Automotoretro Turin, the Lingotto garage

On the weekend of the 13th to the 15th of this month and coinciding with the Carnivals, the 32nd edition of Automotoretro was held in Turin. This event takes on importance year after year, becoming, together with the one in Padova, one of the two classics fairs of international reference in Italy. This year there has been a strong increase in visitors, up 18% compared to the previous edition, a great success for the organization.

The fair is located in the old Fiat factory, Lingotto's. Many people don't know, but Fiats were built there for decades; In this enormous building, it was manufactured on different floors, with a large test track on the roof with two very large slopes at the end of the lines. So it is a place with an incredible history and that undoubtedly deserves to accommodate a great classics event year after year. On this occasion, it stayed in no more and no less than 5 pavilions, with an area approximately double that of our largest fairs, those in Madrid and Barcelona.

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The big Italian brands

Without a doubt, thinking about sports cars is doing it in Italy, and in this sense the contest could not disappoint: a host of stars with 2 and 4 cutting wheels more or less sports they met, with at least 5 Testarossa for sale, Mondial, Ferrari 355, 208 GT4, 348 ... It was missing, if only as an exhibition, some cavallino really classic, I just found a somewhat hidden white Dino.

The mark of the trident instead it did give the chest a do in terms of vehicles on display, with several Grand Prix racing cars in prominent areas of the central pavilion. As for motorcycles, the offer was not that of Manheim but there was something: Ducatti, Benelli, Gilera, Vespa ... etc.

Alfa and Lancia were other of the great Italian firms that were well represented, with cult models such as Giulietta SZ, Montreal, or two classics Aurelia Spider America. Nor can we forget the everlasting Delta HF Integrale in all its versions, this year even the special unit of the former "boss of the Fiat group", Gianni Agnelli, was on display.

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In Turin it is possible to find exotic Italian beauties, as is the case with this racing Maserati barchetta

Beautiful Fiat from the early days, when their cars were the kings of the competition

Interior of the aforementioned Fiat

Ferrari Mondial, at bargain prices

Citroën SM Cabriolet, for sale although with some work to do

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At Fiat's house, this could not be absent, exceptional the Fiat Zero 12-15 Cv from the first decade of the last century, from there to the present day many models exhibited, Balillas, 131 abarth, 124 spider, 850 spider, 500, etc. … They delighted the fans.

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Good prices, few spare parts

As for prices, they were quite good for a fair, from less than 20.000 euros in which a fantastic unit of Ferrari Mondial Qv was sold the first day, (the car was really good, almost perfect, and the owner told me in the morning that the price was "negotiable"). The appetizing 22-25 that they asked for several Delta Evo units, going through unspeakable figures for Mercedes 300 SL "Gullwing", Lancia Aurelia Spider América or Ferrari Dino ...

And of course the most popular and economical Fiat 500, or Autobianchi Abarth, at incredibly low prices compared to what is asked for them in Spain. Meanwhile, Italian highlighted a model at the entrance of the first pavilion: a magnificent Citroen SM convertible to restore; the price was not exposed, only the telephone number for those interested to call.

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The Turinese fair is a good place to get spare parts and Italian technical documentation, although rather only for popular classics

A car of records created by the driver Piero Taruffi, a rarity where they exist

Fiat 127 prepared according to period standards

Lancia Delta Integrale, rally champion. Turin is a good place to get one

Lancia Delta S4 of Group B, only for the most capable at the wheel

Regarding pre-war for sale, an almost exclusively Italian offer, focused on the popular Balilla around 5-9.000 euros and the exclusive Lancias or Alfas from the 30s, the latter at prices in general only suitable for powerful pockets.

In spare parts I expected more, since only the most popular had their place. I miss not finding specialists in Maserati or Ferrari; yes, quite a lot of Italian motorcycle and car documentation.

The fair also had an exclusively exhibition part, directly represented by brands such as Fiat or Maserati. Numerous were also the Italian clubs that showed the public their mounts. The RACI (like RACE but Italian) featured motorized tricycles from the late 0th and early 850th centuries. Then there were the clubs, like the Delta HF Integraleo club, the XNUMX Spider Club, among many others.

Italian motorcycles also have a long tradition behind them

The Turin fair is the right place to look for Italian machinery, such as a Ferrari Dino or a Fiat Balilla

Fiat 131 Abarth, we assume that it is authentic because of its origin

Lancia Aurelia Spider with a rare despicable Giulia

In AutoMotoRetro the high-priced classics are also present, such as this Bugatti cabriolet

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Tunning and classics?

As an annex to the fair a pavilion of Tunning and competition, some magnificent pieces of the latter along with veritable aberrations of the former. A server cannot understand why they insist on getting us together at some fairs and rallies; If there is something that bothers me as a lover of the classics, it is to see such radical transformations in an old vehicle. One thing is to power a Fiat 127 engine, as was done at the time, and another to equip it with "gull wings" or a subwoofer the size of a paella for 10 people.

In short, an interesting fair, Recommended if you want an Italian model or if you want to spend a weekend "classing". Turin is also the headquarters of the National Automobile Museum, and for this reason I recommend that you combine both visits. I did and I was delighted with both. In addition, for donuts the city center offers an incredible number of Italian fashion stores, which can delight you in case you do not profess a great interest in classic vehicles. Even at the fair itself, the upper floor is occupied by a shopping center where you can spend an afternoon shopping.

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