The Techno Classica, the world trade fair for classic cars, which has just come to an end, also marks the possible end of an era. After all, this year’s fair was the last to be organised and hosted by the S.I.H.A.
In future, this trade fair will probably be organised and run by Retro Klassik in Stuttgart. I don’t know what has led to this change, so I can only speculate at this point. Visitor numbers have fallen in recent years, and the coronavirus crisis certainly didn’t help. In addition, the exhibition centre in Essen was significantly modernised, which was also necessary. On the other hand, a lot of atmosphere was lost in the process. The old, somewhat dark halls actually suited the ambience of the stands and the exhibits very well.
Techno Classica was known worldwide and famous for its own flair and charm. But above all, the trade fair was highly regarded for its extraordinary range of classic vehicles from many decades and a diverse selection of smaller, mostly private suppliers with a wide variety of products.
In the past, for example, there was a large number of stands with literature, art, photography, automobilia, antiques, toys, model cars, brochures and much more. This unmistakable and international variety of exhibitors has made up a large part of the supra-regional interest and great popularity and has made the world’s most popular fair in the past.
I have been a regular visitor to Techno Classica since the 1980s and then from 2004 to 2018 I was also an exhibitor with my automotive photographs. I was able to welcome customers from all over the world to my stand and present my pictures to them. The guests came not only from other European countries such as Italy, Spain, England, France and a few others, but also from North and South America, Eastern Europe and the Far East.
Unfortunately, there is not much left of this huge diversity in every respect. Today, some halls are rather uninteresting, some big names such as Lukas Hüni or Movendi no longer exhibit their magnificent range of rare automobiles in Essen. And the vast majority of small but highly individual exhibitors can no longer be found there either. There are certainly many reasons for all this, so a new start could be all the better. I think that an institution like Techno Classica still has its justification today and is important for the entire industry.
Back to the future could and should be the motto for the new Techno Classica in 2026. I would be delighted to see a strong and interesting global trade fair for classic automobiles with the participation of many exciting exhibitors next year. There are rumours of a possible relocation to Düsseldorf or Cologne. We can all be very excited about what is to come.
So for now it is the end of an era and I confess to looking back with some sadness at all the fantastic shows I was able to experience there, but on the other hand change is also an opportunity. Find out more about our photographer Ralph Lüker.
