While on assignment for another publication, I found myself looking at photos from BMW’s at this years Ultrace event, still the highlight of the year when it comes to top-tier car builds. The sheer number of BMWs on display was staggering, so much so that I decided to create a dedicated gallery for the Munich marque.
If you’re not a fan of BMW, this post might not be for you. But for everyone else, consider this a tribute to the Bavarian brand in all its glory.
Time to reflect on the VW Team Brabant event, which saw a record number of cars and an unbeatable, friendly atmosphere. What I loved most was seeing the blend of generations coming together. The old guard with cars they’ve owned for decades, constantly finding new ways to tweak and improve them. Then there are the newcomers, soaking in all the beauty around them, and in between, you’ve got a group rolling up with fresh, new projects. A prime example of the latter is Ricardo Kruijf’s Golf Mk1, which we’ve already featured in a spotlight.
We also had some special guests from across the channel, with a group from England making an appearance. You can immediately tell that the bar is set high over there. A standout example? The guys from Grounded Original. I’ve had these cars in front of my camera before, and yet, they still manage to command an unreal level of attention.
Honestly, I had no idea what to expect since this was my first time at Ultrace. But one thing is certain: it far exceeded my expectations. Late Thursday night, I set off from the Netherlands, heading towards Wrocław, Poland, the home of Ultrace since its inception. After a nine-hour drive, I arrived on Friday, and, unable to check into my hotel just yet, I went straight to the event at the Tarczyński Arena Wrocław.
Finding a parking spot, I headed to the press registration center. Luckily, the good folks from Revworks were there to guide me in the right direction. With my press pass and camera in hand, I stepped onto the grounds, and what I saw blew me away. I was literally overwhelmed, spending the first hour just gaping at everything that was already in place.
Friday is the day when the last cars are positioned, and the organizers put the finishing touches on everything. The event officially opens at noon on Saturday, so Friday offered a perfect opportunity to acclimate, especially with temperatures soaring above 30 degrees Celsius.
Bimmerfest is perhaps the largest car event in Europe exclusively for BMWs. It’s a permanent fixture on my calendar every year. This year was no exception, as I headed to Raceway Venray, Europe’s fastest 1/2 mile oval circuit, armed with an empty memory card and a fully charged camera. The unique location, while thrilling, does demand a pair of good running shoes since you spend half the time standing on the banked track.
As always, certain paddocks were reserved for specific themes. This year featured areas dedicated to Alpina, classics, and a top 10 selected by Z-Performance wheels. Additionally, there’s always space for various BMW clubs, with MFlight likely being the largest. Most members of this club hail from America but are stationed at a US base just across the border in Germany.
A standout car for me was the Twin Turbo V12 E36, which I’ve already posted separately. Another highlight was the E23 7 Series at the H&R booth, complete with a humorous “Arg Teuer” sticker mimicking the Tag Heuer logo. As you can tell, I have a soft spot for the older models. Yet, the M3 Touring, one of BMW’s newer models, also caught my eye and, yes, even with those large kidney grilles.
Royal Fitment has become a staple in the automotive scene in the eastern Netherlands. Traditionally held at Hotel Dinkeloord in Beuningen, this invitation-only event faced a last-minute venue change this year. Fortunately, a new location was swiftly secured just five minutes away at Hotel Ros van Twente in De Lutte.
Despite the change in venue, the event maintained its signature relaxed atmosphere and high-quality selection of cars. Originally a VAG-only event, Royal Fitment now attracts a broader range of impressive vehicles, including some stunning BMWs that caught my eye.
Check out the gallery via the link below to see the highlights.
I’ll have some spotlights later this week on some of the cars, click the link below so see the rest of the cars that were present at Royal Fitment Netherlands.
On Friday, I received a WhatsApp message with instructions: “First rule of Garage Meeting Club… don’t talk about Garage Meeting Club.” In a world where everything is shared on social media and there’s an event happening every weekend, I wasn’t sure what to expect. True to form, there was no mention of it anywhere, no announcement, no Facebook event, and nothing on Instagram. But because the message came from Revworks, I knew it was going to be good.
However, I couldn’t have imagined just how awesome the Revworks Garage Meeting Club would be. There was truly something for everyone, from a Spyker Double 12s owned by a Spyker Enthusiast to an Opel Kadett D and everything in between. The success of this event is largely thanks to the team at Revworks. Their network ensured that over 100 cars showed up, making it an incredible evening for everyone involved.
I can’t wait for the next Garage Meeting Club. Keep reading for more photos in the gallery.
On Sunday I visited the Classics & Coffee event organised by Octane Magazine, they had such a good turn out with so many different cars. Really cool to see all these different cars together and the fact they all drove there was even better.
Belgium is renowned for its chocolate, beers, and potholes. Because goodness gracious, the roads are abysmal. As soon as you cross the border from the Netherlands, it’s like hitting a minefield, zigzagging to dodge the craters. But i digress, because Belgium is also known for its plethora of car meetings. In the Netherlands, we have a few events, all organized by the same outfit. So most of the times you see the same cars over and over again.
But in Belgium, it’s a different story. Small organizations which attracts different cars and people run the events with a slew of volunteers. One such event is Heaven on Wheels. They take over a parking garage at the shopping center Cora in Anderlecht, near Brussels, transforming it into a scene straight out of the Fast and Furious films.
What sets Heaven on Wheels apart from other events is that they don’t do any pre-selection. Anyone can roll up with their car. This means there’s a wide mix of cars, but to be honest, it also means there are quite a few cars I wouldn’t normally spend 2.5 hours in the car to see.
