Another year has passed, and 2021 left us with ambivalent feelings. Our 2021 calendar started with the new hope of a full calendar, only to see all the champions fall. Some gave up easily, others decided to postpone to a hopeful later date (until they gave up).
All in all, 2021 proved to be another let-down, with most events cancelled until September, not even saved by delaying to summer dates. Finally, the autumn kicked in with an afterburner, as postponed events battled for the few free weekends with the events that were on time.
With the benefit of hindsight, the ideal period proved to be September-November, when the vaccination provided a piece of mind, but Omicron did not yet arrive. COVID was back in its full might by December, and most events are now cancelled until March.
As always, there is more than meets the eye. When it comes to car stuff, we looked far beyond the car events and in all cases, included other automotive pilgrimage sites like car museums and classic car centres.
Some of these trips are worth more than a full day of car events, but they are not included in this top list (but in case you are curious, here are our favourite car sites).
The 5 greatest car museums in Europe ranked for the international museum day
Following this turbulent year, here are the best five car events of 2021 that we attended.
- The Antwerp Concours was a first for us, but it won’t be our last
The Antwerp Concours d’Elegance was one of the first events in Europe after nearly two years of deconfinement. In fact, it was the very first event we covered since the Retro Classics Stuttgart 2020, the last major car event on Earth, until August.
This small but prestigious event has over 15 years of history, showcasing rare and exotic sports- and luxury cars, pre-war cars, racecars and one-offs. The event sported an astonishing fleet. I counted dozens of absolute A-listers like the Ferrari 250 SWB, Pegaso Z102, the brand new Maserati MC20, a rare Isdera Spyder, and a 1931 Bugatti T54 Grand Prix race car.
But that is just the tip of the iceberg (often not even the winning ones in their respective category), with specimens like a Chiron or a Testarossa not even worth mentioning.
Honestly, the last position on this list does not do justice. This was a truly remarkable event, and from now on, it will be a stable addition to our calendar.
First impressions from Antwerp Concours: supercars in super surrounding
- The InterClassics Brussels honoured a Belgian legend
The 2021 InterClassics Brussels was already threatened by the lurking re-confinement. In the end, it merely passed the gates before all mass events were banned (again) in Belgium (unlike the unlucky Pre-war days in December).
The show responded to the dire need of the Belgian classic car world to fill the void after two years of hiatus. And the show delivered just that, although it was not the best InterClassics ever.
Among the themes of 2021, the most important one was the long-overdue tribute to Belgian racing legend Jacky Ickx celebrating his 75th birthday.
The second main theme honoured the Elva brand with support from McLaren. In addition, there were also a few other stages with factory support, like Bugatti and Porsche.
Beyond those, there were a few special stages, and some 400 exhibitors participated at the event with a total of more than 1,000 classic cars. That made InterClassics one heck of a car spotting experience.
Also, several brand and model clubs attend the show. These clubs usually showcase a careful selection of their members’ cherished masterpieces, often in a striking diorama. The InterClassics Brussels could keep our interest alive for a full day.
- Essen Motor Show completely overran our senses on all fronts
The 2021 EMS was probably the largest show on the continent this year. The show offered attractions in four very different pillars, ranging from classic cars through production cars and tuning to race cars (in some cases with an occasional blur between them).
The vehicles around these four topics filled the vast halls of the Essen expo area, and its size alone could put the EMS above other car events.
At the same time, the EMS will not outperform the best shows in its individual disciplines. There are a few brands, but their stages are no match for Munich. There are classics, but nothing compared to the Zoute GP.
It might excel in tuning and race cars, but I still wish I haven’t laid my eyes on the second tuning hall. In a complete year, this show would not make it in the top 5.
- The Munich car show brings in a whole new concept to reinvent car shows
The IAA 2021 was the first major international car show since the outbreak. For a century, this event has been the pinnacle of international car shows, so what could go wrong? Well, this year, everything changed for the IAA: new location, new COVID rules following proliferate vaccination, and all this in the middle of the automotive trying to find its place in a turbulent new world.
As the first big novelty, Frankfurt was no longer home to the IAA, and that changed many things. The organisers had to adapt to satisfy BMW’s competitors and embraced a brand-new concept to include the city centre accessible via a regular (free) shuttle.
One of the most alarming trends, the IAA Munich had fewer car manufacturers than ever before. This year, the car industry remained absent at an unprecedented level. Most German brands were present, but a very few import brands joined the show while the Chinese exotics did not yet sell cars.
No PSA-FIAT group, none of the Japanese brands were represented. Also, those ones present took things back quite a bit. Previous Mercedes stages were jaw-dropping event halls, but the current one is something you would instead expect at a show outside Germany. At the same time, BMW did not take over the role of the host and did not compensate for the loss of potential.
Don’t get me wrong, IAA Munich offers all the usual treats, from concepts through world premiers to interactive installations. It does its job as both a trade show for new and classic cars as well as a flagship industry event.
Most participating brands set up another stage in the city centre to showcase their models and bring the whole IAA experience closer to the general population for free! This might be a new way forward in response to the pandemic, and it also seemed to work. In the sunny afternoon, the centre of Munich was filled with locals and visitors to discover the city and the prospects of mobility together.
All this made the IAA Munich a unique experience even for regular show-goers, and with test drives and sightseeing, the IAA might leave you entertained for days. You might be surprised to see IAA in second place. Still, in the end, we felt that another major car event made ore efforts and fitted better into our centre of interest.
- Zoute GP is an award-winning extravaganza
This year’s Zoute Grand Prix combines high-end lifestyle and art events with cars and offers a diverse variety of programs encompassing a classic (regularity) Rallye, a GT Tour (for modern-day sports cars and supercars), car and art expositions, a really spectacular Concours d’Elégance and an exquisite Auction.
The new car show segment might be no match for the IAA, as the entire Prado Zoute exhibition takes place in a single exhibition tent, but even that offered more brands than the IAA.
And what a selection! Most high-end manufacturers were there, showcasing rarities and special editions like the McLaren Elva or Aston Martin or the new De Tomaso. Also, quite a few mainstream premium brands showcased their best and bravest, like Polestar’s entire range, BMW’s IAA premiere cars or Mercedes brand new electric luxury EQS and its largest SUV with a luxury Maybach treatment.
Altogether, Zoute attracted more brands to exhibit than the IAA, which is a bit sad for the latter.
Apparently, we were not the only ones leaving impressed. Since last October, the organisers also have the paper to prove that they are that good. The Zoute GP received the motoring event of the year award at the 2021 Historic Motoring Awards. We certainly won’t argue with them…
