Events Coverage
Event Report: 2008 H20 International
By by: Cherise LaPine-Grueninger, photos: Wes Grueninger and George Achorn
Oct 14, 2008, 12:27

Ocean City, Maryland is a lovely spot in late September. Most of the tourists have left, while tens of thousands of Audi and Volkswagen practically take over the town. H20 International, the draw for these car enthusiasts, is generally regarded as the last major event of the season, something of a “farewell to summer” party, and we’re pleased to report that 2008 definitely ended in style.


Fourtitude parent Vortex Media Group had its own tent display area this year, populated with several cars and projects belonging to this group of sites. In addition to Fourtitude’s latest Audi S5 long-term car, the area also sported VWvortex.com’s Project Turbunnium and Swedespeed.com’s Project Volvo C30.


APR Motorsport’s massive tent was as crowded as always. They brought out one of their race team’s Volkswagen GTI racecars, featuring a Stage III turbo, APR intercooler, and high-pressure fuel pump, with Koni coilovers. The 2.0 Stage III turbo kit was also showcased in a red 2006 Audi A4 with an APR intercooler and APR/Brembo Stage IV brakes.


There were several clothing vendors present, but DubKorps’ designs, printed on heavy-weight tees and hoodies, seem to have a particular appeal. The distinct and comprehensive military-themed booth was easily among our favorite setups. On the way out, many a customer paused to check out DubKorps’ designer and owner JJ Larson’s white APR Stage III B5 Audi RS 4 Avant.


Though Sunday was marked by sporadic downpours, the skies cleared enough for attendees to leave the shelter of tents, cars or the main racetrack facility and make a few sprints across the show field to ogle an impressive array of cars. Perhaps it’s a stretch, but H20’s trademark laid-back atmosphere is a direct influence on the spectrum of cars in attendance. It’s been a long time since we’ve seen so many top-notch Audis ranging from a C2 Audi 5000 on up to the latest models, and it might just be that H20 is more about camaraderie than competition.


A particular favorite amongst the older cars was Michael Bee’s metallic brown 1991 Audi 200 20v turbo quattro wagon, with a set of BBS wheels framing Brembo front brakes.


According to H20 International organizers, attendance was strong. Weekend tallies showed a total of 1060 registered show cars, more than 60 vendors, and more than 6500 spectators. Overall, H20i was a satisfying and inspiring close to the season.

A full gallery of the 2008 H20 International event can be found via the link below.

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