ClassicAuto Madrid 2015

This weekend the sixth edition of ClassicAuto takes place in Madrid, one of the region’s most important events for lovers of vintage vehicles, their restoration and the collecting of car-related objects. The Barcelona-based company ERMEvents continues to run the organisation and, except in 2013, the fair has remained loyal to the Pabellón de Cristal in Madrid’s Casa de Campo.

In 2015, ClassicAuto retains the essential components of its formula, such as the buying and selling of vehicles between private individuals, the flea market for parts and accessories, and the themed exhibitions, renewing some of the content these sections offer, to which others have been added to make this edition stand out from the rest.

The quantity and variety of cars has decreased compared with other years.Although the show occupies all three floors of the pavilion, this year the balance of exhibitor categories is less evenly matched than in previous years. Precisely those that may interest car enthusiasts have seen their size reduced, particularly the commercial exhibitors on the upper floor and the Private Owners’ Area on the lower floor, where the genuine classics have been somewhat overshadowed by more modern models.

Let us review the ClassicAuto 2015 offering, focusing on what concerns four wheels:

New Additions

The Centre for R&D+i of Seat in Martorell is celebrating its fortieth anniversary this year, an occasion it has taken advantage of to display some of its most outstanding works on the upper floor of the Pabellón de Cristal. My colleague Francisco Javier detailed them for you more thoroughly this week, and among them is its first creation, the 1200 Sport

and certain prototypes conceived by that technical centre, such as the Tango from 2001.

The magazine Coches Clásicos of Grupo V is also celebrating a birthday, and for its tenth anniversary it has moved four of the five Alpina cars featured in its special in issue 117 from November 2014 to its ClassicAuto space. A pity that the oldest of them all, the B2 based on the 3.0 CSL [E9], was the one absent from the event.

Vehicles once used by firefighters have appeared several times at the Madrid fair in one form or another. In this edition, the Madrid fire brigade has its own space, where visitors can closely admire gems from its museum collection such as this Dennis from 1949

or this Seat 1400 A from 1958.

Updated Sections

Most of ClassicAuto’s sections will be familiar to those who have attended previous editions. Many of the exhibitors returning this year have changed the content of their spaces, thus maintaining the interest of an essential part of the event.

The cars taking part in the Frederique Constant Concours of Elegance are always highly attractive, and its fourth edition brings together fourteen convertibles from 1940 or earlier, such as this Buick Special Convertible Coupé [46-C] from 1938.

Their owners will compete tomorrow, Sunday, for the “Frederique Constant” Best of the Show award from the jury and the ClassicAuto award from the public, after taking part in the parade which starts at twelve noon. Period costumes and staging add points, so this will be one of the most entertaining activities.

Porsche, a regular at the show, has a modest collection whose only striking distinction is a pair of 911 Targa, a 964 and a 991, which allows comparison of the evolution of this body style across two non-consecutive generations of the German sports car.

Both on the upper and lower floors, traditional ClassicAuto exhibitors can be recognised. Its sixth edition brings together the most curious cars on the upper floor, where specialist companies dealing in classics or restoring them are found. The Lancia Flaminia Sport 3C Zagato Tipo 824.13 from 1962 (174 units built by the Milanese coachbuilder between that year and 1963) from Juan Lumbreras attracts many glances.

Cars 1247 is looking to give a new life to this Pierce-Arrow Model 126 from 1929,

a project similar to the one that has just been completed with this three-wheeler Roa Raymar from 1959.

The Valladolid-based Classic Cars Gallery makes room for this BMW 326 Cabriolet.

And the online auction site Escrapalia, with one of the largest corners on the floor, offers the chance to look at this Studebaker Champion from 1954,

this especially friendly Goggomobil T400

or this Ghia 1500 GT from 1966 disguised as a “barn find”. Designed by Sergio Coggiola, the Turin coachbuilder produced 846 examples of this model between 1962 and 1967, based on a shortened version of the chassis of the Fiat 1500, whose engine of around 70 CV it also borrowed.

The upper floor also houses several clubs for particular marques or models that are regulars at ClassicAuto. Their spaces are somewhat narrow in certain cases, which leads to pairings as disparate as the Club BMW Serie 3 and the Club Español Amigos del Renault 4/4.

The exceptions are found in others, such as the corner shared by the Alfa Romeo and Lancia España clubs, a combination that results in a Alfa Romeo 4C and a Lancia Delta HF Integrale II [836] becoming neighbours,

or the example of the Club Nacional Seat 124, 1430 and 124 Sport.

Private Owners’ Area

Although it has decreased compared with previous editions, the private sales corner still discreetly holds some interesting or rare models among those whose owners persevere year after year in trying to find a new home.

This Peugeot 403 Grand Luxe sports the new grille it received in 1963, but it may need a bit more to win over its next owner.

Even less discreet is this Lancia Flaminia 2.8 Berlina registered in 1967, fitted with the V8 engine with three carburettors that produced 128 CV.

Six years earlier, this Fiat 1100 Familiare “Export” [103H] was registered in the province of Barcelona.

As I mentioned above, an unfortunately not insignificant number of vehicles for sale in this section could hardly be considered true “classics”, a factor that is not unique to this event. Nevertheless, curious cars are hidden among them. Here is an Elan [M100] conceived by Kia under licence from Lotus between 1996 and 1997. The Korean brand replaced the 1.6-litre Isuzu engine with a 1.8-litre unit of Mazda origin that produced 153 CV.

Alternative Activities

One of the attractions of ClassicAuto lies in the activities that complete its programme and add variety beyond the car and motorcycle exhibitors. Besides those included in the Concours of Elegance, other award ceremonies dedicated to four-wheeled vehicles that have been organised include the Golden Car of the Year of the sixties decade, awarded yesterday to the 12, and the biennial awards of the Spanish Federation of Vintage Vehicles (FEVA).

Ángel Nieto is not the only illustrious figure honoured at the fair, as there is also another for the classic collector Roberto Coll. And the artists who draw inspiration from the vast culture of the automobile are gaining importance thanks to the new areas the organisation has prepared for them.

The Exterior

It happens quite often at classic events that the vehicles parked outside match or even surpass the originality of what is displayed inside. The six owners’ club gatherings scheduled for 2015 within ClassicAuto preserve this aspect of the event and represent another of its most notable assets.

No club gathered next to the Pabellón de Cristal on Friday, but even so one could come across exotic species of very diverse kinds. From an unusual Borgward Hansa 1800 Diesel from 1955…

…to a 512 BB.

Not the best year

ClassicAuto cannot live solely on the charm of the Pabellón de Cristal and on encouraging the participation of traders, classic owners and attendees.ClassicAuto is often credited with elements that make up its charm, such as the location of the Pabellón de Cristal and the encouragement of interaction between enthusiasts and traders at its flea markets, gatherings and many secondary activities. However, the event cannot depend on these alone if it intends to rub shoulders again with the higher-level events that currently exist in Spain.

Overly wide aisles and a decrease in the quantity and variety of cars on display convey an impression that does not flatter ClassicAuto. Although these shortcomings have been patched up with more spaces for vintage motorcycles and content of other kinds, the reality is that the fair still suffers from a decline that sets it apart from other more important ones in our country.

Visitors will almost certainly find something to capture their interest, but the 2015 edition will not be remembered as one of the most memorable in the history of the Madrid show, including that of its predecessor Retromóvil.

Photos | Guillermo Arnal