Factory stages bring an uncomparable flair to classic car shows with grand design and unique masterpieces, and a lot of substance for fans. Rétromobile can boast with an unrivalled variety, as Italian, British and German manufacturers equally ensure their presence beside the local heroes.
Due to this flourishing presence of private stages, I will boost the article with brand specialists without factory affiliation.
Thus the stage of Richard Mille, HK Engineering, or the Maserati specialist Trident Classiche will be included, even if the amount of sights blows the report into two parts.
Aston Martin: a bouquet of exquisite classics
For the 45th Rétromobile, Aston Martin Works brought a wide variety of classic cars, all for sale following thorough factory restoration. It seemed like they rolled out from showroom this morning, straight into a time machine. Except for that unfinished one…
The red Aston Martin V8 Vantage X-Pack was presented as the ultimate saloon derived from the AMV8.
The Aston Martin DB6 was first presented as a wedding present by a husband hopelessly in love with his wife before the couple set off on a trip around England.
The 1959 Aston Martin DB4 Series was sold new in Paris and then from 1985 to 2007 was part of a collection of classic Aston Martins.
I also added a photo of a DB2 exhibited separately but could have been well worth a podium on the factory stage.
Bugatti showcased three masterpieces for its three epochs
Given last year’s 110th anniversary, Bugatti’s history has been in the limelight and many of the cars I could admire at events and museums.
From Bugatti Tank to the 2020 Bugatti Divo: the most impressive Bugatti exhibition ever
This year’s Bugatti stage is larger and more impressive than the anniversary year with three cars and more decoration. One reason for that is the presentation of a certification programme for its more recent models (under the title La Maison Pur Sang).
To cover the entire spectrum of the history of the brand, Bugatti showcased three iconic models taken from the three major chapters of its history. Each of them was a supercar of their era, second to none.
The first period was characterized by the ingenuity of the Bugatti family (primarily Ettore and Jean) represented by a light blue Type 35.
This model was unveiled on 3 August 1924 and went on to be the most successful Bugatti racing model.
With over 2000 victories, the Type 35 is one of the most successful racing cars of all time. It is an iconic pre-war model that continues its success on auctions these days.
The second chapter was opened through the work of Romano Artioli, an Italian entrepreneur. He revived the brand and in 1991 and created the EB110, a vehicle with Four-wheel drive, a 3.5-litre V12 engine, 560 hp and a torque of 611 Nm, making it the fastest production car of its time. In the EB110 SS (Super Sport) version, it drove up to 351 km/h.
The car remained a rarity that today steals the show at any car exhibition. The 110th anniversary gave plenty of opportunities to see a few EB110 models, but I can’t recall any car that was showcased with the intention to sell it.
There was also a duo of EB 110ss showcased next to the main stage, but they were already covered by the time I reached the stage.
The current epoch is represented by a blue bicolour Veyron. This model embodied the resurrection of the iconic brand under VW ownership, and its specs were worthy of the legendary name.
It was powered by an eight-litre 16-cylinder engine with over 1000 hp, which accelerates the coupé to over 400 km/h. It was the first production car with over 1,000 hp and also the first car that reached 400 km/h. In 2010, the 1200 hp Veyron Super Sport set another speed record with a top speed of 431 km/h.
FIAT-Chrysler heritage showcased an illustrious history for three of its brands
Arguably the most important car anniversary of 2020 is the 110th birthday of the Alfa Romeo brand. It is becoming a major thematic throughout the year and around the world, as every major car show boast thematic stages, and several museums announced Alfa Romeo exhibitions. I can already tell you, there is a lot of stuff coming to readers, from Sinsheim to Autoworld.
The Italian-American group kicked off the celebrations linked to Alfa Romeo’s 110th birthday in Paris, presenting its Heritage programme’s most recent developments. Rétromobile has always been a special place for FCA Heritage, also because of the warm welcome by private collectors and success at actions. Last year, Lukas Hüni honoured the Lancia brand with a brilliant stage, this year they had an eye on Alfa Romeo.
The best private collector stages at Rétromobile – reach for the stars
Last year, the star of the Rétromobile 2019 by Artcurial Motorcars auction was actually a superb 1939 Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B Touring Berlinetta, which found a new owner for more than €16 million!
The most awesome carspotting experience at Rétromobile is the Auction
To celebrate the make’s 110th birthday, FCA was showcasing three Alfa Romeos. The first one is the very first Alfa Romeo ever built (the Alfa Romeo 24HP).
It is accompanied by the new 2020 Alfa Romeo Giulia and the famous 6C 1500 SS which ensured the transalpine brand’s status among the legends of motor racing.
FCA also celebrated 40 years of the Fiat Panda and featured three specimens from the very first 1980 Fiat Panda 30 to the 2006 Panda Jolly and the City Cross Trussardi.
Finally, the group pleasing Lancia Delta Integrale owners and fans by a specimen.
Lamborghini – Miuras in the spotlight at Polo Storico
Polo Storico is Lamborghini’s factory restoration division aims to preserve and promote Lamborghini’s heritage. They usually showcase a project and a final car to illustrate their craftsmanship.
The Miuras that the Polo Storico department was showing at Rétromobile have been restored by specialist engineers and mechanics following factory practices and to original specifications.
The private stages, however, can often be up to the challenge, when it comes to historic Lamborghinis. This was particularly illustrated by last year’s Kidston stage, who gathered specimens like the one used for the Geneva premiere or another one-off tailor-made for the Shah of Iran.
Maserati
The elite Italian brand was not represented by FCA Heritage or a factory classic division, but by Maserati specialist Trident Classiche, that brought a superb selection of Maserati from all epochs, sizes and colours.
The newest car of the collection was a Barchetta from 1991, a mid-engine race car developed for the one-make racing series Grantrofeo Barchetta.
The Khamsin is a 2 + 2 coupe with front V8 engine designed by Marcelo Gandini paired with a red Mexico 4700.
The yellow Bora 4700 and the red Ghibli Spyder 4700 brings some colour to the exhibition, but it’s not like they would not steal the show.
The green Goblin, I mean Ghibli is followed with red Mistral Spyder.
Finally, the Trident line-up is concluded by two silver classics from the brand’s golden age, a 3500 GT Spyder Vignale and a 3500 GTi Touring.
McLaren F1 in the spotlight of the Richard Mille stage
For the past few years, Swiss luxury watchmaker Richard Mille honours McLaren with stages dedicated to the racing success of the British brand. These stages are my personal favourites when it comes to McLaren, often outshining the factory stages at international car shows.
This year, the Richard Mille stage brings together several examples of the famous three-seater F1 road along with its predecessor and the current Senna GTR.
This GTR must have a hectic schedule, as a GTR with a fairly similar livery was showcased at the Autoworld last December.
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One of the most exciting cars of the stage was the super rare M6 GT, the very first road-legal McLaren. The M6 GT is based on the M6A Can-Am race car, and only three specimens were produced. It actually did not serve homologation purposes, but the story went the other way around.
In essence, failing to meet the required production of 50 to enter the GT category at Le Mans, some of the remaining cars were converted into rad cars. The specs were quite promising: the vehicle was equipped with the 5.7-litre V8 with 375 horsepower for a meagre weight of 750 kilos.
The road-legal F1s are presented by an early production car that stayed with the factory for quite a few years.
The 1997 McLaren GTR F1 Longtail with chassis nr 22R is familiar from the next major show, the Retro Classics Stuttgart as well. The Longtail was presented as part of the Rofgo Collection.
This Longtail GTR was developed in 1997 when McLaren designed a revised F1 race version to compete with the new racecars developed by Mercedes.
The black race car was actually familiar from an earlier Richard Mille stage.
The silver 1995 McLaren F1 GTR #05R Art Car by César is one of the Art Cars, driven by the person who called the Art Car series to life: Mr Hervé Poulain. The car’s most memorable appearance was at the 24 Hours of Le Mans where it sported a striking art-car livery and finished 13th overall.
Mercedes HQ was absent, but that didn’t matter – HK Engineering’s gullwing galore
Mercedes HQ was absent from Rétromobile in the past few years, and so was the elegant and stylish stage of the factory Museum. Nevertheless, the prestige of the brand was well illustrated by the presence of their models from all epochs and categories. From Patentwagen replicas through the EUR 10 million pre-war Mercedes-Benz 710 SS Sport Tourer at the Artcurial auction to the modern-day SLS grand tourers.
The most prominent flagship of Mercedes presence was the stage of HK Engineering, with seven Mercedes-Benz 300 SLs. One particular highlight was a 1958 300 SL Roadster finished in ivory colour that was previously owned by Romy Schneider.
Given the sheer size of the factory presence, I decided to take a rhetorical break and continue with the rest in the net article…
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The ultimate car show and automotive events calendar 2020 – The Coronavirus update December
