May 17, 2026
Full halls, packed parking lots, stunning vehicles, and countless goosebump-inducing moments: in 2026, Tuning World Bodensee once again proved why it is regarded as one of the leading hotspots of the European tuning scene. With visitor numbers once again reaching near-record levels, Europe’s largest trade fair event for car tuning, lifestyle, and club culture seamlessly continued the success story of 2025. At the fully booked exhibition grounds, a total of 111,000 visitors (2025: 112,000) created an exuberant atmosphere over four days. With fresh momentum and a strong focus on further development, the event presented itself as more diverse than ever before, featuring more than 1,000 show cars, over 700 exhibitors from industry, trade, and the tuning community, and an expanded show and supporting program.
“Tuning World Bodensee has once again underscored its importance as an international meeting point for the industry and as a permanent fixture of the event calendar of the car tuning scene. The tremendous response from the community and the positive feedback from the exhibiting companies show that the event continues to evolve while remaining true to its unique character,” says Messe Friedrichshafen CEO Klaus Wellmann, summarizing the recent days. Project Manager Stephan Mayer also drew a positive conclusion: “We are absolutely delighted that formats such as Fast Females, the Industry Hub, and our expanded supporting program were so well received despite several high-profile events offered in parallel. The energy throughout the exhibition grounds and the enthusiasm of the community once again demonstrated that the scene is very much alive – and that, for many people, Tuning World Bodensee is far more than just a trade fair.”
Action, internationally acclaimed show cars, and new experience areas
While countless customized vehicles shaped the atmosphere across the various themed halls and the drift battles delivered goosebump-inducing moments in the outdoor area, the European Tuning Showdown (ETS) demanded the utmost concentration from the expert jury and kept participants’ nerves on edge until the very end. In thrilling head-to-head duels, handpicked top-tier show cars from across Europe once again faced off this year in the competition for the crown in high-end tuning. In the end, Markus Bleimbrunner from Germany was able to claim the title with his Ford F100 Resto-Mod, followed by Markus Mattsson from Sweden with his Mattson Nuked Pickup and Josefine Lindqvist, also from Sweden, with her VW Brasilia Widebody. “ETS 2026 once again reached an entirely new level. With participants from a total of 16 countries, the international starting field was stronger than ever before. From the semi-finals onward, virtually any vehicle could have taken home the winner’s crown. You rarely encounter such a concentration of quality in a single hall anywhere in the world,” said ETS organizer and tuning expert Sven Schulz, summing up the event. “One thing is clear to us: This year’s ETS was by far one of the strongest events we have ever put together. An outstanding jury, exceptional vehicles, and an incredible number of enthusiastic visitors – it is hard to imagine how it could have been any better.”
Exhibitors and the community draw a positive conclusion
The feedback from both the exhibiting companies and the community was overwhelmingly positive: “We were very satisfied with how the trade fair went. The visitor numbers were extremely high, and the move to the new hall was a smashing success,” said Wolfgang Fritz, Sales and Trade Fair Manager at KW Automotive. As a result, traffic at our booth was significantly higher than in recent years. I always say there is nothing better for manufacturers from Baden-Württemberg than a trade fair in their own state.” Alexander Müller of LCE Performance could only agree with this conclusion: “The audience here is incredibly diverse. You meet both dedicated car enthusiasts and hobby mechanics. The tri-border region provides access to a huge range of markets. That’s why Tuning World Bodensee is always a 10 out of 10 for us. I would recommend everyone to experience it live.” Founder and CEO of Z-Performance Silviu Zaharia was equally enthusiastic about the visitors: “It was fantastic here. People came to our stand genuinely interested in the products instead of just looking around or taking pictures. We recorded an incredible number of sales, received numerous orders, and sent out a large number of quotations.”
Car influencer and presenter Meltem Tasan also believes the event is a must for all automotive enthusiasts: “The conversations, the exchange, and the inspiration you can take away from this event are simply priceless, and the exhibition grounds are great. It’s always wonderful to be here every year, but this year, with the Fast Females Area, it was especially exciting. As a woman, I think it’s fantastic that we are given the opportunity to show that we can have exactly the same passion for cars and affinity for vehicles as men.” The tuning community shared in the enthusiasm. Katarina.tm wrote the following on Instagram: “It was awesome – just like every year.” Michael Walch echoed the same sentiment on Facebook: “I’m always happy to come back to Tuning World Bodensee. What a fantastic day.” Markus Scherer of the ETS Showdown Crew summed it up: “I’ve been part of the tuning community for more than 30 years, and what I love most about it is its diversity. If you just look around, including at the visitors, you see that everything here is driven by pure, unadulterated passion. You can also feel the joy and enthusiasm with which people move through the halls. I’m convinced that this community will never die out.”
The next Tuning World Bodensee will take place on the exhibition grounds in Friedrichshafen from Thursday, May 6, to Sunday, May 9, 2027.