Fiats take centre stage at Maastricht

They were also dwarfed by the 1930 Mercedes-Benz SSK "Black Bear", which looked mighty close to the little Italian berlinettas.

Restorers and dealers were also out in force, such as Mercedes-Benz 190SL specialist Classic Car Venlo and Bart Holland, displaying concours specimens and showcasing their talents.

A lot of asking prices reflected a buoyant market, but seemed optimistic considering the economic crisis and the weakness of the Euro.

A below-average 246GTS Dino had a price tag of €162.000, while a superb Jaguar E-type 4.2 was valued at €132.000, and enthusiasts claimed to be "staggered" by the the €140.000 being asked for a Porsche 911S 2.4, albeit a very nice example.

Clubs were well represented, too, with brilliant stands for Alfa Romeo, Simca, Saab and Jaguar. The Dutch Healey Competitions display outclassed them all, though, with a Healey Café and a colourful Mille Miglia start line with a 1950 Healey Silverstone.