Mercedes-Benz Classic will be featuring several highlights at this year’s Retro Classics 2011. Being that 2011 marks the 125th birthday of the motor car, the German manufacturer will display four fascinating milestone vehicles from its collection. All four of these models are representative of automobile mobility: a Benz Patent Motor Car, the world’s first automobile dating from 1886; a Mercedes-Benz 500 K special Roadster (model series W 29) dating from 1934; a Mercedes-Benz 220 SE Coupé (W 111), model year 1961; and finally the latest research vehicle, the F 800 Style, which premiered in 2010.
As a trade show for classic cars and automotive culture, Retro Classics is one of the most important events of its kind. The Retro Classic event will take place for the eleventh time in southern Germany in the city of Stuttgart. Between March 11 and 13, 2011 (the preview will take place on March 10th), 1,300 exhibitors will display more than 3,000 vehicles for the public. The heart of this historic automotive exhibition arena is the 540-square-metre exhibition area used by Mercedes-Benz Classic in Hall 1, where both collection and sale cars will rub shoulders with each other.
“For Mercedes-Benz Classic it is important here in particular – in the home of the company – to have a strong presence”, explains Michael Bock, Head of Mercedes-Benz Classic. At the same time it is all about making the fascination surrounding the brand come alive.
In addition, the latest vehicle offerings will also boast a further highlight: in spring the new Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupé (model series C 204) is celebrating its world premiere and is all set to enhance the product portfolio comprising these elegant vehicles – as a result, when it comes to the sale cars at Retro Classics, Mercedes-Benz Classic is placing the focus squarely on coupés. Three classics will therefore be on display: the Mercedes-Benz 280 SLC (model series C 107, model year 1981), the 230 CE (C 123, 1982) and the E 220 Coupé (C 124, 1993). The Mercedes-Benz Museum Shop will also be represented with a large sales stand, this year featuring the “125! years of innovation selection”.
Yet another highlight of Retro Classics will be the stand design, for which the Mercedes-Benz design division has opened up its archives to lend the vehicles on display an additional historic touch courtesy of some bonus historical items. These will include product drawings dating from the 1930’s, as well as some interpretations from the 1950’s and also images from the present day. To highlight the various eras visually, the drawings are being displayed in contemporary frames. The different types of drawings also afford a feeling of how the developers and designers viewed the vehicles of the near future at different periods in time. A monitor showing films will also provide insights into the world of Mercedes-Benz design today, while the F 800 Style show car points the way forward towards the direction in which the brand’s future design may be heading.
As an appropriate link between the present day and the birthday of the motor car, a brochure on the Benz Patent Motor Car will also be available. Forming part of the “125! years of the motor car” anniversary campaign, it shows the Patent Motor Car in a modern context and underscores the timeless design created by Carl Benz. With its fascinating text, photos and important technical details, at the same time the brochure represents a special means of communication reflecting the leadership aspirations of Mercedes-Benz.
The exhibition displays will be rounded off in a 1740-square-metre space in Hall 7, where numerous brand clubs will be exhibiting, enabling fans to indulge in their shared passion for products from the brand’s 125-year automotive history – which stretches from the inventions of Carl Benz and Gottlieb Daimler through to the innovations of the present day. The same also applies in particular to the 300-square-metre stand belonging to HISTORIA Mobilis, the classic car interest group founded by employees of Daimler AG in 2005.
The members’ vehicle fleet includes six Mercedes-Benz cars, among them the 190 SL (W 121), 300 SL Roadster (W 198 II), 250 SL (W 113), 450 SEL (W 116), 190 (W 201) and 190 E 2.3-16 (W 201). The company is particularly looking forward to their attendance, given that employee involvement is one of the focal points of this 125th anniversary year of the birthday of the motor car.
