Essen, December 5, 2001

An important show

The world’s most important show for the tuning business and Europe’s most important exposition for motor sport was held again between November 30 and December 9, 2001: The Essen Motor Show.

Ferrari ”big” in the Showcenter

The so-called ”Showcenter” is an important part of the Essen Motor Show that usually combines special exhibitions of cars, design studies etc. belonging to certain themes. In 2001, the major theme was ”The Cars of the Sports Car World Championship”.

Many years of this constructors’ World Championship — started in 1953 — were represented by the very type of car which dominated that particular year’s season. Ferrari has always been a great and important name in sports car racing, and thus the number of Ferrari automobiles on display was quite high: Seven Ferrari had been brought to the exposition. Jean Sage’s impressive 375 MM Berlinetta Pinin Farina s/n 0358AM from 1953 was the earliest car on show, followed by the fully rebuilt 857 S Spider Scaglietti s/n 0578M; the latter car dates from 1956 and is currently owned by British dealer David Clark of Taylor & Crawley. Unfortunately the organizers could not persuade any owner of one of the desirable 250 Testa Rossa Spider Scaglietti to give a car on loan for the Motor Show — instead the 1958 season was represented by a nicely done replica of a 250 TR, based on 250 GTE s/n 2349GT. Bernie Carl did show his Dino 268 SP Spider Fantuzzi from 1961, and David Piper displayed his second 330 P Spider Fantuzzi Rebuild using the s/n 0824. This totally rebuilt car sports the livery which it wore when Swiss driver Tommy Spychiger died in this car in 1964: Racing Red with a white band. The last Ferrari on display dated from 1972: A 312 PB, s/n 0886, was provided to the show by Uwe Meißner of Modena Motorsport.
The display of various design studies did include one Ferrari — although in total disguise: The Sbarro Christelle, which was shown for the first time at the 2001 Geneva Motor Show, is based on a Mondial t Cabriolet and was rebodied in a strange, futuristic look by Franco Sbarro on behalf from a Swiss customer. Also on show: Giorgetto Giugiaro’s Maserati Buran — Italdesign’s answer to the question how a minivan produced by the great Italian marque might / should / would look like.


Ferrari tuning

The tuning industry does always have an eye on the latest products from Maranello. At the Essen Motor Show, one could see various modified Ferrari. DigiTec of Datteln/Germany is a renowned company for chip tuning, offering their services for various tipos like 348 and F355. Up to now, they did not yet work out a new chipset for the 360 Modena and 360 Spider, but already offer some custom wheels in the look of the — non road legal — BBS Challenge wheels used on the 360 Challenge cars.
Hamann Motorsport of Hüttisheim/Germany are mainly known for their spectacular BMW-based conversions. Since a couple of years, the company offers a Ferrari programme as well. It includes sports-exhaust, distance spacers, rear wings, skirts and downforce flaps, plus 18’’ and 19’’ wheels and other equipment. At the Essen Motor Show, Hamann displayed their interpretation of the 360 Spider.
Two other companies did show their 19’’ custom wheels for the 360 Modena and 360 Spider: Both Inden-Design of Dillenburg/Germany and MAE Autodesign of Limbach/Germany offer spectacular chromed wheels which should hit especially the American taste on the spot.
SKN-CHIPTECH of Salzhemmendorf/Germany did display a totally stock 360 Spider, but their tuning programme includes modifications for any 360 resulting in an increased rev-range.


Some interesting Ferrari on sale

At least one hall of the Essen Motor Show is always dedicated to the classic and collector’s car trade. In 2001, some interesting Ferrari were on show there — and for sale. The largest gathering of sports cars made in Maranello took place on the stand of Mr. Huberti, a dealer from Düsseldorf/Germany. He had been entrusted with the sale of a number of Ferrari by Uwe Meißner’s Modena Motorsport of Langenfeld/Germany. Oldest Ferrari was the dark blue 250 GT Coupé Pininfarina s/n 1123GT, totally restored in the early 1990’s. Also very nice: A red w/black 275 GTS, s/n 07521, formerly owned by the well-known French Ferrari historian Antoine Prunet. The 330 GTC s/n 10641 had recently been restored by Dutch specialist Piet Roelofs, and the 365 GT 2+2 s/n 11533 is for sure one of the best examples of its type in Europe after a ”regardless-of-cost-restoration”. Car looked very nice in light metallic blue with covered headlights.

Coys of Kensington did display 250 GT SWB Berlinetta s/n 3565GT. The car was unearthed after decades of slumber in the shed of a man living in Alsace/France in 1993 or 1994 — at that time, it became obvious that Lord Brocket in the UK did have a replica produced using the same serial number… It was sold to a German enthusiast and totally restored by Piet Roelofs. The German owner later had it auctioned by Coys who sold it to a London based collector, who now offers s/n 3565GT for sale through Coys again.

A Cobra specialist did display Bernd Cohnen’s 365 GTB/4 Daytona Competition Conversion s/n 15723 — the car was somehow supplied with the 440 hp high-output engine when new (or did receive a ”period” upgrade) and was brought to Competition specifications in recent years during a restoration by Piet Roelofs. Although this car is not suitable for events like the Shell Historic Challenge or the Tour Auto, it is for sure the ultimate fun machine in events like the Tour d’Espana. The only other classic Ferrari in Essen was a black Dino 246 GT (s/n 03320) which was for sale on consignment from its German owner at the stand of Top Cars of Essen/Germany. Top Cars also had a 308 GTB with fibreglass body on sale which had been slightly modified; color-coded bumpers, a light blue dashboard, a light blue steering wheel and light blue seats with cloth inserts were not standard… The car was claimed to have been owned by the royal family of Qatar.

Sachs and BBS had Ferrari Formula One cars on display, the one of BBS apparently being a mock-up only without mechanical components. Another real crowd-drawer was the F50 displayed by dealer Weiland of Remagen/Germany.


Maserati on show

Authorized Maserati-dealer Auto Becker had arranged a special display for the new Maserati Spyder. The 390 hp spyder with an all-new 4,2 litres non-turbo engine had been unveiled on September 11th at the Frankfurt Motor Show IAA, and the first units are presently being supplied to the franchised dealers in Germany. Auto Becker had two examples on show, one in yellow and one in silver. As a reminiscence to Maserati’s long tradition as manufacturer of beautiful and exciting spyders, Auto Becker had brought two classic cars of the marque to Essen as well: A wonderful 3500 GTi Vignale Spyder and a Mistral Spyder, both perfectly restored and — interestingly — both painted in an elegant dark metallic grey. The 3500 GT Vignale Spyder s/n AM101.2755 is owned by Auto Becker’s Ferrari- and Maserati sales representative Bernd Hahne and scored 2nd in a Concours d’Elégance held to choose the most beautiful car of the Essen Motor Show (the Concours was won by the one-off Aston Martin DB4 GT ”Jet” by Bertone by the way, that was displayed by Auto Becker, too).

Dealer Peter Schmitz did have a second 3500 GT Vignale Spyder on display; the car was reportedly sold during the last days of the show. Wandering through the halls, one could also see a Mistral 4,7 which was said to have once been owned by the Ferrari Formula One driver Didier Pironi. Apart from two Ghibli coupes, there were no more classic Maserati on show.

Andreas Birner

Exhibitor

Ferrari

AH Car Design

BBS

Coys of Kensington

DigiTec

Ing. M. Drengenberg

Freunde der Sorgenkinder

Hamann

Hankook

Huberti / Modena Motorsport

Inden Design

grille

MAE

Sachs

SKN Tuning

Sportwagen Design & Tuning

E. Thiesen KG

Top Cars Essen

Weiland HandelsgmbH

Maserati

Auto Becker

Automobiliafarbik

AZEV

Peter Schmitz

? (private)

? (private)

Ferrari ShowCenter

375 MM Berlinetta P.F.

857 S Spider Scaglietti

250 TR Spider Scagl.

Dino 268 SP Spider

330 P Spider Fantuzzi

Piper

312 PB

Sbarro Christelle

Maserati

Buran