Opel Classic Brings Century of Heritage to Automechanika 2026 with First-Ever Booth
Opel Classic will present a century of vehicles, from the 1899 Patentmotorwagen to the 2000-era Astra Kit Car, at its first own booth at Automechanika 2026 in Frankfurt.
- September 8–12, 2026
- 1899–2000
- 500 hp
- 3.5 hp
What Happened
Opel Classic is participating in Automechanika 2026 in Frankfurt am Main for the first time with its own booth. The trade fair runs September 8–12, 2026, and this year features a significantly expanded classic car programme. Opel's display is located at booth F12 F74A in the outdoor exhibition area, where visitors can discover vehicles covering an entire century of the brand's history.
“Opel Classic’s participation at this year’s Automechanika is intended to highlight Opel’s unique history and bring it to life for an international trade fair audience. Visitors can view Opel models dating from 1899 to the year 2000, allowing them to experience automotive tradition and innovation ‘made in Germany’ at first hand. What’s more, our exhibits in the outdoor area provide a welcome change”
- Patentmotorwagen ‘System Lutzmann’ (1899), Opel's first car
- Opel Blitz LF8 TSA fire engine from the 1950s/1960s
- Opel GT (1968) with its ‘Coke bottle shape’ and pop-up headlights
- Opel Manta ‘Targa Florio 1974’ wide-body racing car
- Opel Calibra V6 4x4 (1996) and Astra Kit Car rally car
- Opel MAXX concept (1995) with customizable interior
The oldest exhibit is the 1899 Patentmotorwagen ‘System Lutzmann’, Opel’s first car, with a 1,545 cm3 single-cylinder engine producing 3.5 hp and a top speed of about 20 km/h. The second-oldest is the Opel Blitz LF8 TSA fire engine, a classic from the 1950s and 1960s built on the Blitz commercial vehicle chassis. It could carry up to nine people and was equipped with a portable fire pump and comprehensive fire-fighting equipment.
The 1995 Opel MAXX concept car is one example of Opel’s focus on practicality, with a design that could be tailored to individual requirements and tastes. The 1968 Opel GT, with its ‘Coke bottle shape’ and pop-up headlights, became an icon of the 1960s and 1970s. Its slogan ‘Only flying is better…’ went down in advertising history, and the car remains a dream car for many.
Motorsport fans can see the Opel Manta ‘Targa Florio 1974’ wide-body racing car and the Opel Calibra V6 4x4 from the DTM, which won the International Touring Car Championship in 1996 with a 500 hp V6, all-wheel drive and a sequential gearbox. The Opel Astra Kit Car, a production-based competition car in the Formula 2 Kit Car class, was successfully used in national and international rallying at the turn of the millennium. In addition, Stellantis is represented in hall 9.0 at booth F84-E84 as a live workshop environment, showcasing its service offerings.
Previously from Opel Automobile GmbH
Opel has been highlighting its heritage in recent weeks, celebrating the 35th anniversary of the Astra F, its all-time bestseller with 4.13 million units, and the 60th anniversary of the Rekord C, the 1966 model that became the brand's first million-seller. The Automechanika display continues that emphasis by putting cars from 1899 to 2000 in front of an international trade audience.
- Opel Astra F Turns 35: The Compact That Became Opel's Bestseller with 4.13 Million Units
- 60 Years of Opel Rekord C: The Car That Made Opel a Million-Seller
Background drawn from MotorClaw's earlier coverage of Opel Automobile GmbH's official releases.
Why this matters
Opel Classic's first own booth at Automechanika, the world's largest B2B auto trade fair, signals heritage's growing role for the automotive aftermarket. Trade visitors and classic car enthusiasts can see real vehicles spanning 1899 to 2000, including iconic and motorsport-winning models. The exhibition lets Opel reinforce its brand history to an international audience and adds a networking and relaxation stop for fair attendees.
Terms in This Story
- B2B
- Business-to-business, referring to transactions and trade between companies rather than between a company and individual consumers.
- aftermarket
- The market for vehicle parts, accessories, and services after the original sale, including replacement parts and repairs.
- concept car
- A prototype vehicle built to showcase design ideas and new technologies, often not intended for production.
Summarised from the linked release; details can be imperfect — always verify against the original source.