Gallery: Risenation Hall of Fame 2026

Risenation marks the unofficial start for my show season. It’s always the first taste of what the rest of the year might bring. This year was no different. Bag packed, snacks secured, I punched Mechelen, Belgium into Google Maps, fired up the car, and set off. Two and a half hours later, the Nekkerhal appeared like a giant half tube with holes in it. If you have ever been there you know what I mean.

Before I even think about taking the camera out, I make a few reconnaissance laps. This year, however, the organisers decided to funnel everyone through a vendor corridor at the entrance. Great for anyone selling stickers, detailing sprays, or T‑shirts you don’t need… but less great if you simply wanted to get on with the show. Still, minor grumble aside, the rest was brilliant. Familiar faces, new conversations, and cars that made you stop mid‑stride, this show had the full package.

Lancia Delta Integrale Evo2 – The Perfect Build

Can a car be so good that it deserves a second feature? Well, since you’re reading this, I’ll take that as a yes. 😉

I first came across this Lancia Delta Integrale Evo2 Formula Edition at Ultrace last year, and it stopped me in my tracks. The deep Blue Lord paint, the aggressive stance, and the Work Meister S1 wheels imported all the way from Japan. The trend of JDM wheels on Euro cars continues. It was love at first sight.

For many, poster cars are machines like the Ferrari F40 or a Lamborghini Countach. But for me? This was the car. The history, the WRC dominance, the countless special editions—everything about the Delta Integrale makes it a legend in its own right.

RX-7 with Zimax Power: Ultimate Wangan Racer

When we launched Speedhunters back in 2008, our goal was to showcase car culture in its broadest form. But if there was one scene the world couldn’t get enough of, it was Japan’s. One article that stuck with me from those early days was by our Japan editor, Dino Dalle Carbonare, covering a dark blue Zimax Mazda FD RX-7. A true Wangan racer, it featured a full RE-Amemiya body kit and a side-ported 13B rotary built for high-speed highway runs.

So you can imagine my surprise when, at the Risenation event, I stumbled upon an almost identical RX-7 but in white. The resemblance was uncanny, but there was one key difference: the suspension setup and wheels. For the show season, the owner Craig, opts for air suspension, but when it’s time to hit the track, the air ride is swapped out for PCR coilovers with Bestex springs. Everything else underneath? Pure performance.

The Ultimate Ford Escort Cosworth by RS-Tuning

The Ford Escort RS Cosworth shouldn’t need an introduction. If, like me, you’ve been obsessed with cars for as long as you can remember, this rally-bred legend has, at some point, held a firm spot in your top three must-own cars. Fast forward to 2025, and prices are only heading in one direction—up. A well-kept example will now set you back a cool €80,000. Those who got in before the hype? Sitting pretty.

But here’s the thing some people don’t care about the skyrocketing values. Some people just want to build their perfect version of an all-time great. And honestly? That’s exactly the kind of passion I respect.

Enter Árpád Lakatos of RS-Tuning in Hungary. In his eyes, he’s created the ultimate Escort RS Cosworth. And looking at the result, it’s hard to argue. The first thing that grabs you is the stance—the car sits impossibly low, thanks to a fully custom-built airride setup. No off-the-shelf system exists for this car, so Árpád and his team had to develop their own, opting for a Grinds air management system to control it all.

Forever Classic – BMW E30 That Stole the Show

“Forever Classic” – the air freshener hanging from the rearview mirror says it all. And honestly, truer words have never been spoken. The BMW E30 is an icon, a car that refuses to age, a machine with a timeless presence that can be built and modified in countless ways. During the Risenation Hall of Fame event, I stumbled upon this particular E30, which had made the trip all the way from France. It wasn’t perfect—not by a long shot. But it had something. An aura. The kind of presence that drew a constant crowd throughout the day.

Now, most people would probably opt for the two-door version. It’s the more popular choice, the poster car. But personally, I think the four-door has the better proportions, especially when you lower it just right. Something the owner, Ryan, has absolutely nailed. Sitting on air suspension, the E30 tucks down beautifully, with its fender lips landing perfectly on the polished lips of a stunning set of OZ Futura wheels.

JDM Wheels on a Golf MK4 R32? Yes Please!

At Risenation Hall of Fame, my first event of the season, one thing stood out. Not some over-the-top wrap or an exhaust loud enough to trigger seismic activity, but something more subtle—and possibly more controversial. European cars rocking wheels usually reserved for Japanese legends. The biggest head-turner? This Volkswagen Golf R32, built by Alex Fuller. If I had to put together a top five from the event, this would be in it. No question.

The base car is a Mk4 Golf R32, an icon in its own right, but Alex has taken it to another level. The body has been resprayed in its original OEM Deep Blue Pearl, a color that still looks as timeless as ever. Visually, everything else appears to be standard R32, until you get to the wheels. And this is where things get interesting.

The Ballerman Golf Mk1 nicknamed Flori

A car so clean it belongs in a museum, this is the VW Golf mk1 built by Jörg Ballerman. I’ve seen this car countless times over the years, but I understand why car shows are eager to show this car at their event. This time I spotted it at the recent Risenation event. It’s a stunning machine where everything, and I mean everything, has been replaced, improved, or chromed. The foundation is a Golf Mk1 that rolled out of the VW factory in 1987 in Mexico Beige with a 1-liter engine.

Jörg acquired the car in 2002 with 95,000 kilometers on the clock, and that’s when the work began. It’s clear that things got out of hand. Every bolt and nut has been chromed, along with a plethora of other parts. We’re talking about brake calipers, exhaust, fastening clamps, and the list goes on.

Does the perfect BMW 3-series E30 excist?

When is something perfect? Only the one who claims something is perfect can answer that. If you ask me, it’s a car where I can’t find a single thing I’d do differently. That’s exactly how I feel about this BMW E30. If I say that this one car alone was reason enough to attend the Risenation Hall of Fame show, well, that says it all, I reckon. Years in the making, getting cleaner, lower, and after who knows how many new sets of wheels later, this is the end result.

Built by Damiano Di Viesti over many years. The car was bought brand new by his father back in 1990. Back then, Damiano was just a little 11-year-old lad. The car is still owned by his father, but Damiano has taken over control and made it his own. I bet not many folks can say a particular car has been in the family for that long. What I love most about this project is that it keeps the original lines of the E30 intact, no widebody or other alterations, just the way BMW intended it.

The car rolled off the production line as a BMW 316, but now it’s got a 1.8 liter engine under the hood. And it’s got a little boost from a compressor out of a newer model Mini Cooper S. Don’t expect earth-shattering numbers from the engine, but with a weight of 1065kg, it’s an absolute joy to drive. Plus, the entire engine bay has been cleaned up, with all the unnecessary bits removed or tucked away.