Interested visitors, satisfied exhibitors: 21st edition of the Stuttgart trade fair for driving culture closes its doors with extremely positive results.
There was a wonderful mood in the exhibition halls at Messe Stuttgart: after a year’s break due to the Covid-19 pandemic, RETRO CLASSICS® opened its doors again for dealers, collectors and enthusiasts from all corners of the world. From 21 to 24 April the unique trade fair concept made a big impression with a wide range of high-class vehicles from every era of automobile history, a huge parts market, interesting special shows and numerous highlights in the accompanying programme. Around 80,000 visitors were recorded, a significant increase compared with the anniversary event in 2020. The exhibitors, visitors and organisers all rated the 21st edition of the internationally renowned trade fair for driving culture as positive.
“The date at the end of the Easter holidays was relatively late in the season,” said Karl Ulrich Herrmann, Managing Shareholder of the organising company RETRO Messen GmbH and the initiator of the successful project. “However, this decision was taken deliberately in order to organise a first-class trade fair under relaxed conditions, something which our customers and visitors are accustomed to – albeit on a slightly smaller scale.”
This year, RETRO CLASSICS® shared both the date and the exhibition space with Messe Stuttgart’s spring line-up, which occupied a good one third of the area of the fully booked up trade fair centre. “However, the partnership was an ideal combination in this difficult time,” said Herrmann. “From the aspect of RETRO CLASSICS®, it represented an enrichment with clear value-added for visitors, but also for our exhibitors who were therefore able to address entirely new customers. The relaxed atmosphere made a major contribution to the good results of the trade fair.”
This opinion was also shared by Stefan Lohnert, President of Messe Stuttgart: “We are delighted that the visitors filled Messe Stuttgart’s spring line-up and RETRO CLASSICS® with life together with us over the last four days. The combination at the trade fair grounds in Stuttgart created an exciting range of topics, guaranteed genuine value-added and was rewarding for exhibitors and visitors alike.”
“On the whole, RETRO CLASSICS® 2022 in Stuttgart was a good start to the forthcoming season and future events,” said Karl Ulrich Herrmann. “The rediscovered desire for personal encounters and specialist discussions could be felt everywhere.” In fact: special shows featuring rarely displayed veteran cars, historic commercial vehicles or futuristic looking case studies proved extremely popular together with the sim racing area that was densely crowded and keenly used at all times. The visitors let themselves be inspired, obtained information – and made investments. This was gladly confirmed by the exhibitors: “The number of visitors was tremendous and they were first-class,” resumed Till von der Hellen, Managing Director and proprietor of the car dealer Löhlein GmbH & Co. KG. “We concluded some good sales transactions and are very satisfied.” Thomas Hähnel, Sales Manager at the car dealer Lorinser GmbH & Co. KG, also expressed his praise: “We sold several vehicles on the first two days. On the whole, we were very satisfied with our attendance at RETRO CLASSICS®. This platform is ideal for our company. I believe that we will also come back again the next time!“
The next RETRO CLASSICS® in Stuttgart will be held in spring 2023.
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