Pistons & Pretzels - Munich 2025

The weather may have tried to slow us down, but not even pouring rain could dampen the spirit of our Pistons & Pretzels in Munich last Sunday, September 14! 

For the grand finale of our event series during IAA Mobility week, the community showed up in full force – with energy and laughter that more than made up for the missing sunshine.

Once again, the road led us to the Drivers & Business Club, a location that is not only stunning but that truly lives and breathes automotive passion. It was the perfect backdrop for another memorable day all about eye-catching designs.

Extraordinary Exhibitions

And with a remarkably broad range of vehicles, our partners made sure that there was plenty to admire and talk about:

Benda Motor Europe

Benda has been redefining motorcycles and powersports vehicles with a clear focus on cutting-edge technology and visionary design. And their displays were as diverse as they were impressive:

• The powerful stance of the Redstone 1000 MUD alone gave an indication of its incomparable off-road capability. Where others get stuck, this all-terrain vehicle pushes forward with ease. It made you paint the wildest adventures in your head, just yourself and this beast.
• In contrast, the Napoleonbob 500 is all about smooth rides. This motorcycle carries the classic soul of a bobber, levelled up with state-of-the-art design and technology. You've got the best of both worlds here!

Hof University

This was a first for Pistons & Pretzels. Hof University sparked interest with a unique concept developed as a bachelor's thesis: Fast Cut envisions a new class of two-wheeled mobility that adapts to diverse needs – either as a bicycle, a motorcycle, something in between, or in fact both.

Ideenion

Having rolled up with 3 showstoppers, Ideenion put on a real feast for the eyes:

• As an evolution of the legendary Gumpert Apollo, the Apollo N brings raw race-bred performance to the road: 730 hp, from 0 to 100 km/h in mere 3 seconds, and a maximum speed of 360 km/h.
• The Apollo Intensa Emozione even tops that performance by producing 780 hp and sprinting from 0 to 100 km/h in just 2.7 seconds. Only 10 copies of this rare hypercar exist worldwide, so we were extremely honoured to have the chance to see it up close.
• The UME concept may be far from a racer, but no less special. It's a future-forward approach to smart, green urban commercial vehicles. And its unusual cheery design brought smiles to each of our guests' faces.

Li Auto

With the L9, Li Auto presented a unique approach to family mobility: an intelligent flagship 6-seater designed to create a comfortable living space for families on the road – think commodious interior, entertainment displays and seats featuring hot stone massages.

Makkina

Makkina dropped jaws with the revival of an absolute legend of automotive history: the record-breaking "Jabbeke". Reimagined for the modern era, the TR25 combines the sports car spirit in terms of power with a minimalistic design that combines balanced proportions, sculptural elegance, and a purposeful stance.

Verge Motorcycles

Verge is setting a bold new benchmark for performance bikes. And the specs of the fully electric superbike Verge TS Pro prove just that: 1000 Nm of instant torque, 0 to 100 km/h in just 3.5 seconds, customisable ride modes and a unique technology relocating the motor to the rear wheel, allowing an exceptional journey.

Debut of our Design Contest

At Pistons & Pretzels, it’s not just our partners who roll up with show-stopping cars. Our guests never fail to bring out their finest garage gems – and this time, we wanted to give them the spotlight they deserve.

That’s why we launched our very first Design Contest: Lines of Legends. And where better to premiere this new highlight than right here at our home base in Munich?

The response was incredible: so many outstanding contenders entered, and the enthusiasm from guests during the voting made it clear that this contest struck a chord.

It's our honour to present the winners of this first round of Lines of Legends:

Oldie but Goldie

A timeless classic that has aged like fine wine – there was no doubt in anyone's mind that the little blue Volkswagen Beetle deserved the crown.

Livery Love

For the most captivating exterior, the fiery orange Saab Sonett III was a no-brainer.

Best Rear End in the Game

A bit controversial, but well-deserved: the prize for the finest sculpted tail went to the BMW M4.

Nein to Basic

This category was for a vehicle that's anything but ordinary, and the tuned Smart Roadster definitely met the standard.

Hear Me Roar

We wanted to hear your babies sing, and you did not let us down. Many have revved their engines for our special "Roar-Moment", but the Porsche 911 stood out.

What's Next?

Despite the weather gods not being on our side at first, this edition of Pistons & Pretzels in Munich turned into another unforgettable get-together of the community. A heartfelt thank you to all of our partners and guests for bringing such incredible energy, and vehicles, to this day!

And our journey continues: mark your calendars for Pistons & Pretzels California, November 16.

Until then, servus!