Rétromobile 2011, Paris

This year’s Rétromobile sees 300 international exhibitors and around 400 cars gathering in Paris, and the organisers are anticipating a total attendance throughout the event of some 80,000 automotive enthusiasts.

Every year, Rétromobile grows in size and popularity, thanks to the successful mix of manufacturers, dealers, classic cars and auction houses. The five-day event sees such brands as Bentley, BMW and Mercedes-Benz present both highly polished classics and new concepts, while another highlight of the show is the Artcurial auction on Friday 4 February – as well as Bonhams on Saturday 5 February. The results of both auctions will be available on Classic Driver.

Rétromobile 2011, Paris

For the first time, Classic Driver dealer Duncan Hamilton & Co is displaying no fewer than 12 cars from the ROFGO Gulf Collection, splendid in their orange-blue Gulf Oil livery. The cars include the first Le Mans Gulf race car, a Mirage from 1967, plus three McLarens and three Porsches, including the second-placed 1971 Le Mans Porsche 917. There’s also a display celebrating the centenary of the birth of Juan Manuel Fangio, with four cars he made into legends, and plasma screens showing films of Fangio’s trials and races.

Less dramatically, there’s also a celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Renault 4, arguably the French brand’s greatest success. Launched in 1961, the Renault 4 stayed in production right through to 1992, at which point more than 8 million had been built. If, however, you want to know what motoring was like 242 years ago… there’s a replica of Nicolas Cugnot’s ‘Fardier’ steam engine of 1769, claimed to be the ‘first self-propelled vehicle in the world’.

Rétromobile 2011, Paris

For many, younger visitors, a highlight of Rétromobile could be the classic cars of the 1970s and 1980s, now enjoying increasing popularity; others will prefer the displays put on by the numerous Classic Driver dealers who are exhibiting at this truly superb show. For example, from the UK comes Fiskens – with its biggest-ever stand at Rétromobile, displaying a striking array of pre-War tourers, 1950s sport-racers and 1960s GTs; along with Lincolnshire-based Hall & Hall, another Rétromobile regular, displaying some of the world’s most desirable competition cars.