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I’ll start with an apology. Ultimate Stance 2024 was almost a month ago, so this gallery is overdue. But there’s a good reason for the delay, so bear with me.
Ultimate Stance is known in the UK for three things: a diverse range of show cars, a lively atmosphere, and, most importantly, marking the end of the car show season before winter arrives.
Its sister show, Ultimate Dubs, is the UK season opener, and it’s an event I’ve attended for the past few years. I figured I’d close out the 2024 season with a show, so I took a quick trip to Telford and spent the day exploring the halls of the Telford International Centre.
Since then, my schedule has been packed with car culture, and there are no signs of it slowing down. So, instead of waxing lyrical about the ‘end of the UK car season,’ let’s dive straight into a selection of shiny cars from this year’s show.
Cars like this C5 Chevrolet Corvette on the Voodoo Split Rims stand. I adore ’90s sports cars, especially those with pop-up headlights. There’s something special about their rising beltlines, pointed noses, and – in this case – BBS Motorsport splits.
Voodoo’s display deserves a special mention. They brought out some of the best-executed cars at the show on immaculate split rims…
…and this hilariously stanced trike, too!
Elsewhere, young ones were entertained at the Kids Car Mods stand near the main stage. I wish my Little Tikes Cozy Coupe was this cool – but you’ve got to love the traditional yellow-and-red colour scheme, right?
Of course, it wasn’t just the kids spending their money. Adults (especially those in their 30s with disposable income) were happily dropping cash on collectable scale models. I left a couple of my mates browsing at one stand, grabbed photos of the entire hall, and returned to find them with a bag full of toys.
Yes, that is indeed a wedding ring on one of their hands. No, he doesn’t have a child.
Ultimate Dubs is usually the go-to Volkswagen show of the Ultimate pair, but no matter where you go in the UK, you can’t escape VW culture. This three-door A1 Jetta stood out to me with its earth-toned colour scheme, immaculate supercharged engine bay, and interior treatment. Woven leather should be used more often – just look at those seat inners!
Vauxhall has always been Volkswagen’s direct competitor in the UK, so it was great to see this pair of ’90s street icons on display – a Cavalier and a Corsa GSi.
It felt like there were fewer Japanese builds this year, but this Honda S2000 and JZA80 Toyota Supra caught my attention with their vivid paint jobs and split-rim setups. The Honda was tucking a set of Work Meister S1s, while the Supra sported a more purposeful fitment.
Lately, I’ve noticed more people stepping out of VWs and into BMWs, Mercedes-Benzes, and Porsches here in the UK – not just Audis, as you might expect. This means these marques are getting modified more frequently, and I’m not complaining about it.
With prices rising or plateauing fairly high, owning a retro German car has become increasingly out of reach for many enthusiasts. It’s a massive shame, but it’s also meant that the quality of builds and parts going into these cars is high.
There’s also a shift in the ‘snobbery’ that used to go on at shows, largely due to iconic and desirable aftermarket parts becoming harder to find every year. Where once anything less than BBS was looked down upon, now more cars are sporting custom designs from smaller, up-and-coming wheel brands.
It’s refreshing to see, but to me, it’s still hard to beat a BMW on a classic set of splits!
The ‘Red Room’ was home to a wide variety of cars, with more performance-oriented builds alongside the heavily cambered show cars – something we don’t often see at British stance-specific shows these days.
Despite everything great about Ultimate Stance this year, I came away from the show feeling a little disheartened. It wasn’t because of the event itself but because it feels like the UK’s modified car scene is in a bit of a lull right now.
These days, I spend as much (if not more) time away from this side of car culture – not because I’m trying to escape, but because that’s where my career is taking me. I’m an equal-opportunity enthusiast. I love race and classic cars just as much as stance cars.
But every time I return to the UK show circuit – except for the truly unique events like Players Classic or RollHard – I can’t help but feel that the high level of enthusiasm isn’t there anymore. Maybe I’m just getting older, or perhaps fewer teens are getting into modified cars these days.
It’s a silly hobby, but reading magazines like Fast Car, Performance VW, and Banzai meant so much to me when I was younger. Forums like Stanceworks and Edition38 were my go-to. For me, Instagram doesn’t inspire the same feelings – it’s fast-paced and often cold, focused more on making an impact than on fostering real passion.
So, Ultimate Stance 2024 was a bittersweet event for me, through no fault of its own. I can’t help but wonder where the UK car scene is heading and what the next few years will bring.
Mario Christou
Instagram: mcwpn, mariochristou.world
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