April 8-12, 2026
Following a lull of several years, FIVA was once again present with it's own stand at Retro Classics Essen, from 8 to 12 April 2026.
This presence was made possible thanks to the strong support of ADAC, the German national representative of FIVA, and, by sharing the space with a FIVA founding member, the Allgemeiner Schnauferl Club. This synergy proved fruitful in many ways and was one of the reasons the FIVA presence was a clear success.
A historic vehicle fair brings together a wide range of audiences: enthusiasts and families alongside major collectors, professionals and representatives of clubs and federations. The ADAC–ASC–FIVA area became a vibrant and lively hub for all these groups, with continuous activity throughout the event.
This success could be attributed to several factors, however the vehicles on display played a key role. Visitors were taken on a journey through time, from a 1914 Wanderer motorcycle—winner of the FIVA Best Preserved Award at the famous Ibbenbüren Rally—to a 2001 MG MGF Trophy 160, representing the growing interest in youngtimers. The display also included rare and fascinating vehicles ranging from a 1903 Buat Polaire, a regular participant in the legendary London to Brighton Run to a1913 Pierce-Arrow truck, which further highlighted the importance of utilitarian heritage.
Throughout the fair, the ADAC stand hosted a series of engaging talks covering different aspects of historic vehicle culture, including restoration, insurance and certification.
The presentations were led by noted historic vehicle expert Johannes Hübner, while Johann Koenig of ADAC was the welcoming presence at the heart of the stand, greeting visitors and reinforcing the spirit of openness and exchange.
The neighbouring FIVA stand attracted a steady flow of professional partners and international representatives including from two of the FIVA national representatives, namely from the LOF of Luxembourg, Sandra Heinisch
and Bert Pronk from FEHAC, the Dutch national representative. They were joined by many long-standing and new friends of FIVA from around the world, including former FIVA President, Tiddo Bresters.
The FIVA Utilitarian Commission deserves special mention, having held two meetings during the fair. The first was a working group focused on increasing the visibility of commercial vehicles within the FIVA scene. A delegation led by Timo Vuortio also visited the impressive historic bus exhibition curated by well known enthusiasts Konrad Auwärter and Holger Hahn. This was undoubtedly one of the highlights of the fair, featuring an impressive long-distance coach and the famous “McDonald’s bus”, a luxurious setting once used by the well-known entrepreneur to sign contracts with partners and clients. This unique vehicle also served as the gathering place for a meeting of the Utilitarian Commission, providing an excellent opportunity to explore new ways of promoting FIVA’s vision within this increasingly important sector of the historic vehicle movement in a truly unique environment.
Among the other highlights of the fair, it is worth mentioning the presence of three Bugatti Royale recreations which attracted significant public attention, as well as a stunning 1924 Hispano-Suiza Tulipwood Torpedo, winner of the Pebble Beach Best of Show Award in 2025—a remarkable example of craftsmanship combining wood and metal.
The strong presence of German brand clubs, such as Mercedes-Benz and BMW, was also notable throughout the exhibition halls.
Retro Classics Essen also provided an opportunity to celebrate FIVA’s 60th anniversary. The occasion brought together stakeholders, representatives of member clubs and political supporters such as Bernd Lange and Carsten Müller of the European Parliament . The symbolic cake-cutting ceremony marked six decades of commitment to safeguarding automotive heritage worldwide.
During the celebration, speakers emphasized the importance of preserving historic vehicles for future generations—a mission that FIVA has championed since its foundation. Over the past 60 years, FIVA has consistently played a leading role in promoting, protecting and providing a voice to the global historic vehicle community. Retro Classics Essen proved to be a valuable platform for connection and networking, offering FIVA the opportunity to strengthen relationships with its ANFs, build new partnerships and reinforce existing ones, particularly in Germany.
The continuous flow of visitors to the stand reflected the strong engagement of the community and served as more than a traditional trade fair presence, the overall atmosphere was that of a family gathering, where shared values, passion and history came together to shape the future of the movement.
Our sincere thanks go to not only ADAC for their support and hospitality, in particular to Messrs. Karlheinz Jungbeck and Johann Koenig, but also the Allgemeiner Schnauferl Club, especially Wolfgang Preisinger and Wolfgang “Bobby” Kraemer.
We also thank the FIVA delegation comprising of Senior Vice President Jos Theuns, Utilitarian Director Timo Vuortio and Secretary General Gian Mario Mollar.
