The French have a word for it: Rétromobile. Having coined “automobile” from Greek and Latin roots in the late 19th Century, they’ve given 21st Century flair to what Americans might unimaginatively call an “old car show.”
In its 33rd iteration at the Porte de Versailles in Paris, Rétromobile is an exposition of automakers, clubs and vendors, indoors in the halls of Paris Expo. Once the bastion of France’s “Big Three,” Renault, Peugeot and Citroën, Rétromobile has become a “twofer” as Renault has bowed out. This year Peugeot and Citroën were joined by Germans Mercedes-Benz and BMW, and, for the first time, Honda, celebrating six decades of motor manufacture.
Some manufacturers give harbor to their marque’s clubs, and Citroën has a lot of them, from Traction Avant to SM to Mehari. Independent clubs exhibit, too, as diverse as Club Hotchkiss, Fan Club Panhard, Fiat Club of France, Amicale Deutsch Bonnet, Delahaye, the French Jaguar Drivers Club and the American Car Club de France. This year’s theme was “The Woman and the Automobile;” most exhibitors embraced this with dashingly-dressed mannequins, though some went more for household or vocational attire.
Collector car dealers are prominent, with wares ranging from unrestored to interesting to awesome. Bonhams have taken over the Christie’s auction at Rétromobile, and their Saturday sale took in some 10 million Euros, nearly a quarter of it from this 1928 Saoutchik-bodied S-Type Mercedes. Also present are restorers, carrosseriers who can make your crumpled body whole again.
One can buy brilliant brass, new and repro components and supplies like tires. There’s no rusty metal – the rent is too high. But the automobilia collector can find books and literature, artwork, vintage toys and there’s a whole village of model car vendors. And of course this is France, so one is never far from a source of good wine.
Paul Berliet, nonagenarian impressario of Fondation de l’Automobile Marius Berliet at Lyon, traditionally opens the show with a press briefing. Other luminati spotted included the veteran editors responsible for the long-running and late lamented Special Interest Autos magazine. There were few other events within the halls, but an impromptu concert by a Matra racing car between the buildings offered action relief for the boy racers.
It’s not Hershey, not Beaulieu, and certainly not Atlantic City. If you’ve a yen to see how the French do it, there’s still time to get to Paris. Rétromobile runs through Sunday, February 17th.
