From 19 to 22 February, RETRO CLASSICS® 2026 will once again present itself as a showcase of automotive diversity. Alongside major brand appearances and emotional motorsport themes, the trade fair for automotive culture also focuses on everyday mobility, street culture, and defining vehicles of past decades. A range of special exhibitions illustrates just how multifaceted the experience of automotive history can be.
Hall 3 will feature, among other highlights, American automotive culture. Around 20 vehicles tell the story of legendary trucks, uncompromising dragsters, elegant coupés, and iconic movie cars. From heavy commercial vehicles of the early 1950s and radical racing conversions to style-defining street cruisers, the breadth of the U.S. car era becomes vividly apparent. Exhibits include a 1952 COE Truck V8, a 1941 Ford Business Coupé Dragster, an original 1931 Ford Model A Speedster from Argentina, and a 1954 Lincoln Capri Hardtop Coupé. A special highlight is a 1949 Mercury, famous as a stunt car from the film Firm City Cobra. Vehicles in original condition, restored icons, and informative display panels convey technology, design, and the lifestyle of American street culture.
Also in Hall 3, U.S. car specialist Karl Geiger of Geiger Cars will present an exclusive special exhibition of modern Corvette icons. At its center is the new Corvette ZR1, a no-compromise performance statement. It is joined by various Corvette C8 variants, including Coupé, Convertible, and E-Ray, as well as other striking ZR1 versions. The presentation combines motorsport DNA with timeless aesthetics and appeals equally to Corvette enthusiasts and fans of modern high-performance sports cars.
Hall 5 strikes quieter but deeply affecting notes. The Police History Association Stuttgart e.V. presents an authentically staged historical accident scene depicting a traffic accident from past decades. Police and emergency services are already on site, portrayed in period uniforms and with great attention to detail. Vehicles, accident traces, an indicated road closure, and typical elements of the traffic environment of the time make everyday life of earlier eras tangible. The special exhibition invites visitors to pause and reflects history in a respectful and dignified manner. Additional anniversary themes shape the presentation in Hall 7. Among them is the celebration of 40 years of the Opel Omega A. Introduced in 1986, the modelset standards in the upper mid-size class with modern technology, aerodynamic design, and high ride comfort. As both a sedan and a station wagon (Caravan), the Omega A became a successful model and was named European “Car of the Year” in 1987. Also honored are 60 years of the Opel Rekord C. With its famous Coke-bottle line, it became a style-defining icon of the mid-size segment from 1966 onward and a symbol of the economic miracle years. More than 1.2 million units produced made it one of Opel’s most popular models of its time.
With this thematic diversity, RETRO CLASSICS® 2026 underscores its ambition not only to exhibit automotive history, but to make it tangible in all its facets— from spectacular sports cars and everyday classics to moving historical moments.
Further information: www.retro-classics.de
