An overwhelming, resounding success that left everyone stunned, including the madmen of the Last Generation who blocked the avenues in Bologna only today, leaving the first Bolognese edition of Auto e Moto d’Epoca alone last weekend. Mario Carlo Baccaglini, organizer of the event, is surprised.
“When a fair moves – he explains – on average 20 to 30 percent of visitors are lost: we did 40 percent more, especially on Sunday and Thursday when we literally doubled the admissions”.
You haven’t seen so many people like this at a car show for centuries: here you didn’t wander around the corridors.
“The numbers speak for themselves: 13 pavilions for 235,000 m2, 14 motor manufacturers, over 7000 vintage cars and motorbikes, full of visitors in the 4 days of opening, many young people. And, as I was saying, the audience on the inaugural day dedicated to collectors and sector experts doubled with a presence of 35% foreigners.
After 39 years in Padua, the result of the move to the new BolognaFiere headquarters went beyond expectations. But why at a time when car shows are all in crisis?
“There are many elements: the culture and market of historic cars and motorbikes involve a vast community of enthusiasts, both Italian and foreign. Emilia Romagna then did its part, giving an incredible response, involving all its territory’s enthusiasts. We have put an important flag in the world at car shows.”
Aside from the public, what reaction have you had from car manufacturers?
“Exciting. They understood that this is the fair of motoring passion. And they saw the possibility of tapping into a huge audience, which is still there, and which deeply loves cars. Starting from Toyota which presented the new Land Cruiser here and ending with Mercedes which brought the new compact coupé here. And it’s just the beginning: by working together with car manufacturers we can do even better things.”
The mind, inevitably, rushes to the Motor Show…
“Yes but ours is another story. And it is no coincidence that our project, which starts from the classics, has been a success: Auto e Moto d’Epoca today is a crossroads between Europe and the Motor Valley, and positions us as the most significant fair on the European scene . In the end, thanks to immense and coordinated work, it was possible to bring quality examples to Auto e Moto d’Epoca, one of a kind, capable of satisfying the tastes and passion of professionals and young collectors. Here is the secret, which makes the difference with what was done in these same spaces in the past.”
And you have also opened up to motorbikes.
“Yes, it was another element of success: for the first year we dedicated an entire pavilion to two wheels, with amazing models and exclusive goodies. A show within a show of 15 thousand square metres.”
But why does everyone look at passion today?
“It’s the only possible way, the only reason to purchase. The only way to prevent a car from becoming like a household appliance, to be chosen coldly and only trying to save as much as possible. Only with this key were we able to double the exhibition spaces, which made it possible to bring the most important exhibitors of vintage cars, youngtimers and instant-classics in the world to Bologna, with a very high quality of the cars and motorbikes on display. So many enthusiasts came here not only from Europe but also from the United States who found a truly vast market offer”.
What were the pearls of the show?
“In my opinion, we certainly managed to create an extraordinary journey through time, starting from the masterpieces of automotive history in the main European museums and passing through the iconic cars and motorbikes of the past and the unique models of the manufacturers. And more curiosities and gems: the first car built by Enzo Ferrari, Clint Eastwood’s Ferrari and the Ducati with which Lucio Dalla returned home after concerts. And it’s just the beginning. Now the appointment is for the 41st Edition of Auto e Moto d’Epoca, on which we are already working, while the exhibitors are dismantling the stands… From 24 to 27 October 2024, again at BolognaFiere”.
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