The first Luxury Car Show in Eastern-Central Europe was held from the 27 April to the 1 May 2006. The well-attended exhibition was held in the Hungarian Capital, Budapest at the large Hungexpo exhibition complex. The 28,000 square meters area is usually the home of the Budapest International Fair.

The organizers of Luxusauto had taken the idea of the 'Top Marques Monaco' where the protagonists are also luxury cars and fantastic motorbikes and unlike traditional auto shows, the visitors couldn’t find any ordinary cars. The exhibition was only about the most expensive and most exclusive cars. The name of the show may be deceiving because the visitors could see not only the well-known cars featured in the movies, but also racing cars, old timers and tuning cars, all of which had arrived to Budapest. Al Roudhan Bader, a Kuwait-born businessman, who has lived in Hungary for many years, organized the show. Mr. Bader is a passionate super and sport car collector. His name is well-known in Hungary because he has realized smaller Auto Shows all over Hungary for many years and with the aid of this show, the dreams of his childhood had really come true.

We can say - without exaggeration - that the guests felt an interest in Italian cars. The exhibitors of Alfa Romeo and Lancia presented those models that we can expect to meet more often on the Hungarian roads. The Italian brands showed the most beautiful and fastest models, which have rarely been seen in Hungary yet. On Alfa Romeo’s stand beside the newest Alfa models - like Alfa Romeo Brera - the visitors could see one of the most beautiful of all current Alfa Romeo: the GT Coupe. The Alfa Rosso-coloured car attracted many admiring glances.

Just like the Alfa Romeo dominated corner, large number of visitors to the Luxusauto Show could be found clustered around the true supercars of Italy. These models were exhibited across huge open area. We met the palette of Lamborghini, namely the Murciélago Roadster, Gallardo and Gallardo Spyder.
 

Besides this well-known brand auto fans could visit the stand of a real specialty which hadn't ever seen in Budapest before this show. It was quite a treat to us to see Pagani’s models. Visitors to Luxusauto the first day – it was the VIP-day – were very lucky, because they could met not only these rarities, but with the eponym of these wonderful cars, Mr. Horazio Pagani in person.

One of the most popular brands with the Hungarian fans was undoubtedly Ferrari. Visitors could see not only Ferraris in different types and ages outside the building, but also the model that is at the very top of the Ferrari lineage: the Enzo. The Enzo being presented was the treasure of the organizer Al Roudhan Bader's collection. The signature of Michael Schumacher enhances even further the value of this car. This “flame-coloured” miracle was exhibited in the middle of the main building, a very distinguished place as was required. The esteemed car was shown on a separated stand, where it was placed on a platform, allowing it to tower over all the other cars. Near the Enzo, the visitors could find another famous car: the Ferrari F1 2000. Behind the wheel of this evocative racing car Michael Schumacher won his third World Championship and his the first with Ferrari.

The aristocratic and elegant cars were represented by Maserati. Visitors able to walk around two Quattroporte saloons and the GranSport. Although the appearance of these cars are certainly not a common sight, the real experience waited outside where a Ghibli’s voice was audible. In addition to the most expensive and powerful cars we could recall the long history of motoring. In the old-timer corner there were real rarities aligned side-by-side. Legendary sport cars of the sixties and the seventies like Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint GTA, Ferrari 365 GT4, Lamborghini Countach LP400 and 25th Anniversary Edition, Lancia Stratos and Maserati Khamsin. We also took much delight in old but heart-beating cars of the late thirties and forties like Lancia Aprilia.

The exhibition wasn't limited to just within the walls, but kept going outside too. Members of the Austrian and German Luxury Car Club showed their cars. In front of the main building long rows of sportcars were found where the visitors saw many Italian cars. The members of the Luxury Car Club were stand very proudly near their Ferraris and Lamborghinis. Although the spectacle of the cars was fabulous, the sound of their engines was even more fascinating, when they did several laps around the buildings. Everyone now hopes that Al Roudhan Bader will decide to build a tradition with this show and one thing's for sure, the coming shows won’t lack visitors.

by Zoltán Király / ItaliaSpeed.hu