Autonostalgia 16-17 May 2015 Warsaw Poland

Click on pictures for a superior rendition

A new meaning given to the much abused term 'originality'. 

A fierce bout of nostalgia for a deeply original Wartburg 353 in production in East Germany between 1966 and 1984. One careful owner. The interior has also clearly been maintained in original condition since manufacture heaving with an accumulation of old maps, moth-eaten clothes, artificial flowers, lolly papers, newspapers, an invalid crutch...in short a triumph of dilapidation. 

Brilliant irony in evidence here...

I found my visit to Autonostalgia this year ever so slightly disappointing compared to last year. There were far fewer interesting early vehicles, a preponderance of German makes and no military vehicle presence unless I missed it. No seriously used Rally cars as last year or many obscure 'East European' types which makes these shows so fascinating to us uneducated Western car buffs. 

This being said the Porsche Museum went to a great deal of trouble and expense bringing some interesting vehicles to the show as you will see below. Some superb Mercedes were also displayed. There were some simply gigantic American fantasy cars clearly designed for touring Texas or Wyoming. A smattering of English and French makes most of which were outstanding examples of Bentley, Jaguar, Rolls-Royce and Citroen.

Overall the show convinces me that quality of Polish car restoration is now leaping ahead of many specialists in the West and in some respects has become second to none. All at a fraction of the rip-off prices pertaining in the exploding contemporary classic car market. Classic cars are now of course recommended by 'Financial Advisers to Ultra High Net Worth Individuals' as a pleasant even cavalier component of a diversified investment portfolio: property, shares, bonds, cash, gold, classic cars, wine and art. Rather a bummer for the poor modest enthusiast whose desired exotica are rapidly moving out of financial reach (like me par example). In many cases Polish craft skills in trim and engine engineering remain of enviable and outstanding quality especially the quality of bodywork, paint and interior trim - magnificent in some cases.

I will simply post pictures of some cars that caught my attention and attempt to identify them. I foolishly forgot to take a pen and notebook - typical!

A superbly restored 1930 DKW

Mercedes-Benz were well represented with some very fine examples that remind us that they can be a truly elegant car, not a word one usually associates with Mercedes.

                         I think this is a supremely elegant 1952 Mercedes 220 (W187) Cabriolet

Magnificent  restorations of the Mercedes 190 SL and Pagodas seem to have become a specialty of Polish classic car restoration companies

The Porsche Museum supplied the striking 911 Carrera Speedster Prototype from 1987

A beautifully presented Citroen 2CV - one of the favourite cars of the late British 'Playboy MP' Alan Clark. There were some truly imaginative 'barn find' displays of the DS Pallas last year - sadly missed in 2015

The CCC chairman trying out a long wheelbase Tatra 613 for size, luxuriating in the grey velour-covered seats.

The Tatra 613 was a large luxury rear wheel drive car with rear mounted air-cooled engine manufactured from the 1970s to the 1990s, as a replacement for the Tatra 603 series. It featured a body style by Vignale and featured a dohc air-cooled 3.5 litre V8 engine developing a healthy 165 hp.


The Tatra 613 vehicles were mostly used by government officials and industry executives.

A splendid, meticulously restored Tatra 600 Tatraplan manufactured from 1946-52. Only 6,342 were built. The name refers to the aeroplane streamlined inspiration, the body having a drag coefficient (Cd) of only 0.32. The car is powered by an air-cooled flat-4-cylinder 1,952 cc rear-mounted engine. Note superb bodywork, paint and chrome in this outstanding restoration.

Our esteeemed CCC member Przemek Vonau of AAA Auto with a cute and rather rare 1959 Skoda Felicia 2-door Convertible. Wonderful 1950s pastel shade of lime green. Seating five it was equipped with a folding hood and a plastic hardtop. The Felicia sports a 1089 cc four-cylinder engine. Only 14, 863 were produced from 1959-64.

A highly desirable 'Split' rear window VW Beetle from the early 1950s. Period luggage rack and cases.

A discreetly displayed pair of Maseratis.
A Maserati Khamsin (1974-82) and a Maserati Merak (1972-83).
The Khamsin with bodywork by Marcello Gandini at Bertone and the Merak with bodywork by Giorgetto Guigiaro at Ghia. 

Possibly the most outstanding car at Autonostalgia this year. An imposing and regal 1963 Bentley S 3 Continental 'Chinese Eye'. 

This Polish restoration by Classic Data www.classic-data.pl  is up there at Pebble Beach standard of finish.
Behind is an equally superb 1936 Rolls-Royce 25/30 (shame about the wedding livery).  

Always some beauties at this event

My pathetic picture of her astride the bike does not do her (or her legs) justice. More beautiful and exotic than Sara Martins the French-Portuguese actress who used to play the Caribbean detective Camille Bordey on the island of Saint-Marie in the BBC series Death in Paradise. The old series with Sara Martins is now on BBC HD if you are interested. 

Clearly my youthful island years in the South Pacific are resurfacing!
Sad isn't it - the older man and his memories

A cute Giannini 590 GT Replica

    The engine bay of a nearby Lancia replica Rally car. 

Marked absence of Alfa-Romeo at the show compared to last year

A gorgeous 1960 Chevrolet Corvette Convertible that for me at least is the very apotheosis of  American design flair and taste

A stunning interior! Whoever commissioned this restoration insisted the seats be trimmed in lamb sourced only for Lamborghini cars. Truly magnificent.

Profound understanding of detail and design in this Corvette. They are a true work of (American) art.

'Bravo!' is right. 

This sort of minimalist Maluch camping seems well and truly over in Poland in 2015. 

Is there nostalgia for it I wonder?

And so we bid farewell to a car show absolutely unimaginable when I first visited Poland in 1992. 

                                                       Gratulacje dla wszystkich!

The last word from the inspired Wartburg work of art that opened this account 

So conceptually superior in every way to Tracy Emin's bed

Michael Moran (Chairman CCC)