Road Runner scene

“We love racing and cutting”

"We love to show off our wares," said the amateur speeders in an interview with the "Krone" newspaper.

(Bild: krone.tv )

Exclusive insights into the Viennese tuning scene. In Vienna-Döling, the "Krone" spoke to the young drivers who are behind the wheel of the fast racers. They tell us what makes them tick and what makes racing so appealing before they start their races on the Gürtel.  

It's just after midnight when the engines roar in Vienna's Heiligenstadt district, where Döbling is not yet a posh neighborhood. The high-horsepower vehicles are polished to a shine, the chassis is lowered, roaring exhausts break through the silence of the night. But all the extras come as standard, we are assured. The meeting points for the young men, most of whom have their roots in Turkey, include petrol stations and the parking lots of a well-known fast food chain. Turkish music can be heard from the open windows.

Coke flows in streams, alcohol is taboo for the boys anyway. Every euro they save goes towards pimping their cars. They mainly go for German makes. "BMW is a Turkish car," says PS fan Emre. But Audi and Mercedes are also in the mix.

Erkan and Emre (note: name changed by the editor) in conversation with the "Krone".

(Bild: krone.tv )

They meet here and exchange ideas. Then they go racing on the Gürtel, but not always. Of course, the police have the scene in their sights. The fines are high. A friend recently paid 500 euros because his vehicle was too loud. The vehicles drive bumper to bumper in the parking lot. One car is even wrapped in glitter foil. 

Diesel and petrol instead of e-mobility
"We love to show off our wares," says another. "We love to race, to cut, that's our principle. You can't do anything else in Vienna anyway," says the owner of a 265-horsepower Mercedes with conviction. Switching to an electric car is unthinkable for the young men. You can't make any noise with it. Hot stoves are known to attract beautiful women. That's usually the main reason why they drive up here. 

It's adrenaline: you press the gas pedal and get your feelings back.

18-Jähriger aus der Tuning-Szene

Emre has also had an accident due to speeding. It was very bad. He would rather not talk about it. Nevertheless, the 18-year-old gets firmly back on the gas pedal. The boys always come to Heiligenstadt at the weekend. When the car has long since been parked at home again, everything still revolves around cars. They scour sales platforms and send offers to friends via WhatsApp. 

What happens if the car is confiscated for blatantly exceeding the speed limit? "That's my property. I'd rather burn it," says Emre emotionally. His friends agree with him.

Tough penalties for speeders in Austria
Strict penalties and high fines for speeders have been in force in Austria since March 1. The vehicle can now also be confiscated for extreme speeding. Between January 1 and July 7, 2024, there were 143 fatalities on Austria's roads. Speeding drivers not only put their own lives at risk, but also endanger innocent road users.