The Canberra Festival of Speed has quickly become one of Australia’s most exciting grassroots-to-elite motorsport celebrations. Now in its fourth year, the event has grown from a small regional showcase into a full automotive festival featuring everything from rally weapons and circuit racers to drift cars, formula machines, and performance street builds. The goal has always been simple: unite the motorsport community, bring fans closer to the action, and give drivers a place to show what their builds can really do.
Although this was our first year attending, the Eurowerke team has been watching the event grow year-on-year - and 2026 felt like the perfect moment to finally take part.
Rolling In: Heatwaves, Horsepower & Setting Up
We rolled into Canberra on Saturday for a midday bump-in: the M140i racecar came down on the trailer, and Grimace - our 650awkw M3 Competition wagon - drove the whole way, baby seat still clipped in. (see them on the dyno here):
- “Grimace” - our 650awkw BMW M3 Competition Wagon
- Our 495rwkw BMW M140i track-racer
The moment we arrived, we were met by a wall of motorsport machinery-rally cars, drift builds, formula chassis, endurance weapons, and high-performance street cars. Adding to the challenge, a 45°C heatwave had settled over the venue, pushing both people and equipment to their limits. With all hands on deck, our marquee went up quickly and we carved out some much-needed shade to get the weekend underway.
Track Time: Short Course, Big Fun
Once set up, we wasted no time getting out on the track. The layout was simple-just a few corners-but with enough space to let both cars open up properly. Grimace drew a crowd instantly, while the M140i felt right at home doing what it does best: making noise, speed, and a little chaos.
BMWs were surprisingly rare at the event-we counted only a few-but the diversity of builds made up for it. Everywhere you looked, something was brapping, sliding, revving or launching.
Saturday: Cameras Melting, Crowds Growing & True Summer Madness
Despite the punishing heat, the Saturday crowd was huge, lining the barriers from midday through to the late afternoon.
The conditions were so intense that every piece of filming equipment we had began to shut down. Our cameras overheated. Even our mobile phones went into thermal protection while trying to capture the action. Somehow, between swapping devices, cooling them in the shade, and picking our moments carefully, we still managed to record a good portion of the track sessions - but it was a battle in itself.
Yet even with the heatwave, the vibe was incredible. Motorsport fans are a resilient breed, and the energy in the paddock was electric.
Sunday: A Cool Change & Maximum Sideways
Sunday brought a welcome cool change, along with patches of rain. While the wet weather reduced spectator numbers slightly, it brought a new kind of entertainment: more sideways action, bigger slides, and plenty of wheelspin theatre.
Both of our cars embraced the conditions - traction was optional, but fun was mandatory.
A Weekend to Remember
From the scorching heat of Saturday to the wet, playful conditions on Sunday, the Canberra Festival of Speed delivered one of the most dynamic weekends we’ve had in a long time. For our first year attending, the experience exceeded every expectation, and it’s safe to say we’ll be back.
A huge thank you to the entire event team, volunteers, and marshals for putting on such a well-run and welcoming event. You guys made it all feel seamless.
See you all again in 2027 - with more cars, more power, and hopefully slightly cooler weather.
Thanks for checking out the photo gallery - our full video edition will follow shortly.
Want to join in on the fun?
Our events are private functions which are designed for our customers and their friends + family to enjoy European car ownership. If you’d like to join in on the fun and take part on Social Drives, Tech Nights and other Misc Meets, then please sign up to our monthly email newsletter below, which is the only place to receive information on upcoming Eurowerke events.
We look forward to seeing you at the next one!
