From January 28th to February 1st, 2026, the Paris Expo Porte de Versailles was the scene of a milestone in automotive culture. Rétromobile celebrated its 50th anniversary in record-breaking fashion, while at the same time the all-new Ultimate Supercar Garage made an impressive debut. Rétromobile welcomed 181,500 visitors, confirming its status as the world’s leading classic car trade fair. Meanwhile, the first edition of the Ultimate Supercar Garage attracted 63,450 visitors and immediately established itself as Europe’s new benchmark event for modern supercars.
Rétromobile at 50: A celebration of legacy
This anniversary edition was for the first time under the patronage of the French Ministry of Culture and had a strong symbolic meaning. Rétromobile was also awarded the FIA Heritage Cup 2025 by the FIA Founding Members Club, recognition of its central role in preserving and promoting automotive heritage.
BMW Art Cars: Motorsport meets contemporary art
One of the standout attractions was the BMW Art Car World Tour exhibition, which brought together for the first time in France the seven BMW Art Cars that competed in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The Alexander Calder Art Car became the visual symbol of the anniversary edition and reinforced the unique dialogue between contemporary art and endurance racing.
Rally legends and industry icons
Emotions and nostalgia filled the halls during the retrospective “The Golden Age of Rally”, presented in collaboration with the Gino Macaluso Foundation and Oreca. The performances by François Chatriot, Bruno Saby, Didier Auriol and Ari Vatanen attracted large crowds and celebrated a crucial era in motorsport. Equally fascinating was the Bugatti railcar from the Cité du Train – SNCF Heritage collection.
The streamlined masterpiece, a fascinating mix of automotive engineering and rail innovation, was a tribute to France’s industrial ingenuity. Iconic manufacturers were also well represented with 32 brands officially represented.
with retrospectives, anniversaries and world premieres.
Ultimate Supercar Garage: A Bold First Edition
If Rétromobile celebrates history, Ultimate Supercar Garage celebrates the present and the future. The inaugural edition brought together an exceptional line-up including Alfa Romeo, Aston Martin, Bentley, Bertone, Bugatti, Ferrari (represented by Charles Pozzi), HWA, Lamborghini Paris, Lotus, Maserati, Pagani, Praga, Renault Turbo 3E and many more. This was not just an additional hall, but a clear strategic expansion into the hypercar universe.
Live premieres right in the middle of the action
The live stage became the beating heart of the Ultimate Supercar Garage and hosted several high-profile reveals. Bugatti exclusively unveiled the second model in its Solitaire range, the Bugatti FKP Homage. Bertone presented the new Runabout for the first time, while Donkervoort presented the P24 RS in a world premiere. Bentley impressed with the first presentation of the Continental GT Supersport in France and Lotus introduced its latest electric hypercar. Alfa Romeo and Maserati also attracted attention with the joint public presentation of their Bottega Fuoriserie ultra-customization program.
A new generation committed
With the hypercar segment reportedly growing at 8.5% annually, Ultimate Supercar Garage clearly resonated with a younger, highly connected audience. These machines, embodying performance, exclusivity and technical innovation, attracted a target group that wanted to experience the excellence of modern automobiles up close.
Pagani emphasized its craftsmanship philosophy, Automobili Mignatta presented its Barchetta vision, while Eccentrica and Pirelli closed the segment with a V12 hypercar and smart tire technology.
Final thoughts
Walking through Rétromobile and Ultimate Supercar Garage on the same day felt like walking through a living automotive timeline.
In one hall: pre-war legends, rally icons and first-class collector cars with preserved mechanics
Heritage.
The next part will reveal state-of-the-art hypercars under dramatic lighting, increasing performance and
Design into the future.
Rétromobile 2026 proved that heritage and hypercars are not opposing forces, they are
successive chapters of the same story. And in Paris this winter, that story felt more alive than ever.
Photos and words by Yaron Esposito
