Clubs band together for Techno-classica
In the months approaching Germany’s premier historic show, Techno-classica Essen, uncertainty turned to optimism that the 23-27 March event would go ahead.
The dramatic displays normally erected by major German marques Mercedes-benz and Volkswagen were sacrificed to the uncertainty, but local clubs filled in the gaps with impressive results. There was a vast array of German machinery on show, from Hall 1 – where the Mercedes-benz Markenclubs succeeded in representing almost every model, from a reproduction 1885 Patent-motorwagen to the modern-classic AMG era – right through to Hall 8, with more obscure marques including Lloyd, Borgward and Adler.
Fronting the Mercedes-benz Kompressor Club display was a 1936 500K with bodywork by Erdmann & Rossi, with an eye-catching streamlined design custom-made for the former King of Iraq. Elsewhere, a partially dismantled R129 SL was attracting the mechanically minded, while younger audiences drew out their smartphone cameras for the two Mercedes-benz SLR Mclaren 722 and SLR Stirling Moss models. Curiously, HK Engineering’s nearby assembly of six 300SLS proved less popular than expected.
Hall 6 hosted the combined BMW and Audi classic clubs, both demonstrating their respective lineages. The BMW set ranged from sports cars on one side to a superb line-up of executive expresses on the other, including an E9 3.0 S and a couple of Hartge and Alpina showcase cars. Meanwhile, a 1964 DKW 1000 SP, 1969 NSU TT and NSU Wankel Spider joined later Audis including an early 100, Coupé and A8, but little in the way of RS models.
In the sunny outside spaces, enthusiasts showed off their own cars and flocked around Bratwurst and beer stalls, while in Hall 2 the auction houses put on brief sales from a vintage-styled marquee and the imposing four-sided façade of a Roman building. A modestly sized but dense area of automobilia stalls also took over half of Hall 6.
Impressions of the show were positive even from an early stage, both from a volume of visitors perspective and the diversity of stands, from clubs to traders both German and international. “Brexit has made it more of a challenge to come,” explained Jim Stokes of British restorer JSWL Group, which brought along a customer’s Alfa Romeo 8C-2900, “but it’s still an important show for us.”
These sentiments were shared over at the display put together by Aston Workshop, which was displaying the DB2/4 Vignale featured in this issue (see p106). “We’ve even had a bid on that car today,” said sales manager Alex Henderson, “and it’s only day two. The show is already just as busy as we have seen it in the past.”
With so many unusual cars to take in, including a pair of Fordpowered LMX coupés, a ’69 Matra 640, a ’58 Weinder Condor 70S and a ’67 VW 147 van, daytime bustle lingered into evening chats to make the most of the event before its return in April 2023.