At Ultrace, I saw these three incredible Nissan Skylines. Each one represented a different generation of GT-R history and they all belong to one owner. He was more than happy to share some knowledge and why these cars are so special.
The first car was a beautiful 1971 Nissan Skyline 2000 GT-R (KPGC10) powered by the legendary S20 engine. Nissan built only a little over 1,900 of these cars. The car already sits on KW suspension and classic Watanabe wheels. As a result, it has that perfect old school JDM look.
If you haven’t heard of Ultrace, you might be living under a rock. The event has become the place in Europe to see the best of the best. Yet calling it just a car event doesn’t do it justice. Ultrace has grown into a full‑blown automotive experience, complete with art installations and even a nighttime program with DJs.
This year marked a big shift. For the first time, Ultrace stepped outside its birthplace in Poland. The team decided it was time for a new adventure, and they landed in Düsseldorf, Germany. That meant no more nine‑hour drive for me. Instead, I only had to travel 1.5 hours to reach the venue: Areal Böhler.
Few cars capture the imagination of motorsport fans quite like the McLaren F1 GTR Longtail, and among them, chassis #42 from the 1997 24 Hours of Le Mans stands as an icon of speed, engineering, and drama. A machine built for endurance, piloted by legends, yet fated to a heartbreaking retirement—this is the story of one of McLaren’s most memorable endurance racers.
By 1997, the McLaren F1 GTR had already cemented its status as a dominant force in endurance racing. However, rule changes meant McLaren needed to evolve, giving birth to the Longtail variant. This version featured a significantly extended rear bodywork to enhance aerodynamic efficiency, better high-speed stability, and improved downforce. It retained the raw power of its BMW S70/2 6.1L V12 engine, capable of producing around 600bhp, but was further refined for the grueling challenge of Le Mans.
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.
My trip to Ultrace this year was one of pure wonder. Never before had I seen so many high-quality builds gathered in one place. Each car left me more amazed than the last, with so much beauty that it was sometimes hard to know where to look. Yet, one car stood out above the rest: this 1969 Mercedes-Benz W108 by Martin Szombierski. The inspiration behind this build was immediately clear to me.
It harkens back to the legendary Mercedes-Benz 300 SEL 6.8 AMG race car, which gained fame in 1971 when it finished second overall at the 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps. That race car earned the nickname “Rote Sau” (Red Pig) due to its massive size and red paint.
In Martin’s modern interpretation, the red is nowhere to be seen, but the headlights and other details are direct nods to the 1971 beast. Like the wheel arches which have been widened by 200mm, perfectly accommodating the custom-made 19-inch Mercedes-Benz Designo wheels.
The VIP, or “Bippu,” scene in Europe is still in its infancy, with enthusiasts looking to the OGs in Japan—the birthplace of the term—for inspiration. The formula is straightforward: take a large Japanese sedan, lower it with air ride suspension, and add a set of shiny wheels. It sounds simple, but like dining out, there’s a vast difference between Michelin-starred restaurants and a fast food restaurant.
The owner of this 1992 Toyota LS400 has followed the VIP recipe to perfection, creating a stunning VIP build that he showed off at Ultrace. The car originally came in black—a solid choice for a VIP build—but the owner decided to go beyond the standard. The car now boasts a two-tone paint job: the upper part in a shade resembling Millennium Jade, and the lower part in silver. The silver striping that ties the two colors together is a particularly elegant touch.
A body kit is essential in this scene, and it can make or break the look. The kit on this LS400 is the Evolution Total Systems V1, a rare find but a perfect match for the car. The custom LED taillights, made in collaboration with a friend, add another layer of uniqueness.
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.
A BMW E30 M3 with a Taifun headlight conversion? That’s sure to raise a few eyebrows. This bold build comes courtesy of the folks at Lowmolewerkz in Germany, who opted for this unique conversion. Taifun originally produced the kit, though they are no longer in business, making authentic kits hard to come by. Nowadays, many replicas are available.
Despite extensive online research, there’s surprisingly little information about this particular car, even though it’s been part of the scene for years. What I do know is that under the hood lies a six-cylinder engine from a newer E36 generation. This leads me to believe it’s not an original M3 but a converted E30. It’s similar to the Mercedes-Benz I posted about yesterday, where a standard car is transformed into a top-tier model. Here too, the conversion is done so meticulously that it’s hard to tell the difference at first glance.
The car also features a set of BBS RS wheels, painted in a sort of pistachio color to match the car. The wheel faces have been polished to a shiny finish after painting—a small detail with a big impact. Then there’s the suspension; an Air Lift Performance controller in the interior indicates an air ride system.
