The turn of the millennium had people in an uproar. Fear of electronic devices self destructing and computers taking over everything had practically become a running gag. Over 20 years later, the hype surrounding the 1990s and 2000s is back like never before.
Nostalgia for a time before everything became digital is flooding almost all areas of pop culture, and the car scene is no exception.
One space that seems to offer this retro atmosphere is the AVUS in Berlin, Germany. The Automobil Verkehrs und Übungs Straße (translation: Automobile Traffic and Practice Road) was one of the world’s earliest race tracks, and especially famous during the golden era of DTM racing.
It was last used for motorsport in 1998, but today little is left of its former glory. The AVUS Motel, topped by the iconic Mercedes star, is the only real remnant of racing heritage at a facility that once welcomed thousands of spectators during a race weekend.
A recent barbecue hosted by VHCLE and ` and held next to the AVUS Motel aimed to resurrect vibes of the past, while providing a great opportunity for the local BMW community to show their classic and young timer cars.
Back in the day, manufacturers such as BMW and Mercedes-Benz promoted powerful engines, durability, and the image of a successful racing car by entering their latest models in the DTM. ‘Race on Sunday, sell on Monday’ was the slogan, and people were thrilled. Just about every car at the BBQ had some racing pedigree, which to this day still holds a strong fascination for their owners.
It’s not just nostalgia, but even more so the feeling of unfiltered mechanics that makes people form an attachment. To be able to control everything, and to feel every bump in the road as feedback in the steering wheel – that’s why we still choose to drive these cars today.
Much like analog photography, the coming together of technology, chemistry and engineering in a feast of emotion is what keeps us glued to our dinosaur-burners.
It’s also the ability (or necessity) to tinker with these cars yourself that makes them so appealing. Whether it’s simple maintenance, new suspension and wheels, or even modifying the engine – classics offer possibilities for the average Joe that are rarely found in modern vehicles.
The aesthetics don’t come up short either. In times when safety had not yet taken over automotive design, classic lines and shapes were created that are still unmatched. The individual touches that owners give to their cars complete this quest for beauty.
The cars and location weren’t the only reminder of simpler times. Fittingly, I decided to bring my old Nikon F60 and exactly one roll of expired Kodak Gold 35mm film along to the BBQ. In hindsight it was a brilliant decision, because I don’t think anything could have captured the sweltering heat better than the magic of colliding light particles on silver halide.
For me, being limited to just 36 images made me slow right down. Each frame and each image were carefully considered and unique, unlike in my digital photography, where I would have taken tons of photos of the same subject for safety’s sake.
‘Slow’ is a strange word to see on a site like Speedhunters, but every now and then you do have to slow down to catch the fleeting nature of the moment. In this case, it was a reminder of simpler, pre-digital times when the cars on show at the BBQ were built.
Allen Dumler
Instagram: sophisticatedsmoothtalker
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Keyword: Resurrecting Analog Times At The AVUS