Retro Classics Stuttgart

Messe Stuttgart sits directly adjacent to Stuttgart Airport, which tells you something about the scale of the events it hosts. Retro Classics occupies the entire complex for four days each February — the traditional season opener for the German-speaking classic car world, and at 25 editions, one of the most established shows on the European calendar.

The 2026 edition marks the show's anniversary with two special exhibitions. The BMW 6 Series E24, fifty years old in 2026, gets its own dedicated display — a car that defined a certain idea of the elegant German GT. The Opel Omega A, forty years old, is a less expected choice and a more interesting one: a car that has passed through the youngtimer window into genuine collectability faster than most people anticipated. Around 1,500 exhibitors fill the halls, bringing somewhere between 3,000 and 4,000 vehicles across classics, youngtimers, race cars and commercial vehicles, alongside one of the most comprehensive parts markets in Europe.

The RETRO NIGHT on Thursday evening keeps Hall 1 open until 22:00 — a quieter entry point to the show before the weekend crowds arrive, and worth using if you can be there on opening day. The scale rewards planning: the halls covering pre-war cars and specialist restoration exhibitors are worth a dedicated morning, separate from the parts market, which can consume an afternoon on its own.

From Zürich, the A81 north reaches Stuttgart in under two hours. The Swabian Alb begins almost immediately south of the city — the B27 and B28 through Tübingen and Reutlingen make a reasonable return route if you are not in a hurry.