It’s the 22nd Techno-Classica show at the Messe Essen, and to celebrate the arrival of the spring season and the burgeoning use of classic cars across Europe, organiser SIHA has confirmed that this year’s show will be the largest yet.

For 2010, all of Messe Essen’s 20 halls are being allocated for the Techno-Classica, and they will be split between owners’ clubs, trade stands and manufacturer displays. But if you want to see a wide collection of classics, Essen is definitely where you need to be, with more than 2500 vintage and prestige cars, as well as what German enthusiasts call youngtimers on show – many from the UK.

The event is already shaping up to be the most international, too. Cars from more than 30 nations – among them Spain, Argentina, France, Sweden, Portugal, USA and Italy – will be displayed by over 1000 exhibitors, consolidating Techno-Classica’s position as the world’s largest and most successful indoor classic car show.

But what Techno-Classica is all about is getting up close to fantastic cars that you’re unlikely to see elsewhere. Make sure you start in the owners’ club halls first – although they lack the budget of their commercial counterparts, these stands contain a bewildering display of European classics that constantly surprise and delight. The themed stands are a must, too – the Fiat 500 and Trabant clubs always put on an amusing display… usually involving inappropriately dressed mannequins.

From there, browse the manufacturer stands; this year is laced with anniversaries, so the big boys’ heritage departments will be working overtime. Alfa Romeo will try its hardest to rival the domestic manufacturers, and intends to wow the crowds with a wonderful collection of motor sport legends for its 100th birthday. But Mercedes-Benz, VW-Audi and BMW work on an altogether larger scale at Essen.
Once you’ve done that, it’s time to start spending – off first to the automobilia halls, followed by the private sellers, and then the dealers.

Be warned: once your wallet is out, it’s hard to resist emptying it. It’s a four-day show, and you would be silly to try to spend less than an entire weekend to take it all in.

Getting to Essen is simple, with a bevy of low-cost airlines flying into the closest airport at Düsseldorf,
a 20-minute taxi or half-hour bus ride away. The Deutsche Bahn train runs every half-an-hour direct from the airport to Essen Hbf, the main station in Essen, and from there you can take the U11 train to the Messe/Gruga station for entrance into Hall 12, or to the Messe Süd/West stop for Hall 3.

But for the true Techno-Classica experience, we recommend packing up your classic, topping up your limited-mileage insurance policy, buying a Eurotunnel or ferry ticket and driving across. It’s
a straight four-hour run from Calais to Essen, but the historic town of Bruges is the natural halfway stop-off point – nice for an overnight stay, or just for a chocolate- (or lager-) fuelled breather.