France, birthplace of motor racing 130 years ago and a patriotic bastion of style, elegance and avant garde design, is the perfect home of Retromobile, arguably the world’s greatest car show.
Staged in Paris since 1976 and with Europe’s best museums, motor manufacturers selling historical soul, leading collectors of reassuringly priceless automotive jewels, specialist craft ateliers of all sizes and purveyors of the finest motor cars assembled in one place, the Porte de Versailles expo is the one annual rendezvous nobody wants to miss.
All the grand marques of yesteryear are present in some form in either the vast main hall or secondary areas.
Here are some of the highlights that brought a sensual overload on the first of this year’s show’s five main days.
Matras among the cars celebrating 60 years of French F1
Photo by: MAWP+SPORT
Stewart is one of the names synonymous with the Matra brand
Sixty years of French Formula 1 from the 1960s brought a colourful panorama of 16 cars spanning a representative grid of contrasting eras, graced by several star drivers over the five days. Described as “an immersive experience”, this historical sporting tapestry was curiously tucked away at the dark end of Pavillion 2.
French aerospace company Matra made its world championship bow with F2 cars run concurrently with three-litre F1 in the 1966 German Grand Prix. While developing its own V12 engines, Matra’s management was not too proud to team with Elf, Ken Tyrrell, Jackie Stewart and Ford’s iconic V8 to attain success. Its stopgap DFV-engined MS9 appeared in the 1968 South African GP but, after sitting out the next two races, the pukka MS10 successor won second time out at Zandvoort. JYS added two more victories, finishing runner-up to Team Lotus’ Graham Hill for the year.
Six wins in 1969 meant Stewart landed the coveted crown with Tyrrell, with whom he had dominated the British F3 championship back in 1964. Retromobile’s focused line-up started with one of the pair of gloriously curvaceous French blue Matra-Ford MS80s in which Stewart aced five mid-season rounds from seven, completing a stunning hat-trick at Silverstone.
Renault dug out the tiny black F2 Elf 2J-derived Alpine A500, which Jean-Pierre Jabouille evolved into its sizzling RS01 turbocar that debuted at the 1977 British GP and an RE10. Further down the display, onlookers admired Ferraris, Ligier JS31, Williams-Renault, Peugeot-powered Jordan, Prost AP03 and McLaren, plus Benetton-Renault among others.
Sportscar stars
Photo by: MAWP+SPORT
Factory Mercedes from 1998 was among the notable cars on the Fiskens stand
Gregor Fisken’s long-established enterprise based in West London’s chic mews, presented a mouthwatering multi-marque selection on its tartan-backdropped set.
From 1935 Alfa Romeo 8C Long Chassis Le Mans Tourer to ex-Tom Kristensen/Dindo Capello 2001 Jarama debut-winning Audi R8 LMP, via Jenson Button’s 1952 Jaguar C-type (originally supplied to Juan Manuel Fangio in an exclusive bronze hue) and the unique ex-Briggs Cunningham Jaguar E2A in which Walt Hansgen and Dan Gurney contested Le Mans in 1960, Fisken’s showroom also displayed one of two ex-works 1998 Mercedes-Benz V12 CLK GTRs.
Smaller newcomers also on display
Photo by: MAWP+SPORT
Mitchell’s fledgling company had some notable machinery on its stand
At the bijou end of the scale, rising British competition car specialist [Ben] Mitchell Curated made its Retromobile debut with an eye-catching trio of cars.
Its stand comprised Tyrrell 008-3, in which Patrick Depailler won the 1978 Monaco GP, Lola T70 Mk3B SL76/148 – stunningly restored to British privateer Barrie Smith’s Avalon Racing Thanet livery, having raced in Chris Beighton’s Team Tiger colours for many years – and the first Audi R8 LMS ultra to win a GT race in the USA.
A modern take on a veteran speedster
Photo by: MAWP+SPORT
Renault has combined the past with the future for its Filante Record car
Celebrating a century since its wind-cheating 40CV coupe set speed and endurance records at Montlhery, and equally an homage to its Turbomeca gas turbine-engined Etoile Filante (Shooting Star) – the fin-tailed machine in which the brave Jean Hebert achieved an average of 191mph over two runs at the USA’s Bonneville salt flats in 1956 – Renault unveiled its electric Filante Record 2025 demo car at Retromobile.
The futuristic 1000 kg aerodyne, showcasing its E-Tech technology for efficiency and range rather than speed, drew much attention alongside its 1925 ancestor.
New electric Renault 4 and 5 models, and Ora Ito’s reimagined 17 concept, electric powered and carbon fibre-bodied, were paired with originals under the arch.
