Classic Expo - All the Joys of Classic Cars at Messezentrum Salzburg

At Messezentrum Salzburg the assembly phase for the 18th edition of this international classic car expo is in full swing. From the 14th – 16th October, the trade fair halls at the Classic Expo will be bursting with numerous four-wheeled gems.

The Classic Expo welcomes around 300 exhibitors, here to represent a broad range of epochs and milestones in the history of automobiles. There are plenty of classic farmyard and lock-up discoveries on show. The rustic rumble of aged engines and sheen of well-weathered sheet-metal beauties fill the expo halls with the nostalgic sights and sounds of yesteryear.

“The 18th edition of the Classic Expo promises to be a spectacular event, attracting over 300 exhibitors and selling out every last square metre of expo hall space. There’s a magnificent mood of anticipation within the community as we count down to the start. Every participant is ready and willing to get the very most out of this 3-day expo; from professional classic car traders to owners selling their private treasures. This year, all eyes will be on three special displays to delight automobile and motorcycle enthusiasts alike” states a buoyant CEO Alexander Kribus, Mag. (FH), MBA, as he looks ahead to another successful edition of this traditional expo format at the venue.

Special displays of racing bikes and rally cars

This year, the support and close cooperation of numerous automobile clubs has enabled the organisers to set up three special display sections. Fans of eye-catching vintage motorbikes will be gathering at a display entitled ‘Historical Racing Motorcycles’. Under the leadership of the former Austrian racer, Wolfgang Stropek, The Formula Classic Interest Group (or IGFC) will be showcasing a variety of exhibits from past motorcycle racing eras. Speedo needles remain pushed to the limit at the display staged by Rallyesport Promoter gGmbH and Jaguarclub Austria as they celebrate ‘100 Years of Jaguar’, dedicating the showcase to famous faces and racing cars to have represented this feline predator down the decades.

Pedal-to-the-metal side event programme

Those looking to get the most from this year’s side events’ programme will need to belt up and put the hammer down – with so many thrills and so much to see and do from Friday through to Sunday.

On Friday at 10am the author Josef Pointinger will be here to get the event underway as he presents his latest book ‘The Rally Globetrotter’. Then, at 4pm, the engines of the Salt & Oil Rally rev up for a roaring end to the first expo day. The re-start is no less impressive at 10am on Saturday, as numerous historical motorcycles take turns to crank up their distinctive motors for the ‘Racing Engine Symphony’. At 11am there’s an Expert Talk with Michael Fehlmann (Mag.), General Secretary of the AMF (Austrian Motorsport Federation) on ‘Rally sport in Austria’. Later, ‘Non-fungible tokens (NFTs): The next hype or the future for owners and collectors?’ is a truly valuable presentation, as it builds a road bridge between the past, present and future of vintage car ownership as an investment in the digital age. Sunday is the third and final day of the show, and starts at 11am with another fittingly voluminous rumble of the ‘Racing Engine Symphony’. From 11am to 3pm, automobile sports enthusiasts can seize the chance to Meet & Greet the reigning Austrian ORM Rally Champions in person - Simon Wagner, Julian Wagner and Lukas Schindelegger.

While touring the various items on the programme, it makes good sense to take in a lap of the parts market, or a pit stop to see the various service providers, clubs and associations, for expert information on a wide range of issues associated with classic rides.

Auction fever in hall 1

Like every year, the tension is now building ahead of the Dorotheum ‘Classic Cars and Automobilia’ auction to be staged on Saturday at 4pm. This year the Dorotheum is to auction off a total of 66 vehicles. The list of extraordinary vehicles is longer than ever before. The oldest exhibit is a Clément-Bayard from 1912, dating back 110 years. One modern-age highlight is a Lamborghini Countach 25th Anniversary model from 1989, whose first owner was no less than the world-famous ex-driver Mario Andretti.

Once again, thousands of classic car and bike fans will gather in Salzburg to enjoy a sophisticated blend of the refined and the rustic, polished period pieces and garage finds, dealers and private sellers, at one of Europe’s largest classic car and motorbike expos.