Mine’s inspired Nissan Skyline R34 GT-R

During a recent visit to the Pace Museum in Dortmund, I stumbled upon an extraordinary exhibit: the personal collection of Jean-Pierre Kraemer, better known as JP. If you’ve ever delved into the world of automotive tuning, you’ll recognize JP as one of Europe’s most charismatic car enthusiasts. But here’s the kicker—in one of his latest videos, JP casually revealed that his collection now boasts a staggering 105 cars. So more than enough cars to fill his personal museum.

It’s not just the quantity that’s jaw-dropping; it’s the quality and diversity. This isn’t your stereotypical supercar hoard with endless rows of Lamborghinis and Ferraris. No, JP’s collection is a reflection of his unique automotive vision. You’ll find everything from a Renault Twingo with a Yamaha R1 engine strapped in the back to a classic Lamborghini Diablo. It’s a gearhead’s dream come to life.

Every car in the collection has been treated to JP Performance signature modifications, blending performance with personal flair. One standout is his Nissan Skyline R34 GT-R, which he personally imported from Japan. JP’s mission? To create his own interpretation of the legendary Mine’s R34, a car famous for tearing up Japan’s Tsukuba Circuit with a blistering lap time of 57.7 seconds. Keep in mind, that record was set in 2005, and even today, any sub-minute time on Tsukuba is a serious achievement.

One of a Kind Hyundai Pony at Ultrace 2024

What can I say about Ultrace that hasn’t already been said? It’s a true gathering of the best Europe and beyond have to offer. But ultimately, this show thrives because of the people: the visitors and the car builders. This year, builders came from all corners of the globe, including South Korea. The team known as Peaches brought their Hyundai Pony Drift car to the show.

Peaches is a fusion of cultures, blending fashion and automotive passion. With a store in Seoul and a strong online presence, they’re busy taking the world by storm. While photographing the car, I ran into an old friend, Larry Chen, with whom I had worked during my time at Speedhunters. He was filming a YouTube video, giving me the chance to take a closer look at the car’s interior.

The Hyundai Pony isn’t a car you’d typically associate with drifting, which might be exactly why Peaches chose this platform. For Koreans, the Pony is a workhorse, often used as a taxi or a first car for learning to drive. However, very little of the original car remains. Everything has been modified to create a competitive drift machine.

Holyhall’s Zakspeed inspired Ford Capri Mk3

In today’s automotive world, project cars are the bread and butter of many YouTube channels. But not all of them are created equal. Because this Zakspeed inspired Ford Capri Mk3 is something special. 3 years ago the team at Holyhall saw potential in an old, rusty red Ford Capri Mk3. Their goal was to transform it into a Zakspeed look-alike race car, reminiscent of those that raced across European circuits in the early ’80s. Thankfully for us, they succeeded in turning that vision into a reality, which I first witnessed live at the Essen Motor Show in 2023.

The foundation of this masterpiece is a Ford Capri Mk3, though only the doors and roof remain original. The rest of the car is built on a custom-made tube frame chassis, constructed not from CAD drawings but from photographs of the original Zakspeed race cars. This achievement alone is remarkable, but the work didn’t stop there.

Attached to the tube frame chassis is a custom suspension. Through the rear window, you can catch a glimpse of the pushrod rear suspension, featuring components from H&R Suspension. H&R provided a bespoke set specifically for this car, with spring rates and shock absorber characteristics individually matched to the new vehicle weight of 1300 kg.