Factory stages bring an unrivalled flair to classic car shows with grand design, unique masterpieces from factory vaults, and much substance for fans. The two longtime champions of this discipline were Retromobile and Techno Classica.
Since 2024, Retromobile has showcased a wide variety of brands, with Italian, British, and German manufacturers equally ensuring their presence or honoured through contributions from owners, collectors, and museums. This year’s Retromobile reminded us of the golden era of classic car shows, when manufacturers built stands to honour their history at levels rivalling their presence at international car shows.
Nearly factory level: The Volvo Club of France Pays Tribute to 70 Years of the Volvo Amazon.
The Volvo Club of France exhibited in the Club area of the ground floor (Hall 7.1). The stage was courtesy of the Club, but you can tell the support of Volvo Car France from the elegant, discreet decoration.
Their stage was dedicated to the Volvo Amazon, celebrating its 70th anniversary this year. This model is a timeless beauty from Volvo, one of the most iconic models in the history of the Swedish manufacturer, which will itself celebrate 100 years of automotive history in 2027.
The organisers did a thorough job: three Amazon models were on display, representing each variant of the Amazon: a two-door coupé, a four-door sedan and a station wagon.
Riva’s stage is a pinnacle of luxury with a classic boat and a lounge.
The Riva stage proved to be much more than a simple stage, but a manufacturer of luxury boats will always need an estate. Visitors could admire a magnificent Aquarama Special restored by Riva Classiche, right next to a Riva Boutique corner, and a Riva Lounge with private access. Riva also joined forces with the Time On Show watch exhibition.
Vintage Bentley showcased prewar mastodons.
Vintage Bentley is a UK company specialising in prewar Bentleys (from the W.O Bentley period). For its first time at the show, they prepared a characterful design recalling the factory stages from the pre-Brexit times.
Honda showcased the history of the Prelude Family, connecting Heritage and Modernity.
Honda has made an impressive comeback for the 50th edition of the Retromobile. On a 150 m² mid-size stand, the star was its most characterful model: the brand-new 2026 Prelude GT Hybrid coupé, paired with two automotive icons: the first and third generations of the famous Prelude coupé.
The stage also featured a boutique offering vintage collection and limited-edition items, such as jackets, sweatshirts, polo shirts, sweaters, t-shirts and collector’s accessories.
Triumph prepared a comprehensive stage
Among the motorcycle exhibitors, Triumph prepared a comprehensive stage showcasing its revamped 2026 Modern Classics range.
There were also several Triumph bikes at the Steve McQueen stage.
Ducati came with a fully fledged stage to celebrate its 100th anniversary
Ducati celebrated its centenary with a strong emphasis on its racing pedigree. The Italian manufacturer enlisted milestone models, Superbike champs and museum pieces from its long history.
Opel made a memorable introduction
The German manufacturer attended Retromobile for the first time, and their mid-size 240 m² stand featuring new models, including the restyled Opel Astra and the Opel Mokka GSE, and classic cars from the ‘70s and ‘80s, a 1978 Opel Kadett C Coupé, a 1983 Opel Manta 400 Group B rally car and 1986 Opel Monza GSE, the first Opel to bear the GSE badge.
Alpine bids farewell to its iconic Alpine A110 model with three specimens
The Alpine stand was centred around a trio of Alpine A110 specimens from two eras: two historic A110S and the most exclusive and extreme version ever created, the A110 R Ultime, which marked the end of production of the modern A110.
The green Classic Alpine A110 1600 SX was the last Alpine A110 from the first generation produced in the Dieppe plant in 1977.
The yellow Rally version of the Berlinette is the Alpine A110 1800S Group 4, entered in the 1975 World Rally Championship with a livery from the 1975 Tour de Corse. This car competed at the highest level of international rallying, achieving second overall at the 1975 Tour de Corse with Jean-Pierre Nicolas and Vincent Laverne, and outright victory at the 1976 Tour Auto of Réunion Island with Jean Ragnotti and Jean-Pierre Aujoulet. It also took part in the 1975 San Remo Rally and the 1976 Monte Carlo Rally, standing as a genuine testament to Alpine’s golden era in motorsport.
The modern car is the most exclusive and extreme version of the modern A110: the A110 R Ultime in its obvious livery, a Bleue de France.
Alfa returned to Retromobile with a bang!
The iconic Italian brand from Arese showcased three classic models, paired with a car from the current line-up. Of course, all in red livery, as the Italian racing colour was historically tied to the creations of the Biscione brand.
The models are selected with anniversaries in mind: the Alfa Romeo 1600 Spider “Duetto” (1966) is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year.
The ultra-rare 1955 Alfa Romeo 750 Competizione is a rare prototype with only two units produced.
The 1967 Alfa Romeo 33/2 Periscopica was the forerunner of the “33” family, Alfa’s successful racing breed. Alongside these rarities, we spotted a New Tonale, the evolution of the brand’s C-SUV (a best seller, at least by Alfa standards).
The VW stage was all about the 50th anniversary of the Golf
The VW presence also announced the arrival of the most powerful and fastest Golf GTI to date, the Golf GTI Edition 50.
The new arrival was accompanied by several of its predecessors and a simulator to attract a younger crowd.
Here, we take a rhetorical break to continue with mid-size stages.
