Techno-Classica Essen 2018: Our 20 favourite cars

Our highlights of Germany's premier classic car show

Choosing my favourites cars from the Techno-Classica Essen 2018 show was no easy task.

Faced with such a dizzying display of exotica, rarities and straightforward gold-plated classics, even the most hardened of petrolheads might well end up with car blindness.

I've walked in wonder through at least a dozen halls of beautifully presented club, dealer and factory-supported displays, ending up breathless at the riches on offer and footsore from the sheer size of the place.

But choose my favourites I eventually did. And no matter how much you think you know about classic cars, I'm confident there will be something here to surprise you.

BMW-Glas 3000 V8 by Frua

A beautiful BMW-Glas 3000 by Frua on the German Glas Club stand. Always wanted to drive one.

Melkus RS 1000

Wacky gullwing-door Melkus RS 1000 with mid-mounted Wartburg 2-stroke power looks like it's come straight out of a UFO.

Facel Vega FV1

Beautifully presented early narrow-bodied Hemi-powered Facel.

Goggomobil Dart

This Goggomobil Dart is a 40k-from-new car straight from Australia. Very cute and yours for €40,000.

BMW-Veritas C90 Scorpion

The Thiesen stand featured this gorgeous BMW 328-based Veritas C90 Scorpion roadster, built in 1950.

Monteverdi 375L

Another Thiesen offering was this superb Monteverdi 375L: ultimate GT Man transport.

Panther Rio

The German Panther Club stand had a topical Brexit theme: a Boris Johnson cutout driving a Rio and Angela Merkel at the wheel of a Lima, as Trump and May look on.

BMW E3 2800

Supported by clubs, BMW marked 50 years of the E3 saloons and featured a lovely 2800 and rare 3.3 L long wheelbase.

Intermeccanica Indra

A rarely offered Intermeccanica Indra convertible looking very yellow in the Coys auction.

Fiat 2300S Coupé

This Fiat 2300S Coupé looked exactly like the one I sold at a BCA auction in the early '90s for £2000. The Coys estimate was for €40,000-50,000!

Peugeot 404

Bargain corner at Coys featured a Mercury Comet, Citroën ID19 and Studebaker Hawk, all for well under €10,000. But best of all was this lovely Peugeot 404 Injection for €4000-€6000.

Chenard-Walcker Aigle 22 Cabriolet

The Chenard Et Walcker on the Bruno Vendiesse stand was a cabrio with no A pillar or windscreen frame. Never seen before and hardly a safety feature to be found, but intriguing nonetheless.

Porsche 356

This Beutler-bodied 356 with restrained fins is thought to be the first full four-seater from Porsche.

Alfa Romeo 6C Ghia

Yet another Alfa 6C-based styling exercise from the late '40s, this time by Ghia with daring fared-in headlamps.

Volkswagen 411 safety car

This ugly but intriguing VW safety car from 1972 was on the factory display and was based on the 411, although its styling makes it look front-engined. Features include integrated bumpers, side-impact protection and electronic handbrake.

Aston Martin DB2

This beautifully restored early Aston DB2 drophead with three-section front grille is one of just six like this.

Skoda Trekka

The Skoda factory display was one of the most intriguing in terms of rarities such as this Trekka. Not a prototype: they built 3000 of these Land Rover-like off-roaders between 1966 and 1972.

Volvo Rocket 1800ES prototype

This rarely seen Volvo 'Rocket' on the impressive factory stand was a radical take on the sports estate and the prototype of the 1971 Volvo 1800ES. Built by Frua of Italy.

Mercedes-Benz W126 500 SEL Kombi

Mercedes, celebrating 40 years of the T wagons, showed this nicely done W126 500 SEL one-off Kombi built in Japan and using the original rear screen neatly integrated into a fifth door.

Fiat 8V

One of the stars of the Fiat/Alfa heritage stand was this wonderful Fiat 8V, along with a 2100 Abarth and Alfa 105 Coupé.