On the last weekend in April, the 23rd edition of the largest trade fair for driving culture shows a heart for the bizarre and celebrates automotive birthday children who have long since become legends – curtain up for RETRO CLASSICS® in Stuttgart from April 25 to 28, 2024.
The wild horse from Dearborn – 60 years of the Ford Mustang
Until 1964, a Mustang was a North American wild horse, which was to change abruptly from April / May of the same year: The Ford Motor Company under the leadership of Lido Anthony “Lee” Iacocca and Henry Ford II presented the Ford Mustang at the New York World’s Fair, which was a huge success from day one and played a major role in ensuring that from then on a Mustang was not immediately associated with the wild horse of the same name, but with a sports car made by Ford. In the very first year, over 400,000 Ford Mustangs were sold in the hardtop coupé, convertible and fastback coupé variants, giving the Ford brand a young and sporty image. See the evolution of the “pony car” from 1964 to the 1980s at the stand of the First Mustang Club of Germany e.V. in Hall 3, Stand B38.
“God save us from storm and wind and cars that are from the island” – British Corner
Once upon a time, “cars from the island” were known for their sportiness, their racing successes, their engineering skills and their luxury. Unfortunately, much of this has not survived today and makes us look back wistfully on the glorious past, which is best achieved in the traditional “British Corner” in Hall 7 at RETRO CLASSICS®, where British vehicles from Austin, Triumph, MG, Morris, Rover, Jaguar, Lotus, TVR and Morgan will be presented by various brand and type clubs on over 900m². Immerse yourself in the world of robust roadsters, opulent luxury limousines and ingenious small cars “from the island” at the club stands in the British Corner.
Open the door – 70 years of the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing
It is also known under its official type designation “W198”, but it is much more familiar and world-famous as the “Gullwing”: The Mercedes-Benz 300 SL, as it rolled straight from the racetracks of this world to the dealers in 1954. Second place at the Mille Miglia, a double victory at Le Mans, a quadruple victory at the Nürburgring and a heroic first place at the Mexican Carrera Panamericana, where the team was unstoppable even by a vulture, were all part of the successful legacy of its predecessor, the W194, which provided the visual and technical basis for the W198, which made its debut at the International Motor Sports Show in New York in February 1954. The gullwing doors were by no means a design gimmick, but a necessity, as the (racing-derived) tubular frame did not allow a lower entrance, which also meant that the steering wheel could be folded down. Admire this icon of automobile construction and milestone in automotive history at RETRO CLASSICS® in Hall 5 at the stand of Mercedes-Benz Classic and associated clubs.
This is Bitter – Westphalian from Baden-Württemberg
Like his company of the same name, Erich Bitter came from Schwelm in Westphalia. However, his first creation, the legendary Bitter CD, was a true Swabian and Stuttgart native at the same time, as it was completely manufactured 395 times by the renowned Stuttgart coachbuilder Baur in Stuttgart-Berg. Although the body of the successor model SC came from Italy, the breathtakingly elegant convertible was built in the Alb by none other than Horst Keinath in Dettingen / Erms. And there are two other Bitter models that were created in Baden-Württemberg – let us surprise you in Hall 3, Stand E32 .
Date: April 25 to 28, 2024, Stuttgart Exhibition Center
