While there is no shortage of booth/custom car events in my home country of Hungary, last month the local scene was treated to one of the best yet: IDOLZ.
The event attracted not only some of the very best Hungarian creations, but also visitors – and cars – from abroad, providing inspiration to all in attendance.
As you’d expect from a name like IDOLZ, the event was headlined by a handful of hero cars. These included the Mapet-Tuning C3 Corvette dreamed up by Khyzyl Saleem, the carbon-enriched RWB Porsche 964 ‘Kimera’ of Alex from The Notorious Fam, and last but not least, RS Hardcore Germany’s ferocious 1,500bhp Porsche GT3 RS.
A location can make or break an event, and in this case that was certainly the case. There’s something so cool about seeing custom cars in a classic setting. IDOLZ took that concept and ran with it.
Festetics Castle in Dég near Lake Balaton is Hungary’s earliest neoclassical residence. As if the main building itself wasn’t spectacular enough, the park-like grounds are home to the country’s largest English garden. The contrast between new and old was stunning.
The event was held over two days, with the first day (Saturday) reserved for exhibitors and media only. This made photographing a piece of cake. The next day it opened to the general public, with a great atmosphere.
As an added bonus, I also had the opportunity to participate in a private early morning photo shoot with the Corvette and the 964.
What sets the modified car scene in Hungary apart from most other countries is that custom modifications are prohibited here. Anyone can build a car, but making it road legal is another matter entirely. Furthermore, Hungarian laws around car modifications are strictly enforced by the police. It should come as no surprise that this was one of the main topics of conversation of the weekend.
I have to congratulate the team behind IDOLZ for organizing a great event. After eight years of smaller gatherings, they took the plunge and went all in, and it totally paid off. What has been achieved is something that has never been achieved before by anyone in our small country.
Tamas Molnar
Facebook: Stance&Slide-media
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