SCF 26 SUMMARY
Slovak Car Festival 2026 turned Brezno into the centre of the automotive world. Global rarities and a serious dose of adrenaline were all part of the experience.
BREZNO BECAME THECENTRE OF THE AUTOMOTIVE WORLD
Brezno has just experienced four days during which it became the venue for one of the largest motoring events in Slovakia. From 10 to 13 September, Slovak Car Festival 2026 brought more than 1,000 cars and motorcycles, nine festival locations and a programme combining automotive rarities, motorsport, tuning, history, adrenaline shows and experiences for the whole family.
One of the most anticipated moments of the festival was the personal appearance of Roland Gumpert, a legend of world motorsport and former head of Audi Sport from the Group B era. Visitors had the opportunity to meet the man who was involved in the birth of the legendary drivetrain and later created his own hypercar, the Gumpert Apollo, during a discussion, autograph session and photo opportunity. His presence gave the festival a strong international dimension and represented one of the biggest opportunities of the year for fans of automotive history.
Marcel Kolenička, Director of Double Red Cars Museum and organiser of Slovak Car Festival, said: “Our ambition was to create an event that would not be just a classic car exhibition, but a true festival of automotive culture. We wanted visitors to see exceptional cars not only on display, but also in motion, to meet personalities, experience motorsport, adrenaline and the atmosphere they know from major events abroad. The fact that we managed to bring global rarities and personalities such as Roland Gumpert to Brezno is a great satisfaction for us. At the same time, we are pleased that Slovak Car Festival is gradually becoming an event with the ambition to put Brezno on the map of important motoring festivals in Europe.”
More than 1,000 cars and motorcycles, nine festival locations and four days of programming combining automotive rarities, motorsport, tuning, history, adrenaline shows and experiences for the whole family.
The festival presented the Maserati MC12, Gemballa GTR600 Le Mans, Vector M12, Innotech Mysterro and other exceptional cars, creating one of the most attractive line-ups of the year.
Formula F3000 V8, Audi Sport Quattro S1, Škoda Rally 130 LR/EVO, the cold start of an F1 single-seater, drift show, motorcycle stunt show, Tatra 813 8x8 and the DELFÍN L-29 flyover could all be experienced in motion.
New cars, motorcycles, Japanese cars, off-road machinery, fire and military vehicles, more than 500 rally models and a retro zone created a programme for enthusiasts and families alike.
Maserati MC12 and other automotive gems in Slovakia for the first time
A major attraction for visitors was the Slovak premiere of the iconic Maserati MC12, presented in cooperation with Richard Chlad. The supercar, valued at approximately €5–8 million, was presented in Slovakia for the very first time.
The Maserati was joined by a collection of other exceptional cars. The festival presented as many as eight Slovak premieres, including the Gemballa GTR600 Le Mans, a unique one-off example, the Vector M12, one of only 14 produced and powered by a Lamborghini Diablo engine, and the Innotech Mysterro, a unique prototype of a Czech supercar. The Gemballa GTR600 Le Mans impressed with 610 horsepower, a top speed of 340 km/h and acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.4 seconds.
The cars did not just stand still — they drove
One of the main differences compared with traditional car exhibitions was the dynamic character of Slovak Car Festival. Visitors could see the cars in motion, with drives and live demonstrations taking place throughout the festival. At the Town Square, Formula F3000 V8, Audi Sport Quattro S1 and Škoda Rally 130 LR/EVO were presented, while the cold start of an F1 single-seater was another major crowd attraction. The atmosphere was complemented by interviews with personalities from the automotive world, autograph sessions, a raffle and additional accompanying activities. Adrenaline fans also had plenty to enjoy. The festival featured a professional drift show, Drift SK vs. CZ exhibition runs, a motorcycle stunt show and audio and exhaust measurements. At the airport, there was no shortage of high revs, tyre smoke and a serious dose of motoring energy.
Tatra 813 crushed cars, while the Delfín flew over Brezno
One of the most striking experiences was the demolition drive of the legendary Tatra 813 8x8, which showed what the eight-wheeled colossus could do as part of the off-road programme. At the Rohozná location, there was also a Trial Show and an exhibition of off-road specials, while other activities included quad-bike rides and off-road taxi rides. The automotive programme was also complemented by an aviation experience – a flyover by a DELFÍN L-29 aircraft took place above the Town Square and the airport, adding another attractive dimension to the festival.
From supercars to retro atmosphere
Slovak Car Festival was not intended only for fans of fast cars. At the individual locations, visitors could see new cars, motorcycles, Japanese cars, off-road machinery, fire and military vehicles, as well as more than 500 rally models. The atmosphere of automotive history was enhanced by a retro zone inspired by American petrol stations of the 1970s in the grounds of Double Red Cars Museum. Over four days, the festival offered a combination that appealed not only to hardcore motoring fans, but also to families with children, enthusiasts of technology and history, and everyone who wanted to enjoy an unusual weekend in Brezno.
Brezno showed its potential
Dividing the festival across nine locations in Brezno and the surrounding area brought the automotive atmosphere directly into the town and its surroundings. Visitors could move between the individual locations using festival transport consisting of town trains, Zbojnícka strela, Neusohl Express, an American bus, Drakovláčik and shuttle transport.
Tomáš Abel, Mayor of Brezno, said: “Slovak Car Festival is an example of an event capable of attracting visitors not only to one place, but to the entire town and its surroundings. During the festival, Brezno lived and breathed cars, motorsport and a wide range of accompanying activities. I am pleased that we managed to combine an attractive event with the promotion of the town and the region and show that events with nationwide and international reach can also be created outside the traditional tourist centres. I believe Slovak Car Festival has its place in Brezno in the future as well.”
“From the perspective of tourism, we see Slovak Car Festival as a very interesting product that expands Horehronie’s offer with a new type of experience. The festival managed to attract visitors who might not otherwise have visited the region, while at the same time bringing them to several locations in Brezno and its surroundings. Events like this help extend visitors’ stays, support local services and also show Horehronie as a region that can offer much more than traditional tourist activities,” added Petra Ridzoňová Hlásniková, Executive Director of the REGIÓN HOREHRONIE Regional Tourism Organisation /OOCR/.
“Our ambition was to create an event that would not be just a classic car exhibition, but a true festival of automotive culture. We wanted visitors to see exceptional cars not only on display, but also in motion, to meet personalities, experience motorsport, adrenaline and the atmosphere they know from major events abroad. The fact that we managed to bring global rarities and personalities such as Roland Gumpert to Brezno is a great satisfaction for us. At the same time, we are pleased that Slovak Car Festival is gradually becoming an event with the ambition to put Brezno on the map of important motoring festivals in Europe.”
Marcel Kolenička, Director of Double Red Cars Museum and organiser of Slovak Car Festival“Slovak Car Festival is an example of an event capable of attracting visitors not only to one place, but to the entire town and its surroundings. During the festival, Brezno lived and breathed cars, motorsport and a wide range of accompanying activities. I am pleased that we managed to combine an attractive event with the promotion of the town and the region and show that events with nationwide and international reach can also be created outside the traditional tourist centres. I believe Slovak Car Festival has its place in Brezno in the future as well.”
Tomáš Abel, Mayor of Brezno“From the perspective of tourism, we see Slovak Car Festival as a very interesting product that expands Horehronie’s offer with a new type of experience. The festival managed to attract visitors who might not otherwise have visited the region, while at the same time bringing them to several locations in Brezno and its surroundings. Events like this help extend visitors’ stays, support local services and also show Horehronie as a region that can offer much more than traditional tourist activities.”
Petra Ridzoňová Hlásniková, Executive Director of the REGIÓN HOREHRONIE Regional Tourism Organisation /OOCR/
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