60 Years of the Fiat Dino: The “Passione Dino” Special Exhibition at the Classic Gala Schwetzingen
The first event I would like to introduce on our new blog is an absolute highlight for all automotive enthusiasts: the Classic Gala Schwetzingen 2026 with the high-caliber special exhibition "Passione Dino".
The idea for this came about around two years ago in personal conversations with Mr. Johannes Hübner, the organizer of the Classic Gala Schwetzingen. He was immediately enthusiastic about the proposal. The perfect occasion was and is the 60th anniversary of the Fiat Dino: The Fiat Dino Spider was first presented to the public in 1966 at the Turin Motor Show. To capture the full fascination of this engine generation, Johannes Hübner thankfully expanded the theme, so that the entire Dino spectrum is now represented.
The personal connection: My restoration project
This great anniversary was also the personal incentive for me to complete the elaborate restoration of my own Fiat Dino Spider in time. My vehicle is to be proudly displayed in Schwetzingen. This also brings things full circle to my restoration blog, where I have documented the individual steps of this project in detail.
From idea to concept
The concrete preparation for the Dino exhibition started at the beginning of 2026. In close exchange with Matthias Appel and Matthias Bartz, we worked out the concept and compiled the list of vehicles and owners. Our ambitious goal was to bring all models of the Dino family and additional highlights to Schwetzingen.
We succeeded! We were able to secure a total of 17 fascinating Dinos for the exhibition. Only one Dino 206 GT could not be organized, but in return, visitors can look forward to two absolute highlights:
- An extremely rare Dino 206 SP from Austria.
- The original Fiat Dino Spider that competed in the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1968.
The road to the event
At the Retro Classics trade fair in Stuttgart, we met with Mr. Hübner and Mr. Gauf from the Classic Gala Schwetzingen organizing team to coordinate the final details. The cooperation was extremely harmonious and worked hand in hand.
The official press presentation took place in the palace gardens back in July. Matthias Appel and I brought a Fiat Dino Spider and a Fiat Dino Coupé for this. In beautiful summer weather, great photos were taken, which were subsequently published in the trade press.
Current status and outlook
As I write these lines, the final preparations are in full swing. In addition to the 17 vehicles, we will be on site with our own pavilion of the Dino Register Germany. The boxes are being packed and the material is being compiled.
I look forward to meeting many of you in Schwetzingen! In the next post, I will report in detail with pictures directly from the event.