AUTO E MOTO D’EPOCA (VINTAGE CARS AND BIKES) 2020, THE PASSION IS BACK IN PADUA FROM OCTOBER 22 TO 25

The annual autumn event for engines from the past: Padua is opening its doors to “Auto e Moto d’epoca” (Vintage Cars and Bikes) from October 22 to 25. Fra-Ber will also be there this year as an exhibitor with its Innovacar line dedicated to detailing.

“The car that ignites passion”. This is the slogan chosen for the 2020 edition of the Paduan Auto e Moto d’epoca show, also known as the largest vintage car and parts market in Europe. A passion for engines that the Covid-19 pandemic has not managed to smother, but – quite the contrary – has fuelled by creating even more suspense leading up to the best known and important autumn event for all enthusiasts in the industry. The Auto e Moto d’epoca show of Padua is once again opening its doors from October 22 to 25 “ready to relaunch the industry by sharing the same enthusiasm as always in complete safety”. These are the words of Mario Carlo Baccaglini, the organiser of the successful event, words that are certainly shared by the tens of thousands of visitors who come to visit the many stands every year, as well as by approximately 1600 exhibitors who, this year, once again also include Fra-Ber, as always ready to meet its customers and share its passions.

The event.
We are talking about 11 pavilions dedicated to the enchanting world of vintage cars, motorbikes, parts, specialised publications and numerous experiential routes. In fact at Auto e Moto d’Epoca collectors and enthusiasts can choose from among over 5,000 cars placed on sale by the main car companies, find original parts as well as accessories of every price range and brand. Plus this is exactly where the history and culture of engines live, and by visiting the showroom you dive right into the past and can actually touch the present and the future of the automotive industry. Starting more than 30 years ago as a vintage car market dedicated to collectors in the industry, the Padua showroom is now an event truly open to everyone. Men and women of all ages, collectors or simply people with curiosity, come to the 90,000 square metres of exhibition space with genuine enthusiasm, either enjoying a long-standing passion or dipping their toes in for the first time.

The story.
Established in 1983, by 1990 it became a showroom and then in 2007 it earned international recognition. In 2010 heritage and modern equalled out, whereas 2015 was the year the show branched out to include motorbikes, and by 2019 it was the most important vintage car market in Europe. The exceptional event that confirms the Padua trade centre as its privileged venue where people come to admire cars and bikes of the past, buy vintage parts and discover, in the area dedicated to car brands, the history and future of the various models in an unmissable journey along the tracks of time.

The exhibitions and the themes – the courage to dream.
The thematic areas that are chosen every year are as original as always, based on different topics to stimulate emotions in an atmosphere of great curiosity. And, in this regard, there will be two exhibitions for the 2020 edition based on the title “The courage to dream”.

The first, “when ordinary becomes extraordinary”, is centred on the typically Italian expertise to transform normal cars into winning sports cars. An aspect dedicated to the various Italian post-war brands that were partially responsible for relaunching the national industry and for succeeding in making economical and affordable cars special and winning in international competitions.

The second, “the man who beat the giants”, dedicated to a private motorbike team (Althea Racing) that challenges and beats the teams of the major companies, ranking world champion five times in the Superbike and Superstock categories.

Anniversaries and birthdays.
This 2020 edition is certainly special also because it is the celebration of many anniversaries and birthdays, full of surprises and new products: the 110 years of Alfa Romeo, the 85 of Jaguar, the 60 of Lancia Flavia and the 50 of Range Rover. Another special birthday is of the Fiat UNO Turbo, an authentic Italian icon that is celebrating 35 years, a car that thrilled an entire generation and continues to gain enthusiasts.

Fra-Ber and Innovacar.
At this 36th edition of Auto e Moto d’Epoca, Fra-Ber will be in Gallery 78 Automotive with INNOVACAR, its line dedicated to detailing to restore and maintain the old splendour and its raison d’etre. Detailing is an actual art, developed in the United States in the ‘60s with the use of chrome plating and showy bodywork, which then evolved, once the trend reached Europe, into a technique dedicated to restoring bodywork, especially appreciated by vintage car owners and today, also in Italy, by those who like keeping their car in perfect conditions and unique.

Safe show.
It is important to emphasize, given the unpleasant situation that we are all facing, that the show will be held in complete safety, in full compliance with the guidelines set forth by AEFI (Italian Exhibition and Fair Association) and governed by the various Prime Ministerial Decrees. The various safety solutions therefore include large spaces and guaranteed distancing, mandatory mask wearing, plenty of sanitiser gel, continuous disinfection and the creation of new routes to avoid the formation of gatherings. Certainly a major effort for the purpose of guaranteeing comfort and peace of mind for the large number of expected visitors.