As I expressed in my previous post about my first-ever visit to Charlotte’s AutoFair, Thursday’s and Friday’s visits disappointed me. The Car Corral was a complete letdown, the Flea Market held nothing of interest, the Car Club area was sparsely populated, and not one person working at the show knew the first thing about the on-site auction.
Saturday mostly made up for all of these issues. As it is officially named, the AACA Southeastern Spring National took place as scheduled, with show cars streaming into Charlotte Motor Speedway starting at 7 a.m. But there was this inaccurate statement in the show handout: “AACA Nationals Field: The show field is inside the Speedway in the Xfinity Garage and it’s totally paved.” Am I the only one who interprets this to mean that the entire show will be in the Xfinity Garage? Because that was not the case. The garage was utilized to hold the pre-war and immediate post-war vehicles, of which there were about fifty. But the remainder (another 100-150 cars) were outside, which was fine; I just wish the show organizers had been more honest.
AACA judges give this Firebird the once over
Let’s put my quibbling aside and talk about the vehicles which were there. As expected, most cars were assigned a Class based on model year and/or make and model. There were also Driver Participation Class (DPC) and Original (formerly HPOF, Historical Preservation of Original Features) Class cars. Domestic vehicles from the 1960s and 1970s dominated, and I saw cars that are infrequently spotted in the Northeast. Examples included a Chrysler TC by Maserati, a 1960 Ford Country Squire wagon, not one but two Mustang IIs, a Willys station wagon, several Toronados, and several Eldorados. Import cars were limited to a late 1990s BMW 3-series, a Ferrari 308 GTS, and a Jaguar E-Type coupe.
The charmers were inside the garage. Two 1911 cars, an Oldsmobile and a Thomas Flyer, both had brass polished to an impossible shine. Several 1930s Cadillacs and a 1940 LaSalle looked great. And there were a number of ’40s and early ‘50s Fords, each one nicer than the next.
The day started with beautiful weather, and as it got warmer, the garage provided some respite from the heat. By 3 p.m., I had taken in all that I could, and my visit to the AutoFair was done. Saturday was an early night because I intended to drive home in one day. Departing the hotel at 6:30 a.m. Sunday morning, I arrived home eleven hours later. I allowed myself plenty of stops, and traffic wasn’t bad, but I was beat, and was glad to be home.
1911 Oldsmobile1911 Thomas Flyer1924 Buick1931 Cadillac1940 LaSalle1950 Ford1930 Studebaker1941 Cadillac1939 Ford1940 Ford1948 Buick1960 Ford front1960 Ford rear1966 Jaguar XKE coupe1966 Olds Toronado1967 Plymouth Belvedere1976 Cadillac EldoradoMustang IIMustang IIOlds 4421979 Buick Riviera1967 Pontiac Firebird1996 BMW 3-series1968 Mercury Cougar1950 Willys station wagon1983 Ferrari 308 GTS1991 Chrysler TC by Maserati1962 Studebaker Lark Daytona1973 Olds Toronado
Long before the Internet was a thing, I recall reading about the Charlotte Auto Fair in Hemmings Motor News. It sounded like the South’s version of Hershey, with a flea market, car corral, and car show all rolled into one. I’ve often thought about attending, so earlier this year, when my AACA magazine advertised that a National Judged Show would be part of this year’s Auto Fair, I decided to make the drive. I headed out on Wednesday morning, April 8, and overnighted in Roanoke, VA, to break up the trip. Early Thursday morning, I was back on the road, and arrived at Charlotte Motor Speedway at 10 a.m. Finding the place was easy, there was no wait to get in, and once I forked over my $10 for parking, I was inside the Speedway.
Although I’ve never been a racing fan, I’ve always understood that NASCAR is a really big deal in the south, and stepping onto the actual track at the Speedway was awe-inspiring. The place is huge. When infield seating and standing room accommodations are included, total audience capacity is 95,000. That’s big. The map I was handed as I walked in showed me that the track’s entire infield oval, plus several fields beyond the oval, were taken up by the show.
While the flea market fields were filled to capacity with vendors on Thursday, the same could not be said for the area set aside for car clubs. There were very few cars on Thursday, and just a few more on Friday. The car club area did not completely fill up until Saturday. I wandered through the car corral both Thursday and Friday, but it was less than half full both days, and many of the cars there were late model, heavily modified, or both. (The “Hershey rule” that only AACA-eligible cars are allowed in the car corral was not in force in Charlotte.) Many asking prices were astronomically beyond reasonableness.
The infield “grass” is artificial turf
My map showed one building marked “Auto Fair Auction,” but when I wandered over to it, there was nothing to see: no auction cars on preview, no signage, nada. I stopped at two different information booths run by AACA’s Hornet’s Nest Region, the club responsible for the entire show, and no one knew anything about an auction. Saturday morning, I gave it one more shot, and was extremely disappointed by my findings: two old project cars, plus a small smattering of garage “junk,” and that was the totality of the items for the auction. It was not advertised, it was not promoted, and it held zero interest for me, and probably for the majority of show-goers.
Saturday’s AACA judged National Show was worth it, as there were many fine cars on display. (The write-up and photos for that show will be covered in a separate blog post.) In retrospect, attending the Charlotte Auto Fair all three days was excessive. I could have seen everything I wanted to see on Saturday. But not all was lost. I got to spend time with two long-term friends, both of whom retired to North Carolina, and that made the extra days I spent there worthwhile. Would I attend the Auto Fair again? Probably not. We will file this in the “one and done” category.
FLEA MARKET
Old car parts the way we used to search for themI don’t think I’ve ever seen a Volvo Penta sign at the flea market before
CAR CORRAL
1967 Volvo 122 wagon, asking $18,000. Weber carburetor, claimed original interior.Volvo interior was hard to fault
1963 Studebaker Avanti, asking $32,500. 289 V8, auto.Avanti interior was very rough
1963 Citroen Camionnette, two-cylinder air-cooled engine, four-speed, FWD, many new parts, needs brake work. Sign says MAKE ME AN OFFER!
FalconFalcon Ranchero (wood was added by owner, not available from the factory that yearAnother Falcon Ranchero
1961 StarlinerFairlane1966 Thunderbird
OLDSMOBILE
442CutlassToronado442442Cutlass S442
HOLDEN
Impressively, the Holden Club brought many cars. I didn’t know there were this many Holdens in North Carolina, much less America! There were Chevy SSs, Pontiac GTOs and G8s, and actual Holdens (or at least converted to Holdens).
AUDI
One of the few import brands in the Car Club area, all the Audis were late-model
AUCTION
These were the only two cars in the auctionAside from the cars, these were the only other items in the auction. I’m not sure why they bothered.
The 2026 edition of the New York International Auto Show (NYIAS) held its press days on Wednesday and Thursday April 1 and 2, with the show opening to the public on Friday April 3, and closing on Sunday April 12. I again was able to convince the show organizers to provide me a press pass, and I made my way to the Jacob Javits Center on Wednesday the first.
The main floor was almost completely full this year, with a mix of displays hosted by manufacturers and dealers. As has been the case in recent years, Chevrolet, Ford, Toyota, Nissan, Subaru, Hyundai, and Kia were the dominant brands with factory support. Local dealers brought in vehicles representing BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Audi, and Volvo. Wednesday’s event was well-attended, as there were press conferences running almost continuously throughout the day.
The lower level was again primarily converted to a large EV test track, where one could sign up for a test ride (not drive) in the EV brand of your choice. Given the recent industry upheavals regarding electric cars, one might presume that EVs would be ignored at a show like this. But such a presumption would be incorrect. There were so many EVs at the show that I’ve broken out coverage of them as a separate section in this blog report.
CHEVROLET
General Motor’s most affordable brand was also the only GM make in attendance at the show. Chevy displayed a complete lineup of cars, trucks, and SUV’s, including a significant number of EVs (covered separately). A highlight was coming across a genuine “concept car,” which for many years had been a frequent auto show feature and has all but disappeared in recent times.
Corvette coupeThe placard read: “Corvette distilled: Pure, sophisticated sculpture- electrified vision of future Corvette hypercar.”A 1958 Impala provided a blast from the past. “There’s still no better way to see the USA.”
FORD
Like its crosstown rival Chevrolet, Ford brought “one of each” from its vehicle lineup, with a focus on the Mustang, Bronco, and pickup trucks. The Mach-E Mustang EV is covered separately below.
Mustang RTRMustang coupeMaverick pickupBronco
NISSAN
In addition to its wide range of crossovers, Nissan showed the Z Nismo, now available with a stick shift! I do wonder if that will enhance sales of this slow-selling sports car.
KicksPathfinder with overlanding equipmentThe sign made me wonder, how many people in attendance know how to shift for themselves?The Z Nismo
TOYOTA
Prius (which is still a hybrid, not an EV)Toyota was one of many manufacturers hawking personal accessories.The Corolla GR (for Gazoo Racing)This car impressed me. This is the Corolla hatchback in its mid-level FX trim. Standard equipment includes the white wheels, a rear sport wing, Apple CarPlay and AndroidAuto compatibility, automatic climate control, power driver’s seat, and heated front seats. Including an $1,195 delivery charge, this car’s bottom line price came to $29,229. I thought this was a lot of car for the money.
I found this under the hood of the RAV4. SAE 0W-8 oil? I need to look that up.
SUBARU
Again occupying a significant amount of floor space, Subaru was out to highlight its many new and restyled models. But in my opinion, these new designs have crossed the line from “different” to “unattractive.” I doubt that will hurt sales, though, because the people I know who drive Subarus swear by them.
Impreza CrosstrekThe new Outback
STELLANTIS
Globally, no automakers carries more brands in its portfolio, even if most of them are not sold in the U.S. Still, the domestic Stellantis lineup includes Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram, Fiat, and Alfa Romeo. Their display focused on a tie-in with our country’s 250th anniversary, but of course, that only applies to the domestic makes.
A brag board about its investment in America
DODGE
The focus here was the Charger, available as a two-door, four-door, gas, or electric.
Charger two-doorCharger four-door
JEEP
The Jeep display highlighted the Wrangler and its many variations. The new Recon Moab EV is covered separately below.
RAM
Mega cabs and dualies serve to overemphasize the enormity of these trucks.
FIAT
Fiat sells one model in the U.S., the 500-e EV. But for some reason, they also decided to display an old 500, which looked like you could pick it up and place it in the bed of one of the Ram trucks.
ALFA ROMEO
While I was very happy to find my favorite brand included, I was equally disappointed at the paucity of the display. There was one Tonale, one Stelvio, and no Giulia. There also was no signage to explain features, options, or pricing, although to be fair, none of the Stellantis brands exhibited explanatory signage. For a brand that is seemingly on life support, the sales and marketing effort made by the company was a big disappointment. Who’s running the show? Are they trying to sell cars? Are Alfa’s dealers up in arms about this?
TonaleStelvio
HYUNDAI
I was in attendance for their press conference, where Hyundai seemingly took the industry by surprise by announcing plans to build a body-on-frame truck (“built in the U.S., using U.S. steel”). The concept, named the Boulder (note the spelling) is planned for a 2030 debut. That is a long way off, and I am left pondering how much the world can (and undoubtedly will) change between now and then. Obviously going after Jeep and Ford, I think that those customers have traditionally stuck with domestic brands. Will the typical Wrangler or Bronco shopper stop in at the local Hyundai dealer?
CLASSIC CARS
It’s become tradition in NY to set aside a small area for several classics to be displayed from someone’s personal collection. This year, the theme was Automobiles of the Great Depression, and included a 1933 Pierce Arrow, a 1935 Auburn, and a 1937 Cord.
Pierce ArrowCordAuburn
ELECTRIC VEHICLES
Have you heard these numbers? GM: $7.9 billion. Ford: $19.5 billion. Stellantis: $26.2 billion. No, these are not their net profits for 2025. These are the various write-down and restructuring charges (totaling over $53 billion) each of the Big Three lost during 2025, as they turned away from EV investments due to loss of tax credits and a public still reluctant to embrace a pivot toward EVs.
Yet: GM and Stellantis had a significant focus on new and upcoming EVs at the NY show (Ford, less so). Subaru, Hyundai, Kia, Lucid, Volvo, Nissan, and Polestar also had EVs on display. Recent news stories have indicated that Americans, facing rising gasoline prices, are again shopping for alternatives, including EVs, so for those in the market, the NYIAS had vehicles for their consideration. EV manufacturers who were absent included Tesla, Rivian, and VinFast.
The two major bugaboos for consumers, range anxiety and price parity, are slowly but certainly being tackled by the industry. More efficient batteries, continued investment in public charging stations, and lower priced EVs are here or coming soon. But in the short term, it remains to be seen if Americans can be weaned away from their internal combustion engine machines.
I took two test rides on the EV track downstairs. First was a ride in a Lucid Gravity, a large $80,000 SUV. I followed that with a ride in the new Chevy Bolt, a $30,000 compact SUV. Aside from faster acceleration in the Lucid, there was no other discernible difference from the passenger seat, an interesting tidbit for those who might be considering one of the more affordable EVs coming to market.
CHEVROLET
Chevy’s EV focus was mainly on the trucks: Silverado, Equinox, and Blazer. The new Bolt was there as well. The vehicles are good-looking, and pricing seems to be moving toward price-parity with the gas-engine equivalents. I’m just surprised that Chevrolet continues to style the EV versions to look different than their gas counterparts. They are holding onto the idea that an EV should not look like the gas engine vehicle of the same name.
Silverado EVEquinox EVBolt EVBolt interior (the higher trim level car)
FORD
With the demise of the F-150 Lightning, Ford’s current EV offerings come down to the Mach-E Mustang, of which there were several on display. There was absolutely no mention of the upcoming “affordable” EV pickup truck.
Mustang Mach-E
JEEP
The big EV news at Stellantis was the unveiling of the new Jeep Recon Moab, the “only fully electric vehicle to be Trail Rated.” The published range is 260 miles, so if you’re really going into the wilderness with this, make sure you have the juice to get back home. The starting MSRP is $65,000.
LUCID
The Lucid display was packed all day. They had the four-door Air, the Gravity SUV, and a model called the Sapphire. I had to ask a Lucid rep about the Sapphire. “Oh, that is not a separate model. That is the Air but with every single available option we could possibly add. The price on the Sapphire is $249,000, but of course, you can get an Air starting around $80,000.” This is the kind of vehicle that, right or wrong, causes Americans to think that EVs are out of their price range.
GravityAir SapphireAir Sapphire
SUBARU
Subaru showed a refreshed Solterra, and a new EV called the Trailseeker. Subaru is going overboard with the black body cladding, painted and unpainted.
SolterraTrailseeker
VW
The ID Buzz was on display, but the VW stand had nothing else regarding their EV lineup. I was hoping for a sneak preview of the Scout, but there was no mention of it.
HYUNDAI
Based on the vehicles I see on the road, Hyundai has been doing well with the Ioniq lineup of EVs. The Ioniq 9 was on display, as Hyundai smartly starts to offer the larger SUVs that Americans crave.
Ioniq 9This styling quirk on the Ioniq 9 caught my eye. Is this a faux fender skirt??
VOLVO
This was my first look at the EX90. From twenty paces, many will mistake it for the XC90, which is the idea. I found the interior a bit too spartan, as is the case with many EVs from other manufacturers as well.
EX90EX90EX90
POLESTAR
I couldn’t tell if Polestar was represented by the manufacturer or by a local dealer, but looking at my photos of the display, I would guess the latter.
This Polestar 4 was labeled “Ice Race 2025 Arctic Circle Edition.” Were they trying to test battery longevity in cold conditions?The Polestar 4 is the car without a rear window. The inside rearview mirror is a camera, which has drawn some controversy in road tests and reviews. Apparently, snow will block the camera lens, leaving the driver with only the outside mirrors for the view to the rear.
The NJ Region of the AACA will hold its annual car show (officially known as the “Spring Meet”) this year on Sunday, May 3, in Denville, NJ. Because this is a judged event, the club is always looking for volunteer judges, and in 2024, the Region launched a new initiative, when it expanded the number of judges’ training sessions in the months prior to the show. This initiative continued through 2025 and into 2026. (The Reinas hosted twice, breakfast in 2024and lunch in 2025.)
The chit-chat before class begins
On Saturday March 28, this year’s second judging seminar was hosted by former Region President Greg R and his wife June. Several dozen club members attended the session, again ably run by Craig, our current President and Chief Judge. Greg has a nice assortment of AACA-eligible vehicles at his home, and several were utilized as the group reviewed the NJ Region’s judging criteria. For our Spring Meet, all cars will be judged on a forty-point scale, with a maximum of ten points awarded each for exterior, interior, engine compartment, and undercarriage. The judges will be looking for a first, second, and third place winner in each class (ties are not allowed).
The group gathers around Greg’s ’76 deVille.
Greg points as he instructs us to not point in front of the owners
More discussion around that engine compartment
Greg’s 1976 Cadillac sedan deVille was an excellent example of a well-preserved, mostly original car that most casual onlookers would consider to be close to perfect. However, AACA rules dictate that cars are judged based on how close they are to the condition they would have been in at new car delivery. While the paint on the Caddy was near perfect, and nothing in the engine compartment appeared non-original, the A/C compressor had recently been replaced, and a fine layer of dirt blanketed everything under the hood. The interior, while clean, showed some normal wear on those areas of frequent contact, and the undercarriage was described as “looking like a used car that has had some miles put on it”. The real teaching lesson? While each of these observations would warrant a deduction, on a scale of one-to-ten, the deductions might only account for a few points. In other words, an otherwise original engine compartment is not going to lose nine out of ten points for being “dirty”.
1976 was the last year before GM shrunk its full-size cars
Greg’s 1990 Cadillac
The group also got a look at Bob’s BMW 6-series coupe, a German model that we don’t often see at our shows. It was a good contrast when compared to the big Cadillacs. After about two hours of fresh air, it was time to regroup inside to enjoy the real reason for attending: lunch. Our host couple had our meal catered by a local Italian restaurant, and that included chicken, meatballs, and salad. Several guests brought dessert, and with that, another successful training session was concluded.
I made my way to Center City Philadelphia this week to attend the annual new car show, held as always in the Pennsylvania Convention Center. Fortunately, it’s only an hour’s drive (if traffic is behaving), and there are plenty of parking lots and garages in the immediate vicinity. The Philly show is on a much smaller scale than the NY show (which will be in April this year), and tends to be less crowded and more laid back than NY, and therefore more enjoyable. It’s been at least five or six years since I made my way to Philly for this one, and I’m glad I went. (I wrote a blog post about my 2012 visit to this show, which you can read here.)
There was a surprisingly good array of both domestic and import brands represented, but that observation deserves an asterisk. As I came to realize during my stroll, more than a few of these brands were supported not by the manufacturer, but by a local dealer. I cannot tell you with a high degree of certainly which were which, but if the size of the display were an indicator, I would conclude that Chevrolet, Ford, Toyota, Hyundai, Kia, Honda, and maybe Stellantis (Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep/Ram/Fiat/Alfa Romeo) were manufacturer-sponsored, and Subaru, Nissan, Volkswagen, Cadillac, Tesla, and maybe Lincoln were dealer-sponsored. The two brands which I am 100% certain were dealer-sponsored, both because of the signage and my engagement with a salesperson, were Volvo and Polestar, with vehicles on site courtesy of Volvo/Polestar of Princeton, owned by the Long family.
Despite the turmoil in the news about electric vehicles and the loss of government incentives, consumer reluctance, and factory pullbacks, every brand at the show included EVs, some more prominently than others. First, you had pure EV makes like Polestar, Tesla, Fiat, and Lucid. Cadillac shocked me (no pun intended) when I learned that except for the CT5 sedan, every other vehicle they had on display was a pure EV (NOT hybrid). Obviously, the EV push is not going away.
Just as NY has done for the past several years, the main floor in the Convention Center included an EV test track, and show-goers could ride in the EV of their choice. While I didn’t take advantage of the opportunity, whenever someone mentions to me that they would “never” own an EV, my first question in response is, “but have you driven one?” Almost always, the answer is “no,” and it becomes difficult to reconcile the “never” answer when one hasn’t at least tried it. Shows like NY and Philly give you a free, no pressure chance to have the experience.
General and specific observations continue below, accompanied by photographs.
For a Tuesday afternoon, the show was well-attended, but not so crowded as to impede access to the cars.
The main aisle was cleverly carpeted with this highway-like stripe.
This was my first time seeing a pillar-to-pillar screen. It was so wide that I had to sit in the back seat to photograph it.
If a sea of silver, grey, and black bore you, McLaren offers these eye-searing shades.
SUBARU
The new Forester has grown to the size of the previous Outback
The “Hybrid” bade on the front door is laughingly large – it reminds me of the early ’70s Subarus which wore a “FWD” badge
No one was near the RWD BRZ sports coupe which looks tiny next to its siblings
INEOS GRENADIER
These high-end SUVs and trucks have been advertised on TV, but aside from that, I know very little about them. This show was the first opportunity I’ve had to see them in person, and while I’m not a “truck guy” by any means, I could relate to their attractiveness for a certain clientele. Looking at the manufacturer’s website, the starting prices are lower than I expected, $62,995, which is competitive with many similar vehicles.
CADILLAC
The Optiq is the smallest of Cadillac’s EV SUV lineup (followed by the Lyriq, Vistiq, and Escalade IQ), and I found the exterior to be quite attractive. I especially liked the low height, giving it more of a station wagon profile. The AWD model starts at $56,195.
The Escalade IQ, by comparison, is grotesquely obscene. Photos do not adequately portray the gargantuan, gluttonous proportions of its hideousness. The only purpose this vehicle has in the marketplace is to call attention to itself and its ostentatious owner about its ability to cast its dark shadow onto every other vehicle on the road.
BUICK
With an MSRP starting under $25,000, the appeal of this good-looking Envista is easily understood. It looks to me like a well-designed cross between a car and a crossover. Take a look at that Monroney label as well: the engine and transmission are sourced from Mexico, 73% of its foreign parts come from Korea and China, and its final assembly point is in Korea, which help hold down the price.
THE Y-JOB
What an incredible surprise to see Harley Earl’s Y-Job in the metal. He unveiled it in 1938, and the public must have thought they were looking at a space ship. It still looks revolutionary today. Yet, it was mostly ignored by the show attendees.
ALFA ROMEO
Situated among its Stellantis cousins was a Tonale SUV, the only Alfa at the show. (Alfa showrooms also include the Giulia sedan and the larger SUV, the Stelvio.) The black paint did it no favors, as I find black cars at indoor car shows to mute the styling (as well as being a challenge to photograph). Still, at least Alfa was here.
FORD
The Bronco and Bronco Sport were the big story, highlighting some different color choices too.
POLESTAR
As mentioned above, it was the local dealer which populated the Polestar display, and it included the cleverly-named Polestar 1, 2, 3, and 4 models. All kidding aside, the 1 and 2 are out of production, and the cars on the floor were used cars for sale. (I thought the 2024 Polestar 2 with an asking price of $36,888 to be a bit of a bargain. I had one for a weekend, which you can read about here.) The new Polestars were the 3 and the 4. The 3 is the large SUV, but again, the black paint did nothing to accentuate its rather nice lines. The 4 is the controversial one, as it has no rear window, and the inside rear view mirror is a camera. From what I’ve read, drivers who wear glasses might struggle with a poorly defined depth of field. I must also ask: what happens when (sad to say, not “if,” but “when”) the mirror/camera goes on the blink and you no longer have any vision of what’s directly behind you?
Did AI write this? “Passenger doors rear left: Conventional left rear passenger door.”Pre-owned 2024 Polestar 2 with 10,000 milesPolestar 3 SUVPolestar 3 SUVThis Polestar 4 has no ‘backlight’ (rear window)The Polestar 4The frameless door glass surprised meThe inside rear view mirror is really a camera. Here’s what you see.
THE AACA EXHIBIT
If tradition is any guide, I was expecting a display of classic cars at the Philly show, because they have been there during my previous visits. This year, with the AACA sponsoring what was billed as “Classic Blvd.,” it took over an entire hall separate from the new cars. I will guess that there were 40 to 50 classics on display, and about a third of those were Triumphs, sponsored by the Delaware Valley Triumph Club.
The esteemed editors of the monthly Alfa Owner magazine, the official publication of the Alfa Romeo Owners Club (AROC), selected my article submission for publication in the magazine’s February 2026 edition. Similar to my article from 2025, the story summarized my visit from October of last year at the Auto e Moto d’Epoca, the annual classic car show in Bologna, Italy.
Although my numerous blog posts from the show (found here, here, and here) covered all Italian makes, my AROC story included only the Alfas, understandably so. Thirteen of my photos were included, and I am again honored by this decision. A special thanks must go to Elyse Barrett, managing editor, who worked so closely with me and provided wonderful editorial guidance, as she has for my previous articles.
The four pages from the article are scanned below.
According to their website, Allentown, PA’s “Auto Mania” has been held since 1990. My earliest recollection of attending was in 1997, and I’ve gone back sporadically since then. As classic auto flea markets go, this may be the smallest one out there. (It is worth noting that a few years ago, Carlisle Events purchased Auto Mania, although to my eye, the only thing it changed was adding the Carlisle name to the signage.) Its primary function has been to serve as an excuse to get to a show during the winter. And that was the rationale for three of my besties and me to head there on Friday, January 16.
Thankfully, Larry noticed that the doors didn’t unlock until noon on Friday, so we met for a mid-morning breakfast, filled our bellies, and arrived at the Agri-Plex Expo Center around 12:15. We should not have been shocked at the sight, but we were: the line to get into the place snaked up and down in front of the building, so much so that we stood in the windy and chilly air for thirty minutes before setting foot inside. The place was packed with both vendors and spectators, and so our wandering along the aisles began.
This was only a small part of the entrance queue
This is billed as an indoor-only, all weather event, and 99% of the vendors are selling parts, not cars. Anticipating that I would find the typical piles of stuff that would not interest me, I was pleasantly surprised at the variety. Old books and maps, two of my weaknesses, were easily found. Although I didn’t make any purchases in these categories, it wasn’t for lack of trying. A map vendor had some very interesting NYC maps dating back to the 1940s, and I spent more than a few minutes poring over the choices, ultimately deciding that there weren’t any maps I desperately needed. My favorite vendor was the one who had many tables meticulously arranged with various tools, supplies, and hardware, and he ended his day $15 richer thanks to me.
This vendor, from whom I bought a few things, was busy all day
My three compatriots wandered the building on their own, while I took to strolling solo. I ran into five fellow AACA members, all doing the same thing I was: getting out of the house for a chance to enjoy the hobby inside a heated building. My travel companions and I reconvened around 3 p.m., and headed next door to the Allentown Farmer’s Market, where we found an open counter at a country-style luncheonette, and enjoyed a late afternoon meal. Having driven my own car there, we bid our farewells, and I was home before dark.
The show was mainly populated by older white men with gray hair
It’s nice to know that there is a January car show within an hour’s drive. Would I go every year? Not necessarily. A lot would depend on the weather, and my own level of desire to make the effort. But I enjoyed the day, and now I am even more anxious for April to arrive, so that I can welcome the unofficial start of the car show season.
One of the few cars there was this Datsun 280ZX being raffled off
This vendor had a make or model nameplate for almost every domestic vehicle made
Typical car show food was available, but we waited for better choices at the farmer’s market
Spare parts vendors were a big part of this year’s Auto e Moto d’Epoca, taking up approximately 20% of the available floor space at the BolognaFiere. When I write “spare parts vendors,” I am including businesses selling everything from original-equipment replacement items to performance components, clothing, books, magazines, scale models, and lots of automobilia (collectibles like signs, oil cans, gas cans, advertising material, toys, etc.). The photographs below highlight some of the more interesting vendors I visited during my romp through Building #30.
Alfa parts vendors were aplenty, which was no surprise given our location:
Note the orange-and-black NOS Alfa parts boxes
MyAlfaGroup was a vendor I utilized for some small items last year, and again this year:
If you needed new keys cut, this vendor stocked plenty of key blanks:
Several upholstery vendors were on hand. While my car does not need upholstery work, I thought it would be a good idea to gather some intelligence for future reference. Looking at the upholstery job in this Maserati, I was impressed. The company name was Commerciale MediciStyle, and I gave my contact info to the young woman behind the counter, who followed up with an email to me. BTW, her name was Giulia!
Here was another upholstery vendor who looked like they had interesting things:
Are you out of room for the full-size items? Scale models take up much less space:
If you want to relive your boyhood and purchase a kit for assembly, this vendor had one for a 1955 Alfa Giulietta Spider. And it was only $265!
This body shop was demonstrating its glass-out approach to a complete paint job:
Just lots of everything
I must give a joyous shout-out to D’Angelo Motors. I remember this vendor well from last year. They make performance parts for the classic Fiat 500, offering everything from bolt-on suspension components to major engine overhauls to outrageous resto-mods. This year, they also hosted my new artist friend Ada Gambino, who was the subject of a recent previous post.
Me and my new friend Marco (and dig the ‘stache)
This 500 had a complete air suspension, allowing it to be raised or lowered by several inches:
THE CAR CLUBS
Car clubs (along with organizations, teams, and museums) occupied four of the sixteen buildings, so their presence was significant. Unlike in the U.S. , where we mostly have car clubs devoted to one manufacturer (with exceptions, of course, like the Mustang Club), in Italy, it is quite typical to see car clubs devoted to a single model. For example, for Fiat, there were clubs solely for the 124 Spider, the Barchetta, the X1/9, the 127, and the Ritmo. For Alfa Romeo, I spotted car clubs for the Duetto and the 916. Lancia had a club just for cars with boxer engines! The photos below illustrate these examples.
The Fiat 500 Club, a big club for a little car
The Barchetta ClubThe Fiat 124 Spider National Registry
Part of their display included this illustrated tribute to Tom Tjaarda, who designed the 124 Spider among other cars.
The Fiat X1/9 Club
The Fiat 127 Club. Wonder if they have a U.S. Chapter?
The Fiat Ritmo Club. That car was sold in the States as the Strada.
A club solely for the Duetto
The Alfa 916 Club!
The Lancia Club, which looked like they embraced all Lancias
But here’s the Boxer Lancia Club; that name has got to fool the unknowing
The ASI (Automotoclub Storico Italiano) is an overarching organization for historic automobiles
Before arriving in Bologna for the Auto e Moto d’Epoca, we spent several days in Torino. Traveling as I was with my wife Margaretanne and her brother Kevin, with whom I attended high school, Kevin and I had a mutual school colleague named John Rasiej, who now resides full-time in Torino. We three alumni had a fantastic reunion, highlighted by John and his wife Luisa in the role of our own private tour guides. During our days there, John introduced me to an artist friend of his named Ada Gambino. After seeing that she had creatively painted the entire side of a vintage Fiat Cinquecento (500) for display in a barbershop’s entrance, John commissioned her to paint an original image of Marilyn Monroe on a piece of automotive sheetmetal, specifically, the front clip of a Fiat Cinquecento (500). The flat, grille-less front provided plenty of space on which to paint. Subsequently, Ada received an invitation from a vendor in Fiat 500 performance parts to set herself up in their booth at the BolognaFiere, giving her the potential for huge exposure.
In Torino: Margaretanne, Ada, John, and Kevin
In Torino, I spent some time getting to know Ada, which was a fun challenge as she spoke almost no English, forcing me to utilize my months of Duolingo Italian training. Of course, John, who is bilingual, was always close by and ready to bail me out. With Ada set to work all four days of the show, John decided that he would also travel to Bologna in support of Ada, which also enabled us to spend some time walking the show together.
Ada and John with Marilyn
On my first day at the show, I immediately sought them out. There was Ada, comfortably perched on her artist’s stool, at work on a delightful painting on another Fiat 500 nose. This image would depict a Fiat 500 in the Italian countryside, and this painting was being done for Raffaele D’Angelo, the proprietor of D’Angelo Motors, who so generously offered Ada her own work area. I watched as many show attendees stopped and gazed as the painting progressed in real time. Ada seemed completely at ease fielding questions and comments. Amazingly, a national news reporting crew who was covering the show stopped by to admire her artwork and interview her, and the clip ended up on Italian TV.
This woman actually asked to touch Marilyn’s lips
According to John, as the weekend went on, some of the passers-by expressed serious interest in acquiring a painting from her. She is open to either supplying a piece of sheetmetal herself (she has a local source for that), or having the customer provide the “canvas.” This is a somewhat new venture for Ada, who, previous to this, has both painted on canvas as well as painted on copper jewelry of her own design.
As her business card states (in English), “Ada Gambino: Hand-painted Italian masterpieces of automotive art.” During the week with him, John picked my brain, asking me what I thought about the market for this type of art. I first told him that this is a new field to me; at the same time, I informed him that in America at least, the collecting of “automobiliia,” including everything from spark plugs to oil cans to road signs, is huge. Certainly, there are collector car hobbyists who would be interested in adding a custom hand-painted painting such as Ada can create to their collection of garage art in their man caves.
John’s finished piece was displayed just a few meters from the work in progress
Ada’s business card is attached among the images. It includes her phone number, email address, and a QR code to her Instagram account. Should anyone reading this post have an interest in her art, or be simply looking for additional information, please reach out directly to her. If you do so, as an option, let her know that you found out about her from this blog post. I wish her nothing but the best success with her automotive artistic endeavors.
Admirers were stopping by all day long (Note John’s phone on the right capturing this same image)
This year’s Auto e Moto d’Epoca (Autos and Motorbikes of the Classic Period) was again held at the BolognaFiere, a massive exhibition hall located in its namesake city. Every day spent there was an overwhelming automotive delight for the senses. Most of the the Fiats, Alfa Romeos, and Lancias which were everywhere were familiar to me. But if I thought I knew Italian cars well, it only took a few minutes of strolling the aisles to teach me otherwise. At almost every turn, I came across some vehicle that I had never seen in the metal before, or had never heard of before. Below are the highlights of the cars I’ve grouped together as “the rare and the unusual.” Note that I have indicated the prices in Euros as displayed. At the time of the show, the equivalent dollar value would be calculated by multiplying the Euro by 1.15.
This 1971 Fiat was labeled as an “850 Grand Prix.” From what I could translate, the description read: “This rare version of a Fiat 850 was made by the noted Francis Lombardi design house. Mechanically functional, it is a good base for a restoration.” It was for sale for an asking price of €17,000 ($19,500). Because of its positioning, this was the only shot I was able to take of it.
This very 1950s-looking thing was listed as a 1956 Fiat 1100 103 Elite Vignale. The windshield placard opened with “Vignale is one of the more important Italian automobile design houses,” and it further identified Michelotti as having had a hand in this car’s design. Mechanicals are based on the Nuova Fiat 1100, and while production numbers of around 250,000 are quoted for the “regular” Fiat 1100, the placard further stated, “it is unknown how many of the Elite Vignale were produced.” The dealer was asking €24,950 ($28,700) for this rare Fiat.
The Alfa Romeo 75 of the 1980s was sold in the States badged as the Milano. But I never heard of the “75 Evoluzione” version. This one was a 1987 model year, with an 1800-cc turbo engine. Supposedly one of only 500 produced, the placard said “everything works.” Asking price was €65,000 ($75,000).
This Alfa 1900 Coupe was stopping traffic based on its color alone, never mind its striking design. A “Touring Superleggera,” the only signage on the vehicle itself was a phone number. Several design houses did their own versions of the 1900 Coupe, but this one from Touring is magnificent.
Here is another Alfa 1900, this time, a four-door Berlina. Again, no further information was provided.
An Italian version of the VW Microbus? That’s what this “Romeo” van looked like. It appeared like you could seat about eleven people in there. I especially liked the roof-mounted windows, which really gave it that Microbus vibe.
I was greatly helped by a placard that was 100% in English: “1967 Osca 1600 GT2, with 48,000 km (about 30,000 miles). Four cylinder 1568cc engine with 140 HP, four-speed manual. Osca GT2 with Fissore bodywork. Twenty-one units built. Fiat-derived engine, Maserati chassis. Price on request.” (Badge on rear says “Sebring”.) Osca was the company started by the Maserati brothers after they sold the company named after them. This tiny car was adorable.
This Alfa 6C was on display by an organization sponsoring a reenactment of a tour/rally throughout Sicily to be conducted in May of 2026. There was no signage about the car anywhere. Based on its design, I’d pin it as from the late 1940s. Maybe if I sign up for the event they would let me drive it for a day.
The Lancia Club displayed a number of cars including this Gamma Coupe. According to Wikipedia, the coupes were designed by Pininfarina and were built from 1977 to 1984. The car bears some similarity to other squared-off designs from around this time including the Ferrari 400 and the Fiat 130 Coupe. I don’t think I had ever seen one before.
The signage had plenty of information in English about this car: “The Fiat 525 SS (the initials SS stand for high-compression) is considered the most beautiful Italian car of the period between the 1920s and 1930s, achieving numerous victories in Concours d’Elegance.” Further to that, it was identified as 1929 model year car, with a 3.8L engine producing 88.5 HP at 3350 RPM, allowing it to hit a top speed of 120 KPH (75 MPH). I found the design striking for 1929, and I can even see how it may have influenced some Mercedes-Benz and BMW designs of the ‘30s.
A Fiat Barchetta (little boat). An Italian Miata? I remember seeing photos of these when they were introduced, and at that time, did not find the looks to be attractive. In person, though, the car has a certain quirky charm.
A Fiat 8V. The story goes, Fiat wanted to name this car the “V8” but they were convinced that the Ford Motor Company held the rights to the V8 name. Ergo, they named it 8V (in Italian, “otto vu”; doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue the same way). Turns out that Ford in fact did not own those rights. I think this one was designed in-house. I’ve seen more attractive versions penned by outside design houses.
This 1960 Abarth 850 Scorpione Allemano looked great in giallo (I would bet money that before this, every Abarth I’ve ever seen was red). This sign claimed that this was one of only forty ever produced.
This Alfasud Sprint Veloce 1.3 looked like an Alfetta coupe that had been shrunk by 20%. It was the opening of a factory in the south (sud) which caused Alfa to drop “Milano” from their badge. I believe that all Alfasud models were FWD with boxer engines. These were never sold stateside.
Here is a very cute pair of the original Fiat Topolinos.
Again, I’m helped by a placard in English: “1965 Fiat 1200S OSI Spider. Rare spider designed by Giovanni Michelotti and produced by OSI in Turin (Torino), only 280 produced, 1221cc engine, 58 HP, only two owners.” Hmm, looks a bit like a TR6 from the front. And who designed that? Oh, wait…. The vendor was asking €29,500 ($34,000).
From the same vendor: “1965 Fiat 1300S Coupe Vignale, very rare car, produced in only 50 units by Carrozzeria Vignale of Turin based on a design by Michelotti, 1295cc engine.” Asking price was €32,000 ($36,800).
Here’s another pre-war car: a 1938 Fiat Balilla convertible, looking very dapper in light yellow. The vendor started out asking €39,900 ($45,900). By the time I saw it, the price was marked down to €34,900 ($40,000), “trattabile” (negotiable).
Another Alfa 6C, this one a 1949 6C 2500 SS Passo Corte. The placard stated that this car has an SS engine with 110 HP.
Still to come: posts about car clubs, vendors, and cars for sale. Stay tuned….
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