France’s Rétromobile classic car show will kick off the European show season from February 5-9, 2025 at the Paris Expo Porte de Versailles, headlined by celebrations dedicated to Formula 1, 70 years of DS, Delahaye and French engineer Adolphe Kégresse.
As the subject of the 2025 official event poster, the DS takes centre stage at the 49th edition of Rétromobile, with plenty to delight enthusiasts of the iconic model. The highlight is a specially curated exhibition, DS: 70 Years a Work of Art, curated by DS Automobiles. This showcase explores how the Citroën DS, first unveiled at the 1955 Paris Motor Show, revolutionised automotive engineering, ultimately inspiring the creation of Citroën’s luxury offshoot marque, DS Automobiles, in 2009.
The poster depicts the DS Balloon, a striking image created in 1959 by Claude Puech to symbolise the comfort afforded by the model’s innovative hydropneumatic suspension system. The exhibition, located in Pavilion 1, will include a collaboration with Mathieu Lustrerie, a specialist in creating and restoring French chandeliers, to accentuate the DS’s iconic silhouette.
DS takes centre stage at the 49th edition of Rétromobile with plenty to delight enthusiasts of the iconic model
Intriguingly, organisers have also revealed that Puech’s DS Balloon will be recreated through an educational programme conducted in association with GARAC (the National Academy for Automotive and Mobility Professions).
F1 fans will undoubtedly be drawn to Pavilion 2, where a 600-square-meter display entitled French Formula 1 from the ’60s to the Present Day brings six decades of French Grand Prix history to life. The display comprises 16 iconic F1 racers that made an indelible mark on the series. Complementing the Grand Prix cars is a live stage, where notable personalities from French Formula 1 history will share their stories with attendees.
Rétromobile will pay tribute to French engineer and inventor of the half-track, Adolphe Kégresse, whose significant contributions to the development of the motor car remain largely overlooked. Taking place in the Pont des Expositions, the tribute coincides with the 100th anniversary of Citroën’s Croisière Noire expedition, which showcased Kégresse’s innovative half-tracked vehicles traversing the challenging African landscape.
The one-of-a-kind 1939 Delahaye 135MS Roadster presented by the Club Delahaye is set to be one of the headline attractions. Chassis 60233, commissioned by the Société des Automobiles Delahaye and bodied by renowned coachbuilder Henri Chapron, was originally intended for the 1939 Paris Motor Show. However, the outbreak of World War Two delayed its debut until the 1940 New York World’s Fair. This stunning piece of French automotive history can be found in Hall 3.
Those with a penchant for two wheels will be delighted with the return of Rétromobile’s Motorcycle Zone, which debuted to great acclaim in 2024. Occupying more than 2000 square meters in Pavilion 2, the Zone showcases vintage motorcycles, manufacturers and suppliers.
This year’s Motorcycle Zone features a 25-bike display showcasing the collection of Éric de Seynes, a former racer who became Yamaha’s first non-Japanese CEO. Additionally, London’s iconic Ace Cafe returns, offering a dedicated space for enthusiasts to gather and socialise.
Back in 2024, Rétromobile announced that a US version of the event would be launched in partnership with the duPont Registry. Rétromobile USA represents a significant milestone for the French event, and the dates and venue are expected to be revealed in the coming months.
Rétromobile’s official auction partner, Artcurial, will return to Paris to host its annual sale of collector cars and motorcycles. Highlights from the eclectic 257-lot catalogue include a 1966 Ferrari 275 GTB longnose and a 1930 Bugatti Type 51 Grand Prix Usine formerly owned by Ralph Lauren. You can find our full Paris auctions breakdown here.
The Paris sales running alongside the main exhibition add another dimension to Rétromobile week, as auction houses such as Artcurial as well as RM Sotheby’s and Bonhams often record some of their biggest sales of the year at the event.
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