Where history meets the future
Friday, September 11 to Sunday, September 13, 2026 is the date for the upcoming edition of Wheels Mariënwaerdt. Ticket sales will start on March 1 with a very attractive pre-sale discount.
120 YEARS OF LANCIA
One of the central themes in 2026 is 120th anniversary of Lancia. Vincenzo Lancia, the rebellious son of a successful manufacturer of canned meat, was gripped by the automotive virus around 1900. He and his family grew up almost around the corner from the one, founded in 1898. Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino (F.I.A.T.), located in the city of Turin.
There he started working as a test driver, but he quickly demonstrated a great talent as a racing driver. Between 1901 and 1908, he was even part of the F.I.A.T. racing team and rode the stars in the major international Grand Prix.
But behind the scenes, he was working on his big dream: to produce cars himself. At the end of 1906, he founded Lancia Fabbrica Automobili on. Two years later, this was followed by the sophisticated, fast mid-range model Tipo 51, with a 2.5 liter four-cylinder engine. This marked the beginning of a 120-year development of technically advanced models, such as the revolutionary Lambda (built from 1922 to 1929) and the also innovative Aprilia from 1937.
FOOD TRUCKS
In American movies, we see the hot dog trucks in New York City, in Curaçao you see the truk'i pan along many busy roads, and at Wheels Mariënwaerdt, we have been working with this unique way of catering for many years.
But where does the food truck come from? History goes way back. Recently, we read a fascinating story in the CONAM bulletin, written by Jaap Dekker.
Once upon a time — in 1866, to be exact — a rancher in Texas named Charles Goodnight (1836-1929). He was the inventor of the original food truck: the “chuck wagon”. “Chuck” is the cheapest piece of meat from the cow's shoulder. The chuckwagon was essentially a horse-drawn cart that was converted into a portable kitchen for use in driving a herd of cattle for months.
Goodnight had thought of almost everything: he provided the car with shelves, storage space, a hinged lid that acted as a counter, a water barrel and even a sail to carry firewood underneath. The food, such as dried beans, cured meat and cornmeal, was taken or collected along the way during the long trip.
PAST, PRESENT & FUTURE
With the theme “Past, Present and Future”, an exciting program has been created for the whole family. The highlight, of course, remains the Concours d'Elegance by Turien, where around 80 special classics are presented. The classic cars are also present in the KNAC Club Collection and the Pre-War section. Do you want to buy a classic car yourself? Then you can choose from the range of more than 12 collections on the trading field.
In addition to all the unique classics, today's cars are also extensively available. As in previous years, various importers are presenting their latest models. We are currently working out plans with more than 10 brands and we expect more than 5 introductions of new models.
What is unique is that contemporary brands are celebrating their anniversaries at the estate:
- 120 years Lancia
- 100 years Mercedes-Benz
- 50 years Volkswagen Golf GTI
Every edition, more electric cars are shown at Mariënwaerdt; we will be surprised again this year. Finally, in collaboration with students, high-quality sports cars are once again being presented.
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