We continue after our first impressions, covering thematic exhibitions and museums. Now we continue with the factory and trader stages.
Retromobile is the only classic car show now that still features a wide selection of factory stages.
Factory stages bring an unrivalled flair to classic car shows with grand design, unique masterpieces, and much substance for fans. The two longtime champions of this discipline were Rétromobile and Techno Classica. However, manufacturers picked up the pace slowly after COVID-19, with many reporting absences, and the German show is now staring into the abyss. By now, Rétromobile recovered fully, boasting a wide variety of manufacturers. Domestic and import brands ensured their presence or were honoured by contributions from owners, collectors and museums.
The stages are arranged by brands and not by conglomerates, following the styling and themes of the dedicated brand museums, established long before company mergers. Citroën, Renault, Alpine and DS are strong domestic players at this year’s Retromobile, boasting a comprehensive stage featuring classics, icons and memorabilia.
Citroen brought some of its weirdest concepts and arguably stole the show with them.
DS revived our favourite theme from 2018, the presidential DS cars from De Gaulle to Macron.
Peugeot honoured its iconic GTI series, and Renault its brand-new Clio. Alpine showcased the bloodline of its outgoing A110.
Opel came with a compact but really comprehensive stage, and so did Alfa Romeo.
The VW Group returned with three car brands, honouring the anniversary of its iconic Golf, while Skoda built a truly comprehensive stage.
Also, Porsche and Mercedes are back with interesting icons and artefacts.
In addition to local heroes and the usual participants, Retromobile attracts overseas manufacturers. This year, Mazda and Honda exhibited, and the brand from Hiroshima came with a full salvo, including a Le Mans-winning Wankel Group C Sportscar.
Honda showcased its new Prelude with two predecessor generations.
We missed a few high-end brands from last year, but to be fair, some of the high-end brands moved into Hall 4 to showcase at the Supercar Garage, which may have drained their resources. But we still get to see exotics like an entire club space dedicated to Riva next to a truck-sized boat.
Factories are not the end of this, some club stages recall factory levels, like the Volvo Club stage honouring the Amazon series, or the B Bugatti Trust Fund from the UK.
Some specialists built quite impressive stages, like HK Engineering, but even associations like the FIA and FIVA secured a few head-turners.
Collectors and traders’ stages are still a whopping experience.
Rétromobile is the grand arena for traders, showcasing their best cars, usually following particular themes. These stages often surpass factory museums in terms of rarities and exquisite pieces.
This is an absolute highlight, as no other show attracts such a prestigious community. Girardo conjured a full house of Hypercar Ferraris from 288GTO to LaFerrari, a feat not many could pull off. Kidston showcased a McLaren F1 Longtail and the hero car of the James Bond movie On Her Majesty’s Secret Service. Fiskens presented the 2010 F1 world champion car of Brawn GP (gifted to Button after the season).
The best stages, like those of Kidston, Fiskens, Girardo, Joe Macari, or Aaldering, offer an unmatched collection of rarities. During these days, we got to see more Ferrari 275GTB/4s and 250SWBs than the rest of the year, especially if you add stages like the Chopard or Richard Mille stages.
Retromobile 2026 offers an immense range of activities for all budgets.
Retromobile also stands out among high-end events for its art exhibitors, both in quality and quantity. In the arts’ valley in the main hall, everyone will find their own need, be it a classic traveller chest, art made of car parts, or car-themed paintings.
For those with a limited budget, there is a large corner of die-cast dealers, though some larger-scale models cost as much as the affordable cars in Hall 4. We left with great souvenirs from this corner.
There are several simulator spots, including one at the Mercedes and one at the Opel booth. The show indeed offers something for every interest.
As last year, Retromobile also hosts a dedicated luxury watch exhibition called “Time on show” in Hall 7.3.
All in all, Retromobile 2026 was an incredible adrenaline rush with luxury second to none. But be warned: the show simply cannot be covered in a single day, with its numerous add-ons such as the Paris Action Week and the Supercar Garage.
