If You Think Europe Is Sticking To Primered Paint And 15" ATS Cup Wheels, You Better Think Again. The Germans Are Overdosing On The Crazy Pills.
Welcome to Germany, the country where it all began - the Veedub scene, that is. As you know, the scene has spread globally and there's no corner of the earth where you won't find a modified VW. And while countries like the US, UK and Holland are contributing some very strong cars; you must still look to the Fatherland for the most innovative and hardcore VW action!
And if you want to witness this action in person, you need to get along to one of the shows. Maybe one like Tuning World Bodensee.
We have to admit the Bodensee show may be a bit left-field compared to some of the more established shows, but this is the place to be if you want to know what's really happening in the country that gave birth to our way of life.
Bodensee is a lake in Friedrichshafen, Germany - a quiet town for most of the year, until the tuning show pitches its tents. To suggest the event takes over the town is an understatement. In fact, as we discovered, you can get in a cab anywhere and just ask for "das tuning show" and ten minutes later you arrive.
The tuning show is housed in a newly built exhibition complex and, to give you an idea of its scope, we can tell you the show attracted 105,000 visitors this year, with 46,500 attending on the Sunday alone. There were 412 registered journalists in attendance from 14 countries, with 10 TV crews. Among the 256 exhibitors present, the show attracted manufacturer support for the first time, reflecting its growing status. This meant that the ten exhibition halls were crammed with around 1000 vehicles, including some of the craziest creations to date.
Within the ten halls there is everything from big buck styling houses like Lorinser, Brabus and Rieger, to the hardcore street clubs showing what can be done with not much money but lots of imagination. And while all marques are represented, the VW/Audi crowd stole the show.
Corrados and Jettas are fatter than ever, Mk1 Golfs are still being reborn, big bumper Mk2s are given a new lease of life, while the Mk3s and Mk4s are getting the treatment. Even the new kid on the block - Mk5 - was present in large numbers and we found no shortage of ideas manifesting themselves. You just can't keep a good VW down!
So what's new in this land of vehicular opportunity? Once you've slammed your Dub, beefed up the engine, got the sickest rims and sorted out your tunes, what are you doing next? Wild animal patterns, of course!
Yep, you heard it right, animals. The cars in Bodensee took on a bestial theme. There were leopard print graphics, cheetah interiors and wild animal stripes everywhere!
After speaking to a few of the top tuning boys about the origin of this new movement, there seemed to be a difference of opinion. Some say it started with the hood bra. Bored of vinyl bras they progressed to animal skin, then the whole theme gained a life of its own, so to speak, and worked its way through the car, leaving no area untouched.
The other theory is that it started with the interiors. As the body mods and exterior paint schemes got more ambitious, so attention was turned to the inside. And once the upholstery became the focus of attention, animal skin was an obvious choice as an alternative to vinyl, leather or alcantara. Leather seats have been around for years but what about leopard, tiger, snake, crocodile or ostrich? Obviously these aren't the real thing, as that would be cruel, expensive and probably illegal.
Whatever you think of the outcome, it's certainly different. And among the cacophony of cars, who should show up but Ryan and Big Dave from West Coast Customs and former stars of MTV's Pimp My Ride. The boys lifted the roof with their appearance, signing autographs for a never-ending queue, putting their stamp on the Euro scene US-style, not to mention being on stage with a host of stunning girls vying for the title of Miss Tuning Show!
While Golfs were certainly in abundance, they were by no means the only VW. The Mk1 Polo and Audi 50 were attracting a fair degree of attention from the purists and hardcore tuners alike.
As we toured the halls trying not to miss anything, it became clear that every VW/Audi was catered for in some way or another. There was everything from TTs with awesome paint up to the latest Q7, sporting huge rims and a one-off paint.
However, the cars that raised the biggest smile were some of the airbrushed Dubs. Not only had they done the regular body and engine bay work, but the underbody and inner fenders as well. Awesome!
Tuning World Bodensee is not just an indoor show. There was an outdoor display from tire manufacturers proving what a good tire can do in the wet, up a 45 degree metal slope. Predictably, the line was short for this one!
Two of the exhibition halls were devoted to accessories. You could discuss your requirements for everything from suspension and tires, to huge sound systems and heat-reactive color-changing paint. The audio booths were easily the busiest, but did we mention the host of scantily clad or body painted women?
Our three days at Bodensee were among the best Euro car shows outside of the USA. You might not have heard of it before but it's certainly a name to remember, especially if you're in Europe toward the end of April. We'll see you there.
For more details, visit www.tuning-world-bodensee.de/html/en, an English version of the show's website.