Essen, November 29, 2009
Stronger Orientation to Motor Sport, Tuning and Sporty Series
Vehicles is Going Down Well
In Spite of Difficult Outline Conditions, Successful Start:
Approx. 105,000 Visitors on the First Three Days
The Essen Motor Show is on the right track: At the opening
weekend, the reorientation of the concept already met with a
great deal of approval amongst experts from the automobile
industry, motor sport and associations. The stronger focusing
back on its beginnings as the "International Sports and Racing
Car Exhibition" concentrating on motor sport, tuning, sporty
series vehicles and classic cars is going down well. "I am
particularly pleased that it is returning more to its roots and I can
only welcome this development," emphasised Hermann Tomczyk,
Sport President of ADAC ("General German Automobile Club").
"In future too, ADAC will, as the competent and leading
representative of the interests in all the questions associated with
mobility, nurture the over 20-year-old partnership with the Essen
Motor Show in the proven way," Tomczyk stressed at the start of
the fair.
This year, the stronger orientation of the Essen Motor Show to
motor sport is already being reflected in the structure of the
visitors. Compared with the previous year, the proportion of the
visitors especially interested in this subject rose by almost ten
percent. According to a survey, nearly half of the guests at the fair
have a particular interest in the subject and thus belong to the
core target group of the Essen Motor Show which is further
consolidating its character as the leading "special interest fair" for
everything to do with sporty cars.
"More than a Good Starting Result"
"In spite of the difficult economic outline conditions, we have
achieved a more than good starting result which is something to
be proud of," according to Frank Thorwirth, Chairman and CEO of
Messe Essen, who sees the motto of "Cars as an Experience" as
being confirmed by the enthusiasm of the visitors. Approx.
105,000 visitors came to the start of the horsepower festival in
Essen which began last Friday with the Preview and Press Day
and was officially started for the general public on Saturday.
Thorwirth: "The Essen Motor Show is thus confirming its position
as the premier international tuning fair and leading motor sport fair
in Germany. With its large number of special events and live
action which no other fair in Germany offers in this density, it is
the most multifaceted automobile show."
The proportion of visitors who have travelled from far away has
increased. According to Thorwirth, "In the meantime, visitors from
abroad make up over 20 percent of the guests. In this respect, the
longstanding anchoring of the fair in the BeNeLux region in
particular is having a positive effect here. 40 percent of our visitors
do not come from North Rhine-Westphalia. The south of Germany
is represented to a conspicuously strong degree: Around 20
percent of our German visitors come from there." While around 70
percent of the guests used their visit to the fair to obtain
preliminary information about and prepare for planned purchases,
half of them already jumped at the opportunity at the fair and
bought or ordered something from the range offered by the around
500 exhibitors.
"Faithful Fans are Celebrating Their Automobile Passion"
The interest of the visitors to the tuning sector of the Essen Motor
Show is primarily centring on the numerous innovations for more
car fun and sportiness. "With our VdAT Tuning Salon here in
Essen, we have the optimum presentation platform for our
enhanced automobiles," according to Prof. h.c. Bodo
Buschmann, Chairman of the Board of Verband der Automobil
Tuner ("Association of Automobile Tuners"). "Shortly before
Christmas, the Essen Motor Show is the high mass of the tuning
fans from all over Europe. Therefore, the Essen Motor Show and
VdAT have been permanent partners for over 20 years already and
will remain so in future as well," stresses Buschmann. "Here,
faithful fans are celebrating their automobile passion."
Classic Automobiles in Demand as Investment Objects - Good
Start to the Fair with Many Sales
SIHA as the organiser of the classic and prestige cars section
which, in addition to tuning and motor sport, forms the third pillar
of the Essen Motor Show registered a good start to the fair with
many sales. Vehicles which permit individuality are in demand in
the most diverse price categories.
Anton L. Franssen from SIHA: "With regard to the young classic
cars which are enjoying great popularity, importance is
predominantly being attached to the condition, the originality and
the comprehensibility of the history. Collectors' sports cars from
the 1980s and 1990s are also meeting with great acclaim." A
Porsche 911 convertible built in 1988 was available for Euro
29,900 while the price of a 355 Ferrari Spider built in 1995 was
around Euro 65,000. Older oldies also found new friends and
buyers, e.g. a DKW fast truck from 1957 and a VW Bus from
1964. Franssen: "If you decide in favour of the right vehicle, that is
a reliable investment with which very good appreciation rates can
be achieved."
Motor Sport Action is Ensuring a Goose Pimples Feeling
The visitors are heaping praise on the various special events
some of which, as particular highlights, are supplementing the
range offered by the exhibitors for the first time. The Motor Sport
Arena is again proving to be the "smash hit at the fair". Daredevil
drifts, races and training sessions are raising the pulses of the
enthusiastic visitors. Many of them are taking the opportunity to
experience a motor sport feeling live as a passenger on
Germany's only indoor racecourse. The Pit Lane in which around
30 racing series and race organisers are presenting themelves is
once more proving to be the top meeting place of the racing
scene. Very good marks are also being awarded to other
highlights such as the first "Speed Bike Show" with over 50
extremely tuned motorcycles, the "Hot Rod Show", the
"Automobile Design" presentation, the "Myth of Ferrari" special
show and, in the classic cars sector, the world-class "Lotus
Total" show.
For the First Time in 2010, Outdoor Event on the Occasion of the
Opening Ceremony
Timo Scheider, the two-time DTM champion, drove into the Motor
Sport Arena in a dashing Audi R8 for the opening of the fair. He
showed that he was enthusiastic about the concept of organising
an additional outdoor event for the first time next year on the
occasion of the opening ceremony of the Essen Motor Show: "I
find it an outstanding idea to organise demonstration drives on a
racecourse next year, similar to what the DTM does on the Kö in
Düsseldorf. Please count me in for it." The guests at the fair also
included the two-time DTM champion Mattias Ekström, the
Formula 1 driver Timo Glock and the Formula 1 newcomer Nico
Hülkenberg who will compete for the Williams team in 2010.
Moreover, the racing Amazons Sabine Schmitz and Claudia
Hürtgen, the racing legend Hans-Joachim Stuck and the former
ice hockey professional Erich Kühnhackl once again proved to be
favourites of the public.
The Essen Motor Show will be open up to and including Sunday,
December 6, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. from Monday to Friday and
from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
www.essen-motorshow.de
Cars of particular interest
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