Germany’s SEMA? That’s probably a relatively fair descriptor of the Essen Motor Show. Intended as a showcase for the automotive aftermarket and tuning industry, Essen and SEMA largely cover the same bases. Nevertheless, they do so in distinctly different ways.
The most obvious distinction is scope. Essen is based in Germany, so the range of cars on display naturally skews more European. German marques—Audi most obviously included—remain central to the event, while German aftermarket brands are also among the most prominent exhibitors.
Other functional differences are notable. Essen opens with a closed industry and media day, though most days welcome the public much like any other auto show. The idea, then, is that it’s not just for the industry—it’s also for the fans. Given how deeply cars are ingrained in German culture, that seems entirely fitting.
With public attendance comes a wider range of vendors. Model manufacturers such as OttoMobile and Solido are here, as are sellers of swag and automobilia. Dealers selling vintage cars also have a presence. In that sense, the show is as much a celebration of the aftermarket and car culture as it is a B2B industry event.
In a world that is increasingly participation-driven, that is refreshing. Add in prominent YouTubers like Jean Pierre Kraemer of JP Performance and Sauber F1 Academy driver Carrie Schreiner, and the atmosphere feels electric.
Essen began in 1968, and over time it has ebbed and flowed. This week’s focus on the B5 RS 4 Sport in the feed of this website—a car that debuted in this very hall 25 years ago in December 2000—is a reminder that brands like Audi and its parent Volkswagen once maintained their own presence here. Audi’s display was run and managed by quattro GmbH, and I’ve added a time-warping retrospective and gallery to the ooooIYKYK Audi archive HERE.
Brands had already begun to recede from Essen by the COVID era, a period that accelerated the exodus of manufacturer involvement in auto shows even more vividly. That shift makes the industry feel a bit more non-inclusive for common owners and enthusiasts around the globe, yet it remains heartening to see events like Essen (or SEMA, or the L’OE Show—both covered earlier this year) thriving even with OEM participation having been cut back.
While ooooIYKYK wasn’t on the ground this year, several friends of the site were there and have generously shared photography. These include Jamie Orr, Etienne Robens, Horst Brozy, Kean Suspensions, and Messe Essen. Thanks to them for their contributions.
Given I wasn’t there in person, I’ll share what I know about the Audi-related content we’re seeing in these photos. If you have other cars to add, drop us a note.
Audi Highlights at Essen 2025
Audi S1 E2 by @Gepfeffert
A full-carbon tribute with apparent involvement from 1980s Audi Sport team boss Roland Gumpert, making clear this is no ordinary S1 E2 replica.
Audi RS 6 Avant GT – @Gepfeffert
One of only 191 German-market units. Owned and modified by Tanja and Andy Pfeffer, it is wrapped in pearl white—perhaps a nod to Audi’s past—and fitted with a custom stripe package, KW suspension, 22-inch Sixnine Ultra Concave FF-Three bronze wheels, a Capristo exhaust, and yellow brake calipers.
RS 6 Avant GT – Yido Performance
Another of the 191 GTs, this example has had its IMSA stripes removed and wears Legacy One LE.1 wheels from Yido Performance.
RS 4 Sedan 2.0 (B5) – @philippkaess
On display with H&R. Full carbon-fiber bodywork and, naturally, bespoke H&R coilovers define this radical reinterpretation of the B5 RS 4.
RS 4 (B5) Sedan – JP Performance
Finished in green and shown with Rotiform, this sedan sits on custom KW suspension and debuts Rotiform’s new PMF Monoblock wheel design.
90 IMSA GTO Project by LCE Performance
A modern reinterpretation of Audi’s outrageous IMSA GTO silhouette racer.
Sport quattro Reimagined by LCE Performance
LCE continues its exploration of Group B themes with a reimagined take on the legendary Sport quattro.
Audi quattro – Mountainer Cars by Daniel Berger
Quite similar in appearance to the Lia Block quattro in the USA, this dark red example by Daniel Berger goes a bit more extreme. Most notable when you look closely at that red bodywork is that it’s closer to the wider rally A2 bodywork and made of red carbon fiber. Inside the car is much more race-prepped, while under the hood sits a massive turbo. Social media list an association with KW, suggesting KW coilovers are definitely part of the build. The wheels are Mountainer’s own MC6 design.
80 STW Touring Car – @teamfastracing
A period-inspired Super Touring build capturing the look and ethos of the late-1990s STW series.
80 quattro Turbo – Berg Cup
A hill-climb-spec monster built for the dramatic, high-downforce world of Berg Cup competition.
Audi Coupé Rally Car – @SRSMotorsports.de
A privateer rally build showing the enduring appeal of the B2/B3 Coupé in motorsport.
2024 Audi R8 LMS GT3 evo II #16 – @SchererSportPHX
The very car in which Ricardo Feller, Dennis Marschall, Christopher Mies, and Frank Stippler won the 2024 24 Hours of Nürburgring.
2020 Audi RS 5 DTM by Twin Busch GmbH
An authentic RS 5 DTM raced by Twin Busch during the 2020 season, campaigned by Mike Rockenfeller.
2024 Audi RS Q e-tron #284
Shown as part of a Dakar Rally display. This is the very car driven by Carlos Sainz to overall victory in the 2024 Dakar Rally.
DKW Schnellaster – AVD (Automobilclub von Deutschland)
A service-livery Schnellaster displayed in Verkehrs-Hilfsdienst colours.
Audi quattro – Metropole Classics
Likely offered for sale, this well-preserved early quattro appears largely unmodified.
DKW Schnellaster – Patina Custom Build by @Stahlwerkz
A U.S.-market find with 7-Up logos, now transformed into a bagged patina showpiece popular at European events.
Audi Coupé (B3) Widebody
A dramatically flared reimagining of the B3 platform.
Audi’s footprint at the 2025 Essen Motor Show may no longer come from the manufacturer itself, but the brand’s presence hasn’t slowed as measured in the volume and diversity of enthusiast-built machinery on hand.
This year’s lineup demonstrates precisely why Essen continues to attract the most enthusiastic from the car scene: even without the brand’s support, Audi’s legacy and its future are kept vibrantly alive by the fans, the people who build, race, preserve, reinterpret, and obsess over the cars. It is the community—owners, tuners, racers, collectors, photographers, and fans—who carry the torch, and Essen remains one of the best places on earth to see that passion on display.
PHOTO GALLERY
