For many years, the Techno Classica Essen and Retro Classics Stuttgart went head-to-head in April to put on huge rivalling events – until a merging of the two events was announced at the end of last year. For 2026, the Retro Classics Essen was confirmed, taking place last weekend, but a fresh announcement from the previous organisers S.I.H.A, has confirmed that the Techno Classica event is set to return – this time in September in a new location. Our sister title Magneto has the full story on how and why the two events merged.
The freshly-announced Techno Classica show will debut as the Techno Classica Salon at the Dortmund Exhibition Centre from 24-27 September 2026. Organised by S.I.H.A., the Salon is positioned as an evolution rather than a replacement, continuing the established format of a large-scale marketplace for classic and collector cars, parts and automobilia. The move to Dortmund brings a 50,000m² exhibition space, with organisers citing improved infrastructure and accessibility as key benefits.
As with the Essen show, dealers, restoration specialists and international clubs will remain central to the event. Alongside these familiar elements, the new format introduces additional themed areas intended to broaden its appeal. These include Historic Rallye World and the Pre-War Classic Garden, as well as a greater emphasis on modern high-performance machinery through a Super Sports Cars and Hypercars section. A revised presentation format will also feature, including a ‘Car Walk’ designed to display selected vehicles in a more dynamic setting.
The Concours d’Elégance will return in an expanded format, incorporating both a junior jury and a public-voted award, while the event’s duration has been reduced from five days to four in an effort to ease the burden on exhibitors.
For more information, see technoclassica.de
