Are you ready for Retromobile Paris? On February 3 to 7, 2021, get ready to be amazed and inspired by hundreds of classic automobiles and trucks on display at the Parc de Expositions, Porte de Versailles, in Paris, France. In between sips of espresso and bites on a croissant, salivate on flawlessly repainted and fully restored cars from the yesteryears. In what is slated to be the grandest car show of the first season of 2021, car enthusiasts and automobile experts from across the world are converging to the City of Lights to take part in this must-attend convention.
Aside from the car exhibit, numerous companies with world-class automotive products will also be on-hand to offer visitors everything they need. It can be a full engine rebuild kit, race seats and harnesses, spare parts, and hard-to-find retro interiors and accessories. The show will also feature a great line-up of motorbikes, car clubs, motoring federations, and even expert craftsmen who turn these vehicles into moving, speeding works of art.
In a humorous jab at car conventions, it was once said that if those cars on display were so good, why is it that manufacturers no longer produce them? The serious answer might fall under the realm of planned obsolescence, economics, and market dynamics.
To the novice and uninitiated in the mystery of enduring love for cars, here are some reasons why people from all walks of life are fascinated to no end by these four-wheeled creations that once ruled the highways:
Design and Engineering
While the latest models of cars released from the year 2000 to the present are faster, more sophisticated, and are even computer-enabled, they do not compare to the allure and awe generated by vintage cars. People love classic automobiles because they are faster, although some of them have very high top speeds for their time. The romance with cars is, first and foremost, rooted in design and engineering.
For example, the Duesenberg Model J was first shown to the American public in the 1928 New York Auto Show. Billed as the U.S. alternative to the Rolls Royce of the British, it was engineered to have 265 to 300 horsepower, making it the most powerful luxury automobile of the 1920s.
The 1961 Jaguar E-Type was launched in Geneva in that same year, earning for itself the reputation of being the “Most Beautiful Car Ever Built.”But its real wonder is in how it can accelerate to 100 kilometers per hour in just seven seconds. The iconic long-nosed Jaguar boasted of its 241 kilometers per hour top speed, the fastest during that era.
Not to be outdone in terms of engineering is the 1966 Ford GT40. Its V8 engine and an aerodynamic body were revolutionary during that period. It won the 24 Hours of Daytona car race in the year it was launched, outclassing other race cars.According to legend, Henry Ford II commissioned the design and production of the GT40 for one single purpose only: to embarrass Enzo Ferrari. This rivalry was immortalized in 2019 in a movie entitled “Ford v Ferrari” starring Matt Damon as the famous race car driver Caroll Shelby and Christian Bale as race car driver Ken Miles. He competed using the GT40 in the world-famous Le Mans car race.
Art and History
It is not all about engines, of course. These automobiles have deep art and history, as well.From the car manufacturer’s emblem to the sleek chassis designs, shiny body paint, and unique interiors, these vintage automobiles have a lot of artistic impressions to leave. In terms of history, these cars also help enthusiasts to travel back in time.
For example, Adolph Hitler was known to have a favorite automobile, the 1939 Mercedes Benz 770KGrosser Offener Tourenwagen. It is said that the car design was based on the specifications made by Hitler himself and his chauffer-bodyguard Erich Kempka, a lieutenant colonel in the elite Nazi paramilitary group called Schutzstaffel or SS. The bullet-proof car was used by Hitler during a massive political rally in Berlin that was covered and filmed by international media. Only five units of this Mercedes Benz model remain, with three already bought and kept by private collectors.
Culture and Experience
Some cars speak of culture and symbolize an unforgettable experience. The Porsche 911 will immediately come to mind if you ask a car collector for an icon of the automobile industry. The name Porsche is synonymous with speed and excitement. The Rolls Royce Dawn Drophead is a classic luxury car that is just inseparable to the so-called lifestyle of the rich and famous. This car spells royalty, and no wonder many castle garages of the world’s royal families have this exquisitely designed automobile. The Aston Martin DB5 is also another iconic four-wheeled art in metal made more famous by its appearance in James Bond movies.
Indeed, men and women’s love affair with cars will never end. So long as production lines exist and imaginations continue to contrive newer models, companies like Aston Martin, Ferrari, and Porsche will continue to come up with new designs for people to fall in love with. Meantime, for the majority of enthusiasts whose bank accounts are insufficient to cover the costs of these elite cars, buying a ticket to Retromobile Paris would suffice for now.
