Events : Preview – Techno Classica Essen 2014

Words : Alexander Boucke Photography: S.I.H.A., AROnline archive

Techno-Classica Essen

Trying to avoid superlatives is difficult when talking about one of the world’s largest classic car shows but, with more than 220 club displays, 27 car manufacturers and about 2500 cars on offer, we think this is justified. The 26th Techno Classica opens its gates on 26 March. AROnline will be there and reporting about the highlights from the show.

If you come to Essen and expect row after row of ADO16s, Hillman Imps and Landcrabs, please don’t hold your breath – you’ll be disappointed and should probably have a look around the next local UK show. However, for everyone with just a tiny drop of petrol in their veins, there will be quite a few extraordinary displays. Jaguar will celebrate the legendary D-type on the largest display they ever had in Essen. Mini will, of course, remind us of the sensational win of the rally Monte Carlo 50 years ago.

The centre stage in Hall Six will be hosting a special display of Maserati and Zagato sports cars. There will be a selection of Alfa Romeo, Aston Martin, Ferrari, Fiat, Lancia and Maserati fitted with the extraordinary and often excentric bodywork by Zagato. Mercedes-Benz will gather the biggest display of sports and race cars to be seen outside of their works collection: the vast area of Hall One will host the display ‘Magical Moments – 120 Years of Motorsport’ with 36 cars.

The Zeithaus collection from Wolfsburg will show seven pairs of rear-engine, air-cooled and front-wheel-drive water-cooled cars to show the break in Volkswagen’s development. On 29 March there will be a celebration of the 40th Anniversary of the production start of the VW Golf. Aston Martin will have their own display for the second time and dip into the rich history of motor sport.

The Techno Classica would not be complete without the clubs. Themed displays will make the show the place to meet for classic car fans from all over Europe. So the same as every year? We don’t think so – even to have a close look at all the new to Essen displays, a single day is hardly long enough so, if you’ve got the time, plan to visit on two days.

You want to go there? From the UK you can obviously drive your car to Essen but, for the quick visit, there are other options: find a plane from you nearest airport to Cologne, Düsseldorf or Weeze – plenty of budget flights should be available. If living in the vicinity of London taking the Eurostar to Brussels and then changing onto an TGV to Cologne will get you most of the way quickly and comfortable – from Cologne, a local train to Essen will cover the rest of the journey.

AROnline’s Keith Adams, Alexander Boucke and Richard Kilpatrick will be on the Jaguar Heritage stand between 14:00 and 15:00 on Friday and Saturday 28-29 March and will look forward to meeting any readers who visit the show.

See www.siha.de for details.

Paddy Hopkirk

Alexander Boucke

8 Comments

  1. I was last year on three big classic car shows in the german and austrian aera.
    As a Rover fan I had to say that in Essen there were only two Rovers on display. In Stuttgart there were five Rovers on display but on the smalest show in Tulln in Austria (nearby Vienna) there was a big Rover exibititon (50 Years Rover P6 with all the different P6 models (inclusive a Tourer, a 1964 barn find,….
    and a Rover 75 (new model),a Rover P4 100 prototype and a 1976 3500 SD1).
    As I remember there were about 11 Rovers on display!

  2. I’m going this year. Can you get a transfer bus from the airport or is it best to take the trains? Ideas on costs most helpful. I will be flying in on the Friday and attending the show on Saturday.

    • @dolomitefan: there is some travel information on the website of the show, linked into the article. Assuming airport Düsseldorf, from there it is easy enough to get a train to Essen main station.

  3. Thanks. There was mention of a bus from Dusseldorf airport but there was no indication of the cost. Either way hopefully we’ll make it there and come along and say Hello

    • I usually drive by car, but I remember that the local trains from Düsseldorf to Essen also stop at the Airport, so use a local train (numbers with RE…) to Essen main station (Essen HBF) and from then the undergroud to Messe/Gruga. Should cost less than 20 Euros and take about 45 minutes. The website mentions that Messe Essen has an information desk at Düsseldorf airport and that during certain events they’ll run shuttle buses. If you’ve got an Android phone (and use internet on foreign travel), there is the brilliant app “Öffi” helping you out in every possible way with public transport.

  4. I’m heading over this year, me and a mate are heading over on motorcycles via the Hull ferry. Very much looking forward to it.

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