For half a century, Paris’s Rétromobile has stood as a premier indoor sanctuary for automobile collectors, meticulous restorers, and passionate culture enthusiasts. Now, the iconic European gathering is officially crossing the Atlantic Ocean to stage its first-ever American edition, taking over the sprawling exhibition halls of the Javits Center from November 19 to 22, 2026.
Rétromobile has long functioned as a dynamic hybrid, seamlessly blending the atmosphere of an international trade show, a high-end art gallery, a competitive auction house, and a broader cultural festival engineered around emotion, nostalgia, and a deep-seated reverence for motor vehicles. Within its exhibition space, visitors can explore historic automobiles, modern restomods, rare automobilia, and world-class automotive fine art displayed side by side. The flagship Paris salon traces its origins back to 1976, when it launched modestly as an informal flea market for vintage auto parts catering primarily to mechanics and local hobbyists. Over the decades, the event expanded exponentially, incorporating fine art, historical ephemera, high-stakes auctions, exotic supercars, and diverse cultural activations that broadened its appeal far beyond traditional mechanical circles.
To understand how the institution plans to translate its distinctly European perspective to the bustling landscape of New York City, we spoke with Gérard Neveu, the CEO of Rétromobile New York. Neveu brings more than 25 years of extensive executive experience within the international automotive and motorsport industries. Most notably, his decade-long tenure as CEO of the FIA World Endurance Championship saw him champion innovative hybrid technologies and transformative Hypercar regulations that successfully drew major global manufacturers and massive crowds of new fans. Leveraging his formidable international network and deep familiarity with the American market, Neveu is tasked with establishing Rétromobile New York as a permanent, enduring fixture on the American cultural calendar.
Bridging Paris and Manhattan: The Vision Behind the American Expansion
When asked about the timing and the choice of New York City as the host location for this historic expansion, Neveu points to both statistical realities and shared urban energy. "This year marks the 50th birthday of Rétromobile in Paris," Neveu notes. When looking closely at global market statistics, over half of the world’s collector car volume and three-quarters of global auction value in 2025 were driven primarily by American collectors.
"We chose New York because Paris and New York share a profound cultural energy—much like Fashion Week operates in both cities," Neveu explains. From a purely practical standpoint, the logistics of shipping valuable historic vehicles from European ports to the American East Coast are significantly simpler and more efficient than moving them across the country to the West Coast. Furthermore, scheduling the event during the week immediately preceding Thanksgiving positions it strategically at the close of the calendar year, well outside the traditional summer car week season. This timing allows both local residents and visiting tourists to enjoy the experience during a vibrant period in New York City.
A Celebration of Emotion Over Competition
The philosophy driving Rétromobile diverges significantly from traditional American automotive gatherings, such as those found during Monterey Car Week or the prestigious Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. Where a traditional Concours d’Elegance tends to be intensely selective, highly competitive, and strictly focused on a tightly judged field of pristine vehicles, Rétromobile embraces a fundamentally different ethos.
"A Concours d’Elegance is very selective, competitive, and focused on a field of judged cars," Neveu observes. "Rétromobile is more of a show and a celebration. You don’t come to fight for an award, you come to experience emotion and pass down a passion across generations. In Europe, collectors can be quite reserved about showing their cars. In America, collectors love to share. In New York, we are creating a dedicated collector gallery of cars purely for the pleasure of displaying them. It is an open space where you can appreciate fine automobiles, art, timepieces, and lifestyle items under one roof."
Immersive Urban Spaces and Global Exhibitors
Stepping into the massive 400,000-square-foot exhibition hall at the Javits Center, attendees can expect an environment designed to evoke a distinctively urban atmosphere rather than a standard convention center layout. Organizers have opted to eschew conventional, utilitarian booth numbers and plain, sterile aisles in favor of recreating authentic Manhattan street signage throughout the venue.
The exhibition floor will host approximately 200 diverse exhibitors, encompassing international dealers, specialized restorers, official original equipment manufacturer (OEM) heritage divisions, and niche publishers. Hosted in partnership with presenting partner Richard Mille, the event will feature a comprehensive artist gallery, cutting-edge restomods, rare automobilia, lifestyle exhibits, live vehicle restoration workshops, and a multi-day live auction hosted by Gooding Christie’s Auctions. To complete the visitor experience, the floor plan also incorporates a classic watch gallery, specialized food truck courts, and signature French hospitality.
Honoring Motorsport Heritage and Local Communities
Beyond classic street cars and cultural artifacts, the inaugural American edition will also pay homage to the rich history of competitive motorsport. Organizers confirmed that the official organization behind the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans will participate in the New York event, bringing historic race cars to showcase their new museum initiative and offer previews of upcoming endurance racing programs. Simultaneously, organizers are constructing a dedicated motorsport island in collaboration with IMSA and the Historic Sportscar Racing (HSR) organization to celebrate the enduring heritage of American sports car racing.
Engaging the local community remains a critical priority for the leadership team. "We are targeting three main groups: exhibitors, the core collector community, and the general public living within a three-hour radius," Neveu explains. To build organic momentum, the organization has been actively hosting Cars & Coffee gatherings in partnership with local automobile clubs, regional motorcycle groups, and community hubs, with the ultimate goal of bringing families together and establishing a lasting, generational home for the brand in New York City.
The Debut of CART X and Iconic Art Cars
A major highlight of the American program will be a specialized exhibition curated by prominent collector Larry Warsh, drawing from his extensive CART Department collection, which includes famous holdings of works by Keith Haring and Jean-Michel Basquiat. This comprehensive presentation aims to examine the automobile far beyond its traditional utility, treating the car as a rolling canvas and a profound medium of contemporary artistic expression.
Among the notable works on public display will be Keith Haring’s 1971 Series III Land Rover Defender, meticulously adorned in the artist’s signature graphic motifs. Visitors will also have the opportunity to view a stripped-down 2004 Maybach 57 custom luxury car that famously appeared in the music video for Jay-Z and Kanye West’s hit track "Otis." Other prominent installations include Ai Weiwei’s BMW covered entirely in thousands of colorful LEGO bricks, and Shepard Fairey’s 1937 Packard 115C Touring Sedan, which is heavily layered with graphics exploring complex themes of wealth, power, and consumer culture.
The exhibition will further feature automotive creations by an extraordinary roster of modern and contemporary artists and designers, including Daniel Arsham, Damien Hirst, Kenny Scharf, Richard Prince, Olafur Eliasson, Zaha Hadid, Jeff Koons, and Barbara Kruger. This high-profile collaboration marks the official global debut of CART X, a newly established hybrid platform created by Warsh that bridges cars, art, music, and fashion to fundamentally redefine how automobiles are appreciated within a broader lifestyle context and integrated into contemporary popular culture.
Rétromobile New York’s inaugural edition will run from November 19 to 22, 2026, at the Javits Center. Single-day general admission passes begin at $70, while VIP preview access tickets are priced at $320. Meanwhile, the historic Paris salon prepares to host its 51st consecutive edition from February 3 to 7, 2027, once again kicking off the bustling European classic car exhibition circuit.
