The Belgian national auto museum’s current summer exhibition takes visitors back to one of the most iconic and influential decades in recent history, the ‘90s. From July 8 to September 6, automotive and cultural icons occupy the main hall’s pop-up section and the main gallery on the first floor (for more info on their opening times, visit their website).
As usual, the organisers put a lot of extra effort into the exhibition, with an opening premiere night with a dress code and a live concert, and a young-timer gathering over the weekend that followed.
The exhibition evokes the stylistic freedom, innovation and pop culture of the ‘90s with dedicated stages. Though many of the thematics actually stemmed from the ‘80s, the themes, fashion trends, personalities and cars defined the ‘90s.
Such as the vitrine exhibiting a selection of M.A.S.K. toys, which premiered in the late ‘80s but remained in fashion throughout the ‘90s, as did the Honda NSX and Nissan 300ZX. For those who are not familiar, the acronym stands for Mobile Armoured Strike Kommand, from a 1985 science fiction animated television series based on the action figures, as was customary in the late 80s.
The gallery hosted four “altars” honouring phenomena such as MTV, video games, grunge, hip-hop, and Friends, with references to era-defining stars like Madonna and Nirvana.
As usual, Autoworld developed this exhibition in close collaboration with its partners, several private collections from the brilliant Belgian automotive scene and abroad, as well as with the Squadra Abarth & Rally Collection museum in Lier (they already collaborated in the past).
The selection of cars well reflects this diverse background and the particularly exciting decade in automotive history. The 1990s introduced new technologies, more compact designs, bold styling, improved performance, and a renewed focus on driving pleasure. Cars became safer, more reliable and more efficient, while also expressing stronger personalities. From city cars and sporty coupés to hot hatches and supercars, the decade produced models that have since become true automotive icons.
The exhibition starts with the pop-up section on the ground floor with dream car icons like the Belgian Gillet Vertigo, the iconic Dodge Viper and the exclusive Ferrari F50 (also part of the regular supercar exhibition ) as well as the revolutionary Audi RS2 Avant and a few popular icons such as the Renault Twingo and the Smart.
The first selection in the gallery recalls the new breed of convertibles, with an unprecedented variety, from classic rear-wheel-drive roadsters to front-wheel-drive fun cars. The curators arranged a lineup of a high-end BMW Z1, a (by now) affordable SLK, and an elite Aston Martin DB7 Volante, followed by a Porsche Boxster, a Fiat Barchetta, and an Alfa Romeo Spider V6.
The next selection is characterised as “bad boys” presented as the rebels of the ’90s: lightweight, radical and built for pure driving sensations. These include the Nissan GT-R R34, a Lotus Elise, an Alfa Romeo SZ, a Porsche 968 CS and, for some reason, a Renault Clio, albeit in its high-spec Williams iteration.
The centre of the gallery is dedicated to the Gran Turismo phenomenon, honouring fast, elegant cars built for long-distance touring. The world of Grand Tourers is defined by the perfect blend of luxury, comfort and performance. Designed to cover long distances with ease, these cars combine powerful engines, refined technology and timeless elegance. The curators summoned the BMW 850, Ferrari 456, Maserati 3200 GT, Nissan 300ZX Twin Turbo and the legendary Toyota Supra Mk IV, icons that perfectly unite sporting performance with the joy of long-distance touring.
The next segment is dedicated to the Need for Speed, not just the golden era of pure performance but also a computer game that first introduced real-life multimedia illustrations, in the form of music videos dedicated to each car you got to drive. This segment featured three of the six cars from the game in colours matching those from the multimedia videos: a red Ferrari Testarossa, a Honda NSX and a dark Lamborghini Diablo VT.
The far side of the gallery hosted suited hooligans, the wolves in sheep’s clothing. At first glance, they look like ordinary saloons and estates, until you pop the hood. Beneath their understated appearance lies remarkable performance and a sporting character that has surprised many challengers, and even some drivers. The organisers enlisted a silver Mercedes-Benz 500 E, a yellow Volvo 850 T-5R, a Subaru Impreza GT and a black Opel Lotus Omega.
There are a few weirdos like the first-gen Toyota Prius, the quirky Saab 900 Turbo S, “ahead of its time” Audi A2 “Open Sky” and the batshite crazy Fiat Multipla, as well as a Plymouth Prowler, Renault Sport Spider and Mazda RX-7.
Two-wheelers also play an important role in the exhibition. Around fifteen motorcycles were enlisted to illustrate the revival of European brands such as Ducati, BMW and Triumph. Popular mopeds from the era.
