The 40th edition of Auto e Moto d’Epoca took place in Bologna and saw the participation of 14 car brands and over 7,000 vintage vehicles. It was a great success! Let’s start by giving an overall judgment on the 40th edition of Auto e Moto d’Epoca (26–29 October 2023). After decades of being held at the Padua Fair, this year the event moved to Bologna, with a larger and more welcoming exhibition complex (235,000 square meters covered), excellent accommodation capacity, and the allure of the Motor Valley, a lovely land of engines where kids were raised on pasta and a drop of petrol in their baby bottles.
How did Auto e Moto d’Epoca 2023 go? The event, held in a vast area of 235,000 square meters with 13 pavilions and a rich program, hosted 14 car brands and presented over 7,000 vintage vehicles. The success of the 2023 edition is evident from the numbers provided by patron Baccaglini (the management and the well-oiled organizational machine have not changed from Padua), with a higher public turnout on all 4 days and a particularly impressive 40% increase on Thursday, when the entrance ticket cost 50 euros.
Bologna has shown all the prerequisites to ferry our favorite fair to another 40 years of glory.
On the other hand, a round of applause for the gift given to the members of various historic car clubs, who were able to park their beloved cars directly inside the exhibition area behind pavilion no. 31, a sign of intelligent cooperation with the Exhibition Authority. At first glance, it seemed like being back in a normal Italian square in the 1980s, among Uno Turbos and “Peugeottinis”.
The exhibition area of Auto e Moto d’Epoca 2023 was divided into four sectors to welcome visitors through different but interconnected thematic areas: Classic, Spare Parts, Motorcycles, and Cars, each distinguished by different colours on the map. A useful guide for beginners.
For those entering from Piazza della Costituzione, the encounter with the cars from the Automobile Museum of Turin (Mauto) left a mark… say what you want, but the Formula One Ferrari 312T5 with the number 2 on the nose (the number 1 was on Jody’s car) never fails to excite. Hello Gilles.
Before the general considerations on the cars, I want to emphasize the presence of a pavilion entirely dedicated to motorcycles, giving the two-wheeled vehicles equal dignity to the four-wheeled ones. I don’t have direct knowledge of traders who brought them, but I hope they made good deals to increase their presence in the upcoming editions.
Following are some “usual” economic and social considerations based on what I saw after wearing out my shoes: pre-war cars were practically absent (except for the electrifying presence of some racing cars exhibited in the beautiful stands dedicated to the history of the automobile, circuits, and classic races). The presence of 1950s stars (Jaguar XK120 – 150, to name one) has decreased compared to 10 years ago. Even for the following decade, the presence at the fair focuses on the most well-known models, ranging from the mid-range (a splendid green Alfa Romeo Giulietta Spider with leather interiors) to the high-end, with few affordable options (for example, the absent Fiat 500 with suicide doors).
The 1970s always confirm a fundamental principle among enthusiasts in the face of significant economic demands: perfectly preserved or perfectly restored specimens, rare colours, qualifying options, and documented history are rewarded, while the “middle ground” finds no buyers even with considerable economic savings. Apparently, the savings are only theoretical. The buyer of a Montreal, a 308 fiberglass, a Pagoda, a BMW CSL, or an Aston Martin V8 knows that restorations are always a very expensive uncertainty, and there is no shortcut to owning a car to be proud of, starting from a slightly ugly base and thinking “I’ll fix it up slowly.”
For the 1980s, I saw relatively few favourites within reach of many (all the small/medium Turbos, choose the brand and model for yourself), but even for the Thema, the Mercedes 190, the front-engine Porsches, the Alfa 75, the non-M BMWs, etc., I noticed few presences.
On the other hand, the positive trend for youngtimers (cars aged between 20 and 30 years) was confirmed, both in terms of the quantity offered and the interest generated, parameters reflected in ever-increasing prices. On the other hand, in the 1990s and 2000s, the global automotive industry was very strong, the Japanese were consolidating satisfying market positions, the German triad (BMW, Mercedes, Audi) reigned without setting design limits, the English were still made in England in fact and in design, the French continued to offer cars focused on good driving, VW produced successful models, and the Italians knew how to compete.
If we add that the kids of those years now have the age to indulge themselves beyond the priority SUV for the family, and that (but I would say especially) onboard electronics were not yet a malevolent queen as it is today, it explains why there are so many “four-wheeled circular cheques” under 30 years old.
Unfortunately, the absence of official stands of car manufacturers was noticeable (commendable exception being Toyota, which exhibited the new Land Cruiser), fortunately compensated by the ever-vibrant community of Registers, Clubs, Museums, Associations, etc. dedicated to a car brand if not to a specific model (a fierce battle with flashes from mobile phones between masterpieces made in San Felice sul Panaro and a masterpiece in grey with a Livorno plate in the stand dedicated to the manufacturer, a certain Giotto Bizzarrini).
Lamborghini’s restoration centre brought a green apple periscope Countach, which alone shows the magnificent madness of a brand that, in the midst of the still boasting success of the Miura, suddenly revolutionized everything with a space monster.
The Prancing Horse was always very popular. I just want to mention a model that already has its own charm in abundance and can boast Clint Eastwood as its first owner, yes, I’m talking about the famous dark green Ferrari 275 Gtb, which is paired with the nearby F40!
Eternal praise to the former rally champion Andrea Navarra, who set up a stand with only Subarus, a dozen of them, creating a spine-chilling “blue and gold” scene, with the Prodrive P25 queen on a pedestal, a stunning restomod in terms of detail accuracy, design quality, and road effectiveness (alas, only hearsay, certainly not because I tried it).
The stand with only Jeep Wagoneers was also beautiful… I don’t know why, but seeing a stand that focuses on a single model predisposes me favourably towards it. It’s obvious that I know its strengths and weaknesses inside out.
The real racing cars are magnificent. I would like to see many more of them; they are direct witnesses of what it means to have a passion for motor sports, the ingenuity, patience, talent of Man, and the challenges he decides to face… a heartfelt thank you to those who bring them to the Fair.
A mention also to my beloved 911s, for at least ten years, always a reference to understand the market: in this edition, there were mainly 996 and 997, many of which in Turbo and Gt3 versions (for those who don’t know, they shine for the absence of the infamous IMS bearing in their basements).
I left half of my heart on the Wimbledon green 997 Turbo, a press car, which was sold on Thursday afternoon, and the other half on the yellow 964 RS 3.8, even rarer and more extreme.
In conclusion, what can I say to dear Auto Moto d’Epoca? You are in good hands even under the Two Towers. Maybe make the too many sellers who shoot prices without logic come to their senses; encourage those who still insist on not displaying prices, not to hide their requests. Make car manufacturers understand the opportunity to speak directly to the hearts of enthusiasts with a stand that still remains a more effective method than useless advertising on social media; expand parking spaces for those who reach the Fair with a historic car, possibly also on Thursday and Friday, just to send a signal to those who still think that blocking the circulation of historic cars is the solution to solving the atmospheric pollution of the Planet.
Make it clear to the street vendors that if they don’t change course, we’ll bring our own sandwiches; make it clear to the spare parts seller that a piece of plastic remains a piece of plastic even if it’s branded with four rings; make it clear to the twenty-year-olds that yes, simulators may be fun, but a ride on a go-kart is much more fun… and see you next year!
By the way, about go-karts… are we or are we not in the same places as the legendary Motor Show? Is it too much to dream of one of the pavilions set up with an indoor track? Well, it fits well even in the external squares, in short, let us fully live our passion!