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From YourSITE.com Events Coverage In it’s fifth year, the Deutsche Classic may not be a new show but it was new to the editors of this website. With any number of auto shows and events on any given weekend, an all-German car show in tiny Fleetwood, PA has been on our radar for years, though conflicts left it ever a bridesmaid and never a bride in our coverage. Our loss. This year the weekend was open and we decided to take an exploratory look at the all-German event.
The air of the Deutsche Classic is relaxed and family-oriented. Ages of attendees are mixed, from older retirees who’ve dusted off their classic to fresh-from-the-DMV 16-year olds eager to peruse the small mix of vendors for inaugural modification to be fitted or installed on their first car.
This is no traditional wine and cheese Concours, though there are numerous concours-quality cars from the established German marques. It is no hot import night filled with slammed trailer queens though you may find one or two of those here as well. No, the Deutsche Classic is a mix pure and simple, where all are welcome be they high style or rat style. Even more impressive, the show is surprisingly large – something we just hadn’t expected for its location so far off the beaten path.
Organizers tout some o the event’s success to the significant German heritage native to the event’s Berks County locale. The Pennsylvania Dutch belt runs a wide stretch through the keystone state, and the collection of cars that might be a Pennsylvania natural resource acts as a magnet by drawing in many vehicles with plates from New Jersey, New York and Maryland as well. Attending the show is reasonable. Entrance is $15, though showing is only $25 and the price structure certainly encourages owners of the German cars that’ve made the trek to Fleetwood to consider parking them on the grass show field. There’s a car corral complete with dealer displays, a mix of vendors and other activities throughout the day.
The Audi showing was enjoyable to inspect, though frankly could be much deeper and that’s one reason we attended this year. Having investigated the show, we can’t encourage Audi enthusiasts enough to consider the event for next year. TTs were a big part of the Audi presence at the Deutsche Classic. A fair number of the first-generation coupes joined Carlisle Productions’ quattro racecar, several A4s, an Auto Union 1000 and a few more here or there.
Fourtitude displayed a German market Audi A3 2.0 TDI on loan from Audi for the week. The car was parked in the display of new cars from Vision Audi and alongside the Reading-based dealership’s new Q7 TDI demonstrator. At the end of the afternoon there’s an awards ceremony and prizes are given to the nicest of each variety of car. Though not uncommon for this sort of event, the Deutsche Classic takes extra care in the creation of handcrafted trophies– wooden plaques using automotive parts to make them truly unique.
Yes, this was our first year at the Deutsche Classic though we’ve already determined it will not be our last. If you are at all interested in German cars of any variety, we highly recommend attending this laid-back one-day event that offers plenty to see. MORE INFORMATION: www.DeutscheClassic.com
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