We were very, extremely excited, as we’ve finally embarked on our dreamed automotive trip across Germany and it was great from the very beginning. If driving in Lithuania feels like a strategic game, where you must calculate the exact time to hit the road to avoid traffic and construction-related accidents, crossing the border into Poland, everything changes.
The roads become smoother, the speed limit climbs to 140 km/h, and every few kilometers there’s an alluring rest stop, inviting you for some polish delicacies. With the comfort of freshly paved highways and Polish hospitality, the first leg of our journey from Vilnius to Germany was a breeze.
Berlin was Just the Start
Arriving in Berlin was a highlight of our trip. Not only did the drive feel effortless, but the city itself offered a treasure trove of automotive wonders. At Classic-Remise, we were treated to an impressive display of cars we had only dreamed of seeing in person – the Citroën SM, a Ferrari Enzo, Bugatti Veyron, and even a R129 Mercedes SL with a manual gearbox. For any classic car lover, this is a must-visit location that to be honest, overwhelms you quite significantly with the sheer volume of the most amazing cars out there, but it’s worth it.
Berlin’s streets themselves are a spectacle, with a variety of mostly German built youngtimers cruising through the city. As we left Berlin and headed toward Wolfsburg – the city synonymous with Volkswagen – we realized how fast the first day had flown by. After covering 1300 kilometers in our 22 year-old diesel Mercedes, we were still feeling fresh.
Home of Volkswagen
Our second day started in Wolfsburg with a visit to the Stiftung Automuseum, a peaceful haven filled with prototype cars and historic Volkswagen engines. For those interested in engine design, there’s even a separate room showcasing rare prototype engines and legendary units like the Bugatti W16 and the Audi V12 TDI. The cars on display always change, but the exposition is always filled with little and large gems like the VW T3 Jetstar bus or the T3 Carat with a Porsche flat-6 in the back. There was even a brilliant looking prototype Corrado cabriolet.
After soaking in some VW history, we moved on to Volkswagen Autostadt, a whole district of Wolfsburg, all built around cars. The centerpiece of that experience was the Zeithaus Museum which simply features some of the most amazing cars out there. Automotive icons such as the Bugatti Type 57, the legendary Tatra 87 or the first ever Lamborghini, the 350GT. Autostadt has a large infrastructure of little pavilions, where different VAG brands, like Porsche, Seat, and Skoda display their latest cars and let you play around with them, bar driving, of course. It is impossible to spend less than half a day there. Just walking from one place to another takes time, but it certainly was worth it. The whole area is very orderly, with lots of water bodies surrounding industrialist architecture made of glass and steel, with the VW factory chimneys standing in the background. You can come here just for the architecture alone.
The Magic of the Autobahn
Leaving Wolfsburg behind, we embarked on the most exciting part of our trip: the drive through Germany’s famed Autobahn, towards the Nürburgring. Cruising at high speeds on silky smooth asphalt, with a pink sunset and winding roads through green forests, was genuine driving bliss that would be hard to replicate anywhere else. Some Autobahn sections are even covered with sound-dampening asphalt, making the driving experience feel as though you’re gliding on carpet. It’s no wonder Germans have a deep love for driving – it’s a pleasure here, not a task.
By the time we reached Nürburg, it was already dark, but excitement kept pumping the blood and Definitely so for me, as I was the main driver, and the good old Merc was mine.
The anticipation for what lay ahead, that is driving the legendary Nürburgring Nordschleife and experiencing the life around the track, kept us going. We fuelled up for the second time on the outskirts of the track and went to our hotel to rest, right after downing a couple of german pints, of course.
The Track and The Terrifying Drive
The next morning, we headed straight for the Nordschleife, where car enthusiasts from all over Europe come to push themselves and their machines to the limit. Surrounded by Porsche 911 GT3s, Alpine A110s, and the latest hot hatches, our humble Mercedes-Benz W211 seemed almost out of place. But here, it’s not about appearances, it’s about the love of driving.
We strolled around for a while, admiring the cars, the life, the people, but Finally, it was time for me to take on the Nürburgring. After thousands of laps on the console at home, the real thing was a revelation. The track was narrower, the elevation changes were more extreme, and the sensation of being overtaken by a BMW M2 at double your speed was humbling. The thrill of navigating the famous Karussell corner and realizing the gravity of where you are can bring a tear to your eye—it certainly did for me.
To top it off, we experienced the Ring Taxi, a Genesis G70 driven by a professional at hair-raising speeds. The return of that Polish cabbage feeling in my stomach was proof of just how intense the ride was. The speedometer would occasionally show numbers close to 250 km/h, even while going through some of the lesser sharp bends.
A Few More Museums
On our way back, we visited the Sinsheim Museum, home to everything from the Ferrari F40 to Soviet propaganda posters. A special highlight was seeing, and even stepping inside, the Concorde, a marvel of engineering and something I’ve been admiring my whole life.
Our journey also took us to the Porsche, Mercedes-Benz, and BMW museums in Stuttgart and Munich. While Porsche and BMW offered insights into their brand histories, it was the Mercedes-Benz Museum that left the biggest impression. The building itself was the largest and seemed most fit for a car museum for such a special car maker. But also with its vast collection of race cars, commercial vehicles, and more, it was the perfect way to end the trip.
The Road Back
The final bit of the journey – a 1600 kilometer drive back to Vilnius – was a little more tiresome, as we decided to properly leg it back home and do the whole journey without proper sleep. It ended up being a 20 hour long drive with all 3 of us sharing the driver’s seat. Cruising in the back seat of our trusty Mercedes W211 for the first time though, I fully appreciated what a fantastic car it was for such a trip. Having come back home early in the morning with 4050 kilometers, 5 days and 6 fuel stops behind us, with countless memories, and a new appreciation for Polish and German roadways, I couldn’t have asked for a better experience.
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