If you’re in New England this weekend, and you’re sick of the extended winter that we’ve been treated to and need a quick summertime car show fix, you’d be hard pressed to find a better car show than the Rhinebeck Spring Dust Off. Situated on the right bank of the Hudson River, the town of Rhinebeck, NY is just a couple hours north of New York City. And every year Rhinebeck hosts a wonderful “variety show,” which is a weekend mix of hot rods and custom cars on Saturday, and original unmodified cars on Sunday. The 42nd Annual Rhinebeck Spring Swap Meet and Car Show will take place May 3rd, 4th, and 5th at the Duchess County Fairgrounds.

Last week we took a look at the domestic cars that had made the trip to Rhinebeck last year. And this week, just a few days before the show itself, we’re going to take a look at the foreign cars that were on display last year. The foreign car contingent is not particularly huge every year, as the Rhinebeck Spring Dust Off tends to showcase rare American machinery from the 1950s through the 1970s, but there are definitely some great foreign cars to be seen. Let’s take a look at some highlights from last year, after the jump.

One of the best surprises of Rhinebeck 2012 was this 1968 Renault R10. Needless to say, not a common car to see in the US, especially in this condition. Vintage Renaults are not all that plentiful even at foreign car events, and it’s hard to find any in concours condition as most stateside examples tend to be drivers. This brilliant example is owned by Duane Allen of Saugerties, NY.

Another surprise at Rhinebeck 2012 was this VW Quantum GL 5 wagon, a car often overlooked even by VW enthusiasts. I honestly did not expect to see this type of machine even at Carlisle, and Carlisle thrives on this sort of thing. A great example all around, and one of my personal favorites from last year.

One of several Opel GTs at Rhinebeck last year, this one appeared to be in good condition inside and out.

One of several Triumphs at Rhinebeck, as the show typically has a good turnout of British cars.

A nice blue MGB in RHD, last seen at Lime Rock Sunday Concours in 2012.

One of a couple 190SLs at Rhinebeck, and perhaps one of the more valuable cars at the show.

A sharp Pagoda Merc, in a charming color scheme. As you’ve probably guessed by now, Mercedes-Benz SLs make up a sizable chunk of all German machinery at Rhinebeck.

A nice Land Rover Series II, in a color you don’t often see these in. This one appeared to have been very nicely restored, though perhaps the exterior color isn’t for everyone.

One of several Citroens at Rhinebeck, this CXA-imported example has been making the rounds at various classic car events around the northeast, even appearing at the 2011 Greenwich Concours.

A sharp-looking 6er E24 with European-spec bumpers, this one was in great condition inside and out. Obviously a gray import that was never fully messed with.

And last but not least, here’s an extremely tired Mercury Capri that looked like it had been raced at some point, and hung out in the foreign car section of the show. Capris are surprisingly tough to find now, despite the fact that they were sold for a total of 8 years badged as Mercury Capris. All North American versions were produced at the Cologne plant, and this example features the 2.8 liter Cologne V6 good for 105bhp. The differences between German Capris and the stateside variants will be apparent to anyone familiar with the European versions, but the most noticeable ones include the urethane 85mph bumpers, quad sealed-beams, and turn signals placed in the grille.

The 42nd Annual Rhinebeck Spring Swap Meet and Car Show will take place May 3rd, 4th, and 5th at the Duchess County Fairgrounds.

Full gallery from last year below: