Many types of vehicles will be lined up, everything that rolls, from public service vehicles to high-end sports cars.
Speaking at the press conference on the event on 19th of May 2023, the Mayor of Debrecen, László Papp, said that the idea of Debrecen Drive was conceived when the city was moving towards the automotive industry.
As he recalled, it was announced in 2018 that BMW had chosen Debrecen, and after that the collaborative thinking started on how to join this change with an event.
“I think it is very important that Debrecen is involved in the development of the automotive industry at a time when a very serious technological shift is taking place in this field. Debrecen will be the first entity in the world automotive industry to embody this new era. Vehicles will be manufactured in the city with a view to environmental transition and sustainability. Debrecen Drive will focus on the present through the vehicles on display, but one of its most important missions is to give a glimpse of what the future holds,” the mayor said.
He added that the conference would be one of the opportunities for those involved in the automotive industry to get a sense of how the future will change here in Debrecen and globally. The conference aims to provide insight into the current challenges, trends and renewal of the automotive industry to present the latest development trends, innovative technological solutions, training needs and future directions of the automotive industry, he added.
Zoltán Bács said that the University of Debrecen would participate in the organisation of the conference, the event and everything that will help the development of this industry, the livability and transport of Debrecen. The chancellor of the University of Debrecen added that they are confident that the construction of the vehicle laboratory in the university industrial park will start within 1-2 months.
After last year’s success, the Metal-Sheet Night Drive will be held again this year, with breathtaking stunt performances, adrenaline and tyre-wearing. Zsófia Máthé, Sales and Marketing Manager of Metal-Sheet Ltd., said this year’s event would also feature an action-packed car chase with action movie-like scenes. She added that managing director Emil Harangi is known to own a number of speciality cars. Visitors to Debrecen Drive will be able to admire some of his collections. After the evening show, drifters, motorcycle stunt drivers and a wide variety of vehicles will be on show six times over the two days at the Metal-Sheet Katlan.
Csaba Tóth, director of Transportation at Trans-Sped Group, said that the company invited its employees and their families to a family day at the Debrecen Drive this year. This year the forklift competition has been announced in two categories, with the main prize being HUF 100-100 thousand.
The “Celebfutam” (celebrity run) debuted last year as a new programme element, while the “mascot car” of Debrecen Drive will be an iconic, pistachio-green “little Polski”, which the celebrities will have to drive.
The Krones x Metal Art Gallery is coming: for the first time in the city, the unique interactive sculpture exhibition made of recycled car parts will be presented at Debrecen Drive.
Péter Miklósvölgyi, CEO of the Debrecen Campus Nonprofit, said that the local transport company (DKV,) the police, the fire brigade, the ambulance service, the Hungarian Defence Forces, John Deere tractors from KITE Zrt. can be seen in addition to the representatives of the automotive industry. Oldtimers, top-of-the-range sports cars, motorcycles and construction machinery will also be on display this weekend.
László Páll, Managing Director of Debrecen Campus Kft., urged visitors to use public transport, cycle or walk to the event. Those who would like to drive can use the parking lot next to the Clinic or the Főnix Aréna, and the Campus on Kassai Road will also be opened for this purpose. For the DVSC vs Ujpest match on the 27th of May, it will be possible to enter the Stadium from both inside and outside the event area using the bridges. Those who participate in the Debrecen Drive can buy tickets for the football match at a discount on the spot.
More information about the detailed programme can be found on the Debrecen Drive website.
