After Auto e Moto d’Epoca moved to Bologna, the Veneto city isn’t sitting idly by. From February 26 to 28, 2027, a new international show dedicated exclusively to “true” veterans will debut: here’s what we know about the Padova Only Classics project.
Padua and classic cars: a bond that seemed to have been severed with the historic event’s move to Bologna, but is now ready to be reborn. The debut of Padova Only Classics – Fair of Motoring Excellence 1886-1977 has been officially announced , a new event that aims to bring the city of the Saint back to the center of international classic motoring.
A selective format: no Youngtimers
The real novelty isn’t just the return to the fair, but the event’s philosophy. While major European shows are increasingly opening up to youngtimers (cars from the ’80s, ’90s, and 2000s) to attract new collectors, Padova Only Classics chooses the path of purity .
The admission criteria will be extremely strict: only vehicles (cars and motorcycles) at least 50 years old will be admitted . The timeline is already set: from the origins of motoring in 1886 to the insurmountable limit of 1977. No modern supercars or “instant classics,” but only the beating heart of automotive history.
Quality over quantity
The stated goal of the Intermeeting organizers (the same team led by Mario Carlo Baccaglini that made Padua great in past decades) is to offer a showcase for those models that currently struggle to find space at mainstream fairs.
“We want to highlight the excellence that has shaped the automotive culture,” the organizers explain. It won’t be a “war” with Bologna, but rather a complementary, more intimate event focused on the finest collectibles, capable of attracting experts and enthusiasts from across Europe, thanks also to the support of FIVA (Fédération Internationale des Véhicules Anciens).
Dates to mark in red
The debut is scheduled for the weekend of February 26-28, 2027. The choice of the winter period is no coincidence: it aims to strategically position itself on the international calendar, offering an opportunity for the European market to meet at the start of the season.
For Padua, this is a “healing wound,” as local authorities have declared, but also a significant economic challenge. The city is preparing to welcome a high-spending public and collectors eager to rediscover the charm of an exhibition center that for forty years has been the industry’s capital.