Volkswagen and Porsche at the Ace Café

Name: VW Käfer 1965
Brand: VW

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Created on November 16, 2015

Text:

Daniel Reinhard

Photos:

Daniel Reinhard

Impressions of the Porsche meeting at the Ace Café on November 15, 2015

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Impressions of the Volkswagen meeting at the Ace Café on November 14, 2015

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Bild von Partner Porsche AMAG Mai Foto-Galerie 2026

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The Ace Café is a service station in Stonebridge, northwest of London. It plays an important role in the English classic car scene (cars and motorcycles) as a meeting place and event venue.

Impressions of the Volkswagen meeting at the Ace Café on November 14, 2015

The original in London

The Ace Café opened in 1938 on the North Circular Road, which was built in 1927, and became a meeting place for motorcyclists even before the war. Just a few years after it opened, a German Luftwaffe raid reduced the Ace to rubble. It was rebuilt on the same site in 1949. Larger and more modern, it experienced a boom in the following years and became the "place to be" for young people and motorcyclists. People met here and went on trips to Brighton, Blackpool and Edinburgh. The 50s saw the big bang of rock 'n' roll, which was not played on public radio stations at the time. It was only played at fairs or in places where there were jukeboxes, such as the Ace Café. The rockers, coffee bar cowboys and tone-up boys met at the Ace.

The nightly "record races" along London's North Circular Road became famous. This involved throwing a coin into the Jule box, getting on a bike outside and riding at full throttle to Wembley and back before the song was over. The winners were admired and coveted. By the mid-sixties, rock'n'roll had passed its peak and the rockers were ousted by the beat era. Difficulties with drugs, the authorities and a growing disinterest in motorcycling led to the end of the legendary café.

In 1969, the Ace Café was closed and fell into a 25-year slumber. This situation was a vacuum for motorcyclists. Although alternative meeting places were sought, the memory of the legendary café had not been extinguished and the building still exuded the rugged charm of its past golden years.

In the early nineties, Mark Wilsmore came up with the plan to revive the Ace. To this end, he founded the "Ace Café Reunion" in 1993, a group whose aim was to reopen the Ace. As one of the first measures, the first Ace Café Reunion was held at the original location in 1994 - to mark the closure of the café 25 years earlier.

The reunions were so successful that the event had to be moved to Brighton in 1996 due to lack of space. In 2000, the Ace was acquired and in August 2001, the goal was achieved: the reopening of the Ace Café London.

From London to Switzerland

Dany Kunz had the right instinct to bring the concept of the English meeting place for cars and motorcycles to Switzerland. The great interest shown by customers is clear proof of this. Whether it's a Golf GTI or a Porsche in the large parking lot reserved for the brand in question, fans of the brand come and go.

Impressions of the Porsche meeting at the Ace Café on November 15, 2015

Brand fans can arrive and leave without time limits, whether just for a mineral water or one of the tasty organic burgers, they are guaranteed to meet their peers and the great atmosphere, both indoors and outdoors, is perfect for short or long gasoline conversations.

Impressions of the Volkswagen meeting at the Ace Café on November 14, 2015

Volkswagen and Porsche

On the weekend of November 14/15, 2015, Volkswagen and GTI fans gathered on Saturday to let their tuning chrome sparkle in the sun and let the windows shake through the low-pass filter.

Impressions of the Volkswagen meeting at the Ace Café on November 14, 2015

On Sunday, it was the turn of the Zuffenhausen sports car, i.e. the Porsche.

Impressions of the Porsche meeting at the Ace Café on November 15, 2015

From the 356 to the GT3, including the 928 and 968, everyone was there at some point. Of course, the incredibly warm and dry November weather helped to ensure that even the older cars were allowed to leave their garages and make their way to the Ace Café. The drivers and co-drivers were able to sit outside and enjoy the last beautiful weekend of the year to the full.