Techno Classica Essen March 26 - 30 2008.

VIP, Preview day March 26.

20th TECHNO-CLASSICA ESSEN from 26 to 30 March 2008:
The Classic Fair of the Superlatives

The Largest Model Car Exchange

Almost any fan of vintage or young classic cars is parking
a miniature museum in his/her display cabinet.
There is a good chance to supplement the own collection -
also unusual rarities can be found with German and international vendors.

The big names for small cars - they all take part in Essen. Fans of model cars will find a small mecca in exhibition hall 2. The traditional vendor Schuco, almost 100 years old, is represented just as the 1:87 specialist Brekina from the Black Forest, the niche specialists of Bubmobil and Premium Classixxs or the renowned Revell brand from Eastern Westphalia. Minichamps from Aachen, which previously established an own museum, and the classy-car maker CMC from Ostfildern or Autoart also from Aachen, top off the starting field. Furthermore, many competent dealers are present so that there will be no problem to find the car of your dreams, neatly packed into a box.

Collectors and fanciers are attracted not only by economically-priced large-scale production series, miniature rarities, hand-crafted miniature artwork and special models, action is provided, too. Taking part at the very beginning: the toy legend Schuco from Franconia. The company from Fürth has secured prominent support for Essen. As a legendary piccolo model on a scale of 1:90 and of solid zinc die casting quality, the specialists of the free state finally release a BMW 2002, Nürburgring 1970, with the race number 20. No other than the pilot at that time, Hans-Joachim Stuck, German racing champion, DTM champion, legend of numerous Le Mans fights and notorious jamboree fellow will sign these miniatures on Thursday from 10:30 a.m. Schuco director Uwe Weiler and Andreas A. Berse, book author and editor in charge of the leading special magazine MODELL FAHRZEUG are inviting to an informal discussion with Stuck from 1 p.m.

Moreover, two other special models are already known: Brekina builds a red Porsche 911 coupé as a special edition, a so-called G-model, being sold in Essen only. The Bub staff from Wendelstein in Franconia also places emphasis on Porsche. On a scale of 1:87 and manufactured as solid zinc die casting, a Porsche turbo RSR is starting in blue-orange "Gulf" look. Even Minichamps from Aachen is working under pressure at a limited special model. It certainly will be a miniature on a scale of 1:43, which one however was not determined when this catalogue was going to press.

Moreover, all manufacturers coming to Essen will exhibit their hottest innovations in the display cases, whose glazing often show nose prints in the evenings. As one of the first public fairs after the Nuremberg toys fair which is restricted for business visitors only, the TECHNO-CLASSICA thus serves as display window for the model car year 2008. Ulli Taubert, doyen of Revell and responsible there amongst others for the development of prefab models: "We have a lot of fun particularly in Essen. We find fans that are crazy about automobiles in the best sense of the word. Often you can see a sparkle in their eyes when the right miniature car is parking in the showcase."

Matthias Frank of Brekina: "For us, this also is a bit of image building. Quite often we will find here new collectors entering this hobby." Peter Brunner of the neighboring stand Bubmobil and Premium Classixxs adds: "Essen has very professional, but also open-minded visitors." A similar enthusiasm for the fair in the Ruhr metropolis is shared by Uwe Weiler from Schuco: "For me it is amazing again and again, how emotional the issue of the automobile is handled here. It simply is fun chatting with people or simply talking shop."

Thus, a small automobile mile of the most important manufacturers has originated over the years - this year in exhibition hall 2. Paul G. Lang from Minichamps: "Lots of enthusiasts are strolling around here. This is a good place for the issue of model cars."

Most of the other model car vendors are accommodated in halls 4, 5 and 6 - but observant model car enthusiasts will discover interesting miniatures also in the shops at the stands of the automobile manufacturers. Some rare exemplar may even be hidden among the spare parts range of the dealers for the big archetypes of the miniatures.

With more than 80 sales stands - mostly by professional vendors and model manufacturers - the TECHNO-CLASSICA is Germany's largest exchange for antiquarian and current automobile miniatures. The classic world fair is an eye's delight for all who want to compile a small, customised automobile museum in their display cabinet. "Meals on wheels" (Essen = literally: meals) is available, too, as a miniature…