Have you ever ever seen archive footage from Wörthersee again within the Eighties and ’90s, wishing you possibly can have skilled it when it was new? Nicely, I form of received a possibility to just do that.
For 41 years, each Could, VW and German automotive fanatics from all around the globe would collect collectively within the Austrian city of Wörthersee for every week of automotive meets, occasions and normal celebration of our pastime. Within the final 10 years, the event has grown dramatically in measurement. It was an occasion that far outgrew the city that hosted it, and final yr the Austrian authorities lastly buckled and requested for the annual gathering to cease going down in Wörthersee.
One of many headline occasions from the Wörthersee agenda, XS CarNight, determined to use this as an alternative to begin one thing contemporary and new.
We misplaced entry to lovely Wörthersee, certain, however there was nonetheless a variety of mountainous Europe left for automotive fanatics to assemble at and discover while having fun with the vehicles that introduced us collectively within the first place. When one door closes, one other one opens, and so forth.
XS ended up negotiating with native authorities to permit them to host an occasion in Italy’s northernmost mountainous area of South Tyrol. It’s a superbly scenic a part of Europe, bordering Austria and, importantly, only a stone’s throw away from Wörthersee. XS gained permission to organise three different occasions on days both facet of the primary CarNight present, and the scene was set.
Titled the #BetterDaysAhead Tour, XS gave everybody an alternative choice to Wörthersee and the chance to be concerned within the begin of one thing new. For all I do know, this might be the way forward for European automotive tradition conferences for the following 40 years. To me, this might be what Wörthersee was to these earlier than my time.
With all this in thoughts, I grabbed a couple of plucky mates, packed up my BMW E38 for the journey, and drove 1,100 miles from London to South Tyrol.
The primary problem appeared after we received there. Other than the 4 occasions XS organised, we had no thought the place the native hangout spots could be.
Wörthersee had its ‘Turbo Curve’, the enduring Eni station, the primary city alongside an infinite quantity of automotive parks within the space at which there could be a automotive meet occurring at any level within the day.
South Tyrol’s geography is just a little completely different; every city is located about half-hour drive from one another. This isn’t an issue, however as every city is comparatively just like the opposite, every little thing appeared much more unfold out and we by no means by accident chanced on automotive meets the way in which we did at Wörthersee occasions up to now.
We quickly discovered of the Q8 petrol station, quarter-hour from the primary city that hosted the XS CarNight occasion.
This place gave us the strongest Wörthersee vibe. The car parking zone across the again was large, the service station services had been fashionable and greater than able to internet hosting everybody as vehicles stored coming in and leaving. It was one of the best kind of automotive present of all of them: a rolling automotive present. Seeing these vehicles on the transfer, listening to the engines and chatting with the house owners stuffed us with vitality and optimism for the occasion as an entire.
There had been many thrilling vehicles on present right here, with my favorite of the bunch in all probability being this Alfa Romeo Guilia. I believe they’re infinitely sexier than any equal AMG or M automotive, but nowhere close to as widespread sadly.
One other scorching spot was the Meran 2000 peak, a big automotive park located quarter-hour up a mountain from the primary Bolzano space the place we stayed. Right here, we attended an organised Saturday morning vehicles and low occasion merely known as the Traditional Meet. Because the identify urged, a big chunk of the vehicles on present had been old-fashioned. Immaculate paint and OEM+ touches are positively on the forefront of automotive modifications right here in Europe.
It was at Meran 2000 the place I additionally discovered my favorite automotive combo of the entire journey. This Mk2 Volkswagen Golf on 15-inch BBS RS wheels and the curious Porsche 993 rolled in collectively and immediately attracted a crowd. As you possibly can see within the pictures, this was a reasonably particular pairing.
So, expensive reader, which one are you taking dwelling?
Jet washes are endlessly scattered round South Tyrol for anybody to make use of. Preserving your automotive clear right here is tremendous straightforward, and with so many present vehicles on the go these locations grew to become little occasions in themselves.
Try this Fiat Tipo Sedicivalvole I stumbled upon at one of many jet washes. Owned by a stunning gent known as Rene, the automotive is completely model new after a winter’s value of restoration work.
It’s some of these hidden motoring nuggets that make journeys like this actually rewarding, encouraging you to drive round discovering increasingly more vehicles and fascinating individuals as you go.
The opposite XS occasion we attended was a Friday vehicles and low morning. Being the very first thing we attended after we arrived at South Tyrol, it was this morning that set the foundations for what the XS #BetterDaysAhead Tour was all about.
A mixture of individuals having fun with their mission vehicles from all corners of Europe. The authorities had been there to verify every little thing ran easily and handle site visitors circulation, however there have been no points between the vehicles and the regulation in Italy. This was a complete distinction to current years in Austria, the place attending nearly grew to become a big gamble to see if you happen to might make it out and in with out receiving fines.
So then, let’s deal with the query I set myself within the title of this text. In brief, no, South Tyrol just isn’t a brand new Wörthersee. However that’s as a result of it by no means got down to be. With out getting all poetic, the entire level of the #BetterDaysAhead Tour, so far as I might inform, was to discover new potentialities of the place we will collect to get pleasure from our ardour and pastime.
It’s our accountability as automotive fanatics to do that with respect, and deal with the place we go along with upmost integrity. South Tyrol presents us a possibility to try this, and we have to take it. Who is aware of, perhaps I’ll be reminiscing about this occasion in 40 years time, while sitting at Q8 wanting on the 2063 Mk16 Golf on the most recent levitating Hoverlift suspension.
Till subsequent time, South Tyrol.
Michał Fidowicz
Instagram: candyshowroom
