Throughout a current journey to Germany, I visited Dortmund – an enchanting metropolis with a historical past that dates again to medieval instances, located in a picturesque valley between the Ruhr and Emscher rivers. It’s a pleasant place for anybody to go to, however there’s a cause you would possibly wish to journey right here, and it’s all because of Jean Pierre Kraemer – YouTube character, entrepreneur and founding father of JP Efficiency.
Jean Pierre (JP) has been constructing customized vehicles for years, however in 2020 he determined to take issues to a complete stage by beginning work on a model new automotive museum in Dortmund known as PACE (Efficiency and Automotive Schooling).
PACE Automobil Museum opened its doorways in Might 2022 with a number of exhibitions unfold all through the constructing, which previous to its main renovation was beforehand residence to Citroën and Nissan dealerships. The automobiles on show – many on mortgage from producers themselves – are modified out each six months, so it’s undoubtedly a spot to return to.
As I used to be on the town, I had to cease by and test it out.
As I perceive, I caught the second instalment on the museum, spanning three of the constructing’s 4 flooring. Strolling by way of the doorways, the first automotive artwork object I used to be greeted by was a burned-down Audi RS4 B5. Nicely, components of it anyway. The engine was making 1,200hp on the time and, by the seems to be of it, had a severe malfunction.
I didn’t discover it at first, however throughout from the engine on wall was an indication that fittingly learn: No one Mentioned It Was Simple.
I ventured to the basement flooring first, as I believed this was the road automotive facet of the exhibition so I’d discover a few of JP’s private builds. Maybe his rear-engined Golf 2, Beetle GT, or the V10 Supra I noticed at Ultrace final yr.
They have been nowhere to be seen, however I did discover them a little bit later. Extra on that in a second.
Having these vehicles displayed underground is a transparent metaphor that I discovered amusing. The cool factor about this dungeon is that it’s stuffed with fan-voted vehicles, so anybody with a pleasant sufficient mission could possibly be approached by PACE and provided a brief spot within the show.
The second flooring has a darkish ambiance. The partitions are painted black and the gloomy climate exterior didn’t assist both. Throughout my go to, a variety of historic racing vehicles and a few necessary street vehicles have been introduced on this area.
First up was a Mercedes-Benz C-Class DTM/ITC race automotive – ITC being an acronym for the Worldwide Touring Automotive championship, which is what the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters was known as in 1996. Mercedes star driver Bernd Schneider completed the ’96 ITC season runner-up on this 500hp, 11,500rpm- and 199mph-capable machine.
Earlier than shifting to Mercedes-Benz although, Bernd Schneider spent 4 years within the ’80s racing for numerous Ford groups. This Ford Sierra XR4Ti is one other DTM automotive he drove.
The Opel Manta 400B Group B rally automotive might need been outclassed by Audi’s 4WD system within the World Rally Championship, nevertheless it loved loads of success in nationwide championships in Germany, Eire and Nice Britain between 1983 and 1986.
Discover how all these vehicles are elevated on platform shows? As automotive photographers know, vehicles all the time look higher when seen from a low angle. JP made a particular level of this, and presents the reveals in such a approach that you simply solely must crouch to view them from floor stage.
I normally don’t get excited about electrical automobiles, however the VW ID. R is a distinct beast. This explicit automotive reset the Nürburgring EV report and blasted up the the Goodwood Competition of Velocity hill in below 40 seconds. It’s an necessary case examine for Volkswagen, working with 915 volt structure, two engines and a 40kWh battery, leading to 670hp and a weight of simply 2,425lbs.
One flooring nearer to the sky I discovered ‘Automotive Heaven’.
Seeing a 1996 McLaren BMW F1 GTR was fairly particular. McLaren had gained the Le Mans 24 Hour in 1995 and was trying ahead to a repeat efficiency in ’96, however the competitors was stronger than anticipated with two new Porsche GT1s beating the F1 in its class. Six of the seven McLarens completed although, taking the 4th, fifth, sixth, eighth, ninth, and eleventh locations.
General, the McLaren F1 gained 38 worldwide races. Not dangerous for a automotive that Gordon Murray initially created completely for street use.
I’m a sucker for a safari-spec Porsche so seeing the true deal was an emotional second. Does it get any higher than an ex-works 1978 911 SC Safari in Martini Racing colours?
Subsequent to the Porsche sat one other icon from the identical yr: the Mercedes-Benz 450 SLC AMG Mampe. Liqueur producer Mampe was excited by selling its Lufthansa Cocktail and located a companion in Mercedes. This ‘Silver Hammer’ had one of many largest engines on the grid, a 4.5L V8 that produced 375hp. The automotive was able to 170mph with a 3-speed automated gearbox.
Taking a look at this Judd-powered V8 BMW E36 belonging to the late Georg Plasa, I needed the climate exterior was be higher. Think about golden hour gentle streaming by way of the home windows and bathing over this superb machine…
Across the nook was one other show-stopper. Audi’s legendary Sport Quattro S1 E2 – an actual deal. There’s nothing I can say about this automotive that will be unique, so let’s simply admire it.
Even after the E1 S2, there was one other automotive that gave me goosebumps.
Round a decade a go, this brutal 1,000hp VW Golf constructed by Dahlbäck Racing was everywhere in the web, so seeing it in individual was fairly cool. It was featured right here on Speedhunters again in 2008, so examine that out if you wish to study concerning the brilliance of this fire-spitting machine.
On my approach again down, I seen one other small room with a bunch of thrilling vehicles inside. A McLaren supercar, backdated Porsche RWB and a Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R would undoubtedly make an ideal combo in any automotive nerd’s storage.
The PACE Automobil Museum was all the things I had hoped it could be and extra. It’s superb to suppose that this was all made doable due to JP’s big fanbase.
The following day, after driving between a bunch of cities, I made my approach again to Dortmund. As a result of I used to be hungry, however primarily as a result of I wished to go to JP Efficiency headquarters.
Primarily, that is Jean-Pierre’s tuning workshop, the place all his vehicles are constructed. The showroom space all the time hosts just a few modified vehicles, efficiency components and a wide range of aftermarket wheels.
Since I got here uninvited, there wasn’t anyone who may open the precise workshop doorways for me and present me what JP Efficiency was engaged on on the time. I’ll be certain that I’m a bit extra ready for my subsequent go to.
As I discussed, I used to be hungry, so I ran throughout the street to the quick meals joint that additionally operates below the JP empire – Large Enhance Burger.
And right here they have been – Jean-Pierre’s private mission vehicles that I had anticipated to seek out on the museum.
JP’s rear-engined Mk2 Golf has featured on Speedhunters, whereas the opposite vehicles simply acquired a few snaps throughout my 2022 Ultrace occasion protection. The Beetle GT is JP and Prior Design’s Andras Belzek’s imaginative and prescient of a automotive that by no means went into manufacturing, and includes a 2.5L TFSi engine from an Audi RS3.
JP’s Mk5 Toyota Supra additionally options an engine swap, nevertheless it’s not the 2JZ you would possibly count on. This A90 has a BMW M V10 at its coronary heart.
The mysterious Pandem-kitted 86 is 2JZ-swapped although.
On the opposite facet of the room was the newest BMW M4 CSL parked subsequent to a white VW Polo, which was JP’s first automotive.
Regardless of Large Enhance Burger being a restaurant before everything, the world one way or the other looks like a little bit growth of the underground a part of the museum, with automotive artwork items on the partitions, a pool desk illuminated by Golf GTI headlights, and a window into JP’s dyno tuning facility.
After the tragic occasions on the 2nd of January, seeing this entrance bumper from Ken Block’s rallycross Ford Focus hits otherwise.
After a second of reflection, I made my option to the counter, the place I ordered – after which consumed – a juicy cheeseburger.
Having visited all three of JP’s areas, it’s onerous to underestimate how a lot of his life Jean Pierre devotes to automotive tradition. His dedication is inspiring, from the eye to element to the sheer stage of madness he places into each mission automotive. I simply can’t wait to see what rolls out of his storage this summer season season.
Vladimir Ljadov
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