{"id":387849,"date":"2026-10-30T13:34:47","date_gmt":"2026-10-30T13:34:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/387849\/"},"modified":"2026-10-30T13:34:47","modified_gmt":"2026-10-30T13:34:47","slug":"retromobile-nyc-is-bringing-parisian-classic-car-culture-to-manhattan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/387849\/","title":{"rendered":"R\u00e9tromobile NYC is Bringing Parisian Classic Car Culture to Manhattan"},"content":{"rendered":"

Get Autoblog in your Google feedKey PointsR\u00e9tromobile is launching its first New York classic-car show at Javits Center, November 19\u201322.The event will feature over 300 cars, 100 motorcycles, auctions, art cars, and automotive exhibits.Organizers aim to create an accessible, locally inspired celebration while expanding the show in future years.<\/p>\n

We Come to This Place<\/p>\n

Throughout the year, car enthusiasts have a plethora of events that they could attend where they can celebrate and express their love for cars with fellow enthusiasts. During warmer months, local cars and coffee events take place across America on any given Saturday or Sunday morning, gathering owners of cool vehicles and car nuts together. Thoughout the year, auto shows bring auto fans of all ages to gawk at the latest models in big city convention centers all over the country and all over the world. Meanwhile, destination events like Monterey Car Week and The Quail act as automotive pilgrimages that bring both budding car spotters and well-known collectors together.<\/p>\n

While there are many automotive events that one may attend in their local area throughout the year, there are some big events that appeal to various interests and hobbies that one may see as a bucket-list event due to the travel needed to attend them. If you love geeky pop-culture stuff and superheroes, you might have the San Diego or New York Comic Con on your wish list. If you like anime and manga, it might be Anime Expo in Los Angeles, or the Penny Arcade Expo (PAX) in Boston or Seattle if you like video games.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Although I have expressed an interest in attending some of the events I listed as examples, as a born and bred car enthusiast, there has been one show that I have had on my bucket list ever since I was a teenager perusing the internet. It\u2019s called R\u00e9tromobile, a massive annual classic car show that turned 50 this year. Since 1976, classic car fanatics and automotive enthusiasts have flocked to R\u00e9tromobile to kick off the European classic car and auction season each winter. The last edition of the show earlier this year attracted over 181,500 visitors and played host to an auction that produced headline sales, like the Bugatti<\/a> Chiron Profil\u00e9e, which set a record for the most expensive new car<\/a> ever sold.<\/p>\n

There is only one thing about Retromobile that prevents me from going every year: it\u2019s in Paris, a place that requires seeing airports and terminals in order to get to. However, all that is going to change this November, as Retromobile is expanding across the Atlantic with a new show in none other than my own stomping grounds: New York City. The first R\u00e9tromobile New York will take place at the Javits Center in Midtown Manhattan from November 19 to the 22nd, and will be highlighted with a Gooding Christie\u2019s auction on the 20th and 21st. Earlier this month, I caught up with G\u00e9rard Neveu, the U.S. CEO of R\u00e9tromobile to find out what visitors should expect from the first edition, what drew R\u00e9tromobile to the US, and why he\u2019s determined that for the New York show to be something unique from its French roots.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Retromobile<\/p>\n

It Isn\u2019t Paris in New York, but New York Inspired by Paris<\/p>\n

If there is one thing that Neveu was quick to sidestep off the bat, it would be any comparisons of the upcoming New York show to the already-established R\u00e9tromobile that takes place in the winter in Paris.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI always try to avoid any comparison between Paris and New York,\u201d he said. \u201cThese are two different approaches, two different cultures.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

He likes the idea of being inspired by the Paris concept while adapting to the nuances of local culture \u2014 here, being the car cultures of New York City and the United States. He made clear that this was intentional, as a homogeneous\u00a0 R\u00e9tromobile experience would not be ideal.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cIf it was the same around the world,\u201d he said, \u201cit would be sad.\u201d<\/p>\n

Still, the show shares plenty of DNA with its French parent. Visitors can anticipate the Javits floor filled with top brokers and dealers exhibiting some of the best classics in the world, alongside the kind of exhibitions that make Paris feel like more than a car show. They include a range of exhibitors that go beyond the cars and into the culture surrounding it. Craftspeople making and presenting driving gloves, clothing and other goods by hand, a gallery of automotive art, a classic watch gallery, and a private car gallery where owners bring their cars simply to show them. Neveau stressed that this show was for everyone; you don\u2019t need to be a hardcore collector to walk the floor and enjoy it.<\/p>\n

The floor of this year\u2019s R\u00e9tromobile NYC is fully booked at roughly 400,000 square feet, with more than 300 cars and 100 motorcycles. Neveu already has the list in hand and doesn\u2019t hide his confidence. \u201cI know the floor,\u201d he said, promising a catalogue that will be spectacular. He notes that he\u2019ll have a floor of classics from private collectors; some of which had told him they\u2019ll bring cars from as far away as California just to take part.<\/p>\n

\"\"Noam Galai \/ Getty Images<\/a><\/p>\n

But, Why New York?<\/p>\n

Neveu admits that before he committed to New York, people warned him it wasn\u2019t a car city, but after some time in the city, he sees it differently. Unlike what he was told, he found that there was a sizable concentration of classic cars and collectors within a short distance of Manhattan. The other piece of the logic is a gap in the market. Manhattan has cars and coffee gatherings and large publicized events like the yearly auto show and Wheels of NYC<\/a>, but Neveu says the city hasn\u2019t had a true celebration of classic cars in decades.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, he argues, the city is more dynamic than it has been in a long time, with a large crowd of wealthy, culturally engaged people. Collectors have told him they\u2019re delighted not to have to travel to Pebble Beach, Amelia Island or some other far-off destination to enjoy this kind of event. At the same time, Neveu was careful to describe where R\u00e9tromobile NYC sits relative to the more exclusive events on the American calendar in both timing and the people he wants to see.<\/p>\n

Back in September, he attended The Bridge<\/a> in the Hamptons; which he called an amazing event but a very selective one. It\u2019s a niche gathering, he said, aimed at people who already own cars, not necessarily classics, and tickets aren\u2019t cheap \u2014 that is, if you can get one at all. He sees it as a lovely way to close out the summer season, and many of the people he met there told him they plan to come to R\u00e9tromobile NYC as well. The show, in his words, is \u201cmulti-community.\u201d General admission is $70, which puts it within reach of people who would never get into, or afford high-end concours shows like The Quail or The Bridge. Many people who love cars, he said, simply don\u2019t get the chance to attend a collector event because the tickets are too expensive.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Retromobile<\/p>\n

What\u2019s on the Floor<\/p>\n

Neveu walked me through several of the exhibitions, and they suggest the show is playing to its location. R\u00e9tromobile is collaborating with New York City\u2019s own CART Department for an exhibition of art cars built entirely around New York artists at R\u00e9tromobile NYC. The cars on display will be unique artwork from the likes of Keith Haring, Basquiat and even the Maybach<\/a> from the \u201cOtis\u201d video by Jay-Z and Kanye West. Then there\u2019s the exclusive car gallery, a showcase of 20 cars from top American collectors, split across five automotive nations: the US, Germany, the UK, France and Italy. He describes these vehicles as cars you \u201ccan\u2019t see on the corner of your street,\u201d but, the kind you would normally have to travel to Pebble Beach, Amelia Island or The Bridge to see.\u00a0<\/p>\n

In addition, a partnership with the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles will bring four Fast & Furious cars to the city for the first time at R\u00e9tromobile NYC; an experience that would save a flight and trip to LA. Local collectors will round things out, including New Jersey owner Rob Ida, who is bringing out his GM Futurliner, along with other vehicles from motorcycle and car collectors from around the New York and New Jersey area.<\/p>\n

Neveu says one of the biggest differences from Europe is how willing American collectors are to share their cars. European collectors and enthusiasts tend to be protective of their cars, he said, and owners of important collections \u201cstay very shy, very quiet, very discreet.\u201d However, in America, major collectors were not only accessible, immediately offered to bring one or two cars to the show. His reasoning is almost philosophical. Collectors are holding a car today, but before them it belonged to someone else, and after them it will belong to another.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Retromobile<\/p>\n

\u201cThese cars have their own story,\u201d he said. He likened it to art collecting. You can wake up every day, walk into your garage and enjoy your car, but other people can come and enjoy the pleasure of seeing it too.<\/p>\n

One collector that reached out to Neveu and R\u00e9tromobile NYC was Jerry Seinfeld; one of America\u2019s most prolific Porsche<\/a> collectors. He said that he was ready to roll out the red carpet for the comedian and TV star, but he was shocked to find out that he wanted to showcase some of his cars. Seinfeld will be bringing three of his personal Porsches to the show, as well as a 1958 Volkswagen<\/a> T1 Single Cab Pick-Up that he uses to transport some of the collection; a generous gesture he is doing because he\u2019s \u201cso happy to celebrate and share the moment with people who love cars.\u201d<\/p>\n

Neveu described American car collectors as \u201cmore collective, less individualist;\u201d a mindset he traces back to how Americans grow up with cars. In Europe, when he was young, the first thing you did as an adult was buy a car<\/a>, because it was the symbol of independence. \u201cIf I have my car, nobody can stop me.\u201d In America, he said, that\u2019s still the case, with people getting their driver\u2019s licenses at 16. He conceded that in Manhattan, it\u2019s more efficient to take the subway, but on weekends, \u201che doesn\u2019t know any American who says they don\u2019t like to drive.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Retromobile<\/p>\n

Room to Grow, and More<\/p>\n

While there is a lot jam-packed into this year\u2019s edition of R\u00e9tromobile NYC, Neveu notes that there are some things notably absent from the inaugural event. While the roots of American car culture is steeped in the tradition of fire-spitting V8 engines and Detroit power, there aren\u2019t many hot rods, muscle cars or tuner cars on the show floor. He defends that he simply lacks the space this year, though he plans something to appeal to younger enthusiasts and wants to try a showcase of muscle cars next year. He isn\u2019t opposed to it, he finds that many modern enthusiasts have the same passion for horsepower as the next person, no matter their vehicular interests.<\/p>\n

However, Neveu is careful about expectations. Year one, he said, is about getting the foundation right, with the right buzz, the right excitement, and the right emotion for people who walk in. Next year, he wants to grow. He\u2019s looking at around 500 cars, with roughly 25 percent more floor space, and says the show will keep growing at a similar rate the year after. Javits is big enough to handle it. Beyond that, he floated a dedicated floor for manufacturers\u2019 heritage departments, which are growing, and a parts-and-memorabilia market in the spirit of the flea market at the R\u00e9tromobile in Paris.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Retromobile<\/p>\n

But first, he said, comes learning. \u201cEven if we believe that we know, we don\u2019t know. We will know after the event.\u201d That means learning from Javits and the local contractors, from exhibitors about how happy they were, and from visitors about what they wished for. In his view, he sees growing R\u00e9tromobile in New York as a long game, comparing it to another well-attended \u201cmust-see\u201d event that takes place in New York City every year: the US Open, which he says \u201cis probably the most beautiful tennis tournament in the world today, but wasn\u2019t 25 years ago.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt took time,\u201d he says, to get the tournament in Flushing Meadows from what it was when it started in a private Forest Hills tennis club, to a sporting event that commands sky-high resale prices.\u00a0<\/p>\n

As for the cars themselves, he says that there are so many collections, cars and stories in America, he has enough to fill the halls of the Javits Center for the next 10 years. \u201cThe challenge is to build it very well,\u201d he said, so that exhibitors, visitors, sponsors and partners all walk away saying \u201cwow\u201d and can\u2019t wait for next year.<\/p>\n

About the author\"\"<\/p>\n

James Ochoa is an automotive journalist who brings a technical foundation to his work, having trained as an automotive technician before studying journalism at Rutgers University. Prior to joining Autoblog, his experience included covering auto industry news and Wall Street analysis for TheStreet. His perspective blends hands-on mechanical knowledge with a keen interest in the intersections of car culture with fashion, music, and gaming. An active member of the local car community, he is based in the New York Metro Area.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Get Autoblog in your Google feedKey PointsR\u00e9tromobile is launching its first New York classic-car show at Javits Center,…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":387850,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[35],"tags":[140987,73548,140992,138854,113870,1106,140990,8906,75,84,83,140988,140995,9,140994,24,63,131635,140989,54762,140993,20513,140985,140991,140986],"class_list":["post-387849","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-manhattan","tag-amelia-island","tag-auto-show","tag-bugatti-chiron-profilee","tag-cart-department","tag-fast-furious","tag-features","tag-gooding-co","tag-javits-center","tag-manhattan","tag-manhattan-headlines","tag-manhattan-news","tag-monterey-car-week","tag-motor-show","tag-new-york","tag-new-york-car-show","tag-new-york-city","tag-nyc","tag-pebble-beach","tag-petersen-automotive-museum","tag-porsche","tag-retromobile","tag-show","tag-the-quail","tag-volkswagen-t1-single-cab-pick-up","tag-wheels-of-nyc"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/387849","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=387849"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/387849\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/387850"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=387849"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=387849"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=387849"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}