Former Endurance Racing boss Gerard Neveu takes Retromobile to New York

Gerard Neveu will steer the organizing group for the occasion at New York’s Javits Centre from November 19-22 subsequent 12 months. After 25 years within the motorsport and automotive industries Neveu has an in depth contacts ebook and deep expertise of staging worldwide occasions and working within the US market. Throughout his decade on the helm of WEC, he laid the groundwork for the championship as it’s at present, with hybrid expertise attracting a number of producers. 

Neveu was additionally one of many key protagonists within the convergence of rules between the US based mostly Worldwide Motor Sports activities Affiliation (IMSA, owned by NASCAR) and the Car Membership de l’Ouest (ACO, proprietor of WEC and founding father of the 24 Hours of Le Mans). Previous to WEC he served because the Director of Paul Ricard Circuit within the South of France.

Retromobile Paris celebrates its fiftieth anniversary subsequent 12 months, and the New York present goals to capitalize on the burgeoning US traditional automotive scene, the place greater than 50% of the worldwide collectors’ automobiles market is concentrated. Neveu’s first strikes within the position have been to safe 400,000 sq. toes in 4 halls in Javits Middle and strike an public sale partnership with Gooding Christie’s. 

“The idea of Retromobile is particular,” says Neveu. “You discover each the largest automotive collectors and distributors from all all over the world on the similar time, plus producers and brokers. You even have a fan neighborhood attending the occasion, who can stay out their desires, see automobiles and other people which can deliver again treasured reminiscences. Retromobile is a celebration of all issues automotive, together with however not restricted to, motorsport. And it’s a place the place you possibly can stay and share your ardour for automobiles of every type.”

The selection of New York, reasonably than the West Coast or Miami was based mostly on a lot of elements, with logistics being a key driver. “But in addition as a result of round New York you have already got an enormous neighborhood of automotive collectors and brokers,” says Neveu.

“For the inaugural present we’re searching for 200-250 exhibitors (with greater than 80% coming from the USA) and 50,000 – 60,000 guests.

“The partnership with Gooding Christie’s is nice for the occasion as a result of, with the mixture of experience from Gooding and the status of Christie’s, we now have each cause to hope for a spectacular traditional automotive public sale.”

The New York occasion has rather a lot to stay as much as. Retromobile Paris final 12 months attracted 146,000 guests, of whom 19% have been from outdoors France and 600 exhibitors with public sale gross sales of over $125m.

“I’m attempting to deliver my expertise of managing massive automotive occasions and ensure we will supply an important and distinctive expertise to our guests and contributors,” says Neveu. “The massive problem dealing with us can be to realize the heights of the celebrated Retromobile Paris. The fiftieth anniversary of Retromobile subsequent 12 months is the proper alternative to export the idea of this unique occasion elsewhere for the very first time and we’ll do our greatest to ship an occasion in New York with the identical DNA as Paris at its core however with the colourful American colours operating proper by way of it.”