Intro to Epoqu’auto 2026 – themed exhibitions

Eurexpo Lyon, France

November 6-8, 2026

Following our first article introducing the Epoqu’auto show (November 6–8, 2026, Eurexpo Lyon), here is some additional information about this year’s themed exhibitions.

Limited-Edition 2 CVs

Featured on the auto show poster, the 2 CV Spot, the first limited edition of the 2 CV, is celebrating its 50th anniversary. Building on the success of the Spot, Citroën would go on to release numerous limited editions over the years, including the 007 to celebrate its appearance in a James Bond film, the France 3 (Citroën sponsored the America’s Cup sailboat in 1983 and 1984), and the Dolly, Perrier, and Cocorico models. These limited editions brought variety and color to the production of the little Citroën.

Copyright Photo Epoqu’Auto

The most famous is the Charleston, which was a hit with customers and evolved from a limited edition into a full-fledged model in the lineup. The rarest is the Basket, of which only two were ever made, and only the one on display remains. The other star of the 2 CV exhibition will be the electric 2 CV concept car, which was just unveiled at the Paris Motor Show and features the same color scheme as the Spot.

La Dolce Vita in a Fiat

The Fiat selection will cover a large part of the Italian brand’s history with 25 cars, from the 1920s to the 1990s. Among the pre-war models, the 524 convertible, the 509 “skiff,” and the 508 Coppa d’Oro will showcase the diversity of the brand’s production. The first Fiat 500, the Cinquecento introduced in 1936, was quickly nicknamed Topolino (little mouse) and would retain that name throughout history. A massive success with nearly 600,000 units sold, it will be represented by a 1949 500 C.

Copyright Photo Epoqu’Auto (Fiat 508) and Automobile-Museums (Fiat X1/9)

In addition to popular postwar models, the exhibition will also feature a few sportier or more ambitious models, such as the very elegant 130 Coupé designed by Pininfarina. A few “youngtimers”, including the 124 Special, X1/9, and Barchetta, will round out the selection.

Voisin

Gabriel Voisin is best known to the general public for his airplanes, his main line of business in the early 20th century. He entered the automotive industry with the Avions Voisin brand after World War I, launching the C1 in 1919. For nearly twenty years thereafter, Voisin produced luxurious and innovative automobiles, drawing in particular on his aeronautical experience to develop aerodynamic body styles.

Copyright Photo Epoqu’Auto

Fourteen models, from the 1919 C1 to the 1937 C30, bear witness to this bold approach. After World War II, the company took another major turn, as Voisin turned its attention to affordable mobility with lightweight, compact vehicles known as the Biscooter, several examples of which will be on display.

Shelby Village

The Shelby Village by Gentleman Car, located at the Place des Lumieres at Eurexpo, will be dedicated to the world of Carroll Shelby, featuring Carroll Shelby’s motorhome (previously on display at the Auto Moto Classic show in Toulouse), two Shelby Cobras, and a Ford GT40. The Ford GT40 is a version signed by the legendary Belgian race car driver Jacky Ickx, who, alongside Jackie Oliver, won the 1969 24 Hours of Le Mans in a GT40.

Copyright Photo Epoqu’Auto

Bugatti

This exhibition will tell the story of Bugatti in motorsports, featuring 19 cars on display. The oldest will be a 1913 Type 13, marking the racing debut of the brand founded in 1908, all the way up to the 1956 Type 251, the first Formula 1 single-seater with a rear mid-engine, a transversely mounted V8. In addition to a Type 35 “GP de Lyon”, the archetype of the Bugatti race car, visitors will discover the Type 32 Tank, with its “aerodynamic” design, the Type 45 with its twin supercharged inline-8 engines, and the 59/50B, a one-of-a-kind model equipped with a supercharged inline-8 engine producing 200 horsepower.

Copyright Photos Automobile-Museums

Regional Racing

Copyright Photo Epoqu’auto

Every year, Époqu’auto dedicates significant attention to auto racing. For 2026, the organizers have chosen to highlight regional drivers who have distinguished themselves in various disciplines, including rally, hill climb, and circuit racing. With its rugged terrain, the Rhone-Alpes region quickly became a prime location for hill climb races, where local drivers, both men and women, excelled.

The lineup will be diverse, featuring Martini and Rondeau single-seaters, as well as GT cars such as the BMW Z3 Coupe, the De Tomaso Pantera Group 3, and the Porsche 996 GT3 Cup, along with a 2 CV Cross and a Prost AP01 Formula 1 car (show car)… The Rally selection will feature a 2002 Citroën Xsara, a Porsche 356, a 1992 Renault Clio Williams Group A, and a Lancia Delta Abarth, as well as several cars that competed in the recent Historical Tour de Corse, such as a Mini Cooper S MK1 (1967), a Ford Escort RS 2000, and a Renault 5 Maxi Turbo (1985).

Autodiva – Formula 2

Every year, Autodiva magazine, which specializes in the history of motorsports, presents an original themed exhibition. For 2026, Autodiva looks back at the period from 1972 to 1984, the golden age of Formula 2 in Europe, when the series was defined by 2-liter engines.

Many manufacturers, such as Chevron, March, and Martini, grew thanks to F2, as did lesser-known independent teams like AGS and Pygmee.

Copyright Photo Epoqu’auto

At that time, Formula 2 allowed many young French drivers, including Arnoux, Depailler, Jabouille, Jarier, Laffite, and Pironi, to make a name for themselves before moving on to Formula 1.