Brought to you by Elk Merk Waardig
Saturday May 11th 2024 | 10AM – 3PM | Louwman’s Toyota World | Steurweg 8, Raamsdonksveer, The Netherlands
Questions? pr@elkmerkwaardig.nl or call 06-53 53 63 28
What’s this all about?
Some would call the EMWalhalla an event, but we prefer to see it as a field day for the unloved ones on our roads. Misfitting motors whose owners are constantly having to defend their choices. Perhaps it’s a well-meant idea that didn’t pan out, an exotic that was never allowed to set foot here, a marketing flop, an eccentric form of transport that was built in a dreamer’s shed or maybe a mass produced people carrier that infected the roads only a few years ago, but has now gone extinct.
We hear you ask: can you give us any examples? Plenty! From Renault 14 to Talbot Tagora, from Volkswagen K70 to Mercedes-Benz Vaneo, from Fiat Tempra to Alfa Romeo Arna, from Saab 9-4X to Volvo 440, from Hyundai Pony to Kia Opirus, from Buick Reatta to Mercury Sable, from Nissan Cube to Subaru XT and from SEAT Malaga to Å koda Roomster. We can keep going for another few hours.
So what’s the EMWalhalla for?
We see it as a podium for all these forgotten and forsaken automobiles. We’re here to award, appreciate and applaud the unsung heroes of the open road and give them their well-deserved second in the spotlight.
There’s plenty of exciting activities of course, such as our dynamic concours-like show ‘Flop Gear’, the test drive center we’ve called ‘Cruising in Clunkers’ and a special exposition celebrating Louwman & Parqui’s 100 year anniversary.
We obviously haven’t forgotten aboutthe catering, because neither the cars nor the people attending should be starved forattention. Oh, and one more thing: you can experience Louwman’s grand museum collection completely free of charge.
And who are ‘we’?
Let’s start with you, because that’s the entire reason you visited this page. The EMWalhalla is open and free to visit for anyone who’s remotely interested in the odd and outlandish offers of the automotive world. No need to own one of these motored misfits yourself, even though we highly recommend it if only for the fact that we’ll give you a distinguished spot on Louwman’s lawn. It’s only a matter of time before you’re absorbed in conversation with enthusiasts that genuinely care in each other’s pride and joy. For us, that feeling of community is most important of all.
Now, let’s talk about us. Elk Merk Waardig is a Dutch car club that specialises in automotive anomalies. We organise EMWalhalla, but we prefer to see ourselves as hosts of the event.
You’ve got a club-like mentality then?
Absolutely, but we aren’t looking to isolate ourselves to a specific sub-genre. It’s the polar opposite! That’s exactly why we’ve brought the EMWalhalla to life, where other clubs and enthusiast groups are more than welcome.
Does your club care about makes or models that have lived a long life in the shadows of the celebrated champions of the motoring world? Don’t hesitate to send us a message and bring as many members and merchandise as you possibly can to Louwman’s Toyota World.
We only have one rule: A maximum of ten cars of the same make and model parked next to each other, because we want to provide as much diversity as possible to our visitors.
What about…
- The weird name? That’s just a tic of ours, where Elk Merk Waardig has kind of created a culture of putting the abbreviation EMW into everything we do or say.
- Entrance fee? Never heard of it. You’re more than welcome to hand us an optional offering in the form of a donation, which we’ll use to soften the hit on our cash register.
- Signing up in advance? No need for that, because we completely understand if an in-law emergency gets in your way. If you’re planning on visiting with a club or larger group, do send us a message so we can pick out a nice spot for you and your fellow travellers.
- Good-weather-assurance? We sadly haven’t found anyone trustworthy who can make that happen for us yet, but we’ll have a riot even if it’s raining!
- Burn-outs? If you’re struggling with that, you should probably visit a doctor.
- COVID-19? We’re hoping that viral trend has passed by now, but if it does re-appear we’ll inform you here.
