RETRO Messen stands for the organization and implementation of outstanding events and trade fairs in the field of driving culture. First and foremost are the RETRO CLASSICS® trade fair in Stuttgart, the world’s largest trade fair for driving culture, as well as RETRO CLASSICS BAVARIA® in Nuremberg and EuroMotor® – the trade fair for luxury automobiles and upscale lifestyle.
In addition to the trade fairs, they organize additional events such as the RETRO season opener and finale or the Festival of Classic Cars.
Easy Engineering: What are the main areas of activity of the organization?
Our main business are the trade fairs in Stuttgart and Nuremberg. The smaller side events mainly serve to promote the trade fairs. The trade fair organization covers every single aspect from acquisition, placement and handling to implementation.
E.E: What’s the news for 2024 about new directions?
We don’t want to reinvent the wheel. We want visitors and exhibitors to find their favorite meeting place as they know it. At the same time, we see potential for further development. Keywords are trade fair structure, feel-good atmosphere and quality of stay. Our aim is to extend the length of stay by offering additional services. We will create more clarity in the halls: Visitors should be able to find their way around immediately if they are looking for something specific. Otherwise, changes only make sense if we can guarantee consistent quality for visitors and exhibitors.
E.E: What can you tell us about market trends?
We can already see that the issue of sustainability is becoming increasingly important. There is nothing more sustainable than continuing to use a car once it has been produced. In addition, the traditional aspect of classic car driving is becoming more important, also as a differentiation from electromobility and alternative drive systems, which are increasingly shaping our everyday lives. Classic vehicles remain an emotional topic. We are currently noticing this in the great interest that the NEO CLASSICS® area is arousing among the public. The market is rather saturated at the moment, but there are signs that it will pick up again in the near future. Classic cars remain a growth market, also economically. The perspective will change: What used to be considered a hobby for older snobs will become cool again, that is our firm conviction.
E.E: What estimations do you have for 2024?
As our visitor numbers for RETRO CLASSICS® 2023 already exceeded the pre-coronavirus figures, we are looking forward to a successful trade fair. The automotive metropolis of Stuttgart alone is a unique selling point, and its proximity to Italy and Switzerland opens up great potential. The direct proximity of an airport is a big plus. We will be organizing a large special show on tuning icons from the 80s and 90s, which are attracting growing interest in the scene. The anniversary of the Porsche Turbo is the occasion for an exhibition on supercharged vehicles. Entry-level classic cars will play a bigger role than before and will have their own area. And we will involve another target group via the Invest trade fair, which is taking place at the same time. Visitors to Invest will also be able to visit Retro Classics with their admission tickets.