Is South Tyrol The New Wörthersee?

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? Effectively, I type of received a chance to just do that.

For 41 years, each Might, VW and German automotive fans 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 dimension. 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 start out one thing recent and new.

We misplaced entry to lovely Wörthersee, certain, however there was nonetheless a number of mountainous Europe left for automotive fans to collect 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 aspect of the primary CarNight present, and the scene was set.

Titled the #BetterDaysAhead Tour, XS gave everybody a substitute for Wörthersee and the chance to be concerned within the begin of one thing new. For all I do know, this could possibly be the way forward for European automotive tradition conferences for the following 40 years. To me, this could possibly be what Wörthersee was to these earlier than my time.

With all this in thoughts, I grabbed a couple of plucky pals, packed up my BMW E38 for the journey, and drove 1,100 miles from London to South Tyrol.

The primary problem appeared once we received there. Aside from the 4 occasions XS organised, we had no thought the place the native hangout spots can be.

Wörthersee had its ‘Turbo Curve’, the long-lasting Eni station, the primary city alongside an infinite quantity of automotive parks within the space at which there can be a automotive meet occurring at any level within the day.

South Tyrol’s geography is a bit of 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 chance discovered automotive meets the best way we did at Wörthersee occasions prior 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 big, the service station services had been fashionable and greater than able to internet hosting everybody as vehicles stored coming in and leaving. It was the most effective sort 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 homeowners stuffed us with power and optimism for the occasion as an entire.

There had been many thrilling vehicles on present right here, with my favorite of the bunch most likely being this Alfa Romeo Guilia. I feel 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 occasional occasion merely referred to as the Basic Meet. Because the title steered, a big chunk of the vehicles on present had been old style. 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 images, this was a reasonably particular pairing.

So, expensive reader, which one are you taking house?

Jet washes are endlessly scattered round South Tyrol for anybody to make use of. Holding your automotive clear right here is tremendous simple, and with so many present vehicles on the go these locations grew to become little occasions in themselves.

Take a look at this Fiat Tipo Sedicivalvole I stumbled upon at one of many jet washes. Owned by a beautiful gent referred to as Rene, the automotive is completely model new after a winter’s value of restoration work.

It’s most of these hidden motoring nuggets that make journeys like this actually rewarding, encouraging you to drive round discovering increasingly vehicles and fascinating individuals as you go.

The opposite XS occasion we attended was a Friday vehicles and occasional morning. Being the very first thing we attended once 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 visitors stream, however there have been no points between the vehicles and the legislation in Italy. This was a complete distinction to latest years in Austria, the place attending nearly grew to become a bet to see in the event you may make it out and in with out receiving fines.

So then, let’s sort out the query I set myself within the title of this text. In brief, no, South Tyrol 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 may inform, was to discover new prospects of the place we will collect to take pleasure in our ardour and pastime.

It’s our accountability as automotive fans to do that with respect, and deal with the place we go along with upmost integrity. South Tyrol gives us a chance to do 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