Strangely enough, I’ve had my fair share of nights spent around cars at this point.

And no, I don’t mean drinking and driving – that’s about as stupid as it gets. I’m talking about parties and events revolving around cars.

Last Thursday was supposed to be a relaxed night with a couple of mates – grab a bite, watch the new Venom movie, nothing too wild. But the day before, while deep into a social media doom scroll, something caught my eye. Something very orange.

It was a shot of an E30 BMW M3 DTM racer dressed in its iconic Jägermeister livery. But instead of the usual racetrack backdrop, this one was set in a dark room, illuminated only by neon lights. The caption read: “Rave on Thursday, Race on Sunday.” 

Now, I’m not saying I’m a rave enthusiast, but, I’m not saying I’m not one either. I was intrigued. Plans to hit the cinema were scrapped in favour of hitting a car park like no other in West London.

You might recognise the Duke of London from another event story this year. The Brentford site combines a showroom, café, workshop, storage, wine bar, and a collection of owner Merlin McCormack’s eclectic cars.

For this night, the Duke’s upper floor had been transformed into a ’90s-style techno club, with a bar in the café and a second one set up for good measure. The space was drenched in orange neon lighting, perfectly complementing the star attractions: not people, but five of Jägermeister’s most iconic race cars.

There was the E30 M3 DTM, of course, alongside its rival, the Alfa Romeo 155 DTM, plus a Group 5 BMW 320 E21, a monstrous Porsche 935, and the last-of-the-line Opel Astra V8 DTM.

Each car is legendary in its own right, but together, they tell the story of Jägermeister’s rich racing history. What fascinated me, though, was how an event like this even came to be in the first place.

After all, when you’re considering a night out, race cars aren’t exactly the first thing that comes to mind, are they? Especially not when there’s an open bar and a dance floor.

The brains behind this event and all the other recent Jägermeister pop-ups away from the race track is a brand called Rennmeister. Their mission? To present the Jägermeister collection as more than just race cars.

If you ask someone not into cars to attend a classic race meeting, they will probably decline.

But invite them to a party with some cool vintage race cars, throw in good music and a few cocktails, and they’ll be far more inclined to take you up on the offer.

I spent the first part of the evening at the event preview, catching up with some industry colleagues and enjoying the cars without the usual crowds. Sure, I’d seen some of these cars at events like Luftgekühlt Wrocław and Ultrace this year, but any chance to soak in the details up close is one I could never pass up.

After that, I might have fallen victim to the open bar. The Jägermeister cocktails hit the spot, and the fun mix of music made for an enjoyable night in a truly unique venue.

A quick chat with the Rennmeister team during the event has me hopeful that I can bring you more stories from the Jägermeister racing team’s past, present, and future.

For all the seriousness and professionalism that the industry often demands, it was great to experience the fun side of things after hours. I can’t wait to see what Rennmeister mixes up next.

Mario Christou
Instagram: mcwpn, mariochristou.world
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