the UK, Italy. As well as showcasing exclusive and rare cars of the highest calibre, Grand Basel presented cultural highlights and several world premieres. The fascinating 'Linea Diamante' car by Gio Ponti was revealed by Professor Paolo Tumminelli, leader of 'The Automobile by Ponti' project to make the 1:1-scale model a reality, 65 years after it was designed.
Advisory board member and legendary designer, Giorgetto Giugiaro, was honoured at the show with a group of cars to celebrate his 80th birthday year. Within his curated frame was the GFG Sibylla GG 80, bringing together beautiful design with a zero-emissions
powertrain. The final advisory board curated frame was by design theoretician Prof. Dr Michael Erlhoff, whose take on automotive culture was a selection of exquisite 1:87-scale model cars.
Grand Basel not only brought together some of the world’s most exceptional cars but presented them in a surrounding reminiscent of modern museums, honouring them as the masterpieces that they are.
Speaking after the inaugural show, Global Director Mark Backé said, “We promised that Grand Basel was not just another car show, and the guests to our first fair in Basel understand that this promise was kept. As this was the first impression for Grand Basel, certain sections were less commercial in nature and designed more as an exhibition, so that the concept could be introduced in the appropriate manner. We truly celebrated excellence in motion and were joined by a broad audience of collectors and enthusiasts interested in automobile aesthetics, technological sophistication, art and culture.”
Initial media reception to the first show has been outstanding, with the presentation hailed as “a feast of automotive beauty”, “the car as rolling sculpture”, and one publication proclaiming: “the organisers of Grand Basel have truly reinvented the motor show”.