How it all began

For many years, a Wiesmann was a true childhood dream of mine

In March 2026, an idea began to take shape. My three girls were past the nappy stage, the V-Class reliably served as the family car and the C-Class was the sensible everyday choice. But alongside all that practicality, it was time for something that did more than simply fulfil a purpose. A car for pure enjoyment. Something special.

Then a Wiesmann MF4 GT suddenly appeared on mobile.de – in Augsburg, very close to home.

Even my first contact with the original owner, Mr Meyer, was special. It was immediately clear that this was far more than just a car to him. After 18 years together, countless experiences and at the remarkable age of 87, parting with it was visibly difficult. That bond with the car made a deep impression on me – and showed that this Wiesmann had always been in the right hands.

The test drive settled it. The impeccable mechanical and cosmetic condition, the elegant colour combination, its presence and the way it drove – everything about the car captivated me. It had already covered almost 300,000 kilometres, but that made it even more fascinating. This was no lifeless collector’s piece stored in a garage, but a true Gran Turismo that had been driven, cared for and loved.

As a BMW engineer, familiar with the technology beneath the Wiesmann body, I was able to assess its condition with confidence. It also came with a complete history: from the service book and original purchase agreement to every service and workshop visit – all documented in three bulging folders. Together, they created a reassuring picture and greatly reduced the risk of hidden problems.

This was no ordinary car purchase. After several hours filled with stories, memories and personal conversation, the agreement was signed over a good glass of white wine. The evening at the castle did not end until close to midnight.

Mr Silme is also part of the special history of my MF4 GT – a highly regarded member of the Wiesmann manufactory team who looked after this car repeatedly throughout those 18 years. After the insolvency, he continued working alongside Martin Wiesmann at Drehzahl & Momente and remained there until the company eventually closed for age-related reasons.

My MF4 GT is therefore not only a rare car, but one shaped by people who truly live and breathe the brand. Since 19 March 2026, I have been proud to call MF4 GT #180 my own – and for the gecko, a new chapter begins under the name The White Gecko.

The Wiesmann Club

Only a few weeks after the purchase, the next highlight arrived: the Wiesmann Club was touring the Allgäu and Lake Constance region for a week with around 40 cars.

The “Allgäu/Lake Constance Tour” from 2 to 9 May 2026 passed almost directly by my front door. I contacted the club chairman – and was immediately given a warm welcome as a guest driver.

The first kilometres together in convoy were an experience in themselves: Wiesmanns ahead and behind, that unmistakable sound, the winding roads of the Allgäu – and a car that seemed to cling to the tarmac through every corner.

Almost as impressive as the driving itself was the reaction of people along the route. Everywhere, the cars attracted attention, curious looks, questions and enthusiasm. One especially memorable moment came on 3 May 2026, when our geckos were welcomed directly onto the town hall square in Wangen’s old town – complete with a greeting from the mayor, alphorns, cheese tasting and many interested visitors.

The club community impressed me just as quickly: open, helpful, enthusiastic and completely unpretentious. I felt welcome from the first moment. Before long, the guest driver had become a member.

At Klassikwelt

From 12 to 14 June 2026, the White Gecko was on display at Klassikwelt Bodensee – directly in the foyer as part of the special exhibition “Discontinued Marques”.

For me, the appearance was a wonderful opportunity to give the MF4 GT a proper stage. Wiesmann is not a marque you see every day – which makes it a natural fit for an event where automotive passion, rare handcrafted quality and personal stories come together.

At the same time, it was never only about displaying the car. I enjoyed the conversations, meeting like-minded enthusiasts and seeing people pause in front of it because they sensed that they were looking at something special.

By the way: how many kilometres do you think this gecko has already covered? The answer surprises many people – and says a great deal about this particular MF4 GT. You can read more under My MF4 GT.

25 years of the Wiesmann Club – back where it all began

The 25th anniversary of the Wiesmann Club was far more than a large gathering. It was a return to Dülmen – the place where the geckos were once created and where countless stories remain alive today.

The journey to Dülmen

Around 700 kilometres separated the White Gecko’s home in Landsberg am Lech from Dülmen. We set off north early in the morning. Oil and coolant had been checked, the tank was filled with 102-octane fuel and the most important thing we carried was anticipation for a weekend that promised to be much more than an ordinary marque meeting.

From Würzburg onwards, Ivelin took the passenger seat. The kilometres passed quickly as we talked about cars and all kinds of workshop stories, enjoyed the sound of the V8 and wondered what awaited us at the birthplace of Wiesmann.

The messages in the club WhatsApp group quickly showed that the excitement was shared by everyone. Geckos set off from all over Germany and beyond, returning to their place of origin. From Dortmund onwards, we began to encounter the first Wiesmanns on the motorway – the destination was close.

Back in the hallowed halls

The former Wiesmann manufactory is no ordinary factory building. Its striking timber-and-glass structure was designed in the shape of a gecko, expressing the identity of the marque even from the outside. Through the large glass façades, customers and visitors could once watch as countless individual parts were transformed by hand into a Wiesmann.

The manufactory remains closely connected to the cars today. Wiesmann Sports Cars GmbH carries out servicing, maintenance and restoration work here. Many of its specialists have accumulated decades of experience and know the distinctive details of these hand-built sports cars inside out.

The halls are not used solely to preserve existing cars. Since 2025, five exclusive special editions have also been taking shape under the name Wiesmann Tributo. Based on the MF5, the model is a strictly limited revival of Wiesmann’s former flagship and is being handcrafted using, among other parts, components that remained in the original stock.

Above all, these halls are filled with history. The presentation area is home to the legendary MF3 and MF4 racing cars, which caused a stir at events including the Nürburgring 24 Hours. Alongside them stands the show car for the Wiesmann Spyder concept, unveiled at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show. The Project Thunderball prototype provides a striking contrast: a fully electric roadster with around 680 PS, presented in 2022 as a vision for the future of the marque.

Being so close to these extraordinary cars, the visible traces of production, hides of leather, moulds, tools, the upholstery workshop and countless small details creates a very special atmosphere. It does not feel like a factory that has fallen silent. Rather, the manufactory seems to be sleeping – ready to come back to life at any moment.

Perhaps that moment is closer than we think. New developments and rumours at least offer hope that the Wiesmann story may be entering another chapter.

You can read more about a possible future for the marque in the story “Wiesmann 2.0?”

Friedhelm Wiesmann – the man behind the marque

One of the most moving moments of the weekend was meeting Friedhelm Wiesmann. Together with his brother Martin, he did not merely establish a company; he created something that continues to inspire people and bring them together today.

Listening to Friedhelm is nothing like hearing a rehearsed corporate history. He speaks openly, with humour and remarkable authenticity, about the early days, bold decisions, unusual customers, technical challenges and all the small and large moments that made Wiesmann what it became. You immediately sense that he still has petrol in his veins. Even today, his passion for the geckos, the people and his life’s work remains unmistakable.

I was also struck by Friedhelm’s thoughts on how society’s view of the car has changed. For many people today, other priorities have moved to the foreground: travelling from A to B as cheaply and efficiently as possible, environmental considerations and everyday usability. The emotional connection with the car, enthusiasm for engineering and the pleasure of driving are increasingly fading into the background.

That is precisely why I believe it is important to reach younger generations through authentic stories like these and inspire them with engineering and the automobile.

You can also hear some of Friedhelm and Martin Wiesmann’s wonderful stories in the Motorikonen podcast. The Wiesmann brothers speak openly and entertainingly about the early years, the development of the marque and many memorable experiences from their time together at Wiesmann.

Meeting Friedhelm in person was one of the most special moments of the weekend for me. His openness, his passion and his many stories brought this place to life in an entirely new way.

On the road together – the anniversary drive

Saturday morning naturally included what every Wiesmann was built for: driving. In several groups, numerous geckos set off through the Münsterland region. For a few hours, an extraordinary convoy of roadsters and GT models took to the roads – accompanied by the sound of their engines, the looks of people along the route and the special feeling of travelling with so many Wiesmanns. It was less about speed than the shared experience: driving, enjoying the moment and making the passion for these cars visible where they belong – on the road.

Sideways through the corner – Ronny Wechselberger

When Ronny Wechselberger took the wheel, it took only seconds for the square to become a stage filled with engine noise, tyre smoke and perfectly controlled drifts.

Throughout the day, the stunt driver, racing driver and Guinness World Record holder demonstrated what experience, car control and a sufficient supply of tyres can achieve. His displays consumed five complete sets of tyres.

Between the displays, Ronny also took time to talk with visitors. His remarkable car control, obvious enthusiasm and direct interaction with the audience made his appearances one of the highlights of the weekend.

Dülmen from the air

The helicopter flight offered a completely different view of the anniversary. Only from above did the true scale of the gathering become apparent. More than 100 Wiesmann cars, the former manufactory site and its surroundings combined to create an impressive overall picture.

A sky full of memories

At around one o’clock in the morning, another highlight awaited: a new kind of firework display. More than 100 drones formed spectacular figures and motifs above the event site. Shapes, lettering and symbols recalled the history of the marque and transformed the night sky into a moving canvas for several minutes.

Together with the music, the cars and the many people gathered on the site, it created a wonderful atmosphere. It was a fitting conclusion to a day in which history, engineering, personal encounters and spectacular entertainment flowed seamlessly into one another.

The 25th anniversary of the Wiesmann Club was a complete success.

For me, the weekend was a journey back to the origins of Wiesmann, to the place where my MF4 GT was built – and at the same time a weekend filled with new encounters and lasting memories.

Between the former manufactory, Friedhelm Wiesmann’s stories, Ronny Wechselberger’s drift show, the view from the helicopter and the images in the night sky, it became clear what still defines this marque and its community today: a shared enthusiasm for these extraordinary cars, genuine passion and stories that connect Wiesmann drivers like a family.

Sharing the experience

From Ivelin P.’s perspective

Some moments cannot be planned. They begin with an ordinary conversation and develop into a story you will never forget.

As a BMW enthusiast, I had of course known about Wiesmann for years: a small manufactory combining BMW engineering with exceptional design and genuine craftsmanship. I had always admired the cars – but until then, I had never experienced one.

It began with a petrolhead conversation with Tobias. We were originally talking about BMW, but it quickly became much more. A few days later, he sent me a link to The White Gecko. There I discovered an invitation: one passenger seat was still available for the Wiesmann Club anniversary weekend in Dülmen. Tobias was looking for someone who wanted to experience the passion for these remarkable cars and help pass it on.

I read through the stories on the website – and at some point I knew: I wanted to be part of it.

A few days later, the phone call came. I was going with him.

I was thrilled. Accommodation booked, bag packed – and on Friday a weekend began that I will not forget in a hurry.

Even getting into the Wiesmann MF4 GT felt special. From the very first kilometre, you realise that this is not a car you simply drive – it is a car you experience. The V8 sound, the direct connection between driver and machine and the many carefully crafted details make every journey unique.

Once we arrived in Dülmen, the significance of the marque to so many people quickly became clear. More than 100 Wiesmann cars. Over 300 participants. A return to the place where these extraordinary sports cars were created. Whether long-standing owner or visitor like me, people everywhere were exchanging knowledge, laughing and sharing their enthusiasm for the marque.

I am grateful for all the encounters, the conversations and the warmth with which I was welcomed. Thank you to everyone who made the Wiesmann Club’s 25th anniversary an unforgettable weekend.

For me, the weekend was the best possible proof that extraordinary cars can bring people together – and that the finest experiences are created when a passion is shared.

Wiesmann 2.0?

A new attempt to revive a sports-car marque with a rich tradition.

After several attempts to revive Wiesmann, Jasper den Dopper is now expected to drive the latest restart. His name is well known in the Dutch automotive world: as technical director, he played a major role in keeping the sports-car marque Spyker alive. He now wants to bring that experience to Wiesmann.

Den Dopper describes the current situation as the last opportunity for the historic manufactory. His goal is ambitious: the first new sports cars are intended to leave the factory within the next twelve months, while the business is to become economically successful over the long term.

He sees one major advantage. Unlike a complete start from scratch, the new team can draw on a wealth of existing resources. Production halls are available, original moulds and engineering drawings have been preserved, and there is still an extensive stock of components. Together with his own operations manager and designer, den Dopper intends to use this foundation to rebuild the marque step by step.

For the restart, he is deliberately taking a pragmatic approach. Rather than developing a completely new car first, the Wiesmann MF5 is to return to production as soon as possible. The existing chassis and components held in stock would provide the foundation.

Work on the future has also begun. The previous glass-fibre body is to be replaced with a modern all-carbon construction, designed to be lighter and stiffer while also appealing to new groups of customers.

Under Jasper den Dopper, Wiesmann is not initially pursuing an electric powertrain. In the longer term, he instead wants to revive the close relationship with BMW. For many years, high-performance BMW M engines were a defining part of Wiesmann. Before discussing future partnerships, however, den Dopper first wants to demonstrate that a healthy and economically sustainable market for Wiesmann can be rebuilt.

The coming months will show whether this ambitious plan succeeds. Based on Jasper den Dopper’s statements, however, there appears to be a concrete roadmap for the future of the marque once again.

The source and starting point for this summary is a recent report by BNR Nieuwsradio.