Rétromobile | 31 January - 4 February
For us at Classic Driver, going to Paris for Rétromobile in early February is always a nice tradition. We meet our clients and long-time companions, marvel at the latest cars for sale, scout for the latest trends at the auctions – and rub shoulders with our team mates (who actually do exist outside of our Zoom meetings!) over a nice Parisian dinner. What could be a better way to get into the groove for the collector car year?
The I.C.E. St. Moritz | 23-24 February
In just a few years, Ronnie Kessel and his team have turned The I.C.E. into one of the most high-class concours events of the year. The coachbuilt classics, concept cars and racing legends are on a par with the automobiles competing at Villa d’Este and Pebble Beach – with the little difference that at The I.C.E., they don’t stand on grass or gravel, but drift around the ice of the frozen St. Moritz lake. So if you haven’t been there before, don’t miss your chance to experience the sub-zero coolest event of the winter.
Geneva Motor Show | 26 February - 3 March
Motor shows have been proclaimed dead again and again. But now the greatest, most iconic show of them all makes a comeback for its centenary celebrations: After a four-year hiatus, the Geneva Motor Show returns to its origins – and promises a 100th birthday party to remember. If the old larger-than-life show format with its blockbuster unveilings, smiling hostesses and blasting music still works? We’ll definitely have a look.
Concorso d'Eleganza Kyoto | 12-14 April
Now this is an event we have been eagerly waiting for since the last edition in spring 2019: Just in time for the hanami season, Japan’s car collectors will reveal their most secret cars for the Concorso d'Eleganza Kyoto. The display of mainly European, impossible-to-find unicorn cars at Nijo-jo Castle, right in the heart of the old imperial city, is nothing short of mind-blowing – and we certainly won’t miss the opportunity to join the five-day road trip from Kyoto to Tokyo as well.
Update: Unfortunately the Concorso d'Eleganza Kyoto has been cancelled.
Como Car Week | 24-26 May
On the last weekend of May, the beautiful shores of Lake Como in Northern Italy turn into the center of the collector car world. First, there’s the incomparable (and highly exclusive) Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este where the most elegant cars of all times compete for the “Best of Show” trophy. Meanwhile, BMW Classic has set up a more casual Amici & Automobili event format at Villa Erba, while our friends from FuoriConcorso will again take over their trademark lakeview villas for another open-air exhibition of automotive excellence – a format we are very much looking forward to support as a partner. This year’s theme? Still top secret! Furthermore, we heard through the grapevine that there might be even more satellite events happening around the lake this year – so don’t even think about missing Como Car Week this year!
Ultrace | 29-30 June
If you want to sober up from the champagne-fueled grandezza of Lake Como, just to elevate your mind to the latest trends in stance, tuning and custom car culture, Ultrace’s headline event in Wrocław, Poland, should be high on your bucket list for 2024. After last year’s highly successful event, Classic Driver and our friends from Rennmeister will certainly make a comeback during the show – and we cannot wait to see the latest DIY creations that are currently being built in garages all across the world. If automotive archaeologists dig for the archetypal cars of our day and age, these will certainly be the machines they excavate with the most excitement.
British Classic Car Meeting | 4-7 July
British car culture is held high in the Engadin – and this year, the British Classic Car Meeting is celebrating its 30th anniversary at the venerable Suvretta House in St. Moritz. After last year’s event put the spotlight on the cars of the royals, this year’s BCCM will pay tribute to trademark British adventurism and sportsmanship with a ‘Safari Edition’. So expect to see well-battered Land Rovers – and, who knows, maybe even a dessert-racing Rolls-Royce – on some of the world’s most beautiful alpine roads during the rallye.
Concours of Elegance Germany | 22-27 July
You will certainly see us at London Concours and Hampton Court Palace – but one of the events we are most excited about in 2024 is the all-new Concours of Elegance spin-off at Gut Kaltenbrunn near Tegernsee in Bavaria. Together with A. Lange & Söhne, Classic Driver is an official partner of the event, with J.P. Rathgen leading the jury, so we are looking very much forward to finally bring the most elegant British concours event formula to Germany – and see which precious automobiles local collectors have hidden within their garages.
Monterey Car Week | 9-18 August
It’s certainly the biggest gathering of the global car community – and even if the amount of must-attend events is a challenge for even the most organized timekeeper, Monterey Car Week cannot be missed. We are looking forward to The Quail and a day at Laguna Seca, but still the most important event is the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. This year’s featured classes will celebrate the 125thanniversary of Packard and the 75th birthday of Maserati, the coachbuilt masterpieces of Frua and – two themes we particularly look forward to –wedge-shaped concept cars as well as 1990s BPR & FIA GT racers!
Goodwood Revival | 6-8 September
By now, we will probably have shared a pint at the 81st Goodwood Members’ Meeting in April and marvelled at the wildest racers storming up the hill at Goodwood Festival of Speed. But to us, the petrol-infused nostalgia of Goodwood Revival is hard to beat. This year will be especially exciting, as the cars in all 13 races will be powered only with sustainable fuel. If this is the future of historic racing, count us in!
