Interclassics Maastricht has grown in 25 years from a local fair in its first year 1993 into a leading European show, the kick-off of the classic car season. No wonder that once again the visitor numbers went up. The overall level of the cars on display was very high and still there is attention for the small budget car. Renowned Bugatti dealer Fine Automobiles from Holland not only had a magnificent 1932 Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 on show, but aside that an equally maroon coloured Austin Seven Chummy! The overall presence of pre-war automobiles seemed to have grown again reassuringly since last year. We counted in order of appearance no less than 35 pieces (see below).
The organisers made a very nice line up of showstopping vehicles from the most important show themes of the past 25 years. Including 100 Years Alfa Rome0, British Royals, Bugatti GP Cars, Pre-War Racing Legends and many more. This year's Best of Show of the pre-war era was the above magnificent 1936 SS Airline 2 door Saloon. Well chosen; though personally we had a special liking for the more refined machinery of the 1932 Delage D8 Figoni. Our special attention was drawn by a 1921 GN liberated from long time museum confinement. The car's chassis and engine were dry as cardboard so it will need buckets of grease and oil from a caring new owner to start with... This 4.5 litre High Chassi Invicta may be well know to some of you. This 1928 high chassis 4.5 litre was bought from a Germany not so long ago after finishing his homework that he bought the Team Car as used by Saunders Davies & Fiennes. At the BMW clubstand we saw a 1939 321 saloon, a very rare find in its unrestored and quite well preserved condition.
A bit sad we were about the presence of a handful of Bentley lookalikes. Post-war machinery in "pre-war" fresh made attire. It's my personal observation that Interclassics can learn from the worldfamous artfair TEFAF that is being held under the same roof at another date. Tefaf is very-very strict in what artdealers can come up with. Anything questionable is banned from the venue. We think that Interclassics would grow even more if there would be more attention for the subject. Still Interclassics Maastricht is the yearly place to be. If not for the cars than for Maastricht itself, often named the Paris of the Netherlands... See you next year!
(txt & pics Joris Bergsma)
(all prewar cars on show) Marendaz 1933, Fiat Topolino 1938, Peugeot Bebe 1913, Bugatti type 13 Brescia, Bugatti type 57 Ventoux Gangloff, Cadillac Lasalle 1930, SS Jaguar Airline Saloon 1936, Riley Special 1936, Oakland 1910, Ford 81A Tudor 1938, Buick Master Six Roadster 1927, Alvis Special 12-70 ( BJ) 1938, Rolls-Royce New Phantom 1926, 1930 Delage D8 Cabriolet by Figoni, 1921 GN runabout, 1926 Amilcar CGS 'gutterwing' Roadster, 1936 SS Roadster Special, 1935 Bentley V12 RR Gurney Nutting Special, 1934 Aston Martin LWB Mk II, Lagonda LG45, Bentley 4.5 litre DHC 1936, Delage D8 Cabriolet Figoni 1930, Austin Seven Chummy, 1928, Bugatti T54 1931, Renault type I 1902, MG PB 1935, 1928 Bentley 4.5 L blower, 1935 Mercedes Benz 500 K Spezial Roadster, Lagonda M35 1934 2 door sports tourer, Lagonda LG 45 Team Car 1936, Invicta 4.5 High Chassis team car 1928, 1932 Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 swb team car, BMW 315/1 Special 1936, 1937 Riley Big Four Special 1937, BMW 321 saloon 1939, Mercedes Benz cabriolet B.