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From Swedespeed.com Events Coverage As international auto shows go, the Essen Motor Show held in the northwestern German town by the same name is most closely compared to the SEMA Show in Las Vegas. Like SEMA, the show’s primary focus is the customization and the aftermarket with a strong but incomplete presence by car manufacturers. Unlike SEMA, Essen is not a professional trade show. While business is hashed out in booths around the Essen Messe, over 400,000 regular auto enthusiasts and owners also attend in droves to see that which is displayed, and even walk out of the show with parts as several halls are more market and swap meet than they are display areas.
Most of the big names are here, this includes a majority of automotive manufacturers primarily from Germany, France, Italy and Japan. Tech Art, Abt Sportsline, Hartge, Heico Sportiv are just a few in the range of German tuning houses that make a showing. OEMs like Continental Tires, Eibach, KW and H&R all turn out as well. Volvo does not currently display at Essen, though that doesn’t mean there wasn’t anything to see for the inquisitive Volvophile. While there wasn’t much, German tuning house Heico Sportiv waved the flag proudly. Heico displayed their recent XC90 body kit and a V70 R fitted with their new alloy wheel design. However, the real jewel of the Heico booth though had to be their HS4 Odin. Based on the S40, Heico has gone more extreme than they ever have with a project car than we have seen so far. The Odin features a prototype widebody ground effects kit that the company is currently evaluating for production. Inside, the car is more racer than road car, with an interesting center binnacle swathed in Alcantara suede. The car’s exterior finish was a matte blue aluminum look with contrasting satin silver door handles and rearview mirrors. Under the hood, Heico claims the Volvo I5 beats with 354 bhp and 369 ft lbs. of torque. Weight has been dropped to 2,756 lbs., allowing the car to hit 0-62 mph in 5.5 seconds. The Odin is a great example of how far one can go with the S40, and drew plenty of second glances or full-on stares as it sat amidst some serious aftermarket competition.
Heico isn’t just evaluating this S40 for build to the tuner crowd. The company is considering its Odin to be the basis of a re-entry into endurance racing in Germany, competition the company has been known for in the past. What better way to promote this aggressive new HS4 than to campaign it? From the displays of industry exhibitors, ranges hall after hall of vendor with more aftermarket taillights, grilles, body kits and subwoofer boxes than you can shake a forest of sticks at. If new parts aren’t your bag, the halls are also populated by vendors for used vintage parts, scale model cars, automotive books and more. If historical cars are of more interest to you than tuned showcars, there’s still something to see. Whole halls are dedicated to historically significant cars and racecars as well as upscale vintage cars offered for sale. Within the for-sale section, the only other Volvo to be found was spotted, in the form of a rather pristine 1800 ES. In total, 570 exhibitors populated the Messe at Essen this year, offering several days worth of area to investigate, picking up giveaways like key chains and posters along the way, even if you’re not ready to drop some Euros on parts. Motorsport is important to the German public, so it’s no surprise that motorsport represents a big part of the showing at this event. Racecar drivers and team members commonly interact with the crowd, while vintage and modern racecars are seemingly everywhere, from the newest F1, Sportscar , Rally, Touring and DTM racers to vintage Grand Prix cars like the 1930’s silver arrows from Auto Union and Mercedes-Benz. In the meantime, show-goers walk wide-eyed through no less than 12 show halls, some of which are two floors. If you make the trip, plan several days of attendance. If you’re in the industry, try for their press/industry day as it’s much less crowded. Sadly, this day normally falls on or very close to the American holiday of Thanksgiving. However, the show runs for about a week and a half, so if you’re ready to brave the crowds and cold weather of Northern Germany in late November or early December, this show may be for you.
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