Things are shaping up to be exciting at the Eifel Rallye Festival (July 23–25, 2026) around Daun in the Vulkaneifel. Once again this year, the lineup of vehicles underscores the event’s reputation as the largest rolling rally museum. Over 160 vehicles, all either originals or faithful replicas, will follow the theme “To the ’60s and Back.” After the lead cars—eleven select and certified “drifters”—comes the VIP lounge, filled with three world champions and international title holders. The parade in honor of his 80th birthday is led by the honoree himself, Stig Blomqvist. Together with Lothar Bökamp, he kicks off the procession of vehicles he has driven during his more than 60-year career in the RSCC Distomo, a current prototype. The lineup is led by three Saabs, the oldest of which is a ’96 Sport Monte Carlo, just like the one the honoree drove in the 1965 Swedish Championship. Peter Schlömer and Ricki Schmitt lead the Talbot Sunbeam Lotus trio, which is celebrating the 1981 Manufacturers’ World Championship title.
A One-of-a-Kind Group B Show
The journey back to the ’60s then begins with a 2004 Ford Focus RS WRC. Following a 1962 Ford Anglia 105E comes one of the absolute highlights: all the “big players” of the Group B era. For the first time ever, they’re all gathered in one place—not in an exhibition, but in action in their natural habitat, on the demonstration routes of the Vulkaneifel. “This experience is truly one-of-a-kind; I’m not sure if we’ll ever be able to bring all these vehicles together in one place while they’re in motion again. A heartfelt thank you in advance to the owners of the vehicles who are making this show possible,” says Reinhard Klein, the head of Slowly Sideways. Sixteen different cars—some of which are otherwise only on display in museums—make up the parade. The lineup ranges from the Nissan 240RS to the Manta 400, Porsche 911 SCRS, Lancia Rally 037 and Delta S4, Audi Quattro in three specifications, the Peugeot 205 in two variants, and so on, all the way to the Citroën BX4TC. Another twenty (20!) B-class race cars from one of the most exciting eras in rally history will also be on the road throughout the festival grounds.
With Oliver and Marc Hermans in their Trabant 800RS, the journey back to the modern era begins. Passing through the classic Group 1, 2, and 4 representatives and the GT racers, the journey through time leads via Group A into the more recent past to the WRC cars. Group N is also represented, as are kit cars, S1600s, and current R5 cars.
Three World Champions and International Title Holders in the VIP Lounge
Stig Blomqvist, the 1984 world champion, is already a regular guest in Daun. Nicky Grist (who won the title in 1993 with Juha Kankkunen) has also been taking advantage of the opportunity to hone his driving skills in Daun for years. New to the World Championship ranks is Seppo Harjanne, who stood atop the podium in 1985 with Timo Salonen and in 1996 and 1997 with Tommi Mäkinen. Around Daun, the Finn sits alongside Safari legend Mike Kirkland. All-around driver Mark Duez, hill climb legend Bruno Ianniello, Beetle specialist Herbert Grünsteidl, and Safari Classic winner Ryan Champion are also welcome guests. Kalle Grundel leads the contingent of German titleholders, which includes Harald Demuth, Georg Berlandy, and Ruben Zeltner.
Certified “Quertreiber” in the lead car group
In the lead car group—where vehicles do not have to comply with the strict rules of the main field—one thing above all is mandatory: the teams use spectacular driving to get the fans excited for what’s to come. This is especially true because many of the cars in the main field are irreplaceable originals, and the drivers must adapt their driving style to these vehicles as well as to the often dire situation on the spare parts market. Leading the “Quertreiber” is Nikolaus “Niki” Schelle in the “Schreihals” Suzuki Ignis S1600, followed by Sascha Winter and the two Danish champions, Kim Boisen and John Frederiksen, in their BMWs. The Belgians Yannik Neuville and Markus Meyer have already impressively demonstrated their entertainment skills in their Toyota Starlet. Christoph Kreutz in the GT86 and Björn Satorius in the current GR Yaris Rally2 round out the Toyota contingent. Willi Bus will be bringing his Golf 1 GTI to the track, and Austrian Reini Sampl is always a visual and auditory highlight in his Audi Quattro. Circuit racing pro Lance David Arnold, also known as the sports and race car tester for “Auto Mobil – das VOX-Automagazin,” was in Daun last year as a spectator. “I was totally blown away when I saw the lineup of cars and experienced the atmosphere in the service park. From that moment on, I knew—I have to race here. It’s going to be a huge show,” says Arnold, looking forward to his rally debut.
ERF Special Tours at the Toyota Racing Museum
If you’re looking for another highlight on your way to the Eifel Rallye Festival, you’ll find it in Cologne. Especially for fans of the Eifel Rallye Festival, ERF partner Toyota is offering two special tours at the Toyota Racing Museum. These will take place on Wednesday, July 22, 2026, at 3:00 p.m. or 5:00 p.m. The tours will be led by former World Championship mechanic John Day, who will provide insights into Toyota’s rich motorsports history . Click here to purchase tickets.
Advance sales for program booklets and tickets have begun. Details and sales locations will be available on-site (starting in mid-July) and on the Eifel Rallye Festival website. Advance sales are handled through Michael Funke’s Rally Fan Shop. Shipping will begin on July 10, well in advance of the event. Click here to visit the fan shop.
