Late In The Day: The Road To Wörthersee

This has been a pretty wild few weeks of road trips.

Ireland to Goodwood, Ireland to Germany, Germany to Belgium and now Germany to Austria. For all the mileage I’ve clocked up within this time frame, I don’t think any of the others can rival the spectacular views as you arrive into Austria.

Not for the first time, I’m late to Wörthersee (this time courtesy of a family wedding) and have had to take a considerable shortcut to get here. Flying from Dublin to Münich and taking a rental the rest of the way south to Velden-am-Wörthersee isn’t even the quickest way to get here, but it at least gives the closest vibe to taking the long way around.

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Seeing as I’m in a sort of honest mood, I was a little worried that I might have missed the boat arriving after the much-hyped XS Car Night. It’s always a challenge trying to figure out the correct dates to arrive to a show which isn’t a show, and then to leave before the actual show happens, but I think that I might have gotten lucky this week.

Not that it started that way, with the first of our shoot locations considerably locked down. I’m interested to see have the locals softened their stance on this annual event, and even what the local police think about it.

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While my time at Wörthersee is limited to a few days, I will be aiming to make the most of things. We already have one feature shoot in the bag, despite location issues, with another scheduled for Wednesday morning. I’ve only had time for one walk up and down the Velden ‘strip’ and I’ve really liked what I’ve seen so far.

I just hope that I can find some of the cars I’ve seen tonight again to shoot in more detail (that E34 Touring in particular is sublime), but the beauty of Wörthersee is that you never know what you’re going to see next. Half the fun here is the complete unknown.

Above, you’ll find our first full day in a pretty comprehensive chronological order. Despite the shortcut, it still took over 13 hours just to get here, and I’ve been shooting non-stop since.

My single hotel bed sure looks really tempting right now, but all that sound of anti-lag and exhaust over-runs echoing across the lake certainly has its appeal, too…

Paddy McGrath
Instagram: pmcgphotos
Twitter: pmcgphotos
paddy@speedhunters.com

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1

now I wish I could do what you do. and that BMW really needs a feature story.

2

I had a chance to travel to Thailand Bangkok as I've been reading that there's a lot of car culture there. but apparently I was in the wrong city. I manage to spot a car I always wanted to have and it skip a beat, seeing it in thailand. What more if I could encounter what you do.

3

The E34 is to do with Kustom Kolours from the UK isn’t it??

It’s a stunner, I’m looking for one myself atm!

4

If you're brave a certain dealer with a bad rep in the northwest of england have one for sale just like that one hahaha..... if you're brave! (not naming names)

5

Not brave but might be stupid, and I am in the northwest, name some names....

6

Just google e34 540i in bradford.... or worst car garage with the best cars in bradford haha wont take long to find them

7

I've been lucky enough to attend worthersee and as you say the timing is everything. Unfortunately I arrived a few days prior to the actual 'worthersee treffen' so i missed the antics of the previous 2 weeks *facepalm*. However, it still had its fair share of 'experiences'... firstly i missed my ferry from hull to zeebrugge and ended doing a top-gear-esque midnight dash to Dover to make my plans in Amsterdam the following day. From there we went to the nurburgring where I blow the turbo on my car and ended up finishing the trip in a LHD 1.4 MK7 golf estate, needless to say it didn't turn any heads at worthersee haha

8

Paddy,

Dag there are some bad rides at this show!!!!! Those guys in Europe are REALLY pushing the envelope! Been to 22 Waterfests including 1st one. Hope it doesn't rain so I can take my MKIII Jetta to show this year. THAT Black MKIV ADAC Golf is just stupid! And I mean that in a good way! Please do a feature on that car. Wow! Jealous. Drive safely.

9

Really hope that first feature is the k.s. live to offend bmw....

10

That ambience was just perfect, and made for several beautiful frames. I'm bored to death by saloons and sedans - yet in a place like that - I wouldn't care even to row the gears of some simple, sub-2-liter appliance, I'd probably even love it! The biers, the austrian tastes, the mountain air... Well shot!

11

3 words. KEAN SUSPENSIONS PANTERA

12

Dude, it is either "München" or "Munich". Münich is...kinda wrong. :D
Lemme tell ya, I live there. :>

Nice coverage!

Author13
Paddy McGrath

I really love an umlaut.

14

Man I remember how VW used to be so unique
Well atleast we have Audi

15

Heheh arslan

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