What a Show That Was!
Images: Giacomo Rizotto
The Epoqu'Auto Lyon show may not be all that well known to those who are not based in Europe, but it has built up quite a reputation for being a salon for historic vehicles that are more accessible than those rare and expensive cars that show up at Retromobile. If the latter signals the start of the historic vehicle season, Epoqu’Auto bookends the end of season.
The 45th edition of Epoqu’Auto took place from 8-10 November and drew an impressive turnout. Surpassing the 100,000-visitor milestone, the 2024 edition proved to be a resounding success, far exceeding the expectations of the event organisers. Here’s a short look at this favourite of the public.
This year’s Epoqu'Auto show shattered attendance records, welcoming 109,000 visitors – some 15 per cent more than 2023. This figure was notably higher than the target of 95,000 attendees, which had already marked an ambitious increase of 10,000 over 2023.
The event’s success is credited to the organisers' efforts to expand the exhibition space and showcase more automotive treasures and a greater variety of stands.
This year, the Epoqu'Auto show expanded significantly, covering an additional 8,000 square metres, for a total of 88,000 square metres, and extending for the first time into Hall 2.1 of the Eurexpo Lyon. This extra space allowed for the introduction of a motorcycle-dedicated area, more exhibitors, and larger stands, along with wider visitor pathways.
More than 900 exhibitors participated, including 560 dealers and nearly 200 clubs. Notably, ten new clubs made their debut, such as the Alfa Classic Club de France, Lancia Net, the Porsche Club des Alpes d’Albertville, and VW Passion Loire.
Organisers also emphasised high-quality exhibitions for an exceptional visitor experience. The Ford Mustang, the star of the event's poster, was prominently featured in the entrance hall, with a stunning display of 11 models curated by the Mustang Club de France to celebrate the iconic car’s 60th anniversary.
The salon also boasted a rare exhibition of 24 creations from the renowned Italian coachbuilder Bertone, including several very special concept cars, several of which were masterpieces by the late design legend Marcello Gandini.
MG captured attention with a collection of 43 distinctive examples, while 17 iconic Matras marked the brand’s 60th anniversary.
Hotchkiss presented nearly 20 vehicles spanning from 1912 to 1961, and a competition section showcased a dozen Formula 3 single-seaters.
A special rally area honoured driver and former Citroën Sport boss Guy Fréquelin, who was seen moving around with another racing legend, Henri Pescarolo.
Japanese youngtimers enjoyed more visibility this year, with 16 cars on display, including an astounding Toyota Century, the only V12 ever made in Japan.
Seven French cars also celebrated significant anniversaries at the show.
Amongst the more fascinating cars at the salon, a stunning Lancia Astura, with beautiful Farina coachwork, was on the Dinard Élégance stand, to preview the next edition scheduled for 13-15 June, 2025.
Riding high on the success of the 2024 edition, organisers are already planning for next year. The show is set to return from 7-9 November 2025. So, if you missed it this year, and would like to see it, start planning.