This year the organisers had expanded the display areas with marquees erected in the service roads between
some of the halls in the complex, giving more covered display space, although there were still plenty of cars,
motorcycles, parts and accessories on offer in the remaining outdoor areas. Within the halls there were
numerous one make car or specific model clubs, manufacturer displays, car vendor stands, booksellers,
accessory companies, together with the largest hall, number 7, dedicated to automobilia, spare parts and
peripheral accessories. The adjacent Hall 8 was primarily for motorcycles and the associate spare parts and
accessories. A new feature for this year was Future Hub located on the wide pavement apron of the main
street fronting the exhibition complex, where manufacturers of electric and hybrid powered cars had displays,
with test drive facilities for interested parties.
A special feature this year was “Gran Premio d’Italia Monza Experience”, with a dimly lit hall ACI Hall
3 displaying a gallery of Grand Prix cars under spotlights, ranging from a 1931 Alfa Romeo 8C Monza to a
1999 Ferrari F399. In between there were a number of both successful and less so examples, some of which
have been long forgotten in the realms of time by most people, like the 1979 Merzario A3, the Tecno PA
123/3 from 1972 and the 1983 Theodore N 183.
There were sixteen current manufacturers with displays at the show, many including classic and new
models, which always provides an interesting analogy between ancient and modern. If modern supercars were
your thing, then the Pagani stand was the place to be, with a Zonda S and Huayra Roadster on display, whilst
if a slightly older supercar was more to your liking, then the Porsche Classic stand had a 911 GT1 from the
Porsche museum on display, along with a fine selection of the company’s production over the years. The
Maserati stand had a Levante SUV, together with a trio of historic models, a 5000 GT, an A6 1500 and an
A6G/54 Allemano Coupe. Audi can always be counted on for an impressive display, featuring the R8 V10
Spyder plus, TT RS and RS3 Sportback, whilst from their heritage, there was an Auto Union Tipo D from
1938, a 1985 Sport Quattro ”Pikes Peak” and a 2016 R18 e-tron Quattro, their last Le Mans contender.
Another rare and interesting Audi was the blue and white Rothman’s liveried S4 GTO, as raced in South
Africa. This was essentially an IMSA Audi 90 GTO, which Audi South Africa re-bodied in S4 guise as the 90
model was not on sale there. Mercedes-AMG celebrated their 50th anniversary with a selection of AMG
models, whilst Citroen celebrated another 50th anniversary, that of the Dyane model, and of course being the
60th anniversary of the Fiat 500, there were numerous examples spread around the exhibition halls. Peugeot
paid tribute to the number 3, presenting their new 308 GTi together with a 1987 309 GTI and a unique 305 V6
Prototype. These were just the tip of the iceberg, as there were a wide range of interesting and rare cars on
display on the manufacturer, club and vendor stands, both in the halls and on the external aprons. Once
again, it was really a case of something for every body.
Keith Bluemel
11/2017
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