MEETT Toulouse, France
4-6 September 2026
Every year in early September, the Auto-Moto Classic show in Toulouse is the premier event for vintage car (and motorcycle) enthusiasts in southwestern France. Over the years, Auto Moto Classic has continued to grow, whether in exhibition space (an additional hall this year), the number of exhibitors, events, or visitors. A sign of this growth is the increasing number of professionals in the sale, maintenance, and restoration of classic cars (and motorcycles) who exhibit their work each year.
Here’s a look back at the 2026 edition in words and pictures. As they do every year, the organizers feature several special exhibitions, whether to celebrate anniversaries or explore specific themes. Auto Moto Classic Toulouse also hosts “American Day,” an event that brings together car enthusiasts and fans of American culture from the region and beyond for the entire weekend.
The Dodge Charger’s 60th Anniversary
In the 1960s, Ford created the “pony car” category with the Mustang, and the versions equipped with more powerful engines became “muscle cars,” a quintessentially American category of cars. In 1966, Dodge entered this market with the Charger, whose most powerful versions were equipped with the 7-liter HEMI V8 engine producing 425 chevaux.
The models on display represented the first generations sold through the mid-1970s, the heyday of muscle car coupes. Of course, there was a replica of “General Lee” from the TV series “The Dukes of Hazzard,” one of the most famous Chargers in its signature orange color.
The selection was rounded out by the spectacular Charger Daytona, with its elongated, pointed nose and massive rear wing mounted on the outside.
Route 66, 100 years
Let’s stay in the U.S., where it’s not just cars that celebrate anniversaries. The legendary Route 66 was established in 1926, combining existing road segments with new sections to connect Chicago to Los Angeles (or Santa Monica, to be more accurate).
To mark this centennial, here are several flamboyant American classics, with their excessive length, slender fenders, prominent bumpers, and gleaming chrome: Cadillac, Chevrolet, Dodge, Oldsmobile… sedans, coupes, and convertibles!
The Beetle’s 80th Anniversary
Every year, the Automobile Club du Midi lends its support to a themed exhibition; this year, it’s the 80th anniversary of the famous Beetle. While a few production models, sedans and convertibles, were on display, this exhibition primarily celebrated the creativity, and even the touch of madness, that has accompanied the long life of the little Volkswagen: dragsters, top chops, speedsters, Fun Cup cars where a Beetle-inspired body sits on a race chassis, buggies, a replica of Herbie from the Disney movies, some spruced up and others left in their original condition…
Inseparable from the sedan, the Combi, based on the same chassis/engine architecture, was also well represented, notably featuring a 21-window version with a fabric sunroof and a lowered model with Fuchs-style rims.
Citroen, the Spirit of Adventure
Under this theme, the exhibition brought together several models illustrating adventure in various forms: innovative technology, such as the GS BiRotor with its rotary engine; off-road adventures, featuring a 2CV that traveled from Paris to Persepolis or a Traction that traversed all five continents; racing, with a DS once driven by Bob Neyret or a track-prepped Saxo VTS; and lesser-known models like the BX Sport or the Visa Chrono.
110 Years of BMW
Although BMW didn’t begin producing cars until 1928, the German company was founded in 1916, so 110 years ago. With the help of Pelras, the BMW dealership in Toulouse, and its Pelras Legend division, several icons of the Bavarian brand were on display, starting with two magnificent convertibles: a rare 1958 BMW 507 (only 254 were produced) with a 150-horsepower aluminum V8 engine, and a Z8, also with a V8 engine but this time producing 400 horsepower. Both cars share the same spirit of exceptionality and were even displayed in the same color!
Next to them was an M1, the first creation from the Motorsport division, which has since developed all BMW M models, starting with the M3 (which will celebrate its 40th anniversary in 2026), whose first generation was equipped with an inline-four engine derived from an F1 engine. Before the M3, there was the 2002 Turbo, a radical version of the compact 2002 sedan. The first European production car equipped with a turbocharged engine, the 2002 Turbo stood out in particular for the “2002 Turbo” lettering written upside down on the spoiler, so it would be legible to the driver it was bound to pass!
Another BMW legend is the very elegant and refined BMW 3.0 CSI, which allowed BMW to re-enter the luxury segment and served as the basis for the formidable 3.0 CSL race cars. Let’s also mention the BMW i8, notable for its highly sculpted aerodynamic lines and its small 3-cylinder engine that powers the battery, since the i8 is an electric car, but without the charge issue.
National Route 7, the Vacation Route
Just as the U.S. has Route 66, France has National Route 7, which is undeniably associated with vacations, sunshine, and paid time off. Although paid time off dates back to 1936, it was truly in the 1950s, with the widespread adoption of the automobile, that the N7 experienced its heyday and the massive traffic jams of the summer exodus.
The exhibition therefore highlights the popular models of that era: the Citroën 2CV, AMI 6, and DS; the Panhard PL 17; the Peugeot 203 and 403; the Renault 4CV, R4, and Dauphine; as well as the Vespa 400 and Fiat 500. A large Hotchkiss tows its trailer, all set against a vacation backdrop.
Italian Heritage
The main exhibition at the 2026 Auto-Moto Classic Toulouse show was dedicated to Italian automobiles, and the featured Lamborghini Countach also graced the show’s poster. In addition to the Countach, Lamborghini was represented by the ever-elegant Espada and a more recent Huracán (2010).
For Maserati, a 1965 Tipo 151 race car was accompanied by two GT models, the Indy (1971) and the Khamsin (1977). The OSCA 1500, a small race barchetta, is a cousin of Maserati, as OSCA was founded by the Maserati brothers after they sold their company.
Ferrari was, of course, well represented, with front-engine 12-cylinder models like the 330 GTC (1968) and 550 Maranello (1976); mid-engine 12-cylinder models such as the BB 512 and Testarossa; and mid-engine V8s like the 430 Scuderia and 458 Speciale. The De Tomaso Pantera held its own against the Italian sports car stars, even though its U.S.-sourced V8 lacked the prestige of the Italian “bella meccanica.”
While times are tougher today, Alfa Romeo and Lancia have also had their heyday. The Alfa 6C and 8C Monza were among the cars to beat in the 1920s and 1930s, both on the racetrack and on the road. In the 1960s, the Giulia coupe was one of the first cars designed by Giugiaro, then at Bertone, a stunning design that makes it a car still highly desirable today. Another famous coachbuilder, Zagato, offered sporty, lightweight versions of Alfa Romeo models, such as the SZ and TZ in the early 1960s.
The three Lancias that built the brand’s reputation in rallying, the Fulvia, the Stratos, and the Delta Integrale, were on display, along with a Flaminia Cabriolet featuring a 2.5-liter V6 engine and Touring Superleggera bodywork.
Three FIATs were featured in the exhibition: a 1930s 508 Balila in a roadster version, an Abarth 850 S, a high-performance version of the Fiat 600 with its large front radiator and open rear hood to ensure adequate cooling of the engine, and finally a 1966 Fiat Dino Spider powered by the 2.4-liter Ferrari Dino V6. Also worth mentioning is a Lucchini SP94 racing prototype designed for endurance races and powered by an Alfa Romeo engine.
Youngtimers
A rapidly growing trend in the classic car world, Youngtimers were given their own dedicated area this year. German convertibles and roadsters (BMW Z4 and 3 Series, Audi TT and A4, Mercedes SLK AMG, Porsche 911), compact sports cars (Renault Clio V6, VW Golf R32 and Corrado G60, Alfa Romeo 147 GTA).
Of course, Japanese models, from the Mazda MX-5 to the Honda NSX, including the Nissan GT-R and a customized 350Z, took center stage. Also in the spotlight was a Peugeot 406 replica of the car from the “Taxi” movies series, which occupied a central display area.
American Cars
It’s a tradition in Toulouse: American cars are well represented, particularly outside in front of the exhibition halls and in the American Day section (see below). In addition to a selection of “muscle cars” for sale, there’s an exhibition of hot rods featuring a wide variety of vehicles, ultra-stripped-down cars showcasing their mechanics, lowered sedans, and even pickup trucks. In every case, the engines are finely tuned and the paint jobs gleaming.
The Shelby exhibit featured several “continuation” Cobras, a large van used on the racetrack by Carroll Shelby, and a car carrier trailer, which also held a Studebaker Champion, a car that made a name for itself in the grueling Carrera Panamericana. Staying with the U.S. and Cobra, the show offered a chance to see the Cobra (a Superperformance production model licensed by Shelby) that the famous French singer Johnny Halliday drove in California, a car preserved by the family and rarely displayed.
Clubs
As at any Classic auto show, car clubs are a key part of the exhibits. It’s hard to name them all, so here’s a small selection, starting with French car clubs, both current and defunct brands. The Citroen clubs and associations showcased several of the brand’s historic models. The Club Ideale DS stood out by displaying two DS models, one French and one British, centered on the theme of rugby and the France-England rivalry.
The Matra clubs showcased sporty models, ranging from the Djet, which was taken over from Rene Bonnet after Matra’s acquisition, to the Bagheera and Murena, including the 530 series. Among the defunct brands, we should also mention Facel Vega, Salmson, Simca, Hotchkiss, and Voisin, all regulars at the Toulouse Motor Show.
Several foreign car clubs were represented, such as Club Lotus France, celebrating the Elise’s 30th anniversary; Club Rover France, featuring the Rover 3.5L Coupe, essentially a sedan with a slightly lowered roof, a design concept that Mercedes would later bring back into fashion with its CLS; and the Porsche Classic, 924/944/968, and 928 clubs.
The Alfa Romeo and Jaguar clubs had chosen the convertible theme. Alfa Romeo showcased the four generations of the Duetto Spider, starting with the original model nicknamed the “cuttlefish bone.” Jaguar also featured several generations of convertibles, from the XK-150 to the F-Type, including, of course, the E-Type.
Military Camp and Radio-controlled vehicles
At the Auto-Moto Classic show in Toulouse, collectors of World War II vintage vehicles display their carefully staged vehicles, which spark visitors’ curiosity. Another recurring attraction is the radio-controlled track, featuring a large circuit where impressive trucks and construction vehicles race around, skillfully maneuvered by their owners.
Miniatures, Accessories, and Artists
There were also other traditional exhibitors from “classic” shows, artists, miniature dealers, artisans, and accessory vendors, not to mention a large outdoor swap meet for spare parts.
American Day
American Day (actually the entire weekend) is a major attraction at the Auto-Moto Classic Toulouse show and draws many visitors. Outside, in front of the exhibition halls, a few special models are on display, NASCAR cars, hot rods, lowriders, and top-chops, surrounding a stage dedicated to American music.
This year, the large parking lots set aside for American Day hosted American cars belonging to local enthusiasts who came to get together and show off their vehicles. One of the parking lots was reserved for newer models, where Ford Mustangs and Corvettes were the most numerous.
The other parking lot was reserved for older American cars. There, too, Mustangs and Corvettes from different generations were plentiful, along with other muscle cars, such as Chevrolet Camaro and Dodge Charger, and imposing sedans from Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Chrysler, De Soto, and Pontiac…
The “Classic Cars” Parking Lot
A dedicated parking lot showcases a wide variety of classic cars, ranging from the popular 2CV and 4CV to sports cars like Ferrari, Jaguar, and Porsche, as well as Jeeps, MGs, Triumphs, BMWs, and Volvos…
Conclusion
With nearly 2,700 vehicles on display (both indoors and outdoors), including more than 1,200 in the American Day section alone, Auto-Moto Classic Toulouse surpassed the figures from previous years. Attendance also saw a significant increase, with 31,000 visitors walking the aisles of the show, 10% more than in 2025. Clearly, the passion for cars is still alive in Occitanie and more broadly, throughout France! With this success, the show will be back early September 2027 for the event’s 10th edition!
The photos on this page belong to Automobile-Museums. No use or reproduction is permitted without the prior written consent of the owner.