Some events just become part of the calendar. For me, Techno Classica is one of them. Every year I’d point the car towards Essen without even thinking about it. That’s where the show had always been, at least for as long as I can remember. This year, though, the navigation sent me somewhere else: Dortmund.
The move itself wasn’t a surprise. We’d known for a while that 2025 would be the final edition in Essen. Still, pulling up at a different venue felt strange. And judging by the conversations on the show floor, I wasn’t the only one. Dortmund is newer, more compact, and easier to get around, but my first impression was simple: it felt smaller. There were fewer halls to explore, fewer cars, and fewer familiar faces you’d normally bump into throughout the day.
That said, nobody comes to Techno Classica to admire the venue. We come for the cars. And while the overall scale may have been reduced compared to previous years, the quality certainly wasn’t. There was still plenty that stopped me in my tracks.
Let’s take a look at some of the highlights before diving into the full gallery below.
There was plenty of machinery competing for attention, but I kept drooling over this widebody BMW 2002. The reason was sitting under the bonnet: a Schnitzer 16-valve M10, finished with the famous gold cam cover that every BMW nerd instantly recognises.
For BMW enthusiasts, this is the sort of engine that stops conversations. Based on the legendary M10 four-cylinder, the Schnitzer conversion transformed the humble 2002 into a serious touring car weapon. Back in the day these engines powered some of the most competitive 02-series race cars in Europe, revving far harder and producing roughly twice the power of a standard road-going 2002.
The Schnitzer behind those famous 16-valve BMW 2002 race engines was Schnitzer Motorsport, the racing team founded by brothers Josef Schnitzer and Herbert Schnitzer in the 1960s. They developed race cars, engines and cylinder heads for BMW competition use. AC Schnitzer came later. It was established in 1987 through a partnership between Herbert Schnitzer and BMW dealer Willi Kohl to market tuning products globally.
Few Ferraris carry quite the same elegance as the Ferrari 250 GT Lusso. Built as the final road-going chapter of the legendary 250 series, it combined the performance of Maranello’s iconic V12 with genuine grand touring refinement. Just 350 examples were produced, and this 1964 car is one of the most intriguing of the lot.
Chassis no. 235 left the factory finished in Avorio over Red, a highly unusual factory colour combination that is believed to be unique among all 250 GT Lusso models. Adding to its desirability, the car retains its matching-numbers drivetrain and is accompanied by a Marcel Massini report and extensive history file. Offered by Gallery Aaldering, this Lusso is a reminder of why many enthusiasts consider the 250 GT to be one of the most beautiful Ferraris ever built.
Rally Road Cars has a nice ring to it, but the golden era is long gone. Luckily we can still enjoy these homologation specials like the Toyota Corolla, Mitsubishi Lancer EVO VI and the Subaru Impreza.
Remember my post on three rare Skylines at Ultrace Germany this year? Here are two of them again. The KPGC110 and the M-Spec Nissan Skyline R34 GT-R were present amongst other rare Japanese Domestic Market cars.
The KPGC110 was the second-generation GT-R and is often called the “Kenmeri GT-R”, a nickname derived from a highly successful Nissan advertising campaign featuring a couple named Ken and Mary. Only 197 examples were produced, making it the rarest production Skyline GT-R ever built.
The R34 Skyline GT-R M-Spec was introduced before the Nür models. It was a comfort-oriented GT-R developed around Kozo Mizuno’s, who was the the chief engineer behind the R34 GT-R, vision of a high-speed grand tourer. It features different dampers, leather trim and heated seats.
Below the gallery, I might share some spotlight from the Techno Classica. I will certainly be back next year.
